Communication Improvement Proposal

By: Jonathan Flinders

SLCC- Comm1010 - 06/22/2014

Overview:
In the past I have found that there have been miscommunications due to my
nonverbal behaviors. For a long time I was not aware that people interpreted my
communication differently due to these nonverbal actions. It was not until recently
that I realized how important this type of communication is to getting my message
across in the way that was meant. By improving upon this aspect of my
communication I will be able to avoid misunderstandings and become a better
listener and communicator.

Description of Problem:
Communication is a multi-leveled process. In a face-to-face conversation,
there is so much more going on than just the words being exchanged. I have noticed
a problem in my non-verbal communication with body language and facial
expression. I tend to use closed body positions that do not convey me as engaged or
even interested in the conversation at hand. I have also noticed that I break eye
contact, which could send the message that I am not listening. I have found that this
happens often at work. I am usually very busy and have many things to take care of
at once. When a co-worker has a question or a concern I try to keep multi-tasking
and that usually leads me to send some negative nonverbal signals, even if they are
not intended. Although we may not always intend to send nonverbal messages,
everything about our appearance, every movement, every facial expression, every
nuance of our voice has the potential to convey meaning. (Communicating at work,
pg 103)

Resources & Constraints:
Obviously the textbook is a wonderful resource for addressing my problem of
nonverbal communication. Just by reading it one can become more aware of the
things that they do in a conversation that are classified as nonverbal and how those
things can have an effect on the conversation. It states how powerful nonverbal
communication can actually be. It also says, however, that nonverbal
communication can be ambiguous. I will have to pay more attention to the
nonverbal things that I do and how they affect the people I am communicating with.

Recommendations:
In order for me to improve my nonverbal communication skills, first I have to
be aware of what they are and how they can impact people. Just by reading the text I
have become more familiar with the things that can happen nonverbally that might
be off putting for the person you are having a conversation with. I have also asked
my wife to tell me the things that she has noticed that I do often so that I can be
more aware of those things.
Now that I am aware of the different types of nonverbal communication, I
need to be able to monitor my own actions. Being able to monitor these actions will
help me to know what situations I am more likely to use bad habits when it comes to
nonverbal communication. Part of this monitoring will be to read the nonverbal
signals from others as well. If I see that I have done something that has turned their
interest from the conversation, I might be able to catch the things that I am doing to
make it so.
The next step is to demonstrate interest in others and to be positive. I can use
different aspects of immediacy to appear more interested in the conversation at
hand. Some of these include closer proximity, more direct eye gaze, more forward
lean, more relaxed posture, positive facial expression, and warmer vocal qualities
(Communicating at work, pg 116). Being positive in these situations can also help to
put the other person at ease and more willing to communicate with you. By sending
out positive nonverbal signals, hopefully the other person will do the same and the
conversation will go smoothly.
As I follow these steps I hope to become more aware of the nonverbal signals
that I am sending to others and the affect that it has on them. Once I know where I
need some work, I can focus on these in my everyday conversations. By being more
aware of what I am doing nonverbally, I will be able to send out more positive
nonverbal signals and improve my communication all around.

Conclusion:
Often times when I am at work or at home, I am very busy and would like to
get my work done. When someone tries to have a conversation with me in times like
these sometimes, because I try to multitask, I send the wrong nonverbal signals. By
being more aware of this, I hope to improve it and convey the true message that I
want to.

Works cited:
Adler, R & J. Elmhorst. (2010). COMM 1010: SLCC Custom Edition. New York:
McGraw Hill.