Are You a Good Communicator? Essay

Communication is said to be the process of sharing a person’s information to another person or a group of people it could be one’s thoughts or feelings through spoken words, written words, or body language. I think effective communication does require the transmitted information is received and understood by the receiver in which it was intended. Interpersonal relationships are important in the health care industry because teamwork and positive working relationships between the healths care team and their patients. â€Å"To trust health care is an important interpersonal skill and is very effective for doctor-patient relationships. â€Å"The need for interpersonal trust relates to the vulnerability associated with being ill. Without trust patients may well not access services at all, let alone disclose all medically relevant information. Trust is also an important interpersonal element in effective healthcare team development. A supportive climate encourages open, honest, and constructive interactions among informal conversations and formal conversations. While a defensive climate leads to competitive or even destructive conflict. There are six dimensions of behavior. Each dimension has an opposite or polar end. One side of the dimension creates a defensive climate, while the opposite side creates a supportive climate. The six poles for supportive dimensions and its polar opposite are description versus evaluation, problem orientation versus control, spontaneity versus strategy, empathy versus neutrality, equality versus superiority, and provisional’s versus certainty. â€Å"All of the dimensions supportive and defensive climates are valid factors in determining the effectiveness of communication. Knowing how to express one’s self in a supportive rather than a defensive way, opens the door to improving the communication climate in all relationships† (Cheesebro, O’Connor, & Rios, 2010, p.135). Supportive relationships are more appropriate in the healthcare workplace because supportive climate encourages open, honest, and constructive interactions among the healthcare team and their patients. The assertive style in communication allows an individual to state what he or she thinks, feels, wants, or needs in a way that is direct, honest, and respectful of others while allowing others to do  the same. Assertive communication is appropriate in the healthcare workplace because assertiveness is based on mutual respect that is needed in the healthcare workplace; it is an effective and diplomatic communication style. â€Å"Assertive communication is best understood when compared with aggressive and nonassertive communication† (Cheesebro, O’Connor, & Rios, 2010). Assertiveness is expressing thoughts while showing respect to others, aggressiveness is expressing thoughts while showing disrespect to others, and no assertiveness is not showing any needs or wants at all. On the How Assertive Are You? Exercise in chapter 6 of Communicating in the Workplace I scored a 40 this exercise tells me that I am reasonably assertive in some areas but considerably less so in other areas. I agree with the example its provides â€Å"you refrain from voicing your views in a group setting, particularly if you know others disagree with you† (Cheesebro, O’Connor, & Rios, 2010). The example that was given is exactly how I am among a group of people. My communication style is a mix of assertive and nonassertive gestures (voice, speech pattern, and facial expression, eye contact, and body movements). Depending on the situation, my voice is quiet and often closed when am in a group of people I find it very hard to speak around of groups, My speech pattern may be hesitant because I do find myself scared when am faced with more than one person at a time, My facial expressions may be quick-changing features or frowns when angry, otherwise â€Å"open.† My eye contact is always on the people that are speaking making eye contact. My body movements are usually relaxed sitting upright and I often talk with open hand movements. So rather you are a good communicator there is always room for improvement. Anybody that would to take their own assertiveness self-assessment test there is a free one on the Internet at http://acoachforchampions.com/Assertiveness_Self.pdf. References Cheesebro, T., O’Connor, L., & Rios, F. (2010). Communicating in the workplace. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Rowe, R., & Calnan, M. (2006). Trust Relations in Healthcare – The New Agenda. Oxford Journals – Medicine – European Journal of Public Health, 16(1), 4-6. Retrieved from http://eurpub.oxfordjournals.org/content/16/1/4.full