Thank You

Thank you to all my classmates for supporting me throughout this course.  I appreciate all the feedback and responses you have posted to my discussions and blogs.  I have learned so much from each of you and look forward to support all of you and learn more in the future classes.  Best of luck to everyone!

Team Building and Collaboration

As there are many different stages of groups, I find that the groups that I have successfully gone through each stage with are the most difficult to leave.  When completing tasks with a group, relationships are built and trust if formed.  Successful groups work well together and have formed the relationships needed to complete the task.  There is little doubt that when a group is successful, positive relationships have been formed.  Adjourning the group can be difficult if relationships have been formed.  It is difficult to leave a group when there has been success.

When adjourning a group, it is normal to gather to tie up any loose ends.  In some of the successful groups that I have been part of, I have developed positive relationships with other members.  When adjourning, I make sure that I am able to connect with them outside of the group situation.  Wishing the members good luck on future tasks is also a common occurrence. 

Adjourning is an essential part of teamwork.  This is the stage that everyone gets closure on the task, and assurance that the overall goal has been accomplished.  Without this stage, the team is unable to celebrate the success of the group.

Nonviolent Communication and Conflict Management

Conflict is a normal part of any relationship whether it is personal or professional.  How we go about resolving these conflicts will strengthen or weaken the relationship between you and the other person.  One conflict that often arises between me and my husband is sharing responsiblilty of household tasks, which I wish would never happen.  Between work, kids, and various commitments throughout the week, it is easy to feel overwhelmed or left with the feeling that you never have enough time to complete everything.  We often find ourselves having disagreements regarding whose repsonsibilty it is to complete certain things.  This conflict is ongoing and at times left with frustration and disappointment.  One strategy that I could use to help resolve this conflict would be to compromise with my husband regarding these issues and respect each others time and effort.  This strategy would be more effective because it would lead to a resolution that both of us would be happy with.  Considering respect in this situation would help us consider the other persons feelings and see it from their point of view. 

A recent disagreement that I had with a co-worker was regarding strategies that this co-worker wanted to incorporate into the classroom.  I felt that these strategies were not age appropriate for the children we were providing services for.  Using a broader range of solutions to our disagreement would allow us to use some of the current ideas while making them more age appropriate.  By using this strategy we would maintain some of the original ideas making my co-worker more willing to accept my thoughts and opinions. 

I found this weeks resources to be highly beneficial and helpful.  It is imporantant to consider each of these strategies when resolving conflict.  By recognizing the conflict, we can find more specific strategies that then lead to more positive resolutions. 

Communication Evaluation

The task of interviewing myself as a communicator, along with others evaluating me was very insightful and beneficial.  I was able to learn more about myself and what others saw in me.  I have always felt nervous when speaking in large groups or in public.  I tend to rehearse repeatedly prior to speaking in public and often thought I was viewed this way as well.  One insight from the evaluation that I found surprising, was that my family member and a parent from my parent group did not view me as uncomfortable or anxious when speaking in groups or in public.  One insight I gained this week was that I appear more comfortable than I thought I was when speaking in groups or in public.  I need to gain confidence in my speaking abilities within this area.  Hearing how other people view me gives me more confidence and encourages me to do this more often.  Another insight I have gained this week was learning about my strength in listening.  I have always enjoyed listening to others and being in the position to help or encourage. It is reassuring to know that I am being viewed that way and hope to continue to listen effectively.  This assignment was rewarding and insightful in many ways.  I hope to continue to learn more about myself and others in terms of communication and ways to be a more effective communicator.

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.