Thursday, September 29, 2011

Who Am I as a Communicator?

I actually love this photo! It depicts the essence of my self-perception.  I have been told that I don't give myself enough credit.  I used to feel inadequate about the way in which I spoke in groups and dealt with colleagues, but never once realizing the "lioness" inside, until now.  I still teeter between self-doubt and self-awareness, but I feel like its a start. I was surprised to see that I was able to be honest enough to see that I am an effective communicator.

The two people that answered the survey questions are very close to me and always tell me the truth, even if it hurts.  I was not surprised that they felt I was empathetic, but needed to protect my heart from hurt more than I do now.  Both evaluations proved to show that I have a balance, but need to have more confidence in myself.

The two insights I'd like to share are:

1. Be the lion in the mirror.  Have the courage to speak to others, even if it makes you step out of your comfort zone.

2.  Never become complacent just because you receive accolades from accomplishments.  Look to the stars and, as the Buddha has said, "Be the light upon your own path." But as early childhood professionals, I will go a step further and say, be a light upon the path of the children and families you interact with.  Communicate to the best of your ability.  Find workshops that will enhance your skills.  But love yourself enough to see your nobility in order to share it with others. 

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Communication and Culture

I am fortunate to have a great relationship with the people I work with. We treat one another like family, which makes this blog simple for me to answer. My family, friends, and colleagues are great individuals .  I don't believe I have a different way of communicating with one group versus the other. I think they have taught me valuable lessons with respect to effective communication because if I am not clear with a message I have sent, they very readily make it known and I correct my mistakes.  These three groups are the reason  I try to speak with confidence and clarity.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Communication Skills: Language, Nonverbal, Listening

I have heard many funny things about the show The Office, but never watched it.  I chose this show because the facial expressions the actors make are priceless. I chose the first episode of the first season to view.  As I watched the show in silence, I saw many gestures and expression that were full of sarcasm, humor, and a host of other emotions.  The  main character was hysterical as were the supporting actors(which I feel are main characters as well).

When I turned the volume up, I couldn't help but laugh because all of the humor was exactly the way I've witness people interact in office settings. It was pretty much the same with the volume off as it was on, because they were accurately portraying office life.  The assumptions I made with the volume off were the same as when I turned the volume on. You saw the chemistry between the people in the office who had "office crushes" and those that were not getting along.

Off topic, this was a really funny show and i think I'll tuned in or maybe watch some old episodes.

Monday, September 5, 2011

What Is Communication?

As demonstrated in this cartoon, effective communication is essential to positive collaborative efforts.  When I think about a competent communicator, I think about my favorite author/poet/activist, Sonja Sanchez.  I have had the opportunity to attend lectures where she was the guest speaker. There was never a moment in her speeches where I wasn't on the edge of my seat. She is such a dynamic writer and speaker and I often model my poetry recitation after her because she exemplifies strength, courage, and wisdom.