Communication is such a complex subject, it has so
many different dimensions. We communicate every day whether it be face to face,
telephone, video calling, or e-mails. However most of us rarely ever stop to
think if we are getting our messages across clearly to the ones we are
communicating with. A competent communicator is effective, adaptable, empathetic,
appropriate, and ethical (Mcworthy 2016 p1). A competent communicator is aware
of their communication flaws and strives to correct them, so that they can
communicate effectively. Competence is a perception and may vary from person to
person. For example, I might perceive myself to be a very competent
communicator, but another person may not perceive me in that way (McWorthy 2016
p1). Communication is a key factor in all of our lives which is why we should
all strive to be effective communicators.
My mom is a great example of a competent communicator.
She doesn’t mind saying exactly how she feels and why she may feel a certain
way. She can come across kind of mean if you are not familiar with her but she doesn’t
mean any harm. She is very outspoken especially about things that she is
passionate about. I really like how even though straight forward and honest,
she doesn’t mind hearing you out before she responds. Active listening means
they are engaged with the sender while minimizing noise and distractions.
An active listener will be able to paraphrase the content, intent, and
tone of each message back to the sender (Mcworthy 2016 p1). My mother has
a way of saying things that make you see where she is coming from even though you
might still disagree with her. She does this by providing reasoning in her responses.
Cognitive complexity is the ability to
think about a situation from many perspectives (Mcworthy 2016 p1). Which is a
very strong characteristic of competent communicator, and a skill that my
mother has improved on over the years, my mother rules her home with an iron
fist so for her to finally be able to see things from more than just her point
of view is a huge step for her. For instance if a go to my mom with a problem
she will listen to me first and then tell her opinion, and she cuts no corners
she says exactly what she means. My mother and I are very much a like when it
comes to communicating I say exactly what I mean so that whoever I am talking
to is very clear on what I am saying. So I would definitely model my own
communication behaviors after her. I honestly wouldn’t have things any other
way. The only thing I probably change would be the tone of voice I use when
talking, my mom has a very stern tone when communicating that can be sometimes
mistaken for being mean, however like I mentioned she doesn’t mean any harm. I
feel that being up front with a person when communicating is the best way to
be, no matter what the situations.
(people communicating)
References
Mcworthy, Emily (2016) Communication Competence retrieved from https://www.oercommons.org/authoring/6192-communication-competence/view
Leah,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post! Your mom sounds like a great individual. One thing that stuck me while reading the post is that you mentioned tone of voice. I have a hard time of using tone of voice sometimes. I can relate to needing a softer tone of voice. I have a habit also of saying what I mean. Throughout the years, I have learned to think about what I need to say before saying it. ~ Ruthanne