1) I expected to learn about different communication styles
and how to resolve conflict before beginning this unit.
2) This week I learned about different communication styles,
resolving conflict effectively, and how to collectively bargain.
“Assertive communication is the ability to express positive
and negative ideas and feelings in an open, honest, and direct way” (Hopkins,
2005). The assertive style of communication involves being direct, honest,
accepting, responsible, and spontaneous.
The advantages of communicating assertively is it helps us feel good
about ourselves and others, it helps us achieve our goals, it reduces anxiety,
and protects us from being taken advantage of by others (Hopkins, 2005).
Lastly, assertive communication enables us to express, both verbally and
non-verbally, a wide range of feelings and thoughts that are both positive and
negative.
Assertive communication is not aggressive communication. The
two types of aggressive communication are direct and indirect. Direct
aggression is described as bossy, arrogant, over-bearing, intolerant, and
opinionated (Hopkins, 2005). Indirect aggression is seen as sarcastic,
deceiving, ambiguous, insinuating, manipulative, and guilt-inducing (Hopkins,
2005).
Non-verbal communication is very powerful. How a person
stands, holds themselves, how they gesture, their tone of voice, voice
inflection, closeness, eye contact made, and facial expressions all convey
unspoken messages (Segal, et al., 2015). It is important to determine if these
non-verbal messages are congruent with the actual words being spoken.
Along with communication comes effective listening. Most
people think they listen better than they actually do. “Effective listening is
actively absorbing the information given to you by a speaker, showing that you
are listening and interested, and providing feedback to the speaker so that he
or she knows that the message was received” (Wright State University, n.d.). Reflecting upon what a person has said, and
probing for more information are signs of an active listener.
Conflict is experienced when two people have opposing views
and they collide. It is important to find a resolution for conflict so feelings
do not go unresolved and fester. Resolving a conflict is a healthy thing and
can actually strengthen relationships. It is important to manage stress quickly
while remaining alert and calm. Controlling your emotions and behavior is also
essential. Being centered and aware of how you feel helps you communicate your
needs better. It is important to pay attention to the feelings being expressed
by the other individual, and then be aware of and respectful of differences.
Sometimes it is necessary to agree to disagree. Most often, though, when
following the above steps, conflict can be resolved quite well.
Lastly, I learned about unions and collective bargaining. A
union is an organization that is outside of where you work that has an interest
in your work and represents, you, the worker (Lecture, Part 2). Unions care
less about management and the hospital, they mainly care about the employee and
their rights. Even if not all employees are in favor of a union, if the in
favor percentage is above 50%, then the union is established. A union
representative is determined. Union dues are paid monthly, whether the employee
wants to pay it or not. The representative bargains with the employer for
certain rights for the employees. Things such as increased pay, more vacation
time, longer lunch breaks, or more insurance coverage are items that can be
bargained for. If an employer refuses to negotiate, strikes result. It is
important to note too that it can be very costly. The more time employees are
out of work on strike, and the actual amounts negotiated, can end up being less
than expected---more of a net loss than a net gain. Some unions have had a
history of throwing rocks at and barricading entrances to organizations, if
employees are not in support of them. This makes it unsafe for employees, and
the sometimes have to be bussed in to work for their own safety. Unions seems
to be great since they are there to protect the employee, but ultimately, the
union itself has to be paid money as well. That money comes from the employees’
pockets.
3) I enjoyed the team activities. The Haji Kamal- World
Warfighter online game was interesting. It took understanding what was said
verbally and non-verbally to be able to win the game. Discerning what another
individual is thinking is not easy. But, looking for the verbal/non-verbal cues
is advantageous.
I enjoyed the collective bargaining assignment and
discussion. This was difficult at first because the material presented was
difficult to understand—it could have been presented more clearly. But, it was
fun to practice what it would be like to be a union representative and bargain
with an employer for your fellow employees.
4) I plan to utilize the information I have learned by
practicing assertive communication in my personal and professional life. As a
nurse, there are many times conflicts arise in the workplace. I plan to be more
aware of the non-verbal messages I am sending to my patients, as well as being
open, honest, and direct in my communication. This can build better
relationships of trust with my patients (and those close to me in my personal
life).
5) I enjoyed learning this material. It was a large amount
of workload, but I felt it was helpful in teaching me better communication
skills and conflict resolution techniques. I personally enjoyed learning about
being centered, aware of my emotions, and reducing my stress quickly, in order
to more effective resolve conflicts.
Reference
Hopkins, L. (2005). Assertive communication- 6 tips for
effective use. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Assertive-Communication---6-Tips-For-Effective-Use&id=10259
Segal, J., Smith, M., Boose, G., & Jaffe, J. (2015
February). Nonverbal communication: Improving your nonverbal skills and reading
body language. Retrieved from http://www.helpguide.org/articles/relationships/nonverbal-communication.htm
Wright State University (n.d.). Listening effectively.
Retrieved from http://www.wright.edu/~scott.williams/skills/listening.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment