Who am I as a Communicator

 

During the course of this week I was asked to evaluate myself as a communicator as well as I was asked that I would be evaluated by another person. Through both evaluations I was said to be of moderate on the verbal aggressive scale.  Moderate aggressive is described as maintaining a good balance between respect and consideration for others’ viewpoints, and the ability to argue fairly by attacking the facts of a position rather than the person holding that position (Rubin, et., al, 2009).  My communication anxiety was also moderate and the person that evaluated also stated that I was moderate.  I guess I was surprised to see that the results of my own evaluation and the person that evaluated me we both came up with the same results.  My listening style profile scored me in Group 1 as being people-oriented and the description is that I am empathetic and concerned with the emotions of others.  This listening style helps you to build relationships. But it can interfere with proper judgement because I tend to be very trusting of others.  I agree with most of this statement however I know that I am not very trusting of others.

I learned this week that even though it seems that I do not like to communicate or feel that I communicate well I actually do even when I feel some anxiety when communicating.  I also learned this week that it is important to become an effective communicator as well as that I must be an effective listener for both my personal and professional life.  I want to make sure that I  building relationships with parents, colleagues and student in an effective manner.

References

Rubin, R. B., Palmgreen, P., & Sypher, H. E. (Eds.) (2009). Communication research measures: A sourcebook. New York: Routledge.

Rubin, R. B., Rubin, A. M., Graham, E. E., Perse, E. M., & Seibold, D. R. (2009). Communication research measures: A Sourcebook. New York: Routledge.

Communication

Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures?

I do believe that I communicate differently with people from different groups.  First of all, when  I communicate with my colleagues at work I make sure that I am professional and that I do not say anything that would offend anyone.  Although I am not the type to offend people with my words.  However, I do see myself being and keeping a professional conversation at work versus when I am with friends in a more comfortable environment I communicate with them different and can joke and laugh at our conversations.  As to people from other cultures I am very careful when saying things because I do not want to offend them.  I also know that some people do not like to hear another spoken language that they don’t know so I am careful to speak Spanish around people that do not understand the language.  I do not want to  make them upset or make them think that I am speaking about them because that is the misconception of many people thinking that  we are talking bad about them in another language.  

 There are many different communication styles that I use when speaking to colleagues is more    professional as when  I am speaking to my children I use more loving manner showing them how        much I love them or when I speak to my husband it is in a more romantic way.  Even when we            communicate with text or social media is different nonverbal communication from spoken              words.