This week, I learned a few new things about how I communicate with
others. I have been told, from time to time, I am mean and sometimes I say
things that are hurtful to others. I know when speaking to others regarding things
that are foolish, I tend to be more insensitive. In my experience, I try to
take what others say about me and apply it to the overall change of myself. I
have been told several times that I need to watch how I say things to others;
sometimes I do not know how cruel I am until I stop and listen to what I have
said. I do not intentionally set out to hurt anyone; however, sometimes it
occurs. Over the last few years, I have tried to approach communication from a
different angle; now, I try to actively listen to others to see what they will
contribute to the conversation.
During the self-evaluation test for communication, I learned a few
things about how others view me as a communicator. A personal male friend of mine,
and my sister gave me a little insight on who I am as a communicator. They said,
sometimes I can be harsh; but they realize that I do not say or do things to
intentionally hurt others. The test he took regarding my communication in
public surprised me. He revealed that he did not notice any tension, stress, or
discomfort in me while communicating in public; he also thought that I enjoyed
speaking to groups. This shows that body language can differ from a person’s
mental perspective. I enjoy talking with others I am familiar with; however, I
am slightly uneasy when speaking to large groups of individuals, whether I am
familiar with them or not. I was surprised, because I thought everyone knew how
nervous I am when speaking to a group; this shows that he does not really know
my feelings regarding communication in public places. Maybe I hide my fear
well. Nothing else about the test surprised me. I know how aggressive I am and
how aggressive others think I am regarding communication.
This week, I learned many important things regarding communication. I
learned how important it is to actively listen to others in all communication
settings. Listening helps the listener gain vital information regarding a topic
or situation. I also learned the importance of self-monitoring; according to O’Hair
and Wiemann (2012), it is important for one to have an ability to watch their environment
and others for cues as to how to present one’s self in situations. This is important
as a professional in the field of early childhood, because I will encounter
many people in different situations, and self-monitoring will help me succeed
in my endeavors. Considering the importance of listening and self-monitoring,
professionally, I will become a better communicator when dealing with child and
family issues. Personally, it is important for me to possess these two
characteristics because it allows me to be more understanding and empathetic of
my colleagues, family, and friends.
Lah-Lah
References
O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction.
New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.
Lah-Lah it is very interesting to see how others view you. I would never get the vibe that you were mean, even though I have not met you in person. I gather that when speaking about our profession you have a passion for what we all do as early childhood professionals. I agree with (Wiemann, 2012) we have to take the cues of others to see whether we are communicating efficiently. As you said this is vastly important in early childhood in order to make pertinent moves throughout our field.
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