Saturday, January 28, 2012

How do I do on communication??????

  
How do I do on communication??????
This week I took 3 different communication assessments, Communication Anxiety Inventory, Verbal Aggressiveness Scale, and Listening Styles Profile.  I also had my husband; Kelly and a coworker; Emily take the assessments on my behalf as well. 

The only real similarity between all three of us was that we scored me in group one on the listening styles.  The differences were the range of scores on the other two tests.  On the verbal scale I scored myself higher than Kelly and Emily did.  The verbal test is the one that surprised me the most.  I don’t feel that I am that aggressive verbally.  I tend more to back down instead on standing up to fight.   I attributed the differences in scores on the communication anxiety to the fact that Emily does not know me as well and nether one of them knows what I am physically experiencing. 

Insights to communication this week

I don’t really see this as an insight but more of a confirmation of how the media influences our self- concept.  The images that are projected through the media are pretty far off from reality.  I can only assume that visitors or immigrants from other countries gain a large shock when they actually meet us.  All women in the US are not 6’7 white, with long legs, fit body and beautifully flowing hair.   I can use this information to work with the students in my care.  I can show them that we are all different and beautiful in our own way.    We don’t have to conform to the Medias perceptions of us.  In order to teach this I have to accept that I don’t meet the Medias criteria and that is OK.

Assessing our self-perceptions is a continual process.  We are constantly assessing our abilities whether they are our strengths or weaknesses.  This is not always a cognitive process but just something we do.

2 comments:

  1. Leslie,

    Thats interesting that both of the people you had evaluate you actually scored you differently then you did yourself, especially your husband. Both of my individuals evaluated me the same as i did myself with only a few points different but still in the same level. I found these assessments to be very insightful and educational.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Leslie,
    Interesting that the results were different. The biggest difference in my scores were the with the verbal aggressiveness assessment. Like you I consider myself to the least confrontational person. I like your point that we continually assess our skills/perceptions.
    Tamara

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Personal Childhood Web

Mom-My mother
Influence: showed me a love of learning that has lasted a life time. She would have “Tea Parties” with me but insisted on real food not pretend. She would read to us each night and tuck us in. She showed her love and affection by being there and showing me how to make it on my own. Her impact on my life is ongoing. She is still guiding me to be a better and stronger person.

Dad: My birth father
Influence: taught me that continuing your education may be tough but is always worth the effort. He would take me on camping trips each summer and road trips to historical places. He always called me “sis”. His influence takes me to historical sites. I have an appetite for history.

Don: My step-dad (Dad)
Influence: taught me that hard work was important in life. He taught me how to drive my first stick shift. He moved me back and forth to college many times without question. He considered me his own and became my father when mine abandoned me. He still checks in on me and makes sure my head is on straight.

Grandma D: Paternal Grandmother
Influence: she taught me how to be a “proper” young lady. I remember how I should behave to this day. She showed me how to make ordinary everyday things into magical paths to the imaginary world. A refrigerator box could be a house, doctor’s office, fort, or a cave below hundreds of feet. She showed me how to cook and sew so I could be a good wife. Though she is not with me now I still can look at a plain item and imagine where it could lead me.

Grandma Z: Maternal Grandmother
Influence: taught me that women could be fierce and independent. She loved flowers and taught me a love of them as well.