Diagnosis and reflection

Discuss about the Nonverbal Behavior and Business Communication.

The aim of the present assignment is to construct a profound evaluation of communicative effectiveness in a reflective style. More precisely, the following essay is going to understand personal capabilities in business communication with the help of numerous reflective analysis tools. Thereafter, with the help of a detailed diagnosis and the identified communication flaw, the paper will address the chief areas, which could be improvised. In this context, the relevant theoretical perspectives would also be analyzed. Finally, following this notion an individual action plan for improving the diagnosed drawbacks in the field of business communication would be established.

In order to identify two particular issues regarding communication, it is required to analyze the communication style by addressing five distinct communication diagnostic tools, such as Communication style questionnaire, Johari Window, the Emotional Intelligence test, Assertiveness questionnaire and Quinn management questionnaire.

With the help of Johari Window test, I came to realize my relationship and communication approach with others. In other words, the specific tool has supported me to acquire helpful feedbacks, which have proven relevant to learn myself as well as my personal issues. More precisely, through the first and second quadrants – open area ad blind area I realized that I am flexible while talking to others and have the capability to understand other’s problem through their gestures. However, it is unfortunate to note down that with the help of second quadrant, I realized that although I possess a gentle and humble nature while communicating with others, I strongly lack in making sufficient eye contact. However, through quadrant 3 and four – hidden and unknown area, I have understood that I hesitate to show my true feelings to the other individual most of the time. It completely shocked me when I have identified that I am have the ability to motivate others through my tone of interaction.

For the present purpose, between the two prime models of emotional intelligence test I have particularly chosen the trait EI (Emotional Intelligence) model. Diagnosis through the distinct model has helped me in understanding as well as evaluating my emotional capabilities and those capabilities’ function with others. Most importantly, the model has helped me in understanding the strengths and weakness of my personality. It has implied that, it is one of my competencies to listen to others by paying apt attention to them. Moreover, I have come to realize that my personal strength is well capable of motivating others. However, it is little disappointing that I have understood that I am vulnerable and could not control my emotions.

Diagnosis through Johari Window

It has been probably the communication style questionnaire that has assisted me to realize that I always stay honest in my opinions and though it has also indicated that I am too weak to say no to others. However, the tool has been helpful in signifying that I get angry little soon though it is fortunate for me to identify through the questionnaire that people never think that I pursue in talking behind a person’s back.

Through the Assertive questionnaire of self-assessment, I have fortunately come across the fact that I have the ability to manage a situation in conflict. Most significantly, I have understood that I can protest any wrong act efficiently without being too much aggressive though I have also identified that I often dominate people. Again in this self-assessment, I have observed that I am a good listener and never interrupt people. Nevertheless, it is fortunate that the assessment has pointed out that I am flexible in face-to-face interaction and can take effective decision in any situation.

The Quinn management questionnaire has been probably one of the most effective self-assessment tools for evaluating my personality as well as my communicative excellence. Diagnosis through the questionnaire of Quinn management has specified whether my communication skills would prove supportive enough in making me a professional manager or not. With the help of this tool, I have identified that I prefer to look for innovation and improvements, which are systematic. Moreover, I have come to know that my verbal communication gesture helps me to show my active involvement and interest while working with others. Again through this assessment, I have come to realize that my non-verbal communication gestures help me to show encouragement to others, which also supports me in controlling a situation. The test has helped me to understand my managerial competencies as well by pointing out that I have respect for rules and regulations and prefer to obtain a solution by collecting other’s opinions.

Two identified issues

The through diagnosis has helped me to identify two of my major pitfalls of business communication, which I have realized should be improvised for becoming an efficient manager.

It is unfortunate to find out through the assessment tools that I strongly lack in the non-verbal communication skills. More precisely, I have come to realize that I need to learn sign languages as in professional workplace I would probably encounter clients, peers and subordinates who are unable to speak and hear. Moreover, it is disappointing that I do not make too much eye contact while talking with others.

Diagnosis through Emotional intelligence test

Language barrier

Along with lack of non-verbal communication skills, I have also found out that I have problems in understanding different accents. Furthermore, I am also unable to understand several foreign languages, which I believe is a major constraint to become a manager. It is because; in the era of twenty first century, the aspect of globalization has inspired both business and academic sector to become globalised. Therefore, language diversity has become a norm in almost every business sector. I fear that my language barrier would cause misunderstanding and misinterpretation with others.

To understand the significance of the two identified issues, I would like to consider two professional confrontations I have come across in past 12 months. About seven months ago when I was promoted to the position of a team leader, I started to encounter several clients and peers who had been either deaf or unable to speak coherently. Moreover, I have acquired several feedbacks from my subordinates and peers that I make less eye contact. Particularly, I faced problem in communicating with one of my clients who could not speak coherently. As a counseling expert team, I found that the patient needed immediate counseling in terms of treatment. I had been unable to provide any help, as I did not have skills in sign languages.

Another experience, I would like to denote here that near about four months ago I went for a international conference where numerous reputed individuals delivered their speech on mental development and the importance of counseling. It is unfortunate and shaming that I could not understand several speeches as most of them came from other continents and delivered speech in their native languages. I came to realize that due to language behavior, I could not interact with most of them and could not even understand most of their speeches.       

Considering the identified issues and their consequences, broad evaluation of the related theories and concepts related to communication and the issues should be considered. In this context, it has been identified that for effective business communication, a person needs to have both verbal and non-verbal competencies. In terms of verbal competency, it is essential to acquire grip in more than two languages and to have the ability to understand foreign accent. On the other hand, in terms of non-verbal communicational skills, it is necessary to obtain proper physical gestures and skills in sign languages.

Diagnosis by communication style questionnaire

According to Burgoon et al., (2016), nom-verbal communication is an act of interacting and conveying any feeling, thought and opinion or idea throughcertain physical gestures, like postures, signs, facial expressions and eye-contact. It has been identified that the rate of using non-verbal communication in life is high than the use of verbal communication as the percentage of using verbal communication is only 35 whereas the rate of using non-verbal communication is 65. In the words of Knapp et al., (2013), non-verbal communication has cultural meaning and it is one of the most potential form of communication in life. It should be considered in this context that non-verbal communication helps an individual in portraying an image in the minds of others. At the same time, non-verbal communication works more effectively to express emotion than verbal communication skills. As per Siegman and Feldstein (2014), a substantial amount of the daily communication involves non-verbal activities. However, there are several forms of non-verbal communication forms, which are – eye-contact, facial expressions, postures, gestures and haptics (Kendon, 2015). Most of the non-verbal activities involve different facial expressions and they are believed to be the key characteristics of non-verbal communication. Facial expressions are most convenient in communicating happiness, anger and sadness (Fairclough, 2014).

Nevertheless, eye contact is one of the key attributes of the non-verbal communication, which conveys various emotional expressions. According to Siegman and Feldstein (2014), eye gaze is helpful in determining honesty of someone. It is believed that eye gaze works as a sign to determine whether the other person is telling truth or not. On the other hand, communication through touch is important from the time of infancy. However, visible actions of the body are another significant non-verbal medium that helps in communicating particular message. Nevertheless, among other non-verbal communication forms, postures or the way to carry oneself is indicative of the individual’s current mood (Burgoon et al., 2016).

In the words of West and Turner (2013), the theoretical concept of coordinated management of meaning indicates that conversation is a convenient way of constructing social realities. More precisely, the theoretical premise signifies that relationship between an individual and society depends on the way that individual is conversing with the society. The theory says that throughout a day an individual organizes hundreds of messages by attaining coherence and coordination. In this context, it is to say that the aspect of coherence occurs when any act or story is told and coordination forms when the acts are performed or the stories are lived.

Diagnosis by Assertiveness questionnaire

According to the theory of communication accommodation, in time of interaction every individual attempts to adjust his or her speech, physical gestures and vocal patterns in order to accommodate with others. In other words, the theory focuses on the relation between identity, circumstances and languages. The theoretical perspective underpins that accommodation through adjusting style of speaking is done through divergence and convergence (Gallois and Giles, 2015). Divergence is required when a ethnic group needs to highlight the specific identity of the group. On the other hand, convergence occurs when there is a potential need of social approval. Therefore, it points out that, individually people make adjustment while talking when there is the need to establish strong social presence.

Language barrier

As per Jones (2015), when two people experience problems to understand each other’s words, they experience language barrier. More precisely, language barrier occurs when the breakdown in the language happens from the side of the sender or the receiver. Predominantly, language barrier occurs between two individuals who speak in different languages (Andreae et al., 2016). Therefore, it is understandable that language barrier is determined by unfamiliar vocabulary. However, as argued by Tenzer, et al., (2014), dialectical differences creates language barriers. Generally, it occurs when two individuals speaks in technically same languages. Nevertheless, articulation disorders, stuttering and learning disabilities also create difficulty to understand other’s language (Deng, 2015).

Sign languages

The phrase “sign language” is indicative of manual communication for conveying emotions and meaning. Sign language mainly involves movements of hands, facial expression and hand shapes in expressing thoughts of the speakers. In the words of Matacic. (2016), sign languages depends on various signs and several times has similarities with the spoken languages. Most significantly, the development of sign languages has been primarily developed for the deaf community. Henceforth, different cultures of different countries have given birth to different sign languages, such as Algerian Sign Language, Eritrean Sign Language, Kenyan sign languages and many more (De Vos & Pfau, 2015). However, fundamentally sign languages are classified among deaf sign language for the deaf community, auxiliary sign language and signed modes of spoken languages, which make links between spoken and the signed languages (Emmorey & Reilly, 2013).

After identifying two communication issues and their consequences, an apt action plan should be built to mitigate them. The first issue is about lack of non-verbal communication, therefore to alleviate the problem a proper action plan would be –

Diagnosis by Quinn management questionnaire

The second issue is about language barriers and to overcome this pitfall the proper action plan would be –

Conclusion

From the entire assignment, it has been understood that two main issues for achieving effective business communication are language barriers and lack of non-verbal communication skills. With the help of five communication self-assessment tools, it has been identified that the concerned individual has the ability to pay attention to others while communicating and has the capacity to show empathy to others by verbal communication. However, lack of eye contact and lack of skills in foreign languages have been identified through the diagnosis. Therefore, based on the identified problems and an evaluation of relevant concepts and theories related to them, two specific action plans have been developed. According to the first action plan, the concerned individual will attain a short course on non-verbal communication skills, and as per the second plan a long term course on four different languages will be learnt.

References

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Burgoon, J.K., Guerrero, L.K. and Floyd, K., 2016. Nonverbal communication. Routledge.

De Vos, C., & Pfau, R. (2015). Sign language typology: the contribution of rural sign languages. Annu. Rev. Linguist., 1(1), 265-288.

Deng, M. (2015). Language Barriers and Counter Measures of Toddlers in HK Multilingual Environment. International Journal of English Linguistics, 5(4), 126.

Emmorey, K., & Reilly, J. S. (2013). Language, gesture, and space. Psychology Press.

Fairclough, N. (2014). Critical language awareness. Routledge.

Gallois, C., & Giles, H. (2015). Communication accommodation theory. The international encyclopedia of language and social interaction.

Jones, S. M. (2015). Developing Trust in the Nurse-Patient Relationship when a Language Barrier is Present.

Kendon, A. (2015). Some characteristics of Australian Aboriginal sign languages with hints for further questions for exploration. Mystery Train 2007, 6.

Knapp, M. L., Hall, J. A., & Horgan, T. G. (2013). Nonverbal communication in human interaction. Cengage Learning.

Matacic, C. (2016). How sign languages evolve. Science, 352(6284), 392-393.

Siegman, A. W., & Feldstein, S. (2014). Nonverbal behavior and communication. Psychology Press.

Tenzer, H., Pudelko, M., & Harzing, A. W. (2014). The impact of language barriers on trust formation in multinational teams. Journal of International Business Studies, 45(5), 508-535.

West, R., & Turner, L. H. (2013). Introducing Communication Theory: Analysis and Application (2013 Ed.).