This essay is self reflection of my communication depending on distinct areas such as assertiveness, perception, verbal communication, and nonverbal communication for the analysis. I have used 5 diagnostic tools which are related to the communication to determine my skills in each area of communication. The findings of the scores from the diagnostic tools will assist me to determine the key communication areas issue areas that can be improved through various practices after implementing the action plan. The two key communication issues, in exact terms, are the low tolerance for disagreement and public speaking anxiety, especially, when presenting a talk with a group of strangers. This essay comprises of the scores of my communication for each diagnostic which proves that my comprehension of the outcomes of the diagnostic tools as they pertain to my personal situation. This essay also includes the reflection on the interactions which I have had in one year or past 12 months that are relevant to the issues to be addressed based on professional and personal interaction. Depending upon those interactions, I can easily identify the two key communication required to be addressed. This essay comprises of the literature review, which focuses on the concepts and key theories which prevailed to the communication issues (McCroskey & McCroskey, 1988).
Through this process of reflection, I will fine tune my knowledge on specific and discrete communication. I will implement various shifts gears that will assist me to transfer my insights in the future to input my learning in the communication style. I will gain the knowledge and experience through activities and practices that will make speed and remarkable enjoyment through different stages which will help me to improve my communication skills, address the issues, and sharpen my sensors which are natural. I will implement the practices and activities determined by making efforts to deal with the communication issues through distinct activities which I will be writing in the action plan after the literature review section (Ozmen, 2010).
To analyze my communication style and skills I have used 5 different diagnostic tools to determine my response in different communication situations and interactions. I have used the Self-Perceived Communication Competence Scale as a first tool which includes a series of questions, determining the self recognized and comprehended communication situations that build the setting for an idea, statement, event, group, dyad, public, meeting, in terms of which, it can be fully comprehended and evaluated by the respondents such as strangers, acquaintance, and friend. The second tool which I have used to determine my communication was nonverbal immediacy scale which assesses the importance of behavior or cues of the person that indicate the positive feelings of the individual towards another person in a certain meeting, situation, circumstance, or an event. The third tool which I have used was a personal report of intercultural communication apprehension which was used to tackle the communication in the context of intercultural or different cultural paradigms. The fourth tool which I have used was the Talkaholic scale which finds compulsive communicate. The fifth and the last tool I have used is the tolerance for disagreement which deals with high argumentativeness of the people with the people who have low argumentativeness. In the end the measure of each tool was calculated which assisted me to determine my communication skill and style and the areas in which I need to improve to deal with people and consequently to communicate effectively (Ellis, Pike, & Carmon, 2016).
I have analyzed a set of items which are relevant to communicate and are proposed to me as a subject for self assessment through the self perceived communication which assisted me in measuring my communication style. Through this self reflection method, I have analyzed my scoring of communication, and I found this tool as appropriate to direct my self perception in distinct situations and the matters of the impact in different situations, where I have found no reason to fear the negative situations from my answer. I have answered all the questions mentioned in the tool with the truth factor. I have also followed the strategy which comprises of the communication where I need to answer effectively. This tool has also measured my behavior in performing the task to reflect the aspects of communication competence (York, 2015).
After using the first Diagnostic tool, that is Self-Perceived Communication Competence Scale, I have found that I feel confident when I communicate with a small group of acquaintances and with my friends but have a feeling of anxiety while addressing a large meeting of acquaintances or presenting a talk to groups of strangers. Moreover, the overall outcome of the tool with 86 as a scoring reveals that I possess high Self-Perceived Communication Competence (Furlich, 2016). Although questions mentioned in the questionnaire in the Self-Perceived Communication Competence tool are not real and can just be used as legitimate and appropriate research strategy to find out the communication style. This tool has helped me to assess the communication, apprehension, credibility, and attitude change and quality interpersonal interaction. This tool has played an important role in analyzing my self-perceived communication competence basis of the series of questions which relate to competence. This tool is important because it assisted me in making the decision related to the communication on self confidence rather than actual competence (Grimsley, 2017).
The Nonverbal Immediacy Scale outcomes show that I have possessed a low nonverbal immediacy. The scale of nonverbal immediacy suggests that the score should lie in between 82 to 112 but my score was only 53. That is, I need to improve this area. After the second tool, that is, Nonverbal Immediacy Scale, I have used the Personal Report of Intercultural Communication Apprehension (PRICA) tool to assess the apprehension in different cultural paradigms. The overall score of 14 in PRICA tool shows that I have low apprehension and require the knowledge of distinct cultures to communicate effectively with the people coming from the distinct cultural paradigm. I have found from the scale that my thoughts get jumbled and confused when I interact with people from different cultural paradigms and I get nervous when I engage in group discussion with people from distinct cultures. This tool proves that I need to improve my apprehension aspect. The forth diagnostic tool proves that I have a score of 34 which describes a borderline talkaholic person (UNSW, 2016). The last diagnostic tool that I have used was the tolerance for disagreement with a score of 43 shows that I have a score of 43 and I need to make the score higher and improve this area to communicate with a group of acquaintances or strangers with I strongly disagree with their opinion without showing the anger (Carr, 2001). This will help in improving my areas with a relevant ability such as intercultural communication, debate, international business, diplomacy, and leadership. The score of moderate tolerance for disagreement makes me understand that I have maintained across different situation which is not directed by others. I have also analyzed that improving the tolerance for disagreement would assist me to manage the conflict process of action by speculating the negative interactions with people with procedural and substantive disagreement (Crocker, Klopf, & Cambra, 1979).
I would like to share the interactions which I have had in past 12 months or 1 year in which I have had used my communication skills. The first interaction which I remember was when I was presenting I talk to a group of strangers while giving a seminar on the latest technology. I have found that I felt anxiety and look away or over from the people while talking to them and have tried hard to avoid the eye contact with the people or strangers due to the low nonverbal immediacy. This was due to the anxiety or fear I have while giving a seminar to the group of strangers. Prior to the seminar, I was feeling less authoritative, less believable and less confident. I feel that this has happened because of low immediately (Moon, 2001). Although, I was aware that avoiding the eye contact with people or group of strangers will make them feel distracted or not interested in the seminar and making an eye contact with the people while providing the seminar will bring a sense of involvement and help me to convey my objective or goal on a personal level. This makes the people in the seminar transform from passive attendants to active participants and I believe that the anxiety I felt in the seminar due to my first seminar with a group of strangers with differing cultural paradigms which accounted for a lack of eye contact. I believe that this issue needs to be resolved so that I can bring more confidence in me to deal with the people different cultural paradigms (University of Birmingham, 2015).
The other example of the communication interaction in which I faced the communication issue was due to the tolerance for disagreement. This has happened because the technology on which I was providing a seminar was very new to me and the people in the seminar have different queries or opinions on the technology. However, I have tried to convince the people with my opinions with bringing a sense of disagreement. Thus, I believe that I need to improve this communication style to bring value in areas such as leadership and implement the professional strategy. I believe that the behavior of disagreeing agreement is a sense of pressure or strain that results from internal inconsistencies and I would like to gain more knowledge about the cognitive dissonance which will help me to disregard the evidences intentionally that leads to contrary to the beliefs or opinions of the group of strangers (Rahmani & Croucher, 2017).
The proponents of social identity theory suggest that the individual who get a sense of identity and have a sense of self esteem depend upon their relationship in different acquaintances and the individuals are highly motivated to contribute to the group because of a sense of belongingness and self worth membership in the group. It has evinced by the proponents that the resilience includes behavior, thoughts, and actions, that can be gained through the knowledge by the person and can be implemented by anyone and resilience is not considered as a trait that all the people must have. Thus, the resilience is contemplated as an important method which results to well being of the people. It has been studied by the proponents that if the resilience is properly implemented in development, training, and learning, it will help the individual to improve their self development. The Mccroskey and Wheelers have also suggested that the conflicts and disagreements are not the same thing by explaining the concept of tolerance for disagreement. They have suggested that the disagreement is contemplated as differences in the opinions but does not always leads to conflict but, however it triggers the conflict. They have also suggested that when the conflict occurs, there is a low degree of relationship between the individuals which can lead to any issue (Birney, 2012).
The Mccroskey has also argued that the individuals avoid entering into the conflict and is there is a difference in the particular degree to which the conflict can be managed by the people and the tolerance to disagreement. The mccroskey also argues that the difference in the individuals with low and high tolerance of disagreement by arguing that the people with no tolerance of disagreement are more susceptible to the conflict while the individuals with more tolerance for disagreement are impenetrable to conflicts (Alter, Chion, Cox, & Holert, 2010).
It has been studied by the Henley that the nonverbal immediately or non verbal communication is described as what the postures of the people and the body movements of the people clarifies the things to the other people by using the voice fluctuations, facial expressions, touching, gestures, eye contact, etc. The non verbal communication provides the individual with the capability to elucidate the non verbal competence. The non verbal communication includes the eye contact and emotions, facial expressions, voice fluctuations, and moving around the people while in a meeting or in a presentation, etc. The nonverbal immediacy describes precisely the physical and psychological association of people with others (UNBC, 2011).
It has been evinced by various proponents that the individuals who possess the acting skills are more effective to the behaviors and other roles that contemplate to the process of positive learning. The nonverbal immediacy provides an important behavior of the person that has a strong effect on various aspects of learning and motivation. It is comprised of the psychological and physical associations between the people of different cultural paradigm and different groups through behavior. It is recognized by psychological and physical distance reduction in the interaction of people while communication. The different non verbal immediacy elements are eye contact, body posture, and physical proximity, smiling, etc., which are highly associated to the effective learning in nonverbal immediacy. The eye contact plays a prominent role in reducing the distance between the people and brings more closeness and better affection or attachment among the people through the positive feelings (Sager, 2017).
Anderson amalgamates the functional nonverbal immediacy with different behaviors of nonverbal communication and led to the development of three distinct instruments known as generalized immediacy scale, perception of immediacy scale, and behavioral in distance of immediacy scale. All the three skills will assist in addressing the issues, which are associated with building both the subjective and objective measures as well as building construct validity. It has been studied by the Gregersen that the relation between the nonverbal immediacy and people with anxiety are due to the distinct cultures which brings the immediacy in the behavior of people (Maughan & Webb, 2001). It has been found that the nonverbal immediacy is higher and gives more importance while giving seminars or preparing for the presentation as it exist independently of verbal messages when compared with verbal immediacy. The nonverbal behavior of the individual comprises of the emotional tone, accent, and the paralinguistic variables. The components of Mehrabian suggested that there is a different non verbal immediacy in a communication context comprising public speaking, and teaching, supervision, and sales presentation in the public speaking like, while giving the seminars. The nonverbal immediacy includes the intermediate behavior of the individual and the respondent’s views of credibility persuasiveness and social ability (Cook, 2015).
The usual picture of the human behavior is due to the disagreement or argument between the people. That is, the agreements inevitably move away from something when people interact and form relationship of the behavior of arguments. Various proponents have conducted a plethora of research. However, these researchers often resulted in the failure to determine the difference between the argument between negative interpersonal results and purposeful disagreements which often outcomes to better decisions and positive results (Trent University, 2014). The researchers have also suggested that the disagreement is distracting and common, but can be made constructive. Also, they have suggested that whether the results are communicative or destructive, it depends on the skills which the individual process and the harmony and sympathy between the people to measure and identify the degree to which an individual can tolerate the disagreements. They believe that what the person suggests to be true can be measured through the diagnostic scale of tolerance for disagreement which defines the conceptualization places which is associated to argumentativeness (Baby, 2016). It is also believed by the researcher that the people with strong argumentativeness are able to be in charge of the disagreement with other people who have weak argumentativeness.
After determining the key communication concerns using the diagnostic tools, I have decided to write an action plan along with the Gantt chart in the documented format. I will follow the Gantt chart initially for 4 months to tackle the communication style and communication skill concerns. However, the written Action Plan can be changed as per my improvement after determining the scores regularly on the diagnostic tools. I believe that this action plan will help me in keeping the track on the performance while determining where I have improved throughout the process and what I have completed and where I can use my already learnt skills (Stephens, 2017). Firstly, I will use the personal journal which will assist me in analyzing the areas where I need to improve and what other factors I need to pay attention on tackling the concerns. That is, after the period of 4 months, the personal journal will function as a tool or a Framework so that I can work on my future planning process. I will involve myself in the online learning website like British Council to improve my communication style and communication skills which will help me to overcome the concerns of fear, shyness, and anxiety. I will also hire a professional mentor for improving my communication skills. The planning of enrolling in the online website was made after reading the online reviews of the students who have improved their key areas like words and rules, coherence and Cohesion, communication, etc. and have gained extensive knowledge on communication. Thus, I also believe that the role play activity provided by the online e-Learning website will help me in closing the information gap and help me in improving my speaking skills along with four key areas which will help me to give the presentation for seminars with confidence and public speaking confidence with proper eye contact. This will also assist me in improving my level of confidence to proactively participate in the meetings or group of strangers or people. The website may also provide me with the guidance on how to diminish the communication nervousness and speak in public with confidence (Berg, 2018).
I will also implement mental activities and techniques to my action plan to tackle both the concerns. That is, tolerance for disagreement and nonverbal immediacy. These practices will assist me in creating a building of visualization in my mind while contrasting the present and past circumstances. I will try to retain and remember how I reacted in past circumstances and how to react in present or future circumstances to diminish the stress level and anxiety (Pattie & Johnston, 2007).
I will also take help of the YouTube videos on the literature related to communication apprehension and interpersonal conflict in order to get the knowledge and understanding to remove the nervousness. I will proactively follow the methods of improvement mentioned in the video. I will also read the journal article written by CJ Pattie and others, titled with “It’s good to talk: Talk, disagreement and tolerance” and the article written by Knutson and others, titled with “Tolerance for Disagreement: Interpersonal Conflict Reconceptualized” (Spacey, 2016).
To improve the ability to change the communication and react in different kind of situations, I will read the books like ‘Communicating Your Competence’ “Umm . . .: A Complete Guide to Public Speaking” and “Communication Apprehension, Avoidance, and Effectiveness” by Richmond, Wrench and McCroskey to improve career prospects. This will also help me in taking the subtle actions in my body language, to communicate my competence and valuable ideas (Morgan, 2018).
To reduce the public speaking anxiety and gain more knowledge I will also participate in the public speaking. I will provide demo presentations to my friends in order to get the feedback from them as I believe feedback plays an important role either its positive or negative. The feedback provided by my friends will assist me to take the prestige decision to improve my action plan (Williamson, 2015).
It has been scrutinized from this essay that that there are two key communication issues on which I need to pay special attention to work on both the issues, namely, nonverbal immediately and the tolerance for disagreement. I have used 5 diagnostic tools of communication to determine the aspects which arises the communication issues, through the scoring. In the end, I have created an action Plan will help me in solving distinct communication apprehension so that I can communicate effectively with the changes and speak in the public which will assist me in tackling the issues for the tolerance for disagreement and nonverbal immediacy. The literature review of interpersonal communication has a wide area which will focus on enhancing my ability of communication competence and communication style based on the results of self reflection and diagnostic tools.
References
Alter, N., Chion, M., Cox, C., & Holert, T. (2010). Utopia of Sound: Immediacy and Non-Simultaneity. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.co.uk/Utopia-Sound-Immediacy-Non-Simultaneity-Publications/dp/3851601734
Baby, M. (2016, July-September). Effect of Experiential Learning on Self-Esteem, Resilience and Tolerance for Disagreement. The International Journal of Indian Psychology, 3(4), 1-9. Retrieved from https://www.ijip.in/Archive/v3i4/18.01.143.20160304.pdf
Berg, K. (2018). Official Review: Immediacy by Fred Emil Katz. Retrieved from https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/viewtopic.php?t=62207
Birney, R. (2012). Reflective writing: Quantitative assessment and identification of linguistic fetaures. Retrieved from https://repository.wit.ie/2658/1/FinalThesis.pdf
Carr, K. (2001). Emotional intelligence, tolerance for disagreement, and the motivation to sustain serial arguments: implications for relational satisfaction and closeness. Retrieved from https://repository.tcu.edu/bitstream/handle/116099117/4218/Carr.pdf?sequence=1
Cook, S. (2015). Communication Style Diagnostic. Retrieved from https://www.gpmfirst.com/sites/default/files/downloads/how_am_i_-_interpersonal_01_communication_style_0.pdf
Crocker, W., Klopf, D., & Cambra, R. (1979). Communication Apprehension and its Educational Implications: Some Initial Australian Data. Australian Journal of Education, 23(3). Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/000494417902300304
Ellis, R., Pike, C., & Carmon, A. (2016). A review of immediacy and implications for provider–patient relationships to support medication management. PMC journal, 10, 9–18. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4710167/
Furlich, S. (2016). Understanding Instructor Nonverbal Immediacy, Verbal Immediacy, and Student Motivation at a Small Liberal Arts University. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 16(3), 11-22. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1104836.pdf
Grimsley, S. (2017). Immediacy in Communication: Definition & Concept. Retrieved from https://study.com/academy/lesson/immediacy-in-communication-definition-lesson-quiz.html
Maughan, C., & Webb, J. (2001). Reflective writing: a basic introduction. Retrieved from https://www.port.ac.uk/media/contacts-and-departments/student-support-services/ask/downloads/Reflective-writing—a-basic-introduction.pdf
McCroskey, J., & McCroskey, L. (1988). Self-report as an approach to jtieasuringcommunication competence. Retrieved from https://www.jamescmccroskey.com/publications/143.pdf
Moon, J. (2001). Reflective writing. Retrieved from https://www.exeter.ac.uk/fch/work-experience/reflective-writing-guidance.pdf
Morgan, K. (2018). What Is a Good Way to Start Writing a Reflective Essay? . Retrieved from https://penandthepad.com/good-way-start-writing-reflective-essay-5879.html
Ozmen, K. (2010). Fostering Nonverbal Immediacy and Teacher Identity through an Acting Course in English Teacher Education. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 35(6), 1-24. Retrieved from https://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1460&context=ajte
Pattie, C., & Johnston, R. (2007). It’s good to talk: Talk, disagreement and tolerance. Retrieved from https://www.ggy.bris.ac.uk/staff/personal/RonJohnston/CurrentPapers/Electoral/electoral21.pdf
Rahmani, D., & Croucher, S. (2017). Minority Groups and Communication Apprehension. Retrieved from https://jyx.jyu.fi/bitstream/handle/123456789/53601/rahmanicroucherminoritygroups.pdf?sequence=1
Sager, K. (2017, August). Maximizing the persuasiveness of a salesperson: An exploratory study of the effects of nonverbal immediacy and language power on the extent of persuasion. 33(2), pp. 83-93. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1576596217300257
Spacey, J. (2016, September 21). What is Tolerance For Disagreement? Retrieved from https://simplicable.com/new/tolerance-for-disagreement
Stephens, B. (2017, September 24). The dying art of disagreement. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/24/opinion/dying-art-of-disagreement.html
Trent University. (2014). How do I . . . Write a Reflection? Retrieved from https://www.trentu.ca/academicskills/documents/Reflectivewriting.pdf
UNBC. (2011). Reflective Writing. Retrieved from https://www.unbc.ca/sites/default/files/assets/academic_success_centre/writing_support/reflective_writing_151211_copy1.pdf
University of Birmingham. (2015). A short guide to reflective writing. Retrieved from https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/as/libraryservices/library/skills/asc/documents/public/Short-Guide-Reflective-Writing.pdf
UNSW. (2016). Reflective Writing. Retrieved from https://student.unsw.edu.au/reflective-writing
Williamson, F. (2015, April 19). 5 Ways to Increase Nonverbal Immediacy With Your Professors. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmQCmJan59Q
York, D. (2015). Non-verbal immediacy’s role in student learning. 7(1), pp. 1-7. Retrieved from https://www.academicjournals.org/journal/JMCS/article-abstract/1B17D2249320
Essay Writing Service Features
Our Experience
No matter how complex your assignment is, we can find the right professional for your specific task. Contact Essay is an essay writing company that hires only the smartest minds to help you with your projects. Our expertise allows us to provide students with high-quality academic writing, editing & proofreading services.
Free Features
Free revision policy
$10Free bibliography & reference
$8Free title page
$8Free formatting
$8How Our Essay Writing Service Works
First, you will need to complete an order form. It's not difficult but, in case there is anything you find not to be clear, you may always call us so that we can guide you through it. On the order form, you will need to include some basic information concerning your order: subject, topic, number of pages, etc. We also encourage our clients to upload any relevant information or sources that will help.
Complete the order form
Once we have all the information and instructions that we need, we select the most suitable writer for your assignment. While everything seems to be clear, the writer, who has complete knowledge of the subject, may need clarification from you. It is at that point that you would receive a call or email from us.
Writer’s assignment
As soon as the writer has finished, it will be delivered both to the website and to your email address so that you will not miss it. If your deadline is close at hand, we will place a call to you to make sure that you receive the paper on time.
Completing the order and download