Effective Communication Techniques

This article discusses the importance of effective communication and how to improve communication skills through active listening and assertiveness. The author shares personal experiences and results from diagnostic tests to identify areas for improvement. The article also includes a literature review on the significance of active listening in the workplace.

Running head: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES 1
Effective Communication Techniques
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES 2
Effective Communication Techniques
Effective communication is an essential skill in romantic relationships, family affairs, and
business dealings. Nevertheless, I have found myself to be unable to communicate with other
people in different settings effectively. This has caused me to get frustrated about my
communication methods, and I took it upon myself to better understand my strengths and
weaknesses when it comes to the way I voice my opinions and listen to other people. I, therefore,
took five tests to shed light on my communication style and determine the areas that need
improvement. The tests showed that my primary weaknesses in communication are the lack of
assertiveness and poor listening skills.
The first test I took was an assertiveness test. Assertiveness refers to the ability of an
individual to clearly and precisely voice their feelings and opinions regarding a given matter and
firmly advocate for their needs and rights (Heimberg et al., 2007). When being assertive one
does not need to violate the rights of other people. An assertiveness test is a tool that evaluates
one’s aptitude, self-confidence, and assertiveness skills (McIntyre et al., 2014). This test aids to
determine whether one is an aggressive, passive, or assertive communicator. Research has
indicated that many people think they are assertive, but after taking this test, they realize that
they have either moderate or low levels of assertiveness.
The results of the analysis depicted that I have a score of 54. This score shows that there
are instances where I fail to address the most important concerns that I have, or I hesitate to
discuss them. In these cases, I fail to bring the concerns to the appropriate stakeholders.
However, the test also showed that in situations where I feel that people are treating me poorly, I
usually stand up for myself and let them know that I do not accept that form of treatment. These
results showed me that I should act like I deserve respect because when I do so, people will most

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likely respect me. The results also taught me that I should not be passive in my communication
style. I need to be an assertive communicator who stands up for my rights, does not allow other
people to either manipulate or abuse me. Additionally, I need to maintain eye contact when
communicating with people about any concerns that I have, and I should also express my
feelings in a respectful, appropriate, and precise manner.
When one displays an assertive communication style, they become more mature since
they usually address problems and issues as they arise as opposed to becoming resentful due to
an inability to voice their concerns. They are also able to take control of their lives and connect
with other people better (Umphrey & Sherblom, 2018). I would like to achieve these outcomes,
and since I have identified my main communication problem, I will work to improve my
assertiveness over the next six months.
The second test that I took is the communication quiz in which I had a score of 56. This
questionnaire aims to determine how effective one is at receiving and sending messages (Stewart
& Arnold, 2018). The results of the test showed that I am a capable communicator and sender of
information, but I occasionally experience problems in message reception whether physically or
using different mediums such as emails. From this test, I learned that encoding information is
one of my strengths but decoding it can be quite a challenge. I thought that I was good at
receiving messages, but this test showed me that I am not. To improve on this, I learned that I
need to pay attention to the body language of the communicator and not just concentrate on their
verbal cues. Additionally, I discovered the significance of taking some time to reflect on what
someone has said before providing a reply. I also learned that I should not interrupt a person to
ensure that I get the full information even when I have a burning question that requires
clarification. I also learned the art of empathic listening. This involves the comprehension of the

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES 4
emotions behind any given message. In some cases, the same words may mean entirely different
things based on the feelings behind them. Finally, I learned the importance of taking feedback
from people that I communicate with as opposed to just passing the message without waiting for
a response. Therefore, this test taught me to become an active listener.
The third test that I took is the willingness to listen diagnostic. This is a test that is
designed to determine an individual’s orientation towards listening (Macnamara, 2016b). For this
test, I had a score of 65. This score showed that I have a moderate willingness to listen. The
results of this test were similar to the results of the communication quiz, and this further
indicated that I need to be more open to listening to what other people are saying. Upon further
reflection to my listening habits, I realized that in very many cases, I usually listen to what
someone is telling me with the aim to respond as opposed to aiming to understand their point of
view. If someone disagrees with me, I listen to their argument and seek to provide a counter-
argument. Instead, I learned that it is essential to listen to comprehend the other person’s point of
view to see where their opinions are coming from. By so doing, I will not only relate to them
better, but I could also learn something new.
Fourth, I took the interpersonal communications skills test for which I had a score of 68.
The results of this test indicated that I am relatively good at interpreting people’s actions and
words and in some cases, I can see things from their perspective. However, there are instances
when misunderstandings occur. The results also showed that I could sense what other people feel
and I usually adjust my behavior according to their feelings. Incidentally, I can detect when they
are feeling uncomfortable or confused, and I consequently change my behavior to accommodate
them. Additionally, I learned that there are times when I pay more attention to the message I am
sending as opposed to looking at how it is received. However, I discovered that with practice and

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES 5
experience; I will be able to improve my interpersonal communication skills and better
empathize with others.
Finally, I took the self-perceived competence questionnaire that was measured using the
self-perceived communication competence scale. This test aims to determine the manner in
which people think of their communication competence when they are provided with different
communication scenarios that involve different people (Burnside-Lawry, 2012). The results of
this test showed that my most comfortable form of communication was with my family members
and friends (Bodie et al., 2008). I realized that this is the case because I am very comfortable
with my friends and family members and this enables me to even disagree with them in specific
instances. My communication is however abysmal when I am interacting with my superiors and
other people who I am not familiar with.
The main reason is due to my low levels of assertiveness and a failure to hold people
accountable for their actions. This shows that in need to improve my communication skills when
interacting with my superiors and people I do not know well. I need to get over my fear of being
bold and standing up for myself, and I should voice my opinions regardless of whether the other
party agrees with them or not. I should also believe in myself as opposed to always feeling
incompetent in areas that I am good at. These feelings of incompetence then cause me to doubt
myself and hence not communicate effectively when asked about my work. The assessment of
my communication skills using the five diagnostic tools listed above has shown me that I need to
become more assertive and listen to what other people are saying actively to be more effective in
all my operations.
Real-Life Scenarios

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With regards to my low levels of assertiveness, I would like to provide a scenario that
happened at my place of work. As an intern in a data and analytics firm, I tried my best to
impress the management and do the best job possible. We were assigned different tasks which I
always completed on time. One time, one of my colleagues always decided to give me his
workload, and I would end up working all night for weeks to complete my task and his. I was
trying to make friends in the company and create a good impression, and this employee took
advantage of that. I was not assertive to refuse to do his workload and just did it even though it
overwhelmed me. I ended up suffering from overworking and sleep deprivation which caused me
to lose my internship ultimately. I have however now learned the importance of being assertive
and not letting people take advantage of me. I should have calmly and firmly told the
exploitative colleague that I would not work on his responsibilities since I had my work to
complete and report the matter to the management if he persisted.
Another case that demonstrates my poor listening skills occurred when I was working as
a personal assistant in another organization. One day, the manager called me to his office to give
me instructions on how to deal with one client who brought a lot of revenue to the business.
Since it was an urgent matter, the manager spoke very fast, but I ended up losing concentration
because there was a lot of information that I needed to process within a very short time span.
Consequently, I caused the company to incur losses since I did not execute the operations as the
manager had instructed. From the tests, I have learned the significance of active listening, and I
am aware that I should ask questions when I do not understand what is being said and consider
non-verbal cues.
Literature Review

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Active listening is a crucial and indispensable aspect of the communication process as
indicated by different research studies. According to Libow & Doty, (2006), listening involves
hearing as well as cognition, and it enhances the ability of one to perceive information, interpret
it, comprehend it as well as assign meaning to it. Additionally, listening enables one to react
based on the message, recall, and perform an analysis of the data acquired (Miller, Hedrick, &
Orlofsky, 2001). One of the significant elements of organizational change is active listening.
In spite of the tremendous importance of active listening, D’Augelli & Levy (2008) states
that it has not been given enough attention both in research articles as well as in organizational
operations. Van Hasselt et al. (2005) agree by stating that active listening is a central element to
the success of any organization, but it is also one of the most neglected aspects of
communication in organizations. Listening is a very crucial soft skill, and the Harvard Business
Review stated that professionals in the business field identified it as a highly desirable skill in the
workplace (Reznik, Roloff, & Miller, 2012). Active listening has even been identified as a
critical management skill by Bodie (2011).
The workplace is composed of very many diverse people. It is therefore likely for people
to encounter individuals who they may deem to be difficult to interact and work with. Some of
these employees may be hard to get along with, some don’t appear to listen, and others interrupt
other people when they are communicating (Macnamara, 2016a). According to Gearhart &
Bodie (2011), there may be a myriad of factors that come into play on why these employees
seem to be difficult and the primary factor is the lack of active listening skills. It is therefore vital
for employers to train their employees not only on the essential ways to communicate but also on
how to gain useful listening skills in the workplace.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES 8
A significant element of active listening is listening comprehension. This is defined as the
ability of one person to perceive another person using aural sense and organs and assign meaning
to a particular message and understand it (Weger, Castle, & Emmett, 2010). Henry et al. (2012)
state that listening is more complicated than just hearing what is being said. Four stages
constitute the process of listening comprehension. First, there is the stage of sensing and
attending. Second, one needs to comprehend and interpret the message received. Third, it is
crucial to recall what one has heard, and finally, one responds to the message received (Paukert,
Stagner, & Hope, 2004). These four steps are critical to the listening process, but many people
are not usually aware of them.
Another crucial element of active listening is the communicative competence of both the
encoder and decoder of the message. Communicative competence is the use of language in
conveying information and interpreting its meaning. The communicative competence is grouped
into four different categories. First, there is strategic competence. Ramirez (2007) defines it as
the ability of the listener to employ strategies that aid in compensation for the lack of enough
knowledge on a given subject. Second, sociolinguistic competence refers to the ability of an
individual to communicate appropriately using the correct language based on the social settings.
Third, there is discourse competence which enables the listener to connect different pieces of
information and make the right deduction (Weger, 2018). Finally, there is grammatical
competence which relates to phonology and vocabulary.
To listen effectively and actively, it is crucial to take into consideration different
paralinguistic features also referred to as non-verbal cues. The additional features that are used to
enhance verbal communication include non-linguistic sounds, gestures, and various vocal
features (Macnamara, 2018). Training employees on these various elements will enable them to

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES 9
become better communicators and allow them to listen effectively to the message being
delivered. Different factors influence effective communication. These include concentration
levels, the rate of delivery, motivation, and known vocabulary (Burleson & Denton, 2002).
Therefore, to listen actively, it is crucial for one to ask questions on matters that they do not fully
comprehend, take note of different non-verbal cues, and exhibit high concentration levels by
avoiding distractions.
The Carl Rogers humanistic theory advocates for active listening and describes it as the
development of clear comprehension of the concerns of the interest of the speaker followed by
clear communication of the interests of the listener in the message of the speaker. This theory
states that it is crucial for the listener to paraphrase information, formulate the right questions,
make non-verbal cues and comments that encourage the speaker, avoid interrupting the speaker
and summarize the information provided to depict that they have fully grasped what is being said
(Janusik, 2007).
Assertiveness has been said to fall within the field of interpersonal communication.
According to (Heimberg et al., 1977a), interpersonal communication is the form of
communication where the stakeholders talk and listen to each other. Assertiveness has been
defined by McIntyre et al. (2014) as a method of interpersonal communication where the people
who communicate to each other are open and transparent in regards to their perspectives and
feelings while still maintaining respect to each other. Assertiveness in communication aids to
promote equality between the communicating parties. According to Gervasio (2007),
assertiveness is a communicative behavior that is more optional, and it aids in the maintenance of
positive human relationships and also aids in the resolution of conflicts better than using
aggressive behavior. Assertiveness aids in the promotion of harmony, ensuring that the needs

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that the different individuals have been met, and it also reduces the sense of resentment in people
whenever their needs go unmet.
A critical difference that people should comprehend is the difference between aggression
and assertiveness. According to Arrindell & van der Ende (2005), aggression is the behavior
depicted where the aggressive parties voice their opinions and thoughts in a manner that is
hurtful to the other people. Aggressive people like to control other people, and they primarily
enhance themselves at the expense of the others. Conversely, assertive people voice their
opinions in a bid to achieve their goals in a manner that allows the other people to hold onto their
dignity by being respectful towards them (Avşar & Ayaz Alkaya, 2017). Philosophically, each
human being is worthy of being treated in a respectful manner and as a subject as opposed to an
object.
In the professional setting, women are expected to behave effectively and assertively.
However, a study conducted by Omura et al. (2017), shows that our culture expects them to be
more cooperative, supportive, and gentle than their male counterparts. One theory that is used to
explain the concept of assertiveness is the Judee Burgeon’s Expectancy Violation theory. This
theory speaks about the risks as well as the benefits that may arise as a result of behaving in a
manner that is unexpected by other stakeholders (Heimberg, Montgomery, Madsen, &
Heimberg, 2007b). This theory states that so long as people communicate in the usual manner,
the non-verbal behavior, as well as the expectancies, are most likely to operate out of awareness
(Kae Van Engen, 2012). On the other hand, in case one of the parties acts outside the
subconscious expectations recognizably, then the other party become distracted and is left with
the option to interpret the behavior either positively or negatively.

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I created a plan on how to achieve my two communication goals within the next six
months. First, I will join the mind tools club. This is an online platform that enables one to
develop active listening skills. I will also take a course in communication skills that will enable
me to be more assertive when interacting with other people.
Second, I will make use of a personal journal in a bid to track how well my
communication skills are improving. This will help me to aim to increase my assertiveness and
active listening skills by ensuring that improve them over the six-month period. The journal will
also enable me to plan what I need to achieve on a weekly basis and I will, therefore, work hard
every week to reach the set goals.
Third, I will take advanced post-graduate courses to enable gain insight into the
significance and impacts of being assertive and listening actively. This learning will allow me to
appreciate these communication skills and therefore work relentlessly to achieve them. I am also
going to find a mentor who will allow me to improve my communication skills. I will ask Rachel
York to guide me as I strive to develop my communication skills. Rachel York has more than
twenty years of experience in public relations and communications, and she has more than
twelve years’ experience in senior business roles. Using her input, I will be able to identify the
flaws in my communication process that cause me to exhibit low levels of active listening and
assertiveness.
Finally, I will read different books on how to improve my communication by being more
assertive and listening actively to other people. The top five books that I will read include; ‘The
Assertiveness Workbook How to Express Your Ideas and Stand Up for Yourself at Work and in
Relationships’ by Randy Paterson (Amazon.com, 2000), ‘Assertiveness: How to Stand Up for
Yourself and Still Win the Respect of Others Kindle Edition’ by Judy Murphy, ‘Your Perfect

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Right: Assertiveness and Equality in Your Life and Relationships (9th Edition)’, (Amazon.com,
2008), ‘Instructor's manual for Asserting yourself: A practical guide for positive change’
by Sharon Anthony, (library thing, 2010), and ‘The Art of Active Listening: How to Double Your
Communication Skills in 30 Days Kindle Edition’ by Josh Gibson ,(Amazon.com, 2018). I will
implement the different strategies that I will learn from the various books and continue working
on my communication even after the six months are over. The table below shows the schedule of
my action plan.
Action Time period
1. Use a journal to track performance 1st June to 31st December
2. Read books on assertiveness and
active listening
1st June to 31st December
3. Find and work with a communications
mentor
1st July to 31st July
4. Join a mind tools club 1st August to 31st September
5. Take a post-graduate class 1st October to 31st November
In conclusion, this essay provides the five diagnostic tools that I used to test the
effectiveness of my communication skills. From the tests, I identified that I have two significant

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES 13
communication challenges namely the lack of assertiveness and active listening. The literature
review in this study contains information about my two main communication issues by
identifying factors that influence them and ways to overcome them. Finally, I create a six-month
action plan to help me overcome my problems and become a better and more effective
communicator.

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