Last week, Diana and I met at Park X. She is a friend and a course mate. I have known Diana for the past six months at the college. She is an outgoing, cheerful and smart lady. We have interacted on a regular basis and she has had a good influence on my life. She inspires me to live up to my best potential. We agreed to meet at the park because we wanted a cool environment where we could experience the serenity of nature. The cool air and the green surroundings are all we wanted for the afternoon.
According to the interviewee, my communication skills are good. She perceives my communication strengths to be writing clearly. She easily understood whatever I had written down; the interview also involved writing down. Students tell me that in class too. Even if the information is complex, the clarity in my writings simplifies it. I also spoke clearly. She also pointed out that I am a good listener. I always pay attention to what other people have to say. I have always purposed to listen before responding and without interrupting what someone else is saying. Concerning my weaknesses, she pointed out that I couldn’t maintain eye contact with her as expected. I tend to shy away sometimes mostly when confronted by an aggressive or angry person. How that happened with a friend, I still cannot understand. It is surely I weakness I have to work on.
Besides, we talked at length about listening. Listening is a positive communication process that not everyone seems to grasp. If one does not receive a message accurately then interpreting it will be difficult. Therefore the message will be misunderstood. We discussed that poor listening skills breaks down a communication and the sender of the message may end up being frustrated. We agreed that if there is a communication skill that everyone should master is listening. As a point of fact, it is good listening skills that make leaders successful. Listening is not hearing, as people have long mistaken it. It requires the presence of another person who will demonstrate empathy. Listening shows emotions of understanding, support, and affection (Bodie 120).
Additionally, we talked about non-verbal communication aspects. My postures demonstrated my feelings; whether I was comfortable or not. The fact that I couldn’t look to her eyes straight, it was an expression of fear. According to her, I fear people. An idea that I agree. Sometimes I fear people. I have to work on it so as to be a good communicator. For that reason, she perceived me as not so confident. Looking at whoever you are addressing demonstrates confidence. Confidence is important as it allows one to speak concisely in front of an audience.
Reflections
Regarding my strengths, I agree that I speak clearly and write clearly. This is a strength that the interviewee appreciated the most from her observation. My sister admires my handwriting and tries to copy it. Also, the fact that most of my course mates praise me for writing well. But, I disagree with her about the fact that my body language is not correct sometimes. According to me, I just behave well when communicating or responding. However, I took the critique positively so as to improve on the aspect.
To improve on my body language, in the short run, I will start by paying attention to everything I do and when I do them. My interviewee told me that I was playing with my earring during the conversation. I was surprised that I actually did it out of a habit. So, with that realization, I will understand why I do it and change. Besides, whenever I am speaking with someone, I will be facing my conversation partner so as to increase engagement and as a sign of interest in the matter at hand. In the long term, I purpose to study people I admire in terms of how they hold themselves when communicating and learn from them.
Interview 2
Introduction
I met Mr. James on 4th of July 2018. He is a public relations specialist at the university. I knew Him when I worked at his office as an intern. Our relationship is professional. I respect James as an expert I can learn from in the profession. I, therefore, found it wise to request his critique regarding my communication skills. Also basing on the fact that we have engaged before, he would be open to discuss my strengths and weaknesses in the discipline. We met in one of the rooms in his office. The place reminded me of the times I was at the company getting conversant with the field of communication in practice. This place is significant to me as I got the interest to narrow down to pursue public relations by working there.
The interviewee commended me for improving my communication skills. When I first came to the company, I was inexperienced and had poor communication skills. I learned bit by bit from my colleagues and supervisors. He noted that the skills were now better than then. I attribute that to the learning outcomes of the communication skills topic. Concerning my communication strengths, he pointed out that my verbal communication was clear and complete. I initiated and responded to messages with clarity. Anything that needed detail, I gave a clear build-up without leaving anything open to interpretation. He also commended me for being courteous throughout the conversation. I was respectful all through and focused on the facts of a subject rather than personalities. In my interview with Diana, she had mentioned to me regarding my body language. In this interview, I purposed to try and improve on it. Mr. James actually pointed out that I was consistent in the interview. My tone and body language went hand in hand resulting in, consistency.
Regarding my weaknesses, it was evident that my confidence was still low. James was categorical that if I wanted to make it in the communications field, I have to work on my confidence. As much as I spoke with clarity, I couldn’t maintain eye contact. He attributed that to lack of confidence and inferior feelings. In addition, he noticed that I said sorry too much. I said it even if something wasn’t my fault.
Another aspect we talked about was my word choice. He excused me for using simple words. To my level that was satisfactory. Nevertheless, he advised me that in future, as a communication specialist, I will need to tailor my words to fit different audiences.
Reflections
On the confidence aspect, I agreed that I have to do something about it considering that my friend Diana had mentioned it too. Otherwise, there was nothing that I disagreed with him. I took the critique positively as they will help me build communication skills which are mandatory for my profession. To improve on the weaknesses the PR specialist pointed out, in the short term, I will try my best to maintain eye contact even if I am being confronted by a powerful person. During the interview, we had a table in between us which acted as a barrier. Next time, I engage someone in a conversation, I will sit in an engaging position so as to be comfortable, create space in between us and allow us to mirror each other as we communicate. A Sitting at a 45-degree angle will be best. Furthermore, I will ensure that I am relaxed by taking deep breathes before engaging in conversations. I will also ensure I say sorry when I have faulted and not assume that any wrong is my fault. It is a courteous word but if misused, it loses its meaning (Sasaki et al. 63).
In the long term, I will strive for professionalism. If they are written speeches, I will ensure I spell check and have a grammar checker on my laptop to help in proofreading of all my documents. Besides, I will seek more training such as seminars on public speaking. Up and above, before sharing any important information, I will be outlining and organizing my thoughts prior to ensure I cover all the essential aspects. The interviewee was quick to notice my clarity because I read widely and it has helped my grammar and spoken.
Summary
I learned that communication is like a muscle. The more one uses it the more it develops (Hull 42). Good communications skills get better through practicing by interacting with people while applying principles. Also, while communicating, it is always good to be yourself. Communication should be used as a way of expressing your true self and not creating a false impression of who you are. It is also good to be confident. However, being too confident is not good as people may mistake one for being arrogant. My take away was to work on my weaknesses in a bid to make my communication better.
Works Cited
Bodie, Graham D. "Listening as a positive communication." Communication Review (2012): 109-121.
Hull, Raymond. "News: “Honing Your Communication Skills Benefits Patients, Colleagues, and You”." The Hearing Journal 65.4 (2012): 41-45.
Sasaki, Norio, et al. "Effects of Brief Communication Skills Training for Workers Based on the Principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial." Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
59.1 (2017): 61-66.
