Reflective Practice on Communication Competency

This assessment requires a reflective analysis of personal communication competency using diagnostic tools to evaluate verbal and nonverbal communication styles. The goal is to identify areas for improvement and develop an action plan for enhancing communication skills over the next six months.

Effective Business Communication
[DATE]
Hewlett-Packard
[Company address]

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Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................. 2
Diagnosis and reflection.................................................................................................3
Literature review........................................................................................................... 7
Action plan................................................................................................................. 10
Conclusion..................................................................................................................12
References.................................................................................................................. 13
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Introduction
The process of exchange of information through verbal, written or any other medium is
known as communication. Communication process makes use of words, symbols, signs or
behavior to engage and exchange information among people. In order to understand the value
of communication, and shape it to make it more effective, it is important to estimate the
current effectiveness of the communication process. Communication, and its effectiveness,
should be paid attention to, because it is a fundamental process, playing an important role in
all facets of life(Management, 2012). Effective communication skills can help in facilitating
and maintaining good relationships and also contributes to the growth of individual, both
personally and professionally. The purpose of this reflective practice is to study the
effectiveness and competency of our communication skills(Government of South Australia,
2006). For this, the diagnostic tools used to analyse communication effectiveness and
feedback will be used, to reflect on the communication skills and practices. The motive of
this practice is to identify the areas of personnel capability which we need to improve on,
and working on which will also increase our communication effectiveness. Self reflection on
the communication skills and practices will help in promoting the use of current best
practices and identify the communication practices that can be addressed for improvement.
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Diagnosis and reflection
With the right communication style and skills, a person can leverage the resources and get
best result in the most efficient ways. Therefore, it is important to reflect and study one's
communication style and constantly work towards its improvement in order to succeed in
life.In this section, diagnostic tools for measuring communication effectiveness are used to
analyse my communication style to understand the pros and cons of it, and for self awareness
and personal development. A very common tool used for understanding communication
effectiveness and relationships is the Johari window model. This comprises of a 2 x 2 matrix
representing information about the person being analysed.
Figure 1: The Johari window model: four quadrants
The four regions or quadrants of the Johari window and the information represented in them
is listed here: 1) what a person knows about himself and others also know about him; this is
called the open area 2) what a person does not know about himself, but others know about
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him; this is called blind area 3) what a person knows about himself but the other people don't
know about him; this is called the hidden area 4) what a person does not know about himself
and neither do the other people; known as the unknown area. On the analysis of my
communication style and practices and applying that to the Johari window model, I got the
following results(CAPS, 2011).
Open area
Sensible, Mature, Independent, Observant,
Logical, Shy, Introverted, Adaptable,
Accepting
Blind area
Confident, Modest, Sympathetic,
Trustworthy
Hidden area
Nervous, Spontaneous, Proud, Loving
Unknown
Religious
Figure 2: Johari window model: self analysis
Another theory to study the human personality and the behaviour of the people is known as
trait theory. In this theory, the traits or the disposition of a person is measured to understand
their personality and communication style over a period of time. The personality traits of an
individual become relatively stable over a period of time, due to their social and
environmental surroundings. These traits make and shape the behaviour of the individual.
According to this theory, all the traits of an individual personality are categorized into 3 sets.
These categories are: 1) Central traits 2) Common traits 3) Cardinal traits. The central traits
of a person are the most important traits influencing their behaviour, the common traits of an
individual are dependent on their culture and environment and the cardinal traits are the ones
that help in the identification of a person and asserting their recognition in the
society(Deloitte, 2015). The analysis of my behaviour on the basis of trait theory is given in
the table below:
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Central traits
Introvert
Independent
Observant
Common traits
Shy
Adaptable
Quiet
Logical
Cardinal traits
Student
Indian
Figure 3: Trait theory: self analysis
The learning we get from the society is also a contributor to our growth and development and
plays a part in shaping our relationship with the people around us by impacting our
communication style. The social learning involves passive gain of knowledge by learning
from the environment and the people around us. According to this theory, there are three
primary factors that define our communication style and behaviour. The communication style
of a person is also impacted by these factors and they determine the behaviour of the
individual in various ways. The figure below shows the three groups into which these factors
are classified.
Figure 4: Factors determining human behaviour
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The cognitive factors also known as personal factors are made up of the knowledge of a
person, expectations they have from others, and from themselves, and their attitude towards
people or things. The behavioral factors are the factors that are determined by the skills that
person gains by practice, over a period of time(Mendoza, 2015). The third set of factors is the
environmental factors, which are made up of the social norms and the influence that the
environment has on a person and a person has on their environment. Carrying out an analysis
of my behaviour and measuring them against the three sets of factors; cognitive, behavioural
and environmental factors, I found out the following about myself.
Cognitive factors
Knowledgeable
Introverted
Dedicated
Adaptable
Behavioural factors
Driving skills
Swimming
Environmental factors
Sympathetic
Trusting
Religious
Most commonly practiced communication styles are: assertive, aggressive, passive and
passive-aggressive. The assertive communication style is when a person tries to find a
solution or a point of mutual agreement between the people communicating. This allows
Idea sharing and is considered the healthiest communication style. The aggressive
communication style is when a person manipulates the people to reach the goal by making
use of emotions like guilt, intimidation etc. When a person is not ready to compromise and is
only concerned about being straight forward, the aggressive communication style is said to be
practiced. A passive communication style is when a person chooses not to react and avoids
confrontation. This usually happens when a person does not feel strongly about the subject
being discussed or the topic of communication. The goal for passive communicator is not to
get noticed. A combination of the passive and aggressive communication styles is known as
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passive-aggressive communication. This is practiced when a person is trying to avoid
conflict, but still wants to communicate. Sarcasm is an example of passive aggressive
communication style(The University of Maine, 2015). The communication theories are used
to understand and systematically summarize the nature of the entire communication process.
There are a number of theories that have been experimented with, and adopted, by studying
the requirements and the agenda for communication. The most commonly referred theory of
these, is the diffusion theory, that allows us to understand how humans tend to behave when
trying something new and how they reach an important decision step by step. The five stages
of the process of diffusion are defined as 1) awareness 2) interest 3) evaluation 4) trial and 5)
adoption.The theory helps us understand how innovations and new ideas are spread across the
populations. Innovation is communicated through various channels among the members of a
society by the process of diffusion as explained in this model.
Literature review
Improving the communication skills is a continuous process that happens both intentionally
and unintentionally for every person, over a period of time. This report is a compilation of a
critical analysis of my communication skills and styles, in order to understand how I
communicate and to find out the areas of improvement in the same.By doing this, I will be
able to communicate more effectively and also gain an understanding and advanced
knowledge about the practices that make workplace communication even better. This section
also involves the identification and explanation of two areas where my communication skills
need improvement, and how I can carry out the same by studying the key models or
behaviours related to the development of both theoretical and interpersonal skills. The
development of communication issues can lead to conflicts and confusion in both personal
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and professional environment(FEMA, 2005). Personal communication challenges and issues
can get reflected in the professional environment as well, and may lead to serious
consequences at times. Therefore, they need to be addressed and taken care of on time.The
analysis of my communication skills with the help of various models and diagnostic tools
helped me to realize that there are a few areas that need improvement and should be worked
out on. The first area where I found out the need for a lot of improvement was that I tend to
avoid confrontation. This can be attributed to my introvert nature, and my tendency to avoid
difficult conversations. Avoiding difficult conversations and confrontation can cause further
problems and most of the times make small problems grow bigger and sometimes even blow
out of proportion(APR, 2014). Therefore, I need to prepare and learn how to handle these
difficult situations by encouraging myself to be more confrontational.For practicing this, I
will evaluate my thoughts and feelings, and try to identify the actual issue that needs my
attention. I will think less about the tangential factors and emotions that are not relevant to
the discussion that needs to be carried out. I will also be better prepared for the situation by
having a clear idea in my mind of what needs to be said when having these conversations. I
will make sure that the conversation happens in a non emotional and a fact based manner. It
is important in such a situation to let the other person respond, and I will also make sure that I
listen to them. I will constantly reassure myself about the possibility of a resolution that is
mutually satisfying in such situations(Library, 1998). Both positive and negative possibilities
in a difficult situation need to be discussed and a follow up after a confrontation will help in
reaffirming the connection with the other party. The other major flaw that I found in my
communication style was not being assertive enough.Assertiveness is defined as, "being able
to stand up for your own, or other people's rights in a calm and positive way, without being
aggressive, or passively accepting". This skill can be of great help and can be applied for the
improvement of all aspects of life. An assertive person is passive and weak. To practice being
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assertive, I will start recognizing and speaking up for the changes I need in a
situation(Cobley, Schulz, & Peter , 2013). Keeping a journal will help me in recording my
passive, compliant and intimidated behaviour in order to keep myself in check.I will start
figuring out appropriate ways to express myself in each of the situations listed in the journal
for practicing purposes. Being aggressive is also considered being unassertive. I will
continuously practice giving assertive responses to situations that intermediate me the most
first by speaking to myself and later on with other people around.In most situations, it is not
just one person assertively asking for changes, but rather two people wanting to express their
feelings, opinions or wishes(Foulger, 2004). Therefore, I will take turns being assertive and
then listen with empathy while practicing with my friends and family initially to ease myself.
A good communication is the one that results in satisfactory compromises. For practice I will
start being assertive in real life situations in order to build my confidence. I will make
changes and adjustments in my communication skills as needed. As I continue practicing this,
I will start by being assertive in less stressful situations that are easier to handle and slowly
develop towards being assertive in more complicated situations. Self reflection on my
communication skills and practices will help me in promoting the use of current best
practices and identify the communication practices that can be addressed for personal
improvement(PSNACET, 2012).
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Action plan
Management and leadership require exceptional communication skills for both the written
and oral communication. On the basis of this analysis I have realized the areas where my
communication skills need improvement and refining. For doing that, I have designed a
comprehensive communication plan that I will follow in order to acquire the required skills
and polish my communication behaviour. The first step that I am going to take towards this is
the maintenance of a personal journal, in which I will list the positives and negatives of my
communication practices after every formal communication. One book that I plan to read as
soon as possible is 'how to win friends and influence people' by Dale Carnegie. This book is a
renowned self help book which is recommended by a lot of people for anyone looking to
enhance their communication skills. Another step that I am going to take is to list the
potential benefits that I am going to reap by working on the improvement of my
communication skills, and achieving the same(Sluková, 2013). This would help in motivating
me and act as a constant reminder of where I want to be in future. This would also help me in
prioritizing and planning accordingly. The following are a few actions that will be included in
my communication development plan.
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Figure 5: Communication improvement plan
I have decided to set SMART goals in order to improve my communication and make it more
effective. A SMART goal is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound. This
will help me in bringing a structure to the entire planning process and let me track my
progress over a period of time. One area where I need to specifically work very hard, is to
learn to listen to people. For this, I will constantly practice paraphrasing so that I am able to
communicate that I actually heard the other person, and also able to clarify what I heard was
what they wanted to communicate(Thompson, 2015). A major hindrance in this process is my
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constant thought about what to say next, when listening to somebody who is speaking to me.
I will practice listening with a clear mind and try to focus more on the message that is being
sent my way. Both verbal and nonverbal messages need to be carefully listened to, in order to
effectively communicate with the people.
The Gantt chart for the follow up of my personal development plan is given below:
Gantt Chart
Septembe
r
Octobe
r November December January February
Maintain communication developemnt journal
Read 'How to win
friends and influence
people'
Monitor the progress of the communicaton
plan
Seek feedback from fellow
students
Performance
evaluation
Conclusion
This assessment required us to carry out a reflective practice on our communication
competency. For this, we were asked to make use of the diagnostic tools related to
communication, in order to analyse our communication style in both verbal and nonverbal
communication. Based on this analysis, we were asked to identify the communication issues
in our communication practices that required improvement. On carrying out the analysis, I
identified the issues with my communication styles and outlined the behaviours and the
theoretical concepts that I need to understand related to the communication skills, to bring
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about improvement in the same. This report ends with an action plan that I have made of the
events and activities that I plan to undertake over a period of next 6 months, to work on the
skills and behaviours identified in this report.
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References
APR. (2014). Communication Models and theories. Retrieved from
http://www.praccreditation.org/resources/documents/APRSG-Comm-Models.pdf
CAPS. (2011). Learn To Communicate Effectively. University of Sydney. Retrieved from
http://sydney.edu.au/dam/students/documents/learn-to-communicate-effectively.pdf
Cobley, E., Schulz, P., & Peter , J. (2013). Theories and Models of Communication.
Retrieved from https://www.degruyter.com/view/product/44608
Deloitte. (2015). Effective communication skills. Retrieved from
https://ballsbridge.wholeschoolvle.com/pluginfile.php/4255/mod_resource/content/1/
effective-communication-skills.pdf
FEMA. (2005). Effective Communication: Independent Study. Retrieved from
https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/downloads/is242.pdf
Foulger, D. (2004). Models of the Communication Process. Retrieved from
http://foulger.info/davis/research/unifiedModelOfCommunication.htm
Government of South Australia. (2006). Introduction to Effective Communication. Retrieved
from http://ofv.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/8447/effective-communication-
presentation-notes.pdf
Library, T. P. (1998). Basic communication model. Retrieved from
http://home.snu.edu/~jsmith/library/body/v25.pdf
Management, N. I. (2012). Training Program on Effective Communication. Retrieved from
http://www.manage.gov.in/studymaterial/EC.pdf
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Mendoza, L. (2015). Developing effecTIve communication skills. USC Kortschak Center for
Learning and Creativity. Retrieved from
http://kortschakcenter.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Workshop-Presentation-
condensed.pdf
PSNACET. (2012). Concepts Of Advertising. Retrieved from
http://www.psnacet.edu.in/courses/MBA/ASPM/4.pdf
Sluková, P. (2013). Communication of Information.
The University of Maine. (2015). Effective communication. Retrieved from
https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/wp-content/uploads/sites/
82/2015/04/6103.pdf
Thompson. (2015). Shannon and Weaver Model of Communication. Retrieved from
http://communicationtheory.org/shannon-and-weaver-model-of-communication/
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