Communication Goals - Essay Example

A goal presupposes an area of weakness in a system. In this case, the system being referred to is communication. The word “communication” can mean several things: the exchange of information between two people, the act of communicating information, a message spoken or written, and so on. A goal of communication encompasses all of these different senses of communication. A well-structured goal addresses the actual exchange of information, the act of exchanging this information, and the message itself.

A holistic approach to developing my skills as a communicator is necessary for my personal growth.In order to improve my communicative abilities with other people, I need to assess my current strengths and weaknesses. My strengths in communication consist of my ability to say what I really need to say in certain situations, being honest, being clear and concise, and being on-topic when it is necessary. My weaknesses in communication arise directly from my strengths. My directness in communication puts some people off, such as with my brutal honesty.

Sometimes being too clear and concise in what I am saying leaves people unable or unwilling to connect to me.The underlying key to my communication goals and success, I have decided is to remain conscious of context. Context is important in establishing expectations for both the speaker and the listener. The barriers I face to successful communication with my peers and superiors lie in how I am accustomed to speaking to others. Being so short with words is a habit, and like all habits, it has to be broken for me to achieve my goals.

The means of breaking habits and realizing success in communication is in practicing the opposite of the current practice. Doing the opposite of what I usually do will leave me open to a new way of doing things, which should hypothetically allow me to pursue communication methods that are less direct, more friendly, and more context-driven.My first goal in communication is being more dynamic in my speaking. By “dynamic”, I mean being full of energy, enthusiasm, and sense of purpose. Being dynamic with one’s communication leaves one able to both get things going and to get things done.

Of course, being dynamic also means being agile as well, which goes back to the concept of context. Knowing one’s context is perhaps the most important factor for all successful and productive interaction: it defines expectations and shapes the message being conveyed. Dynamicity defines whether one is able to be fluid in how he or she sends the message and whether those transfers of information is successful or not.My second goal in communication is being more conscious of motivation, which is another very important factor in determining the success of an interaction between two people.

Understanding another person’s motivation helps one understand how to deliver the message, and what information should be left out in the current context and what should be included. Right now, my using very clear and direct language does not include a personalized feel to my messages. When I convey information now, it is left out there for people to individually interpret and use. By understanding my audience’s motivation, I can more effectively correspond with them on important issues, and get them behind me by appealing to their needs and wants when I need their support.

As a habit, my current communication style must be broken through a series of steps. First, I need to decide that breaking the habit is a worthy exercise. After I decide it is, I need to keep track of my interactions in a journal, which I keep handy to measure my progress: writing down the situation, the context, and my feelings. After the fact, I should interpret the event and think about a more positive way to deal with the situation. Eventually, I can begin to catch myself before acting and perhaps change my action at its source.

At this point, I can start to develop new communicative habits. An alternative behavior will become the new habit, and I will have accomplished my communication goals.