Methods of communication essay

Methods of Communication Jamey L. Brown University of Phoenix People communicate in many different ways. There is verbal and non-verbal communication.

Communication between genders is another challenge that we face, as well as people from other cultural backgrounds. For team work in the work place to work we must face these challenges and learn how to overcome them. There are three functions to verbal communication in groups, task ordering, process orientation, and narrative (Harris, 2008). Task ordering focuses on either/or choices and creates a purpose. Small groups are usually formed to achieve a goal (Harris, 2008). Process orientation is how we say something.

Many teams have failed because plans have been derailed because the how was not attended to properly (Harris, 2008). The way we feel and talk about our group may determine the way we act. The narrative combines both the truths and the myths. One example of that would be when a team leader tells his group that they were picked because they were the best and the brightest.

There may be some partial truth to this statement but to the people hearing it, it is a strong motivator (Harris, 2008). While verbal communication directs the task aspect of the team discussion, non verbal communication forms the context in which we discuss them (Harris, 2008). Our lives are filled with highly symbolic non verbal activities (Harris, 2008). By definition all behaviors that are not verbal and that are assigned meaning by one or both of the parties in an interaction are non verbal communication (Harris, 2009).

Effective communication skills are widely considered to be important for both individuals and organizations to succeed. With increased female participation in the labor force it has become more and more necessary for the two genders to learn to communicate more effectively. The labor force has taken a active interest in how effectively females communicate in a work setting and how organizational skills compare for both male and female (Reeder, 2005). It has been researched, that the basic uses of conversation by women are to establish and support intimacy for men its to establish status (Sheridan, 2007). In a work setting it has been proven that men interrupt women more in mixed sex conversations far more than women interrupt other women (Sheridan, 2007). Women are by far considered better listeners so they would or should have a better understanding of what’s being said than men.

Diversity describes a national or world community made up of people with different cultures, languages, and social customs different from our own. (Harris, 2008). In the Japanese culture, words are assumed to be used for social purposes to ensure how many rather than for argument and settling difference in points of view (Harris, 2008). Our culture provides us with certain ideas about the proper use of language. Different cultures often make very different assumptions, not only about certain words and language, but also about the idea and meaning of these words and how they should be used. (Harris, 2008).

Diversity in small groups is a valuable thing because it adds vital prospective and insight when solving a difficult problem. It adds a prospective to the group that otherwise would be absent. Making a group more diverse, almost always makes it better at problem solving ( Hildebrand, 2007). Conclusion Everything that we do, we put out some sort of communication whether it be verbal or non verbal. Even if we are not talking, the way we carry ourselves, our posture, our facial expressions all communicate something about who we are and we are feeling. When describing men and women, people often stick with the stereotypes, but we should all really be aware that the male and female differences are actually quite small. Our diverse backgrounds and experiences lead to expectations within groups as well as within the culture at large.

Their very personal history and experiences produce multiple opinions and ideas that enhance the decision making process and lead to higher quality making decisions. References Harris, Thomas E. & Sherblom, John C. (2008).

Small Group and Team Communication 5-6 (4th ed). Allyn & Bacon. Retrieved August 14, 2009 Hildebrand, C. (2007, March). Cross Cultural Collaboration. PM Network, 21(#), 46-54 Retrieved August 14, 2009 Reeder, H.

(2005, March). Exploring male-female communication: Three Lessons on Gender. Journal of School Health, 75 (3), 115-117. Retrieved August 14, 2009