This week I was able to reflect on the similarities and differences of my communication style through my husband, former co-worker and myself. My evaluations as a communicator varied for each assessment. I received a mild/low score for communication anxiety and verbal aggressiveness from others and a moderate score for both communication anxiety and verbal aggressiveness from myself. This information revealed that I may be more harsh the way I judge my communication than others. Others think I am always respectful and able to disagree or change minds gently while I think I always remain respectful and attack the issue or facts rather than a persons and his or her character.
I was surprised at the questions in the verbal aggressiveness assessment. Damaging self concept, devaluing, and assaulting others with words was an eye opener. I questioned my past actions. Do I inflict pain on others with my words? Can I handle conflict without attacking someone else's character? When I saw that I actually scored myself the highest, I thought maybe I can use some etiquette training to lower my score.
In the end I believe the key to effective communication is respect for others. Being respectful sets the tone for more communication to happen. From this assignment I have decided to further research on verbal aggression and how to communicate non-offensively when their is a disagreement or a dialog of persuasion. By doing this I would be able to communicate more effectively in many of my relationships including those with children and families.
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