TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

  Ok, so this 'age of technology' that we're now a part, tends to come with its consequences, especially in relation to communication. The fact is that the advancements in technology that we have seen in the last couple a yrs, mainly the  internet and social media, cellular phones and smart phones, have all made communicating, not just significantly easier but extremely faster. What this does is to not only lighten work load of us communicators but it also increases the weight. 

         

                                                                                                                          

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You see, in previous times when broadcasting was left up to the few traditional mediums, the general public didn't really have access and hence information was broadcasted on a much smaller scale. Now, however, with the use of the internet and social media, every Tom, Dick and Harry can broadcast information accessible by the world at large. This access and ability has led to the release of all kinds of information, whether it be pictures, videos or words, a lot of the stuff we wish to keep hidden, have started showing up. The average man now has the power to not only ruin the reputation of his brother and defame him globally, but in many instances, ruin his life through communication.

              

 Many of us, because of these occurrences have decided that technology and the internet are the anti-christ and their immorality needs to be stopped but we have it all wrong. The fact is that technology is amoral and its the people who are using it for destruction that need to check their morality. We need to stop blaming the technology and blame ourselves. Technology might increase our access and give us more power, but we are the ones that use it and we need to know and decide what we're using it for.

                                                                 

The 4 Stages of A Group

So a couple weeks ago, I learnt that a functioning group generally goes through  4 stages, Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing. Being the little conceited wretch that I tend to be in some instances, I figured this information was irrelevant and the only reason I needed to remember was to put it on my exam paper. I decided that I've been doing group work all my life so there's nothing that I should be told about understanding a group, at least nothing I didn't already know. About two weeks later, however, I got another group assignment, but this one was completely different as instead of choosing my usual members, I was placed into a group. Turns out the information I'd learnt became pretty handy when it came to understanding and dealing with this new group. Heaven knows if I didn't understand the 4 stages I had learnt and how each group must transition through, along with all the information I picked up about effective teams and empowerment and integration of all members, I would have probably failed this assignment.

Now based on my experience with my group, I am going to break down and interpret the 4 stages of groups:

1. Forming- this is the stage where, as the name suggests, the group is formed

  

My interpretation- Sigh, who the hell are these people and why do I need to work with them

2. Storming- this is the stage of ideas, in which the group plays with various choices and ideas and tries to decide on the best one

My interpretation- If they don't stop talking am going to pull my dam hair out, don't they see that my idea is the best?? But fine, I'll listen and compromise

3. Norming- this is the stage in which some amount of comfort is accomplished and members now attempt to work towards the decided goal

My interpretation- Ok, the sooner I do this foolishness we decided on, the sooner I can finish and leave and not have to talk to these stupid people again, but right now, lets just work together and get it done.

4. Performing- This is the level where intimacy should be at its highest, you have practiced and hopefully bonded and will now present what you have done

My interpretation- The day is finally here, lets get it over with, time to say goodbye, but I might have been wrong, these people aren't so bad, and the presentation did turn out good, maybe I should give them a chance. Well on second thought, nah. Bye!

NB. These were internal thoughts and were not actually said.

This group proved to be a new experience for me, if I didn't understand the 4 stages, I probably wouldn't have been able to navigate through them. The fact is that a group is like any relationship, it will go through various stages, rough patches and good times, it is generally up to us to decide whether we stick with it and see it through. What we need to do, however is to understand it. We need to ensure that communication is conducted on a mutual level, free of stringent hierarchical concepts and that each member is given a chance to not only express their ideas but are empowered and allowed to realise their own potential to, therefore realise the potential of the group. This is not easy though, as can be seen with my experience, sometimes you  have to just hold on to the end and then peacefully part, well at least appear peaceful on the outside lol.

Cognitive Dissonance- Have it Our Way

So its been a really long while, I was having trouble muddling through the waters, but luckily I happened to see some light. So lets talk about this interesting concept that I finally totally understand, well at least I think I do, Cognitive Dissonance. Now cognitive dissonance, as the very sound of the term suggests, speaks to some amount of discord, usually between what is expected to happen or what one believes will and what actually does, a difference between attitude and beliefs and behaviour.  Now everybody knows how the tagline of a certain fast food restaurant is 'have it your way.' Well, one very hungry Friday night last week showed me that either I am misinterpreting that tagline or the workers seem to be. Either way, there was clear cognitive dissonance as apparently the way I wanted my wings, without fries, isn't allowed, so I apparently couldn't have it my way. The only way I could apparently have my wings, is the way of the workers, with a ton of tasteless fries and a bucket of attitude. This restaurant clearly needs to get their act together as cognitive dissonance is a no no in proper organizational communication. Eliminate Cognitive Dissonance!!!

Just a little illustration of Cognitive Dissonance at work

Get to the Point!

You see, I've realised that one of the major barriers to communication  and achieving mutual understanding, is that people simply refuse to get to the point! In trying to bring one point across, we tend to ramble and ramble and ramble some more, leaving the receiver to try to pull some sense out of all of our nonsense and sift through all the noise we're creating. Some of us, and am sure a lot of men will attest to this, even expect the receiver to read our minds. I had this very experience while presentations were taking place last week in my Organisational Communication class, instead of simply telling me what the concepts were, the presenters went on and on about examples that I wont understand without knowing the concept. It seems they expected me to read their minds to get what they were trying to say when all they had to do was GET TO THE POINT! So, word of advice to all you communicators out there, don't make the receiver have to work to understand what your saying, talk straight, say what you mean and GET TO THE POINT!

The Networking Game

So many of us believe we are independent and can survive on our own. I am here to say that's completely incorrect. No man is an island, no matter how much of an introvert you tend to be, at some point in time, especially in relation to business, you will need someone. The key is therefore to try to make as many connections as possible. Go outside of not just yourself and your comfort zone but your very surroundings. Meet and greet, connect, get interested in what's going on, get interested in who is a part of what and who runs what, even who knows what. The fact is that this world and the world of business is run by links, you dont want to be missing from the chain.

Communication vs Transmitting Information

Its very interesting how breaking down the mechanics of the very thing that guides our lives is proving to be so difficult. Communication can be described as "the interactive transference of shared meaning between intelligences." (Brown, 2000) It is conducted by everyone in every way and in everything we do, at least that is what we believe. But taking the previous definition into consideration, it leads one to question whether the interactions in which we engage can truly be classified as communication or are we simply transmitting information?


 Lets break down the communication process, it includes a sender, encoding, message channel, decoding, receiver, feedback channel and the context in which communication is occurring. The process begins when the sender conceptualizes a message. He/she then selects the manner in which the message will be sent. The receiver then gets the message and accepts it after it is understood or decoded. After that has taken place, the receiver gives feedback, showing that the message has been understood. Now, that constitutes and concludes the communication process. It, therefore, means that 'communication' that does not satisfy and is not in line with this process..isn't really communication after all. I mean how many times have we 'communicated' without establishing any shared meaning? How many times have we relayed information and received no form of feedback?


  Now examples of this can be seen almost everyday. Its like when I was on the train leaving Manhattan last year and two women beside me for some reason got into an argument, apparently someone looked at someone else in a manner they didn't like. Now, if this was a regular argument, then I woulda said communication was taking place. However,  this argument included one woman, only speaking Spanish, and another woman who obviously only understood English. Now it didn't matter how much the Spanish woman believed she was  'telling off' the other...and how in her head she may be communicating, the fact is that no shared meaning was being established. They were probably guessing what was being said based on the tone but it still was not communication!...information was just being transmitted.