It’s essential to
have good listening skills and good nonverbal communication skills when leading
individuals into policy change. It’s
good to be able to articulate speeches and write persuasive documents. However, if the individual is not aware of
what the audience feels or their response in the past to the situation then
crucial elements may get left out of the policy. It is often said that parents and educators
that work with children the most know what they need. In comparison, officials in high public
offices do not have a clear of a view as they should of what individuals in the
community may need due to their high offices. I personally believe that being a good
listener would encourage an individual trying to push a new policy for early
intervention to identify what the parents and educators concerns may be. Listening to the true issues of the people
also shows a certain maturity and growth level.
The understanding often is that the individual that is higher in policy
is open to paying attention to what the community and individuals are saying
(Helpguide.org, n.d.).
Nonverbal
communication is also a very essential communication tool. When marketing programs are set into place policymakers
must be able to read the nonverbal communication signs of the individual to determine if the person
is truly interested in supporting their efforts (Helpguide.org, n.d.).
The 7 C’s of
communication are also very effective in aiding
policy makers to determine what
information to keep in any type of communication method and what information
to delete. The 7C’s of communication can aid with
writing the policy as well as communicating the content in the policy. “According to the 7 Cs, communication needs
to be clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete, and
courteous”(Mind Tools, n.d.).
I need to work on
my own emotional awareness skills. I
often hold in my feelings regarding certain things due to not offending another
person, not wanting to be confrontational and simply hoping the problem will go
away. This is not a healthy way to deal
with my problems and could become an issue when addressing a major policy as
well. Its hard for me to deal with
constant rejection. However, I will have
to learn to work on managing my challenging feelings in my personal life so
that it will be easier in my professional life.
A problem that needs to be solved cannot be solved by an individual that
is timid or afraid of the word “no.”
Everyone will not accept my suggestion for policy change and I will have
to realize that everyone does not have the same vision (Helpguide.org, n.d.).
References
Helpguide.org.
(n.d.). Effective communication. Retrieved October 15, 2013, from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/effective_communication_skills.htm
Mind Tools. (n.d.). The 7
Cs of communication: A checklist for clear communication. Retrieved October 15,
2013, from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_85.htm
Hi Melissa,
ReplyDeleteYou surfaced so many important ideas. I agree that using the 7 C's of communication can be an appropriate guide for writing policy and communicating that to others. I' too, don't like to be confronted with rejection and I realize that at the same time I can be confrontational when I believe strongly in something. I have to be really careful about that because I can step on toes unintentionally (I was referred to as the conscience of the Army's Child Development Services program!). I enjoy being reminded of this every time I come across the 7 C's.
Dr. Callahan,
ReplyDeleteI believe we all express our passion for items we believe in in different ways. Some individuals prefer to stay behind the scenes while others like to be at the forefront fighting actively where everyone is watching and listening. I think we have to determine where we would be most effective both as educators as well as advocates.
Melissa,
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned that everyone might not agree with your thoughts. It took me a long time to realize this. I used to try to please everyone, but I only made myself crazy doing so. I have organized our school's Field Day for the past six years, and I get positive and negative feedback. The kids absolutely love everything about the day, but I was also trying to please the adults as well. I finally gave up on trying to make everyone happy and just focus on what was best for our students. I also do not like rejection, and those negative comments made me feel like I wasn't doing a good job. However, I have learned to focus on the positive feedback rather than the negative comments. This year all we heard were positive messages from individuals, so maybe it just takes time for some individuals to deal with major changes that take place.
Dixie,
DeleteThank you for sharing your personal story. I like your suggestion about focusing on the positive feedback instead of the negative feedback. That is good advice for us as professionals as well as for our students. There will always be someone who is displeased or has an unpleasant remark to make but if we focus on the positive we can get a lot more accomplished and be more stress free! Thank you Dixie!
Melissa,
ReplyDeleteYou made a valid point with non-verbal communication. People say a lot without saying a word. We must be aware of their non-verbal communication but be careful not to take it out of context. Folding your arms may not have a negative connotation. A person may just be cold and they are trying to stay warm. We must use their non-verbal communication and verbal communication to see if they are communicating the same message.
Melissa,
DeleteI absolutely agree! It's also good to sometimes tell individuals what they are doing non-verbally and see if they are aware of the message they are sending. Some individuals may simply feel more comfortable looking away from an individual versus looking straight at them while talking. That may be interpreted completely different by other individuals but it may simply be a nonverbal means of communicating that the other person may not realize affects their message in a negative manner.
Thank you for sharing!