During this week, we were challenged to analyze ourselves as communicators. After taking the quizzes that analyzed my anxiety, verbal aggressiveness, and listening skills. The quizzes confirmed what I already knew and perceived about myself based off self-reflection and feedback over the years from close friends abd family.
I am great at public speaking and a true extrovert that has low anxiety in moments of expressing my opinions or beliefs to another individual or group. However, I sometimes can come off a little brash in my communication based on tone, body language, and language utilized that makes me somewhat verbally assertive/aggressive. This impacts my listening skills as well because until recently, I listened to respond and not to understand or expand my personal beliefs of opinions.
My two best friends of 10 years took the quizzes as well as rated me almost exactly as I did whennit cammto anxiety and verbal aggressiveness. However, I was rated much lowet in listening skills from them because they saw me as not truly showing empathy or understanding to people that conflict with my personal belief systems. This definitely has been an eye-opening experience as to how I communicate with others and how I can be percieved in both personal and professional settings.
I aim to use reflective listening tactics and reinforce the platnium rule when speaking to others that may not always agree with me in both personal and professional settings. I am not perfect and it will take time but I aim to make strides to being a better person that listens to obtain a message and not to respond.
Saturday, February 3, 2018
Saturday, January 27, 2018
Modes of Communication
I can definitely say that I "code switch" my communication with different cultures and communities. As a Black woman, I identify with the Black culture and community and adpat my behavior to the accepted cultural mannerisms and behavior for given situations. I tend to uae low-language, slang, profanity and illustrators that are very eccentric and culturally appropriate to my background.
However, how I communicate with members of my community is much different than my communication with other cultures. When I code switch with other cultures, I use "proper english" or high language, limited illustrators, and generally acceptablel cultural illustrators that are not percieved as aggressive or too eccentric. As an African-American, I am constantly trying to remain cognizant of how I portray myself on the general public. With many stereotypes that are portrayed through the media of African-Americans, I definitely do my best to not live up to thise perceptions through my behavior in public where I am not familiar.
I find it easier to communicate with other minorities, however, due to unspoken feelings of being the "other" in Eurocentric culture and the conversations are more lax, playful, and personal. When talking to more White Americans, the need to be more formal and politically correct is apparent in my verbal and nonverbal cues and language.
However, how I communicate with members of my community is much different than my communication with other cultures. When I code switch with other cultures, I use "proper english" or high language, limited illustrators, and generally acceptablel cultural illustrators that are not percieved as aggressive or too eccentric. As an African-American, I am constantly trying to remain cognizant of how I portray myself on the general public. With many stereotypes that are portrayed through the media of African-Americans, I definitely do my best to not live up to thise perceptions through my behavior in public where I am not familiar.
I find it easier to communicate with other minorities, however, due to unspoken feelings of being the "other" in Eurocentric culture and the conversations are more lax, playful, and personal. When talking to more White Americans, the need to be more formal and politically correct is apparent in my verbal and nonverbal cues and language.
Saturday, January 20, 2018
Communication and Television
Earlier this week I begam watching "Friends". I have never been a fan if the popular show until recently and figured with all their drama and hilarious adventures, watching "Friends" to evaluate the communication and nonverbal cues would be interesting.
Watching the show without the sound on was a bit weird and aside from taking me in a time warp to the age of silent movies, it was a bit of a challenge to really understand what they were saying EXACTLY but due their facial expressions, mannerisms, hand gestures, and location of scenes, I could infer whether the situation was serious or not. The nonverbal codes, emblems, and intermediacy assisted in me deciphering information as to which character had a role in what scene.
With the volume back on, I was actually impressed with myself that I was relatively correct. This was the episode where Racheal found out Joey cheated on her when they were on a break and everyone was in Monica's bedroom eavsdropping. There was a lot of euphemisms, connotation, slang, etc (low language). A lot of the language was fueled by emotion and not semantics. It was interesting that although I was not spot on on the precise language utilized but how each situation based on the nonverbal cues was emotionally driven and who played roles of importance on each scene.
Watching the show without the sound on was a bit weird and aside from taking me in a time warp to the age of silent movies, it was a bit of a challenge to really understand what they were saying EXACTLY but due their facial expressions, mannerisms, hand gestures, and location of scenes, I could infer whether the situation was serious or not. The nonverbal codes, emblems, and intermediacy assisted in me deciphering information as to which character had a role in what scene.
With the volume back on, I was actually impressed with myself that I was relatively correct. This was the episode where Racheal found out Joey cheated on her when they were on a break and everyone was in Monica's bedroom eavsdropping. There was a lot of euphemisms, connotation, slang, etc (low language). A lot of the language was fueled by emotion and not semantics. It was interesting that although I was not spot on on the precise language utilized but how each situation based on the nonverbal cues was emotionally driven and who played roles of importance on each scene.
Saturday, January 13, 2018
Best Communicator
Happy New Year and welcome to the start of a new semester!
The question posed this week asked who would I like to emulate aa far as being a great communicator and why. This question is simple and the person that immediately came to mind was my uncle, Henry Taylor. My uncle is the president of a major health organization in Illinois and well-known throughout health care within the midwest. For over 20 years, my uncle had dedicated his life's work to bringing underserved communities of color access to affordable, quality health care.
With my uncle being one of the only few administrators of color on staff, there have been personal and professional challenges that he has encountered that has lead him to not only grow professionally but personally as well. One thing he has learned is to communicate effectively will all sorts of audiences whether it be a diagruntled patient or a corporate stakeholder. My uncle uses reflective listening-repeating what the other person says as an affirmative or a question/statement. He also is conscious of his body language, tone, and environment to which he is speaking to his audience-his main priority making sure his message is clear and delivered in a amicable way that is percieved in a safe enviornment that is non-threatening. My uncle also uses various forms of exchange where it is not always a transactionary dialouge or internal but a dialouge that is ankle to have multiple viewpoints and perspectives that lend hand to decison making.
Overall, my uncle is one of the best communicators I know. Personally, I try to embody those traits in my personal and professional life to better convey my thoughts and relay more than just message but a perspective that has the ability to inspire and persuade.
The question posed this week asked who would I like to emulate aa far as being a great communicator and why. This question is simple and the person that immediately came to mind was my uncle, Henry Taylor. My uncle is the president of a major health organization in Illinois and well-known throughout health care within the midwest. For over 20 years, my uncle had dedicated his life's work to bringing underserved communities of color access to affordable, quality health care.
With my uncle being one of the only few administrators of color on staff, there have been personal and professional challenges that he has encountered that has lead him to not only grow professionally but personally as well. One thing he has learned is to communicate effectively will all sorts of audiences whether it be a diagruntled patient or a corporate stakeholder. My uncle uses reflective listening-repeating what the other person says as an affirmative or a question/statement. He also is conscious of his body language, tone, and environment to which he is speaking to his audience-his main priority making sure his message is clear and delivered in a amicable way that is percieved in a safe enviornment that is non-threatening. My uncle also uses various forms of exchange where it is not always a transactionary dialouge or internal but a dialouge that is ankle to have multiple viewpoints and perspectives that lend hand to decison making.
Overall, my uncle is one of the best communicators I know. Personally, I try to embody those traits in my personal and professional life to better convey my thoughts and relay more than just message but a perspective that has the ability to inspire and persuade.
Saturday, December 23, 2017
Thank You
It was a pleasure getting to discuss with all of my colleagues and learning from a variety of perspectives. It was a great semester and I wish you all continued success. I hope this course has reminded all of us that we are the keys to change.
Friday, December 15, 2017
New Family
I wanted to challenge myself with this week's blog post when use the scenario given as a way to stimulate and challenge me personally and professionally.
My emmergrating child's country of orgin would be Iran. I chose thos country intentionally to be able to learn about the country in depth and breaknstigma and stereotypes that surround the muslim culture.
I would integrate lessons that discuss how we are all different and come from unique places that have unique customs and traditions. I would then structure lessons and activities around different countries, including Iran, for students to be able to learn more about that particular part of the world and the people in it. I would, finally, have an activity that would bring in the families of my students to take part in an afternoon activity that facilitates conversations about diversity within the child's home and with the parents amongst other parents in the clasroom; bringing in the whole child aspect by also narrowing in on tbe famiky dynamics.
These strategies wouod hopefully give that child and their family peace of mind in knowing that although they are in unfamiliar territory, they are surrounded my a support system and network that embraces racial, religious, and cultural diversity. This would then encourage the child to inergrate more naturally into the classroom and not feel hesitant to join in with other students
My emmergrating child's country of orgin would be Iran. I chose thos country intentionally to be able to learn about the country in depth and breaknstigma and stereotypes that surround the muslim culture.
I would integrate lessons that discuss how we are all different and come from unique places that have unique customs and traditions. I would then structure lessons and activities around different countries, including Iran, for students to be able to learn more about that particular part of the world and the people in it. I would, finally, have an activity that would bring in the families of my students to take part in an afternoon activity that facilitates conversations about diversity within the child's home and with the parents amongst other parents in the clasroom; bringing in the whole child aspect by also narrowing in on tbe famiky dynamics.
These strategies wouod hopefully give that child and their family peace of mind in knowing that although they are in unfamiliar territory, they are surrounded my a support system and network that embraces racial, religious, and cultural diversity. This would then encourage the child to inergrate more naturally into the classroom and not feel hesitant to join in with other students
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Experience
This week is all about reflecting on an experience where there was an example if bias or prejudice. My experience for Black Friday was definitely something that made me feel less than an equal because of classism and racism.
However, another experience was where I was a bystander in McDonalds and an irate white gentleman was yelling profanities and racial slurs to a Mexican immigrant woman because her limited English. This was about 3 years ago on Chicago ave and State in the heart of downtown Chicago and it was startling how hardly anyone spoke up. At first I didn't either because it wasnt my fight but it made me uncomfortable. I knew it felt horrible to be on the other end for the young woman and as a Black woman I coukd definitely relate.
I finally spoke up and told him he shouldn't be so mean to her because she is trying and he yelled for me to go back to my country. Now I was pissed and cursed him to hell. Point is, it made me feel like despite my American lineage and ancestral blood herr in America, I am always seen as an outsider and never fully "American" because I am black. It also is uncomfortable that white people feel the need to claim stolen land as theirs and feel entitled to claim ownership over literally everything.
What was even more baffling was that hardly anyone spoke up. Not one other person outside of another Black guy defended me or the young lady. There were mean stares towards him and side conversations about how nasty he was but no one spoke up. And almost everyone waiting in line with me (quite a bit of people) were white. What needs to change is complacency with racism and bigotry. What needs to change are white people's attitudes towards confronting racists in their community and being a goddamn ally. Most importantly, what needs to change are our hearts towards those not like us.
Until then, we are destined to be at war with one another.
However, another experience was where I was a bystander in McDonalds and an irate white gentleman was yelling profanities and racial slurs to a Mexican immigrant woman because her limited English. This was about 3 years ago on Chicago ave and State in the heart of downtown Chicago and it was startling how hardly anyone spoke up. At first I didn't either because it wasnt my fight but it made me uncomfortable. I knew it felt horrible to be on the other end for the young woman and as a Black woman I coukd definitely relate.
I finally spoke up and told him he shouldn't be so mean to her because she is trying and he yelled for me to go back to my country. Now I was pissed and cursed him to hell. Point is, it made me feel like despite my American lineage and ancestral blood herr in America, I am always seen as an outsider and never fully "American" because I am black. It also is uncomfortable that white people feel the need to claim stolen land as theirs and feel entitled to claim ownership over literally everything.
What was even more baffling was that hardly anyone spoke up. Not one other person outside of another Black guy defended me or the young lady. There were mean stares towards him and side conversations about how nasty he was but no one spoke up. And almost everyone waiting in line with me (quite a bit of people) were white. What needs to change is complacency with racism and bigotry. What needs to change are white people's attitudes towards confronting racists in their community and being a goddamn ally. Most importantly, what needs to change are our hearts towards those not like us.
Until then, we are destined to be at war with one another.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)