My opinion on how communication is a complicated process remains unchanged, but the depth of understanding and the horizon of accomplishing it has broadened; it still seems like an arduous task to let a person understand the message you intended it to be the first time round, but this module has helped in enhancing the effective transmittal of the message as well as avoiding unnecessary conflict by first understanding the recipients’ customs and culture. It remains an art that some seem gifted in, one that others have to ponder and practice over.
Humans were blessed with the gift of not just speech and hearing, but sight as well. Communication isn’t only verbal; visual cues also aid in capturing the audience’s attention to a decisive extent. Simple but captivating slides will help the speaker gain the attention of the audience during a presentation. Similarly, a blog decorated with a nice background picture or a meaningful image captures a reader’s attention over another that is plain.
In order to increase the audience’s receptivity towards oneself, a variety of communication devices can be utilized. An attention grabber can manifest in the form of an intriguing image or a disturbing statistic. One certain but tricky way to capture an individual’s attention is to anticipate what would seem pleasant to their ears; being in tune with their frequency would give one an extra edge. Sincerity also plays a vital role; performing appropriate research on the background of a company, a person, or the issue of concern is evident of the effort put in and a reflection of the importance by the individual.
The crux therein lies not in merely conveying the information, it’s about how the information is conveyed through the choosing of words , non-verbal communication like the tone, and not displaying aggressive body language.
The interaction with others in the class displayed the complexity of transmitting an opinion to another. The first barrier is the other party’s own opinion, which very often differs between individuals. A humble approach beats one that is imposing; respect needs to be gained between mutual parties before the doors of receptivity are open. A self-bestowed sense of superiority often results in a conflict.
Lastly, I would like to thank Ms Goh for guiding the class towards a better understanding of effective communication. Working with Bryan and Cassandra has also been an invaluable learning experience as we listened to each other and found ways to reach a common consensus when differing opinions arose; I would like to thank you both for the endless hours and effort put into the groupwork.
I truly enjoyed the sessions, the interaction, and the work; beats any mundane and boring core module anytime, anyday!
