Effective Communication Skills for Workplace

This assignment delves into the importance of effective communication skills within a workplace setting. It focuses on practical advice for maintaining healthy relationships, handling criticism constructively, avoiding gossip, and prioritizing work efficiency over solely focusing on outcomes. The assignment draws upon personal experiences and theoretical frameworks like Johns' model for structured reflection to illustrate these concepts.

Reflective Diary

Table of Contents
1. Reflective Diary on role play..................................................................................................1
2.Reflective Diary on personal development..............................................................................3
3. Reflective Diary on dealing with conflicts..............................................................................4
4. Effective communication and cultural difference..................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

1. Reflective Diary on role play.
The role play was set in a secondary school. It was done by 4 people I and three other group
members. I was assigned the role of aunty. According to the role play I went to the school with
my niece, Stella, for the parents review meeting. I had to attend the review meet instead of her
mother as she had to go Stella's brother's review evening. Both the meetings on the same day
created this issue. Her mother called me and asked me if I can go with Stella to the review
evening. We entered the class room and her teacher Mrs. Webster greeted us both into the class. I
apologized to her from Stella's mother's side and explained to Mrs. Webster the reason of her not
coming to the review evening. She was very kind and told me that it was alright with me
attending the meet. Then she quickly provided me with Stella's review report and informed me
about her behaviour in the class. She told me that her behaviour was distorting and it is the
reason behind her falling grades. She also informed me that Stella was not doing her home work
which was another reason for downfall in her marks. I was surprised to know that she was ill
behaved in the class, she was a very well behaved girl at home. Stella was quick on her defence
and told me that her teacher picked on her without adequate season. She was reluctant and told
me that she was treated unfairly in the class. She also argued with Stella to find out the root
cause of her behaviour and find out what could be changed. I found out that Stella was rude and I
persuaded her to apologise to her teacher. I also talked with her to find a appropriate solution to
this problem. We decided a number of changes to be made to resolve the issue. Though initially,
Stella was not ready to make changes but we persuaded her and the meeting ended with all
happy with the solution.
I was really happy with the role play activity and I learned much about the communication skills
and also the have gained knowledge about the team work and effective communication between
members. I also enjoyed the play and my role was a reflection of a parent in the school set up.
The set up was a very effective way of learning the scenario of plays and the practice required to
perform on the stage. The task became easy with team cooperation of the group members and I
gave my best performance on the stage. This experience also tough me that feed back from the
group members help a lot in improving your performance.
Communication between the group members is the main tool to achieve success in the task. The
activity was very effective in learning about the importance of communication. I acquired,
communication can be achieved by coordination, giving feedback and understanding. Our group
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coordinated between ourselves, everyone decided the role for themselves and told each other
about our choice. We all practised together to find out the flaws in the team performance and
also flaws in each others performances. . A feedback on each other helped us all improve our
performance in the play. A good understanding of each other and the character was created by
the conversations with each other about the feedback. This conversation helped me develop
communication skills and coordination with the people. I also learnt about that effective
communication include friendliness, understanding, respecting and coordinating, open
mindedness.
I developed to become a good person as a whole. I have become more cheerful and friendly with
the people. I also developed understanding approach towards the upcoming problems as when
the person with the role of the mother got ill we made sudden amendments in the play. The team
was of diverse people and I learnt to deal with different kind of people. I also developed a habit
to persuade difficult tasks and complete them. I developed skills of communication with new
people. In this process I also learnt to coordinate with the people around me and learn from what
they tell me. I have developed more respectful behaviour towards the people and also learned the
effective way to complete the task.
The role play was an excellent opportunity to learn team work and effective way of working in a
team. These skills are highly effective to work in any environment, whether it be school,
cooperate, healthcare etc. In the health and social care practices you need to work very
efficiently to serve the patients in need. The activity taught me to work effectively with my team
with improved coordination and the working in the group. It is important to be friendly with the
patients to help them recover and keep a healthy environment in the workplace. Respecting the
team members improves the bonding between the team the work can be done more effectively.
The open mindedness towards the feedback will help me correct my mistakes and learn from
them.
I conclude that the activity was focuses on working of group to perform a play which helped me
grow in various ways. The communication skills I developed will help in my daily life. I learnt to
respect people more even when they are different from you. The friendliness will help me make
conversation with more people and make more friends. I also learnt to talk to people with a new
people and do not hesitate in the process.
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2.Reflective Diary on personal development.
With the help of this diary, I am going to share my experience of communication skill
development process. For learning effective communication skills, I have considered certain
models. I am going to explain how, I have implemented those approach, while dealing with the
service user on 3/04/2017. For this I have applied John Structured Model of Reflection, to
develop my skills effectively (Franework 3: Johns model for structured reflection. 2017). It
helped in learning skills using cyclic order such as, detailed analysis of experience, reflection,
affecting factors. With the help of these stages, I was able to effectively deal with the
communication challenges and develop new skills.
Here I am sharing my experience, I was working in an healthcare organisation NHS, in
the management department. I was having large friend cycle at my work place. One day due to
some other work, I do not reach the workplace and as I was busy in work, I forgot to tell my
close friend. He was worried for me as I don't arrive office and also don't tell any thing about it.
He reached my house and was standing outside the flat While coming home after completing
work, I saw one of my friend waiting outside by flat. Due to paralysis, his legs were very week.
He was not able to stand properly and due to waiting for long time his legs were shivering and he
was not feeling well. So I decided to took him home and then call the doctor. I asked him why he
is standing, and why don't call me, he told me that he arrived to know about me as today I don't
reach office. To know that every thing is ok with me, but due to disability he was not able to
walk on staircase and lift was not working so he was waiting for me. I was so happy to see his
concern for me at the same ime feeling vary bad for his condition. As he was waiting for long
time he was looking very weak. I asked him to come with me at my flat, but it was at 3rd floor, he
was not ready to come with me. I put lots of efforts but the end make him convened to come with
me. To bring him to the 3rd floor, various people of the building helped me. At the end I reached
our destination, my flat. I call the doctor and explain every thing about his condition, on the basis
of my description doctor was able to understand Jerry's problem and provided him medicines,
after taking them he was feeling better. On that day I saw an immense pleasure of my friends
face. We spend whole day together and had lunch.
Reflection of my experience with my disable friend is mentioned. When I think about this
incident it make me proud and happy because due to my communication skill, I was able to
convene my friend for coming at 3rd floor. Along with this I was able to explain problems of my
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friend to the doctor. Through this incident I was able to understand the need of effective
communication skills and their outcomes.
During this whole process, I am trying to determine those factors that influenced by
friend. It is very important for maintaining its effectiveness, from my experiences I have
identified some of them such as clear pronunciation, proper gestures, eye contact, audible voice
tone, understandable language. According to me conversation should be started with welcoming
other person by taking their name or using reference such as sir/ madam (Kolb, 2014). I have
also learned that people should be able to react according to the situation and make necessary
changes into their communication skills. While talking with my friend, I was very calm and
trying to motivate him so that he can at least try. Along with this, I asked various people from the
building for the help. With the help of my influencing skill, they all were ready to help me. It
refers that always be polite and trying to connect with people it helps in effective
communication. While communicating with people, I use to take detailed and simple language, it
helps in understanding them my point of view and reduces the communication barriers. It makes
the communication skill more effective (Lanham and et.al., 2016). Apart from that John
structured model of reflection is also helped me in improving it by determining issues. With the
help of this approach I was able to develop the skill to influence people, whatever I have shared
in my personal development experience that's all with the help of this model. It helped me in
boosting up my skills and influencing others.
In conclusion, I have identified that communication is one of the most important factor
through which we can present our views and thoughts.
3. Reflective Diary on dealing with conflicts.
With the help of diary, I am sharing conflicting experience at my workplace. In this I am
considering my personal experience. For this I am introducing reflection of learning process
model developed by Boud and others (McKenzie-Sherrod, 2016).
Here I am sharing my experience, I am working at management unit of NHS, one day
when I was shifting the duty time of the nursing staff. So that services of the hospital does not
get affected. According to the polices of the organisation the management department is
provided with the authority of changing shift of the employees. For this we are provided with
guidelines that working cycle should be changes after every 15 days. The schedule was
developed by my subordinate in my absence and he was not clearly about the policies and due to
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ineffective communication he was not able to understand the process. Therefore, same employee
is provided with the night shift regularly 3rd time, that individual came to me and asked
aggressively about the new duty schedule. By that time I was not aware of problem and the
worker started conflicting with me. Finally, when I asked with my subordinate about the rules, he
was not aware of that. At that period of time I assured the employee for rescheduling his shift to
stop the conflict. Later, I discussed with my assistant about my instructions. I determined that he
was not able to understand me as I was speaking very fast.
On the basis of above issue, I understood that I am not having effective communication
skills. People are not able to understand me as I use to speak to fast. Due to this weakness other
staff of the organisation are also suffering. From the above incident, it is clear that if I have
explained all the instructions at normal pitch and speed, my assistant would not have committed
mistake and no conflict would be created into the organisation (O’Neill, 2017). Therefore, with
the help of this experience I have learned that while communicating speed and pitched should be
at controlled level. It increases the understanding of listeners and helps in results into effective
outcome. While providing instruction to my subordinated I have to make sure that others can
understand by expression and no such issues occur in future. If I was able to communicate all the
instructions effectively to the assistant conflict does not occur.
4. Effective communication and cultural difference.
In the following diary, I will be reflecting on the communication skills I learned while
working in health and social care and how I suggested them to one of my friend facing issues in
the workplace. Using the Gibbs cycle of reflection, I will do the following.
One morning, when I was going on a walk, I met one of my friend Leah. Meanwhile, we
spend some time in the park nearby. She told me a very good news that she has joined a new
office. Afterwards, she explained the situation that was going troublesome for her. As she was
new, she was facing much troubles in the workplace. She was not able to manage the time as
well as the work. Due to such reasons, her boss was also not happy with her. He was
complaining of less orientation and improper management of time by her. She was new in the
work, so it was going difficult for her to manage things. She was also facing complexity issues as
these issues are making her embarrassed in the office. She has lost her confidence and motivation
level. The boss also should understand the fact that as she is a new joiner, she will take some
time to catch the things. I suggested her to have a talk with the HR. Then she told me that she
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has already discussed her problem with the HR, but it was of no use. The HR told her that things
will get clear after some time and if she wants to work further, she had to manage. Actually, she
was becoming a part of office politics. As she was new to the office, it is an obvious fact that to
understand the dynamics of people in the workplace, it takes a huge amount of time. Still the
things seems not that much clear.
While working in the health and social care, I have learned that efficient communication
skills can turn any negative idea into a positive one. I had a talk with her and explained her that
as she is new in the workplace, it is an obvious fact that it will take some time to clear out the
things. I taught her various skills that I learned in the health and social care. I explained her the
power of listening. It acts very beneficial as she suggested Leah to be a good listener as when she
will listen her boss, he will also realise that she is a good listener and is obeying and listening to
him properly.
I explainer that only verbal communication does not determines. It is the non verbal that
tells even more than the verbal one (Canty, 2013). It includes the eye contact, gestures etc. I told
Leah to be positive throughout what she is going and after some time, things will go smooth and
easy. Starting is always tough. I suggested Leah to be friendly with the co workers and boss as
well as the interactions are very precious. Sometimes, if Leah is busy in her work and have some
work pending, it is the co workers only which can help her in managing that work. I also
explained her that respect is another important factor. AS it is a old saying, give respect, take
respect. I told her not to get angry over these small issues and not to misbehave with anyone in
the office. Fighting over these small issues in the workplace is not a better idea and it just creates
negativity which bothers the both from staying focused and confident as well. It however affects
the quality of work also as it disturbs the mind of both the bodies. It makes a negative impression
on the all. I told her that if she will respect everyone in the office, everyone will going to respect
her.
I also explained her the importance of staying confident about the work she is doing. It
does not matter if her work does not results positive. It is not important to always have a positive
outcome. One can learn from failures only (Moss, 2017). Failures are also a part of life. I told her
that when she is working in a workplace, she should be ready for achievements as well as
failures. I told her not to focus on the outcome, rather keeping the focus on efficiency of work. It
is the secondary thing that in what way the outcome comes. These are a part of life and even it
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makes the person more stronger. I suggested her to stay away from any gossips etc. and focus on
the work and maintaining the happier and healthier relationships at the workplace. I told her to
stay from any part of criticism as there are some people in the workplace who are in a habit to
criticize each other to lower down their motivation levels. I suggested her not to become a part of
it and let any sort of criticism does not affect her. I think I have learned much about the
effectiveness of the communication skills while working in the health and social care. So, I
suggested some to Leah and these will definitely help her to maintain all the issues of the
workplace. The module helped me in improving my efficiency about communication skills, so I
thought of sharing it with Leah, so that she can be able to manage the situations well in the
workplace, thus staying happier and healthier.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Canty, J., 2013. Communication skills in health and social care.
Kolb, D. A., 2014. Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development.
FT press.
Lanham, H. J. and et.al., 2016. Trust and reflection in primary care practice redesign. Health
services research.51(4). pp.1489-1514.
McKenzie-Sherrod, M., 2016. Structured self-reflection in cultural competency programming for
pre-health care professionals: An evaluation of curriculum effectiveness (Doctoral
dissertation, Union Institute and University).
Moss, B., 2017. Communication skills in health and social care. Sage.
O’Neill, T. A. 2017. Constructive Controversy and Reflexivity Training Promotes Effective
Conflict Profiles and Team Functioning in Student Learning Teams. Academy of
Management Learning & Education.16(2). pp.257-276.
Salmon, P. and Young, B., 2011. Creativity in clinical communication: from communication
skills to skilled communication. Medical education.45(3). pp.217-226.
Online
Franework 3: Johns model for structured reflection. 2017. [Online]. Available through
<http://otreflection.blogspot.in/2008/08/framework-3johns-model-for-structured.html>.
[Accessed On : 6th September 2017].
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