Colleen's Communication Exercise Part One

Academic Work:
One important lesson I have learned throughout my academic career, is the overlooked fact, that communication extends beyond the spoken word. Typically when one brings up the comptency of communication, the topic of oral communication is automatically attached. Yet, one of my favorite forms of communication that has developed throughout my college experience is written communication. English 396 Creative Writing tested my communication techniques on a variety of levels. First of all, the writing assignments were much different than your average paper. Rather than responding to a piece of literature, experience, etc. I was placed into the position of the author, where I created my own poetry and stories. The ability to write down ones thoughts, ideas, emotions, etc. in the form of a story or poem truly tests one's communication skills. I needed to be able to connect to my readers, as well as myself, as I tried to express certain narratives without verbally communicating. After class discussions in which we would have a peer read the story for us, I was able to see correlations and differences between what I thought I was writing versus how it sounded once it was read aloud. These shared discussions improved my written communication skills, because I began to focus on how to write so that my reader could connect to the story without any verbal explanations.

Written Text:
The competency of communication extends far beyond the world of academia. In order to survive in society one needs to have adequate communication skills. The way we communicate with others affects our interactions in the work place, in our communities and amongst our family and friends. One text aimed toward communication in leadership positions is titled, Managing Your Mouth. This text focuses on the importance of practicing and improving one's communication skills in order to succeed in managerial positions. According to the author, Robert L. Genua: "Communication makes the world go around. We communicate in complex ways, and we use an incredible variety of equipment and services to do it" (1). This statement raises an excellent point about our current generation. We have the capabilities of communicating with people all over the world at any given point in time. Technological advancements with the internet, cell phones, blackberrys, etc. have given us the means for communicating on a moment's notice. Each of us are members of this communication force as we post our weekly blogs. It is truly incredible that without being physically in class, we are able to communicate and learn from one another through internet communication.

Yet, at the same time this raises a challenge for us...Considering we have become capable of communicating with all of these technological devices we need to accomodate for the lack of face-to-face communication. Although I think it is phenomenal that we can communicate in so many different ways, it is still just as important for us to work on our verbal communication. Body language and facial expressions can create just as many important meanings as words, and without face-to-face communication, people can lose touch with this form of connection.

Non-Written:
I have had the pleasure of seeing a performance by the Capitol Steps, a group of former Congressional staffers who perform satirical skits based on the politics of Capitol Hill. This particular performance group is unique in that they are extremely knowledgable about the topics they poke fun at in their performances. Their witty humor and creative scripts have made them a successful hit. Through watching their performances, I have learned the importance of knowledgable communication. By this I mean, knowing what you are talking about before you open your mouth. Personally, I know it can be difficult for us to think before we speak, and what I have learned from group interactions is that thoughtful communication goes a long way, whereas speaking before thinking can lead to conflict. The Capitol Steps performers do not just go up and make fun of the political leaders of today, rather they use their experiences to communicate the humurous aspects of politics. They are articulate, creative, and know how to communicate to their audience. All of these aspects are vital when we interact and communicate with others, especially when we are trying to express a certain message, whether it be serious, or as in the case of these performances, humorous.

Works Cited:

Capitol Steps Live. By: Capitol Steps. W.T. Woodson Auditorium, Fairfax VA. June 2003.

Genua, Robert L. Managing Your Mouth. New York: American Management Association, 1992.