BUS600 Week 3 Assignment Communications Skill Assessment Communications Skill Assessment Most of us have situations in which we find it difficult to commu
BUS600 Week 3 Assignment Communications Skill Assessment Communications Skill Assessment
Most of us have situations in which we find it difficult to communicate. Improving your written communication skills and being comfortable speaking to people are extremely important. Develop a two- to three-page APA-formatted paper in which you analyze your personal communication skills. Be sure to address the following:
Describe the assessment you used to analyze your skills.
Discuss your communication gaps.
Describe any additional training you need in specific areas of communication.
Analyze how you can improve your current communication skills to prepare you for advancement in your profession.
There is a communication skills assessment available at MindTools (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. to assist you with this assignment.
Your paper must be two to three pages (not including title and reference pages) and must be formatted according to APA style as outlined in the approved APA style guide. You must cite three to four scholarly sources in addition to the textbook Running head: COMMUNICATIONS SKILL ASSESSMENT
Communications Skill Assessment
BUS600
February 14, 2016
For this assignment I used the communication skills assessment tool located on the
MindTools (MindTools Editorial Team, 2016) website. The assessment is comprised of fifteen
questions that measure the frequency with which I exhibit certain behaviors. At the conclusion
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of the question and answer segment I was presented with and overall score that was further
interpreted into various sublevels of communications characteristics. In my specific case I was
defined as a capable communicator, however my style of communication could be problematic at
times. Additionally, the method for determining my intended message, as well as its
presentation were discussed to identify my strengths and weaknesses within the constructs of
both the assessment as well as the supplied information. At the end a culminating section titled
“Key Points” provided general feedback and information applicable to the communication
process, tying all of the results together into a neatly packaged statement relating to the
importance of proper communication.
Surprisingly the gaps in my communication style (as identified by this assessment) relate
to message planning, crafting my message, and receiving and interpreting messages. It is
important to note that at the onset I believed these to be my strongest areas relative to
communication, so this assessment inspired a deeper level of investigation as to why the results
opposed my original belief.
According to the assessment I either convey information that is not essential to the
receiver in an attempt to provide an enhanced level of understanding. This clutters my message
and fosters a scenario where the receiver is left to determine exactly which points are important
to me and which are not. Additionally, the receivers time is spent enveloped in a time
consuming manner which reduces their level of efficiency. Assuming that the results of this
assessment are consistent I would benefit from a detailed plan of what I intended to convey
throughout my communication to ensure the message was adequately sent, while reducing
unnecessary details or unrelated elements. Preparing a pre-communication script of sorts could
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assist in assuring that “messages are prepared and updated incrementally throughout
formulation” (Brown-Schmidt, S. & Konopka A., 2015, p. 838), thus reducing the opportunity
for the addition of unnecessary information being included in my messages.
Another area of improvement is related to the manner in which I craft messages.
Keeping in mind who the audience is that will be receiving my messages is a key component to
this concept. I can admit that often times I simply communicate my thoughts or opinions in a
way that is convenient to me, without great regard for the audience I am sending information to.
Whether this is a direct byproduct of the many years spent in the military or simply a personality
trait, I will need to place a greater emphasis upon this step. In crafting a message that will be
memorable to others, Greg Beaubien suggests “using comparisons that grab attention and make a
new product or idea understandable” (Beaubien, 2012, p. 18). Undeniably I am not introducing a
new product in my current capacity, however I would submit that comparing concepts and/or
ideas in a relatable way could guide the intended meaning of my messages in a more positive
direction.
Lastly the way in which I receive messages from others is another area of default.
Looking back, I can identify with situations that I presumed to understand what others were
saying and even the implied unspoken communications. I attribute this to the environment of the
military and the value that is placed upon what I call preparatory hearing. That is, hearing not
only what is being said, but more importantly what another may say resulting from the direction
of action you choose while carrying out the duties from what was actually said. In other words,
staying in front of what another might say next by assuming their thoughts based upon historical
data and key points within previous conversations. While this may sound a bit convoluted I
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assure you it is a method of thinking and if mastered can attribute to great success in certain
circles. Nevertheless, an approach more applicable to my current and future life would be to
engage in active listening. Active listening involves the “reflection and summarizing, which
takes the words of the speaker, and, without questioning or challenging the thought, condenses it,
and offers it back, the listener can establish that they have heard and understood what has been
said” (Bryant, L., 2006, para. 15). Clearly hearing what the sender is saying (or reading type or
text) and providing feedback so that they might understand what you received. This provides
clarity to the communication leading to a mutual understanding of the information being passed.
With all of the topics listed above the greatest opportunity for improvement is through the
continued study of my own communication practices, the solicitation of feedback from those
with whom I communicate, and a level of increased awareness during the communication
process. As my new professional life begins communication will play a central role in how
effective and successful I become. With a vast majority of my time being spent engaging with
clients my ability to adequately communicate will determine the levels of success that I am able
to reach. A continued focus on the improvement and quality of my communication style will
attribute greatly to the increase of my communication capabilities.
Reference
Baack, D. (2012). Management communication. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
COMMUNICATIONS SKILL ASSESSMENT
Beaubien, G. (2012). Tips for crafting memorable messages. Public Relations Tactics, 19(2),
18
Brown-Schmidt, S. & Konopka, A.E. (2015). Process of incremental message planning during
conversation. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 22(3), 833-843. doi: 10.3758/s13423014-0714-2
Bryant, L. (2009). The art of active listening. Practice Nurse, 37(6), 49-52.
MindTools Editorial Team. (2016). Retrieved from
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_99.htm
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Required Resource
Text
Baack, D. (2012). Management communication
(https://ashford.instructure.com/courses/37687/external_tools/retrieve?
display=borderless&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.ashford.edu%2Flti%3Fbookcode%3DAUBUS600.
12.2) . Retrieved from https://ashford.content.edu
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Recommended Resource
Web Page
Mind Tools. (n.d.). How good are your communication skills?
(https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_99.htm) Retrieved from
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_99.htm
This interactive site provides an opportunity to assess your communication skills and
may assist you in the Communication Skills Assessment assignment this week.
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