Communication and Culture

I do find myself communicating differently depending on the individual or group of people I am communicating with.  When communicating with friends and family, I tend to be more informal.  I am more comfortable and not as concerned with the conversation formalities.  When communicating as a professional, I tend to be more formal and precise.  When communicating I am more focused on the message I am trying to convey, as well as listening to others. 

One strategy I would use to effectively communicate with others is to verify my perceptions.  When communicating with others, I tend to jump to conclusions before fully assessing the situation.  It is important to take time to consider the other perspective before making and judgements.  A second strategy I would use is to look beyond first impressions.  It is very easy to make assumptions based strictly on your first impression of someone.  I need to make sure to take time and get to know someone before making any judgements.  Another strategy I would use is to be mindful when communicating.  It is important to be mindful when communicating with others.  There are so many ways that people can be diverse, we need to be open minded because we can't understand the way they are different. 

Communication Skills

I chose to watch sitcom called "Up All Night."  This was the first time this show was aired.  After watching the show with the sound off I was able to make many assumptions regarding the couple's relationship.  Based on the pictures I was aware that the couple was happily married and just had a baby.  As the show went on I noticed tension and stress between the couple.  I could make assumptions regarding their mood based on their body language and facial expressions.  I could tell that they were upset when they were arguing because of how animated they were when they spoke.  I could see that the couple was exhausted and tired.  I also noticed how loving the couple was to their baby by their facial expressions and the way they looked at her.

Watching the show with the sound on, confirmed my assumptions.  However, being able to hear what they were saying, I was able to have a better understanding of why the couple was stressed and feeling the way they were.  With the sound off, the communication between the couple was very animated and tense.  After listening to the conversations between the couple, I became aware of the resentment between the couple, due to the husband choosing to stay home with the baby, and the wife going back to work.  In the end, the wife showed her love and commitment to her husband and baby by choosing them over her boss.  I feel that I would have made better assumptions with a show that I already knew.  Because this was a new show, I did not know the history between the couple and their personalities. 

Competent Communicator

In my everyday life, I am surrounded by many strong and influential communicators.  When looking at strong and competent communicators, my husband stands out in comparison to anyone else in my life.  When communicating in his professional field or with family and friends, he is well spoken and is understood.  He maintains focus on the conversation and is able to clearly state his point and opinion.  When communicating, he does not dominate the conversation and allows others to participate in the conversation.  When adding to a conversation, his comments and opinions are relevant and people listen to him. Most importantly, he listens to others and respects their thoughts and opinions.  When communicating, I would like to model patience and focus as my husband does in his conversations. It is important to show all these qualities to make the conversation effective.