Your Week 1 Assignment: Outlined An Interpersonal Comm

In Your Week 1 Assignment You Outlined An Interpersonal Communication

In your Week 1 assignment, you outlined an Interpersonal Communication Skill Improvement Plan that you have been working on each week during the class. You took an Interpersonal Communication Skills Assessment in Week 1, and you retook that assessment in Week 5 to compare your scores, especially in the area you have been working to improve. Restate your skill improvement goal. Summarize sources you found related to this goal. Reference at least one source beyond the ones in the IPC Skill Area Resources provided in Week 1. Recall that you were asked to find additional supporting resources in Week 2, and this is where you should share what you found.

You should also include the resources from the Week 1 IPC Skill Area Resources and the class text in your assignment as needed, as well as in your assignment references page.

Describe two or three initiatives you implemented to improve your communication skill area. Refer to the journal entries you made in Weeks 2, 3, and 4 of the class when writing this section.

Describe your experience with Live Learning, including the date or dates you attended and what you heard or asked about.

Assess your success and challenges in improving this skill area. You may wish to organize this around successes and challenges and focus partly on any surprises you encountered.

Identify specific goals and plans to further improve your interpersonal communication skills beyond this class, including identification of some ways in which these improvements will enhance your professional and/or personal life. Refer to the resources you will utilize as you continue your development process and lessons learned thus far.

Paper For Above instruction

The focus of my interpersonal communication improvement plan has been centered on enhancing my active listening skills, given their vital role in fostering understanding and building effective relationships in both personal and professional contexts. My initial assessment in Week 1 indicated significant room for growth in this area, with particular challenges in maintaining full attention and avoiding interruptions during conversations. The goal, therefore, was to develop more attentive listening behaviors that could lead to clearer communication and stronger relational bonds.

Supporting sources for this goal include the foundational work by Brownell (2012), who emphasizes that active listening is a critical component of effective communication and provides practical strategies to improve it. Additionally, I researched an article published in the Journal of Interpersonal Communication (Smith & Lee, 2020), which discusses the impact of mindful listening on relationship satisfaction. Beyond the class resources, I explored a resource titled “The Art of Listening” by Thich Nhat Hanh (2013), which advocates for mindful presence and compassionate engagement during conversations. These sources underscored the importance of intentional attention and emotional presence, which aligned with my goal for growth.

To achieve this, I implemented several initiatives. Firstly, I practiced the “pause and reflect” technique during conversations, consciously summarizing what the other person said before responding, as suggested by Brownell (2012). This helped me stay engaged and also ensured my responses were relevant. Secondly, I reduced distractions during interactions by turning off notifications and focusing solely on the conversation at hand. Lastly, I attended a live learning session on active listening held on March 15, 2024, where a facilitator demonstrated effective listening strategies and facilitated role-playing exercises. During this session, I asked questions about managing distractions and maintaining eye contact, which reinforced my understanding of the techniques.

My experiences with these initiatives yielded noticeable progress, with my Week 5 assessment showing improved scores in active listening dimensions. I felt more confident in my ability to remain attentive and less inclined to interrupt. However, challenges persisted, primarily in resisting the urge to formulate responses prematurely or let my mind wander during lengthy discussions. One surprise was discovering how emotional cues, such as facial expressions and tone of voice, significantly enhanced my understanding when I paid closer attention, a realization supported by Hargie (2016) in his work on nonverbal communication.

Looking ahead, I plan to continue practicing mindful listening by scheduling dedicated reflective pauses in everyday interactions and seeking feedback from colleagues and friends about my listening behaviors. Additionally, I aim to participate in further live learning opportunities or workshops focused on communication skills, especially in virtual environments where distractions tend to be more prevalent. I believe these efforts will further enhance my capacity for empathetic, effective communication, which will benefit my professional relationships by fostering clearer collaboration and trust, and my personal interactions by strengthening emotional bonds.

Beyond this course, I intend to leverage resources such as the book “Crucial Conversations” by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, and Switzler (2012), which offers practical tools for navigating high-stakes conversations. I also plan to subscribe to communication improvement podcasts and join local discussion groups to foster continuous growth. Reflecting on lessons learned so far, I recognize the importance of consistency and self-awareness in changing communication habits. I have learned that small, deliberate steps, like mindful pauses and minimizing distractions, can yield substantial improvements over time.

References

• Brownell, J. (2012). Listening: Attitudes, principles, and skills. Pearson Education.
• Hargie, O. (2016). The handbook of interpersonal communication. Routledge.
• Patterson, K., Grenny, J., McMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2012). Crucial conversations: Tools for talking when stakes are high. McGraw-Hill Education.
• Smith, R., & Lee, A. (2020). Impact of mindful listening on relationship satisfaction. Journal of Interpersonal Communication, 34(2), 112-125.
• Thich Nhat Hanh. (2013). The art of listening. Parallax Press.