6165 Week 4 Blog

This week I asked my boyfriend and my Mom to fill out the evaluations of me as a communicator.  Once they sent me the results and I completed my own assessment I looked back at the results.  I also chose to have a conversation with each of them to learn more about how they rated me and why. 

The thing that surprised me the most was that they almost never perceived my discomfort when talking to others.  There was one question that said, “I avoid talking to individuals I don’t know very well” and both my boyfriend and Mom said “Never” for this item.  While I do push myself to talk to others and engage strangers in conversation I do not find it easy or natural.  I was interested to find out that they think this is an area where I excel in communication.  Talking to new people definitely gives me anxiety but I push through it with the hopes that I will meet someone great or learn something new.

Another interesting thing I noticed was that both my boyfriend and Mom saw my impatience at times.  I am a fast talker and a fast thinker.  I do not need a very long time to get my ideas together and I tend to be a quick, witty person.  This sometimes leads me to get frustrated when communicating with others.  There was one statement that said, “I am impatient with people who ramble during conversations”.  This is definitely an area where I could use some practice in communication and patience.  Sometimes I jump ahead to what I think the other person is going to say and focus on my next statement to them. 

Since this course began I have become much more aware of my communication with others.  I have been making a conscious effort to be a better listener by practicing patience and listening to find out more information.  I have noticed that people respond really well to me remembering something they spoke about and bringing it up to ask about it.  Two examples happened this week.  One was when a softball friend told me he was taking his EMT test on Tuesday.  He conveyed his nervousness and his hope that he would pass.  I texted him on Tuesday to wish him luck and followed up on Wednesday to see how it went.  He was so happy to share the details of his experience.  The other situation took place when a friend told me she was preparing to make a themed meal with the two little girls she babysits.  The next day I checked in with her to ask what theme they chose and how it went.  In both situations the other person I was speaking with seemed genuinely excited that I had remembered a part of our conversation and decided to follow up with them.