Evaluating Effective Communication Skills
Doing
this exercise was very insightful and it shows how much we need to be aware of
how others view us. After comparing the results, I was elated yet
somewhat surprised that all three evaluations were almost the same. This is an
indication that their perception of me is similar to how I perceive myself. I
am confident and do well communicating in both one-on-one and small group
situations. I am very trusting
of others and this has led to me putting others first in many situations. Experience
has taught me that while being empathetic I should also practice caution. I
maintain 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 the position. The main thing that surprised
me was that I thought I was really much more aggressive than the assessment proved.
One
of the main insights I gained this week was how our self-concept and
self-esteem impact how we communicate with others. According to O’Hair &
Wiemann (2012), our self-concept shapes what we think of others because our
perception of others is related to how we perceive ourselves and this in turn
impacts how we respond to others in different situations. I have administrators
who at times try to speak in a belittling manner and would think and even said
they expected a different response. I have strong self-esteem and do not wait
for others to boost me. Secondly I learned that our predictions can negatively or positively impact our
communication. My insights will affect communication in my
professional and personal life as I will continue to have high self-esteem. As an
early childhood professional I conduct many parenting sessions and will always
have to participate in public speaking no one wants to sit for an hour or more
listening to you if you are not confident of what you are imparting. I like the
strategy to agree to disagree, showing you understand that people have a view,
and opinion, but that you do not agree and will be okay with leaving it at
that.
O’Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2009). Real communication: An
introduction. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
