WHAT I LEARNED IN THE SEMINAR COMMUNICATIONS AND SOCIAL STYLES

COMMUNICATION Has many influencing factors Context – situation in which communication takes place Interpretation – often where miscommunication occurs Feedback – sender/receiver roles Barriers – obstructions to correct interpretation of message Semantics – meaning of words Jargon – vocabulary specific to certain group or profession Acronyms – word formed from initial title/group of words

COMMUNICATION – ACTIVE LISTENING Verbal communication: The words we hear and say Non-verbal communication: What we see and what our body “says” to others Para-language: How we say it

COMMUNICATION Perception is not always reality Para-language: 55% Non-verbals: 38% Verbals: 7%

GOOD AND POOR LISTENING BEHAVIORS Good Eye contact Open body language Nodding and providing feedback Repeating back main points Asking questions Poor No eye contact Multitasking Distracting body language Interrupting Invading personal space

SOCIAL STYLES Help people understand themselves and others better Can enable better communication and positive relationships Two dimensions: 1.Amount of emotion one is comfortable showing 2.Degree of assertiveness one usually exhibits

MY SOCIAL STYLE – EXPRESSIVE I am “Expressive” Need: Personal approval Orientation: Spontaneity Growth action: to be more detail oriented

EXPRESSIVE SOCIAL STYLE Strengths Fast paced Involved Thrives on change Spontaneous Social Makes decisions quickly Act on intuition rather than facts and data Warm and approachable Imaginative and creative Weaknesses Can be impulsive Quick decisions can lead to mistakes and frequent changes in direction Flighty, impractical, overly emotional Not detail oriented Frustrated by those who are focused on data gathering to make a decision

LESSONS LEARNED Understanding different social styles can help create better working relationships Adapt behavior to accommodate co-workers social styles in relation to our own