Reflective Practice Assignment: Developing Communication Competency

Diagnostic Tools

Write a Reflective Practice Assignment on Developing your Communication Competency.

The paper will focus on a self-reflection study of my inter-personal communication skills and competence, which is based on the information I have obtained from the mentioned five diagnostic tools and further, will cast light on the two primary dilemmas, which have been identified from the evaluation results of the mentioned five diagnostic tools. These five diagnostic tools have effectively assessed the way I establish a communiqué ground during any communication with my friends, acquaintances as well as strangers. Furthermore, the essay comprises of a comprehensive literature review, which concentrates on the fundamental concepts as well as theoretical aspects associated with the identified communication issues and provides with an understanding of the significance of these areas of communication. In addition this, the essay will also highlight my personal experiences where I have faced certain complexities. This paper with a precise focus on the reflection, have facilitated me to achieve a greater understanding of my actions during any communication process and would aid me to utilize these in order to handle any further communicative challenges or dilemmas. Furthermore, these actions have been reflected in a properly structured action plan following the discourse on literature review along with a Gantt chart.

I have utilized five essential diagnostic tools of varied types, which reflect different scales in order to assess the level and characteristics of my communication at diverse interpersonal communication circumstances. The first tool known as the Self-Perceived Communication Competence Scale (SPCCS) has been used which assists to attain knowledge and information related to the way individuals comprehend their level of competence when they establish various communication contexts associated with diverse types of receivers or listeners (McCroskey & McCroskey, 1988). It further facilitates the communicator to define their communication skills and abilities. The second tool, which is the Nonverbal Immediacy Scale-Self Report (NIS-S),has also been used in order to provide explanations of the behaviours generated while interacting with others in a communication process. This tool significantly identifies the disparities in self-reports between females and males. The test comprises of twenty-six behaviours that an individual needs to rate on the way one must exhibit them (Richmond, McCroskey & Johnson, 2003). The third tool, which has been used, is the Personal Report of Intercultural Communication Apprehension (PRICA) measures the way to concentrate on the communication apprehension and anxiety in the intercultural circumstances (such as dyadic, small group, gathering or public speaking). However, this tool has been assumed to provide improved efficiency than the PRCA24 for these specific communication situations. However, this tool is significantly associated with the PRCA24, which suggests that cross-cultural communication nervousness or hesitation is regarded as a sub-category of general communication anxiety and apprehension (Neuliep & McCroskey,1997). The fourth tool called the Talkaholic scale is used which aims to measure a compulsive or compelling communication whereby certain people are given motivation to speak whereby speakers or communicators are identified as immensely vocal individuals and have great complexities or low level yearning of keeping silent in the presence of other individuals (McCroskey & Richmond,1993). Lastly, the diagnostic tool, which has been utilized to comprehend the nature of my communication, is the instrument known as tolerance for disagreement (Teven, McCroskey & Richmond, 1998). This tool has been designed in order to evaluate the extent to which an individual possess the level of tolerance towards other individuals during a dispute or situation of disagreements in contrast to the ideologies the individuals have towards a particular matter (McCroskey& Richmond, 1995).

Results from Diagnostic Tools

The results generated from all the questionnaires of the tools have offered detailed accurateness and correctness and have further aided me to identify the techniques and skills I implement along with the degree of inclination has been revealed from the inclinations of mine. The results derived from Self-Perceived Communication Competence Scale (SPCC) have explicitly revealed that while conversing with friends I obtained a score of 95 whereby, it reveals that I possess a great degree of ease and comfort conversing with friends whether in a large gathering of friends, one to one or private conversation with a companion or making a presentation or a subject matter within a association of friends or generally develop a conversation among a few selected friends and within a ‘dyadic’ communication. However, in interactive sessions comprising a number of people(public)I have scored 58.3 and revealed that my communicative competences become unable to produce efficiency as much it has been demonstrated with my friends or close ones. On the other hand, though I reflect improved level of buoyancy and inclination to put my word in any large gathering with my friends, I find it immensely hesitant to show my interests and knowledge to my acquaintances. My result in the conversation with my acquaintances have shown immensely low score of 46.25 which has drawn my concern and have come into my realization that I need to put my efforts to bring improvements in this particular area. A score of below 62 SPCC is extremely concerning as this type of hesitation or indecisive characteristic will lead me to undergo greater level of complexities and threats in my professional domain. I must develop my learning skills while conversing with an acquaintance of my professional domain and gather comprehensive awareness of business etiquettes.

The evaluation of my communicative skills in the second tool of Nonverbal Immediacy Scale Self Report (NIS-S) has measured my behavioural postures and while developing an interpersonal communication has revealed a score of 81 regarded as ‘Low’ which considered as lower in comparison to other males. My lower level of non-verbal communication has often shedlight on my lack of confidence. Certain factors must be taken into consideration while dealing with cliental as I represent my organization and position myself in the frontline. My frequent tendency of showing a casual approach while speaking with colleagues or associates in my professional domain will reflect an apathetic or unresponsive attitude, which might result in creating severe misinterpretation or complexities among my colleagues. Thus it has been considered as vital for me to develop my confidence level and awareness of the area which I will propose whether in a meeting or within a friendly gathering. A self-assured eye contact would certainly expose my degree of inclination, association, ease and knowledge related to the conversation. Furthermore, I must pay utmost attention on my hand movements as any improper gesture whether intentional or unintentional might result to a greater degree of hostility with my office co-workers, friends and clients.

Self-Perceived Communication Competence Scale (SPCCS)

The result obtained from Personal Report of Intercultural Communication Apprehension (PRICA) has revealed my score as 35 that has indicated a moderate level of intercultural CA. However, it is important to state that though I attained a moderate degree of the score, it is crucial for me to develop my intercultural competencies to enhance the areas in order to achieve success and enormous significance as an individual in my professional arena. An appropriate exactitude of language would facilitate me to comprehend the ideas of the diversified cultural groups our organization deals or planning to make alliance with. As our organization have its business operations in several regions across the world meeting with clients and stakeholder belonging from diverse cultural backgrounds is perceived with utmost significance. If I initiate my communicative skill and foster respect and honour to the diversified cliental base, I would be able to achieve greater degree of enterprise success. Being in a country, which comprise of diversified entities I work with several associates belonging to diversified cultural backgrounds.

The fourth diagnostic tool of Talkaholic score of 31 exhibits that I have a moderate level of Talkaholic scale which further implies that I possess the self-regulatory power of controlling my views and perceptions with the demands of the situations. However, I have often undergone circumstances where I have been unable to maintain my silence as I considered those situations to be extremely grave and which could have emerged critical situations of misunderstanding or complexities among my co-workers and superiors. Furthermore, I have also undergone scenarios whereby I received criticisms and condemnation for revealing my opinionated characteristic during a conversation with a panel of experts.

Lastly, the tolerance for disagreement-evaluated score has provided a score of 38 that indicates moderatenessto my tolerance level. However, I would need to develop my skills over attaining higher level of argumentativeness in order to handle more disputes and conflictive situations while I establish an effective business communiqué. By enhancing my argumentative characteristic while establishing a business communication I will be able to create a more inspiring, productive as well as dynamic conversation and facilitate improved growth and efficiency in our organization. However, a higher degree of argumentativeness can also generate utmost advantages and result to a constructive communication trait while conversing with my colleagues and superiors and would further facilitate an underlying enthusiasm to make constructive arguments related to business projects and client agreements.

Nonverbal Immediacy Scale-Self Report (NIS-S)

Through the explicit evaluation of the results of five aforementioned tools, I have successfully identified two critical issues whereby I have to make improvements in order to perform efficiently in my business communication. The two significant communication issues I have been undergoing is Self-Perceived Communication Competence Scale (SPCCS)which is associated with speaking or giving proposals to public, dyad, friends and acquaintances.

One of the issues I have experienced with my workplace peers in recent times is an ineffective teamwork that was associated with one of the critical projects of our organization. It has been demonstrated that my low level of commands over the specific area which has been assigned to me by my seniors I received a lot of criticism and has led to an unconstructive project assignment. Furthermore, I was unable to be responsive to the perceptions and ideas demonstrated by my workplace acquaintances. As a result, it developed into a poor and unconstructive communication ground. It must be noted that my lack of inclination towards their proposals and project ideas was not purposely being performed. However, I realized that I have gathered high rate of hesitancein analysing others’ ideas and reasoning competences because of the apprehension of reflecting a decisive portrayal of mine.

Another communication issue I faced is related to the temperate tolerance level during a conflicting situation at my workplace. I often have a tendency of avoiding conflicting situations especially in the conservations I used to establish with stakeholders and clients. My inability to deal with negotiations with clients has led me lose a very important project and has been highly critiqued by my superior.

Effective communication with workplace peers facilitates in curtailing several areas of misinterpretations and further enhances organizational performance (Mishra, Boynton & Mishra, 2014). Properly constructed communication with associates at the workplace improves the working relationships resulting a healthy working environment and further permits the employees and co-workers to resolute any critical issues or complexities in a collaborative approach (Richmond &McCroskey, 2001). It is significant to note that each individual in an organization holds utmost liability for the achievements of the enterprise. With an intensive dedication and commitment along with courteous communication process with colleagues at the workplace, employees are perceived to be closer towards attaining goals and objectives for the organization they are engaged with (Kim & De Dear, 2013). However, certain factors related to unbiasedness or non-judgemental and inclination towards effective communication would advance the organization towards achieving success. Take the effective correlation between work-centric communication and organizational commitment scales have into consideration (Hombrados-Mendieta & Cosano-Rivas, 2013). The Pearson correlation coefficients have demonstrated a well-established as well as affirmative relationship between the generalized work-oriented communication procedures and the two significant organizational commitment such as the affective commitment and normative commitment (Dunstan & MacEachen, 2013). Work-centric communication has been evaluated from three factorsnamely the employee’s supposedquantity of the organization’s tactical and deliberated information related to the policies , regulations and development, the perceived quantity of vertical communication process with the managerial level catering both downward and upward communication and lastly the level of satisfaction with the managements awareness and responsiveness towards the upward review (Kosny et al., 2013). However, the factors associated like the magnitude of organizational understanding and information, both upward and downward degree of communication, strong network for criticism and disapprovals, integrated involvement in the process of decision making along with performance appraisals and recommendations (Mowday, Porter & Steers, 2013).

Personal Report of Intercultural Communication Apprehension (PRICA)

Furthermore, according to the correlation outcomes, three significant factors of communication associated with performance level of the employees and organization are well established and effectively linked to both concepts of affective dedication as well as normative commitment (Schaufeli & Taris, 2014). At this juncture, it is important to note that the perceived quantity of employees of the organization’s strategic awareness related to the principles and growth in a significant method that facilitates the understanding of an employee’s commitment and respect towards other colleagues. Further to note that the Pearson coefficient factors have not generated adequate efficiency between the social-emotional-oriented communication as well as work-centric communication (Comfort & Franklin, 2014). The aspects of correlation have further not revealed higher scores between horizontal social-emotional-oriented communication as well as work-centric communication process or further between the vertical or upward social-emotional-oriented communication procedure and work-centric communication (Hammersley & Reid, 2014). Abilities and skills of listening can be regarded as highly significant when employees discuss about upward or vertical communication (Rich et al., 2014). However, several areas of avenues can be identified whereby management can perform in transferring informationthrough a business enterprise however, there can be very limited opportunities for the movement of information in the vertical direction of communication (Sezer et al., 2013). However, employees who are competent communicators can be able to establish rapport with colleagues as well as business associates and clients, which would aid to produce projects that are more successful and business decisions (Vale,2013). An efficient communicator has the understanding of the expertise and skills of his workplace peers and can be adaptive at solving disagreements or conflicting situations by establishing proper consensus among their team members (Egan, 2013). However, one’s level of efficiency in implementing the attributes of leadership techniques and the strengths of the organization can be improved by an individual’s ability for communication (Copeland & Henry, 2017).

Tolerance can be regarded as a significant life skill, specifically in the workplace where the employees often deal with diverse groups. However, the ability to accept disparities related cultural, demographic, religious, national or sexual orientation factors is considered as  one of the most critical factor for an employee to  develop a successful communication process at workplace. Disparities may revolve around certain factors of beliefs, ideologies and values would incorporate certain opinionated beliefs and principles. Furthermore, they may also surround factors related to culture, lifestyle such as eating habits, linguistic abilities or customs. A high-level tolerance or argumentativeness can act as beneficial to foster respect others and their ethnic backgrounds. Increased rate of tolerance however does not require individuals to acknowledge racism, prejudice, age and other factors. The concept of Bigotry has been recognized as the contradiction to respect. At workplace, every employee has the authority to be engaged in a harassment-free work environment. It is important to note that despite of inherent as well as achieved disparities, high rate of tolerance permits employees to develop an unbiased characteristic in the process of negotiation and dealing with clients, business associates and stakeholders. However, a highly argumentative employee can establish a constructive workplace whereby communication plays a significant role.

Talkaholic Scale

High-level tolerance for disagreement must be explicitly practised within the teams of an organization, though it has been regarded as an individual liability, it can further be reinforced by organizational approaches and initiatives. The ones positioned in leadership or managerial roles seek to contribute in creating a comprehensive and diverse workplace. Elevated rate of argumentativeness results in avoiding strict opinions and perceptions of the opponents. It must be taken into consideration that a negotiators or opponents level of confidence and assurance can be determined by his or her individualistic ideologies and perceptions. However, in a business scenario, an opponent often regarded as a client or business associate may develop low-level intimidation or threats and thus have a greater degree of inclination to make compromises or acknowledge the negotiation process in an affirmative manner. It is important to note that a low level of argumentativeness will lead to develop a severe conflicting situation with customers or business associates that might lead to a failure of reaching organizational goals. Employees positioned in client facing roles must always seek to develop extensive degree of argumentativeness in order to handle such critical situations whereby there is many avenues of arguments and disagreements. Client facing employees can often undergo situations of arguments whereby customers can develop intense aggression and animosity towards the employee involved in the process of communication and further led the company lose one of its significant clients. Thus, high level of argumentativeness assists the employees to be cordial and amiable that further results in gaining both respect and success for the organization as well as the employee’s individualistic development. Explicit understandings of certain situational aspects, which interrelate with communication traits to generate behaviour, which is regarded as unique to the specific scenarios, are vital to develop the competence to assume communication behavioural patterns. However, certain observations in recent times have revealed envisaged responses in a dispute can further be developed by taking into account certain perceptions of the scenario with the characteristic argumentativeness. Several researchers have revealed that high rate of argumentativeness as well as circumstantial determinants of communication ability have produced relevance in interpersonal disagreements in business contexts. Furthermore, communication behaviour associated with high argumentativeness has been regarded as more proficient in comparison to low degree of argumentativeness.

Action Plan primarily based on smart goals must be developed whereby I will aim to effectively develop communication skills with my workplace peers as well as the tolerance level for disagreement. However, the goals, which are aimed to be developed, would be smart in the following ways:

Tolerance for Disagreement

The goals require being specific. In order to develop my communication level while interacting with my tears within the business environment I would undergoing a leadership training session offered by our organisation in order to learn new skills as well as communication abilities to develop successful and effortless communication process with my acquaintances. I would also be gathering upward or vertical reviews from my fellow team members during any project assignment, which would facilitate in establishing a constructive interpersonal communication process within the team. In addition to this to develop my tolerance for disagreement, I would be attending several workshops and counselling sessions in order to enhance my tolerance level during any negotiation process or any severe dispute with my business associates. I would also be having an interpersonal discussion with my supervisor to gain for the knowledge of enhancing higher level of argumentativeness from his past work experiences. The goals are measurable. Leadership training sessions wood help me to acquire the required competencies and skills in order to become and active and vital player within the team and obtain relevant experience (Copeland & Henry, 2017). I would the interacting with several other colleagues doing this training session who would be providing me with necessary feedback about my developments in the area of my concern. These reviews and opinions would aid me to understand how far I have reached my established goal. For the goal set for developing my tolerance level, the workshops would provide me with books and writings related to meditation and self-regulationprocedures, which are designed to be able to keep a control in one’s own mind and thoughts. I would also be attending role-playclasses, which would evaluate development transformations in my behavioural patterns. This goal is attainable as training sessions are easily accessible and provided by our own organisation with reasonable fees and convenient timings for the employees (Brun & Cooper, 2016). Similarly, to develop my tolerance level I have also install few meditation and self-control applications in my mobile phone in order to use them at my convenient timings. The goal is relevant. Leadership training classes reveal at most relevance as they are designed in the way which will be a competition my needs to develop the interpersonal communication skills while conversation with my peers at office (Goleman, D. (2017). Reading articles and journals on developing improved tolerance level help to gain an enhanced knowledge about developing one’s own skills and the importance to converse with confidence to establish a peaceful and comprehensive work environment (Ross, 2000). I would be obtaining handful experience knowledge from my supervisor, which would give at most efficiency in gaining my understanding of dealing with clients as well as colleague who often reveal tendencies of creating disputes or unnecessary disagreements while making any business conversation. The established time frame required for my leadership training sessions is from June’18-Dec-18 (7 months)  which includes few sets of evaluation tests, one to one conversation with supervisors and self-assessment courses.

Discussion of Dilemmas

Therefore, from the above discussion it can be concluded that an effective communication at workplace aids to cope up with several unexpected situations weather with colleagues or business clients and further aid to perform with efficiency and gain improved organisational performance. However, individuals must obtain adequate knowledge of communication as every area of the communication process, reveal utmost significance and influence the professional life of the individuals

References

Brun, J., & Cooper, C. (2016). Missing pieces: 7 ways to improve employee well-being and organizational effectiveness. Springer.

Comfort, J., & Franklin, P. (2014). The mindful international manager: How to work effectively across cultures. Kogan Page Publishers.

Copeland, D., & Henry, M. (2017). Workplace violence and perceptions of safety among emergency department staff members: Experiences, expectations, tolerance, reporting, and recommendations. Journal of trauma nursing, 24(2), 65-77.

Dunstan, D. A., & MacEachen, E. (2013). Bearing the brunt: co-workers’ experiences of work reintegration processes. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 23(1), 44-54.

Egan, G. (2013). The skilled helper: A problem-management and opportunity-development approach to helping. Cengage Learning.

Goleman, D. (2017). Leadership That Gets Results (Harvard Business Review Classics). Harvard Business Press.

Hammersley, R., & Reid, M. (2014). Communicating successfully in groups: a practical guide for the workplace. Routledge.

Hombrados-Mendieta, I., & Cosano-Rivas, F. (2013). Burnout, workplace support, job satisfaction and life satisfaction among social workers in Spain: A structural equation model. International Social Work, 56(2), 228-246.

Kim, J., & De Dear, R. (2013). Workspace satisfaction: The privacy-communication trade-off in open-plan offices. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 36, 18-26.

Kosny, A., Lifshen, M., Pugliese, D., Majesky, G., Kramer, D., Steenstra, I., … & Carrasco, C. (2013). Buddies in bad times? The role of co-workers after a work-related injury. Journal of occupational rehabilitation, 23(3), 438-449.

McCroskey, J. C., & McCroskey, L. L. (1988). Self?report as an approach to measuring communication competence. Communication Research Reports, 5, 1-8-11

McCroskey, J. C., & Richmond, V. P. (1993). Identifying compulsive communicators: The talkaholic scale. Communication Research Reports, 11, 39-52.

McCroskey, J. C., & Richmond, V. P. (1995).Correlates of compulsive communication: Quantitative and qualitative characteristics. Communication Quarterly, 43, 39-52.

Mishra, K., Boynton, L., & Mishra, A. (2014). Driving employee engagement: The expanded role of internal communications. International Journal of Business Communication, 51(2), 183-202.

Mowday, R. T., Porter, L. W., & Steers, R. M. (2013). Employee—organization linkages: The psychology of commitment, absenteeism, and turnover. Academic press.

Neuliep, J. W., & McCroskey, J. C. (1997). The development of intercultural and interethnic communication apprehension scales. Communication Research Reports, 14, 385-398.

Rich, E., Hernantes, J., Laugé, A., Labaka, L., Sarriegi, J. M., & Gonzalez, J. J. (2014). Improving the crisis to crisis learning process. International Journal of Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management (IJISCRAM), 6(3), 38-52.

Richmond, V. P., &McCroskey, J. C. (2001). Organizational communication for survival: Making work, work (2^nd Ed).Chapter14. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Richmond, V. P., McCroskey, J. C., & Johnson, A. D. (2003). Development of the nonverbal immediacy scale (NIS): Measures of self?and other?perceived nonverbal immediacy. Communication Quarterly, 51(4), 502-515.

Ross, M. H. (2000). Creating the conditions for peacemaking: theories of practice in ethnic conflict resolution. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 23(6), 1002-1034.

Schaufeli, W. B., & Taris, T. W. (2014). A critical review of the Job Demands-Resources Model: Implications for improving work and health. In Bridging occupational, organizational and public health (pp. 43-68). Springer Netherlands.

Sezer, S., Scott-Hayward, S., Chouhan, P. K., Fraser, B., Lake, D., Finnegan, J., … & Rao, N. (2013). Are we ready for SDN? Implementation challenges for software-defined networks. IEEE Communications Magazine, 51(7), 36-43.

Sezer, S., Scott-Hayward, S., Chouhan, P. K., Fraser, B., Lake, D., Finnegan, J., … & Rao, N. (2013). Are we ready for SDN? Implementation challenges for software-defined networks. IEEE Communications Magazine, 51(7), 36-43.

Teven, J. J., McCroskey, J. C., & Richmond, V. P. (1998). Measurement of tolerance for disagreement. Communication Research Reports, 15(2), 209-217.

Vale, D. S. (2013). Does commuting time tolerance impede sustainable urban mobility? Analysing the impacts on commuting behaviour as a result of workplace relocation to a mixed-use centre in Lisbon. Journal of Transport Geography, 32, 38-48.

Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:

Turnitin Report

Formatting

Title Page

Citation

Outline

Place an Order