Communication Insights

After this one, it has been confirmed, if there the one thing that I am…it is judgmental.  This quality has had a lot of negative connotations. However, positive connotations can be associated with this trait as well. Because I do not discriminate in my judgments, I have the ability to judge myself pretty accurately. As  a result of this, there were hardly any differences between my communication assessment and those completed by others.  This in itself was the thing that surprised me those most this week. Another thing that surprised me is that my facial expressions do not always match my intent or verbal communications.

There were two insights that were gained this week. The first insight is that perceptions hold a tremendous amount of power in the communication process. The second insight that was gained this week is that first impressions are largely based off of personal past experiences. 

Communication with Cultural Diverse Population

Prior to this class and this week, I was under the impression that I communicated the same to all individuals from different groups and cultures. However, after paying more attention to my actions and communications in light of this week’s lessons, I have come to the realization that I do communicate different towards individuals that are from diverse populations other than my own.

When I communicate with individuals like me or within my cultural group, I have a tendency to be more relaxed, informal, not as cautious, and much less observant. However, when communication with individuals of different cultural groups, religious groups, political affiliations, age groups etc.; I have the tendency to be more formal, moral observant, and more cautious on what I am saying and how I communicate with them. This is mostly because I am fully aware that some communication differences may exist as a result of these differences. I am more formal so I will not offend these groups or individuals. I am more cautious and observant in order to pick on non-verbal cues that can provide me with information as to how these individuals wish to be communicated with. I believe that these responses have allowed me to communicate more effectively with diverse populations and limited miscommunications within conversations. 

Facial Expressions and Non-Verbal Communications

The show that I decided to watch without the sound was Two Broke Girls.

Based on the non-verbal communications, it was assumed that the two girls/waitresses were friends and roommates. It was also assumed that the brunette girl really liked a friend of theirs even though he was walking down the street with other girl. Finally, without the sound, it can be observed that they two girls are close to their co-workers at the diner, yet carry on a professional relationship.

A variety of different emotions were expressed through the girl’s facial expressions and non-verbal communications. Scowling and hand waiving when the girls were working on an organization project outside of the diner signified that they were often defeated and frustrated.  The smiling and playing actions of the girls towards each other signified that they trusted and admired each other. Finally, when the brunette girl kissed a guy friend of theirs and a girl on the street along with him, it signified that she liked them more than friends.

Most of the assumptions that were made about the plot and show without the sound on were extremely accurate. The only assumption that was made that was incorrect was that the brunette girl liked the girl with the guy on the street when she kissed her. In reality, this was the guy friend’s girlfriend that the two girls did not know existed.  If I had watched this show regularly, my assumptions about this incident would be accurate.

The lessons learned from this activity can be summed up in one phrase: “Actions speak louder than words”. It is amazing how we can receive messages about a person or situation without actually “hearing” anything.

Effective Communicators

The individual that I selected as being an effective communicator is my Mom. Although retired, my mother still coordinates events on a voluntary or free-lance basis. There are several behaviors that my Mom exhibits that allow her to be an effective communicator is this setting. Not only does she listen to others comments and feedback, she also organizes her thoughts prior to speaking, speaks clearly, and provides instruction that is direct and easy to follow. Some additional behavior that my Mom exhibits in the communication process is patience, compassion, and positive non-verbal communications.

Naturally, I do want to model some of my communication behaviors after my Mom. One reason for this is because children always have a natural tendency to imitate a parent that they admire. A second reason is that my most is a skilled communicator and I have observed the effectiveness of her behaviors inside and outside of the family.