Introduction
Human beings remain social animals who continuously strive for the attention of other persons in all means and mannerisms from affection to communication. The society today has numerous ways to communicate both verbally and non-verbally (Hybels, 2014). However, nothing exists without a fault or a challenge and as such each of these ways of communication come with their difficulties as well as successes. The following paper uses the results from the listening inventory to identify strengths and weaknesses as well as the needs to change for a more suitable style of communication.
Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
As earlier pointed out there are a number of verbal and nonverbal ways of communicating with each other. Verbal communication entails a process where information is transferred either orally or in written form among individuals (Hybels, 2014). It allows for the proper exchange of ideas, opinions, values and connection to people. The language is presented in oral form or written via emails, memos and letters.
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Nonverbal communication is hardly the exact opposite of verbal communication and entails the use of facial expressions, body language and gestures. Nonverbal communication is imperative when communication is taking place between or among people in person or rather visually. However, kit can send the wrong message and create problems if it is used improperly.
I always put nonverbal body language to use when I am having a discussion with other people or groups of persons. I always use body language to present the message that I communicate verbally For instance, I smile and look into the eyes of a person in a bid to encourage them to open up and communicate with me. Moreover, the reception of the same gestures from the people I communicate with helps me acknowledge that I have their full attention.
Knowledge of Nonverbal communication
Physical posture, eye contact, touches and gestures are some of the ways of conveying nonverbal communication (Hybels, 2014). It is further considered in regards to the manner a person uses physiological responses and body movement to relay pertinent information. In some instances, clothing is viewed as a way of conveying in the nonverbal form. Having the proper understanding of the key elements of nonverbal communication is important because it allows people to interact with individuals on a daily scope in the professional and social arena. Misunderstanding of the nonverbal communication stands to cause communication problems or barriers rather (Hybels, 2014). Such problems include the loss of a job or possibly upsetting a friend or colleague.
Having proper grasp of the nonverbal communication has assisted me in various ways to interact with my friends and colleagues, clients, competitors and family and friends. The simplicity of eye contact, tonal variation and posture do well to convey the trust of people among each other ensuring that they manage to communicate effectively with one another. For example, a firm handshake is a show of confidence and expresses that one understands and appreciates boundaries. Eye contact on the other hand, shows respect to the speaker and further encourages conversation.
Student Listening Inventory
I have quickly and easily managed to identify my weaknesses and strengths in communication after taking the class as well as the student listening inventory. The assessment shows that I had a score of 88 marks stating that I perceived myself a good listener in the classroom but could do with some improvement in my listening skills. I do not refute the statement as there are a number of weaknesses in my communication skill set and I thus could use some key improvements.
Some of my strengths include nonverbal communication and building of trust with the speaker. I always maintain a high nonverbal communication when I speak with a person or a group. I usually pay significant attention to the person speaking and encourage them to issue a positive feedback through proper eye contact, nonverbal agreements and nods. Maintaining eye contact is useful because it makes individuals feel as if their message is being understood and hear with utmost keenness. However, another key way of gaining the trust of these persons is by self-disclosing a similar amount of information relating to the speaker. Such simple things help build both respect and trustworthiness among people. I further seek facial expressions and body language as a means of understanding the message more effectively.
Despite the positive aspects that I possess, I have some negatives that require improvements. The two primary problems that I face including misunderstanding people who hail from different cultures and stop listening when I fail to agree with certain statements. I usually fail to understand some of the words other people use especially if they hail from other cultures. The best and most suitable way of improving my listening skills is by researching on the different words used by persons from different cultures in order to grasp the messages when they are conveyed to me (Knapp, 2013). Another problem that I have is the aspect of being stubborn when faced with people who have different values and ideas from the ones I possess. It is a hard habit to overcome but I must force myself to be open minded as a way of dealing with the problem. Open-mindedness is a positive thing because it will help change my process of thinking. It is difficult to break bad habits but with devotion and hard work, they can be broken.
Conclusion
It takes more than being socially active and sane to communicate effectively and properly with people. Verbal and nonverbal communication entails several aspects that must be incorporated in a communication process for the entire communication to be complete and effective. It is possible for misunderstandings to erupt in the event that the communicators lack adequate skills of listening and speaking. I managed to identify my flaws and start the process of improving the skill set I have after taking part in the Student Listening Inventory.
References
Hybels, S. (2014). Communicating effectively. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Knapp, M. L., Hall, J. A., & Horgan, T. G. (2013). Nonverbal communication in human interaction. Cengage Learning.
