Listening Analysis and Interpersonal Behavior Goal - Essay Example

Listening Analysis One instance when I failed to become an effective listener was when my group had a discussion for a school activity and we were all voicing out our suggestions for the activity. I suddenly interrupted one of the members of our group while she was talking which ended up in an argument. After the argument we both realized that we were thinking of the same thing but I failed to hear out her suggestion because I interrupted her while she was speaking. A. Where in the listening process did you break down? During the group discussion, I started to listen less when I was preoccupied thinking about my own ideas which caused me to voice out my thoughts and to interrupt the girl in my group while she was speaking. B. What was the reason you failed to listen effectively? I was deep in thought formulating my ideas that I was not able to hear out and understand what the people around me were talking about. C. What could you have done differently to improve your listening? I could have written down my ideas at the same time writing down the suggestions the other group members were voicing out. This way, I could have listened efficiently to what others were saying while keeping track of my own ideas. Outlining Exercise I. Credibility is an extremely important factor in determining speaker effectiveness A. Speaker credibility influences how listeners feel about the speaker B. Speaker credibility influences the listeners ability to learn or to believe II. Credibility has three primary characteristics – the three Cs. A. Character is the quality of being honest, trustworthy and showing goodwill B. B. Charisma is the quality of being assertive, confident and enthusiastic C. Competence is the quality of being an expert and intelligent III. Credibility is established in four ways A. Deliver the speech with confidence 1. Plan your delivery 2. Practice your delivery 3. Demonstrate expertise B. Ensure language is used correctly 1. Ensure typographical errors are eliminated 2. Present error free written materials C. Verbally cite expert sources 1. Ensure facts are correct 2. Verbally cite personal subject knowledge D. Establish common ground 1. Connect yourself to the topic 2. Connect the audience to the topic 3. Connect with the audience on a personal level Interpersonal Behavior Goal 4A. I want to effectively confront people when they make mistakes without causing them to be offended. I would like to accomplish this with people whom I know personally and those who I don’t know well. In this way, I can point out their mistakes to help them improve in turn, I can learn from their mistakes as well. These people include those who I already know and those who I will be acquainted with in the future. I would like to perform this skill only when it is under the appropriate and necessary situations. 4B. 1. Can tell others about their mistakes in the most appropriate time or situation 2. Takes time to observe people to determine their behavior and attitude before confronting them with their mistakes 3. Relates and befriends people to easily tell them about their mistakes 4. Carefully analyzes the situation before confronting the person 5. Speaks to other people about their mistakes in the best way and most appropriate way in accordance to a person’s attitude or character 4C. 1. I would not always confront others immediately after they made a mistake instead I will tell others about their mistakes in the most appropriate time or situation. This will give time for me to think of the approach I will use on the person and to give time for the person to think over what he or she has done wrong. 2. In dealing with new acquaintances or other people I don’t know well, I will take time to observe them to determine their behavior and attitude before confronting them with their mistakes. Learning how they react and interact will give me an idea on how to tell them their mistakes in the most suitable way that will not offend them. 3. For people that are older than me and whom I don’t know well, I will try my best to relate and befriend these people to easily tell them about their mistakes. Befriending these people will cause them to value my opinion and not treat me as a critic nor an enemy but a friend who cares and wants them to improve. 4. Instead of an impulsive confrontation and to avoid unnecessary arguments, I will carefully analyze the situation before confronting the person who made a mistake. 5. I will learn how to speak to other people about their mistakes in the best way and most appropriate way in accordance to their attitude or character. This way I will not cause them to be offended or get angry when I tell them their mistakes. 4D. If the behaviors listed above will be performed, I would definitely say that the person has achieved the goal because these will help improve the communication skills of the person and along the course, the person will improve other communication skills as well. Behaviors such as telling others about their mistakes in the most appropriate time or situation, takes time to observe people to determine their behavior and attitude before confronting them with their mistakes and carefully analyzing the situation before confronting the person will not only improve the communication skill of confronting people of their mistakes but also other communication skills such as refusing or saying no to people properly without offending them. Furthermore, speaking to other people in the best way and most appropriate way in accordance to a person’s attitude or character will also help in the communication behavior of coming across as sarcastic to other people during conversations because a person will be aware of the tone and words to use for various kinds of people he or she will converse with. Lastly, the behavior of relating and befriending people will encompass on improving all of the communications skills because a person will learn how to deal with other people better and to converse with them when they befriend and be able to relate to these people. Read More