Thanks To Colleagues

THANKS TO COLLEAGUES

 I would like to thank all my colleagues for your comments and support throughout this class. Your posts and comments challenge me to expand my understanding of communication on a deeper level.  I have learned a lot about effective communication not only from the resources but from all of you. Thank you all for sharing your wisdom, kindness, and support. I wish you all many blessings as we enter our specialty. I hope one day I will meet many if not all of you face to face. You may contact me at barbara.beale@waldenu.edu. I would love to hear from you.

 

Adjourning Groups

ADJOURNING GROUPS

 

I have been involved in a limited amount of professional and personal groups. Some successful and others not so successful. This week as I explored the five stages of Abudi’s team building. I understand what was done wrong and what was done correct.  As I focus on the last stage known as the adjourning stage that means the project is coming to an end and the team members are starting to go their separate ways. They celebrate the team accomplished and what they have learned ( Abudi, 2010). The adjourning stage can be a sad time as the member of the team says their good-byes and also a happy time as the team celebrate their completing the project. During their time of working together as a team friendships have also been developed.

High performing groups will miss each other because they have formed a bond through their interacting and made good progress on the project. Some events a team might have are parties, dinners and gift giving. Adjourning is a very vital stage of team building because it brings closure for everyone.   

During this program I have had the opportunity to meet many colleagues from many walks of life. Although we have never meet in person there is still a connection which have fostered a bond.  At the end of each class there is a sadness and a joy because after each class we are all closer to our common goal. I would like to thank all my colleagues for the sharing of their blogs, discussions, and experiences that assist me in understanding many assignments and strategies. Thank you guys, you are the greatest and it has been a rewarding experiences working with you all. As we continue our educational journey many blessing for each and every one.

Reference

Abudi, G. (2010). The five stages of team development: A case study. Retrieved from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html    

Conflict and Disagreement Strategies

In the past I always tried to avoided conflicts the best way I knew how. Now I have obtained information about strategies to use to solve conflicts, I feel I can defuse them more effectively. O'Hair and Wiemann (2012) states, "Conflicts is inevitable". I have learned that conflicts will some how find it way within relationships and sometime they can not be resolved. No matter how much you tried to avoid conflicts they manages to find their way into your life. I always try to keep peace even when I receive the short end of the stick.

I could not think of any conflict that I am currently having. I think of my self as a non-confrontational person. I am respectful and open- minded, I try my best to respond to conflicts in a matter that everyone wins.

I thought back to the time when my daughters were younger and they shared a bedroom. My oldest daughter always complained about how her sister would mess the room up after she had cleaned it up. My husband and I decided to stay out of it and let them work it out. One evening while my husband was at work and I was in the kitchen cooking. My oldest daughter came running into  the kitchen yelling " Mom she has done it again". While she was outside playing her sister had messed up the room looking for her favorite sweater. I took a deep breath and decided I had to deal with this matter that day, right then because it had gotten out of hand. I called a meeting with both girls in the family room. They both tried to speak at the same time which I stopped immediately. The girls must of known I meant business because they both stopped. I asked the oldest to voice her concerns which ( I had heard many time)she did. Every time she raised her voice I asked her to bring it down and she did. She explained how she was tried of her sister messing the room up after she had clean it up and she wanted her own room. My youngest daughter sat looking and listening to her sister with an expression on her face that stated who cares what she wanted. I calmly asked the youngest why she kept messing  the room up after her sister had clean it. My youngest looked at me and stated, "Mommy, she never talk to me except when she is fussing at me about cleaning the room. I kind of laugh to myself. I talked to the oldest about talking to her youngest sister in a kind and respectful way. I also talked to the youngest to remind her we do not do bad things to get what we want from others. My girls made peace with each other and their father and I was glad about that.

As I think back on this experience I learned that some conflicts need to be dealt with right away before they get out of hand. I can also identify using the strategies of deep listening, compromising. compassion, allowing each to express their feelings, Respect and attentiveness was also used in dealing with the conflict. 

References

O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.

 The Center for Nonviolent Communication. (n.d.). The center for nonviolent communication. Retrieved from http://www.cnvc.org/

Who Am I as a Communicator ?

Who Am I as a Communicator?

 

This week we were asked to evaluate the differences between our perception of ourselves as a communicator and how others viewed our abilities as a communicator as well. The three assessment used were the Communication Anxiety Inventory, Verbal Aggressiveness Scale, and the Listening Styles Profile.

What surprised me were on the Communication Anxiety Inventory assessment I am ranked moderate. My scored indicated that I am concerned about a number of communication context, but probably not all. This place me at mid-point level of communication anxiety which is called “situational (Rubin, Palmgreen, & Sypher, 2009).  The other two individual ranked me as mild. The description stated that I feel a bit uneasy in some communication situation and somewhat more confident in other contexts, communications does not seem to be something that I worry a great deal about (Rubin, Palmgreen, & Sypher, 2009). I do worry about how I communicate with others in different situation that why I was surprise how the other two ranked me.

 I learned a lot about myself from the three assessments used this week. I learned that I allow my concerns about other feelings to cloud my dealing with a lot of situations directly. The assessments helped me to be aware of areas in communication that I need to improve. Learning about myself and areas of my strengths and weakness in communications has inspired me to monitor my presentations even more carefully. Being an effective communicator consist of many areas in which we have to be skilled.

 

Reference

Rubin, R. B., Palmgreen, P., & Sypher, H. E. (Eds.) (2009). Communication research measures: “Communication Anxiety Inventory”/ “Verbal Aggressiveness Scale”. A sourcebook. New York: Routledge  

 

Effective Comunication Strategies

Effective Communication Strategies

 There are many places in which we come in contact with people from other cultures. No matter where we go we come in contact with some type of diversity. On our jobs, in stores, in school and other places in our communities. Until now, I was not aware of the different communication styles I used when I engage in communication with people who are different from me.  

When speaking with some who do not speak English, I speak slowly, clearly using my hands and other body movement to help with communicate the message.

Speaking with family members I speak faster, louder, and a more realized matter, chopping the pronunciation of words and finishing each other sentences.

Understanding the difference in my communication styles with people who are of different cultures and groups, I have obtain the following strategies: eliminate all barriers and negative judgments, obtaining information about culture and group who are different from the ones I am familiar and applying the “Platinum Rule”.

These strategies help me to connect with others, enhance me in being an effective communicator, and to build strong respectful relationships with children, their families, and others in my community.     

Non- Verbal Communication

Non-Verbal Communication

 

I watched the show “The Middle” which is a sit- come about the Heck family which consist of a mother, father, and three children. In this episode of the show the family seems to be gather in the family room for a meeting. Everyone is sitting on the couch except the mother who is walking back and forth in front of the other family members moving her hands as she talk. She seem to be explaining something to the family.  The youngest son was sitting looking at his mother with a blank look on his face. The oldest son had his head resting on the back of the couch, rolled his head from side to side. He also yawned.  The daughter was sitting on the edge of the couch with her elbows placed on her knees with her face placed in the palm of her hands. The father had a look of when is this going to end expression on his face. I think the mother was discussing a topic that none of the other family members was interested in hearing about.

When I turned the volume up I found out the mother was discussing with the family about how she wanted to go back to school to get a degree so she could find a better job. She also wanted the family to help out with the cleaning around the house and other things which she would not have time to do once she start school.

While watching the show with the volume down I saw many facial expression that shown the family did not like or care for what the mother was saying. It was hard to really get and understanding of what was going on without sound. I based my assumption on the facial expression and body movement of the character. 

Watching the show without sound made me think about my own facial expression and body language when I am talking to others. I wonder how many times I have been misunderstood by others because of my facial expression and body language.  

Competent Communication

Competent Communication

The person I feel demonstrates competent communication is my pastor who is also my husband. He has a sense of confidence about him when he stands before the congregation. He speaks clearly as he engage us to understand what is being said by painting pictures with the words he speaks. His body languages express the passion he has for what he does. He makes eye contact with member of the congregation as he calls members by name while speaking. He laughs and sometime cry as he raise his voice and sometime lower it as he communicates his messages. He presents the message for the day in a simple yet powerful way connecting with whoever may be at the service for the day.

When we are talking or he is  conducting a meeting he listen to others without interrupting them as they share their perspective keeping an open mind concerning the matter.

I would like to model my communication skills after my husband and how he connects and so passionately communicates with people from all walks of life.