Thursday, September 27, 2012

Communication Styles and Skills Evaluation

This week I had my mother and a former colleague evaluate my communication styles and skills. What surprised me the most is that everyone's evaluation, including my own, suggested that my listening style is people-oriented. This was a surprise because I am not very trusting of people, and it tends to take me a while to form new relationships. However, I am glad that the results showed that I am empathetic toward others' feelings. This will help me to communicate more effectively with others because I will be able to treat them the way they want to be treated.

Two Insights
1. How we perceive ourselves effects our communication
 
If we believe that our self-efficacy is low in communication, we avoid situations where face to face communication takes place (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2012). Our beliefs and values also effect how we communicate with others. For example, if someone believes that speaking directly is important they will value this communication style in others.
 
2. Past experiences effect how you perceive others
 
Personal experiences determine how you perceive new people and communicate with them. For example, if you had bad experiences with a former teacher, you might respond negatively to someone you meet who happens to be a teacher. Or, you may avoid communicating with that person altogether.
 
Both of these insights cause me to reflect on my perceptions of myself and my past experiences to enhance my communication skills with individuals in my professional and personal life. Understanding how I feel about myself and my communication has helped me to notice areas for improvement. Furthermore, eliminating personal biases based on past experiences will help me to avoid making judgements and having negative perceptions of new people, which could hinder communication.


6 comments:

  1. Hi Krista,

    I also was put into the people-oriented listening style group. I think that most quality educators fall into this category.

    Helpful insights as well. Great post thanks!

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  2. Krista,
    It is appearing that most of us are people-oriented listeners. I think this helps us form those bonds with the children and families in our care. Unlike you, I am very trusting of others and I realize that I have been fortunate that I have not gotten hurt because of it. I also like what you shared about our past experiences and how that may determine how we perceive new people and communicate with them. My dad can be such a negative person and I think that is why I am usually very positive. I look for the good and assume I will find it. My glass is always half full and tomorrow is a new day...thanks for sharing.

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  3. Hi Krista,
    I liked your insights about how we perceive people as well. My mom has always been somewhat of a negative person and I have tried very hard to be the positive person, especially in light of the car accident my family was involved in. It can be hard somedays to be positive but I can't let myself become a constant negative person because it weighs you down.
    Again, a great post and great thoughts!
    Lori

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  4. Hi Krista,

    I enjoyed reading your post. I can relate to about trusting others. I do not trust a lot of people that I meet and I believe that one of the reasons is because when I was in elementary school I often stayed involved in a conflict. I was a nice person but my peers would often come to me saying that they heard something that I said about them negative and it would not be true. I believe because of that reason I don't trust a lot of people when I talk to them for that fear. I really like your insights.

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  5. Hello Krista,
    I agree that our past schemas always tend to haunt our minds and it just something that we need to focus on when meeting new people as to either forget it, combine it, or go with that schema to approach that communication. I believe that we are born with the tools to not forget past experiences to serve as safety feature that allows us to be careful. But, I guess one factor that we must include as to being an effective communicator is to have to trust others.
    Becoming an effective communicator is tough work!

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  6. I agree with you Krista. We look at ourselves and know what we like, who we are and what we want for our children. We also look at our past and become grayeful for who we are today. I know I do. Thanks

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