Week 4-Communicating

Communication is a big part of my job and is the biggest part of my investigation.  I have to interview families and everyone that is part of the referral.  Listening and talking is what I do on a daily bases.  There are certain things that I am allowed to say doing my investigation.  I communicate with the children differently than the adults.  I ask a lot of open ended questions and I listen carefully in regards to the information that I am listening to.  This week assignment and reading confirmed how important and effectively communication and listening skills are.  I have to be careful on how I say certain things because I do not want what I say to be taking out of context and have a negative effect with the ongoing investigation. 

Communication Hats

I would say that I communicate differently everyday in my life.  When I am at work, I am a social worker and with that I have 3 hats that I wear.  We are taught in training that we have to role play and switched hats accordingly in this field.  There is the tough hat that lets the individual know that you are not playing with them and there will be consequences taken if certain things are not done.   Then there is there is the nice hat.  I try to wear this hat more than the other two.  The nice hat is when I give it my all and go the extra mile to help the families.  Then there is the hat that has the best interest for the child.  The advocate hat, meaning keeping the child best interest at heart and at the same time in a safe environment.  That includes removing them from their homes if I have too. 

When I am around my friends, I can say that I communicate differently from when I am at work.  I can be myself and say whatever I want to say.  I do not have to think about what I am saying and worry about the tone and the effects of what I say.  When I am with my husband and kids, I communicate differently as well.  There are just certain things that I would not say around my husband that I say to my friends.  With my children, I always try to be positive even when I am upset with them.  They can feel the nonverbal body language.  Sometimes I do not have to say one world and they k now that they are in trouble. 

Thinking about this week topic made me look deep inside myself.  At first I thought that maybe I am bi-polar…….LOL  But the fact is we all communicate on a daily basis about how we communicate is based on who you are and maybe where you are at. 

Communication

I watched a reality show called Bad Girls on the BET network.  I watched this show because my friends and coworkers are always discussing what happen on the shows.  The first 10 minutes on this show, I observed three woman talking and laughing.  I assumed they were talking about how bad they were because of the title.  I assumed that they were laughing about all the bad things that they have done.  I observed their body language as trying to pretty, sexy and bad at the same time.  I observed the hand gesture and neck rolling to be a negative conversation that is about something that they could not agree on. 

When I turned the volume up and continue to watch the show.  I listen to how the three woman talked about another girl that they were trying to get out of the house.  I listen to them talk about how the other room mate think she is better than the rest of them.  I observed them imitating her and laughing at the same time.

My aha...came in when the other roommate came in and just hit the other girl up side the head.  They did not see it coming.  Communication can be good and bad sometimes and may put you in situations that you never thought you will be in.  I picked this particular show because the Reality shows is the hottest shows out on BET now.  There are so many sitcoms out that are based on real life.  I felt as if the assignment was the perfect opportunity to give me a chance to watch it. 

Competent Communication

 Someone who demonstrates competent communication skills to me is Walter Bond.  Walter Bond is a motivational speaker.  I went to a convention in Punta Cana in 2011 in Republic Dominican.  Walter Bond was the speaker at the conference.  Listening to Walter Bond changed my state of mind in regards to life, work and my goals.  Walter Bond spoke on accountability, motivation, leadership and inspiration.  His message was very motivating and he delivered an effective message.  He talked about his life and how he became the person he is today.  Walter Bond  introduces new techniques that strengthen every member of your team, as well as proven strategies that integrate accountability even more deeply into your operations.  He leaves the attendees motivated, inspired, and ready to take sustained action.  Walter teaches every individual how to overcome objections, incorporate storytelling, and establish him or herself as an expert.

                                                                 



 

I would definitely like to be an effective communicator like Walter Bond.  He delivers a positive message that really makes since.  Listening to him motivated me in my life and my career.  He stated that “the key to getting ahead lies in their current situation.”  With that being said I would like to motivate myself and others as well. 

You can Google Walter Bond or look at some of his conventions that he did on you tube.