Friday, August 29, 2014

Communcation Capstone Final.

The communication capstone experience has been a rewarding challenge. I would like to say conquered but I do not believe that anyone stops learning just because they have earned a degree. There have been many challenges and although I became weary on this road to earning my degree I also know that I am Blessed even the more by sticking with it until the end.

I have to take a moment and say a very big thank you to my instructor Kyla Hammond. I never once felt insulated because she wanted me to see things her way, but she allowed me to be who I am and gave me the freedom to express who I want to be. So with that, Thank you.

Communication is the cornerstone of  learning, living and loving each other for who we are. Granted there is a challenge to be patient with many through the learning process, but for the most part we have to be able to communicate in order to appreciate each other differences.

“Communication is a two-way process of giving and receiving information through any number of channels.  Whether one is speaking informally to a colleague, addressing a conference or meeting, writing a newsletter article or formal report.” (www4.uwm.edu)


Knowing that we live in a country that affords us great liberties and one of those liberties is being able to use multiple entities to communicate. Therefore communication is all around us even without ever having to speak one word.
1. Instagram
2. Facebook
3. Text
4. YouTube
5.Pinterest

This is what excites me the most. As I discover new ways to communicate I have been able to learn new ways to make a living from it also. Some of my personal favorites were discussed in week four of our Communication Capstone class.
1.Television/Broadcasting/Radio: Actress/Talk Show Host/Disc Jockey
2.Journalism: Reporter/Newscaster
3.Business: Human Resource Manager
4.Social/Human Services: Human Rights Office
5.Communication Education: Drama Director

After CAREFUL consideration of the career choices, I decided that Human Resource Manager might be the better way to move going forward. However no matter what choice I choose or even I do not pursue in the field of communication at the very least I understand and will pass along what communication can do for us and that is connect us with one another.

I am a firm believer that we all need the human touch and when we lack in that area many can become bitter. That also includes learning to educate ourselves in regards to different cultures, so that our touch will be a lasting impression. "...Be aware of different etiquette rules or manners: what is polite in one culture may be considered rude in another."(Hahn, 2005)

So here in my conclusion, I would like to leave with this final word. Think before you speak, our words can be felt for a lifetime.
















References:

Hahn, Martin. (2005, December 30). Ten Commandments of Intercultural Communication. Ezine @rticles. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Ten-Commandments-of-Intercultural-Communication&id=120247

https://www4.uwm.edu/cuts/bench/commun.htm#princ
 


Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Conflict Resolution...Simple as Black and Blue

Conflict resolution can be a very uncomfortable place for managers and employees alike. However when their is conflict it must be addressed here is a scenario where we have an out of control employee and the manager must deal with this behavior by giving and ultimatum, shape up or ship out. Let's see out this manager/I would handle this situation.
 


I would approach this employee not in a hostile attitude. As a manager I would hope that first that I would not have allowed any employee to come this point especially that creates a hostile work environment. Albeit too many managers allows some employees so much rope that not only do they destroy themselves but that also of at the morale of all the stakeholders.

     I would approach this employee by having a simple sit down talk in private and perhaps where no one could or detect that something of a disciplinary action was going forth. The more that I try not to embarrass the worker the more I believe we can come to an equitable outcome. I would begin by asking questions first. Perhaps they are experiencing some sort of life altering involvement. I have noticed that many people respond poorly to life changing information such as declining health issues with good spirits. Therefore it is important for me to ask the pointed question first.
 

 

 
 

 Once we have established if there is a personal problem existing then we can address that problem and I can show support. However, if there is not a personal problem existing, then we to find what is the exact cause that is encouraging this type of behavior in the workplace. No one acts out of character just because they want, but there is always some sort of difficult circumstance that makes people go beyond their normal way of living and interacting with people.



 
 Very simply once I gain knowledge to what the exact problem is I would put into place a recovery plan from The Complex Emergency Response and Transition Initiative (CERTI) project. “…stages that are similar to those set out by the Complex Emergency Response and Transition Initiative (CERTI) project: conflict, crisis, chaos, complex emergency, recovery.”

     We would have already noticed the conflict and crisis. The chaos that is now in the office emerges the manager to move to the complex emergency plan, which is trying to understand the compound effect this is having on this individual worker as well as the entire office staff and customers. The final stage would then be that of recovery.

     Now I suspect that through this entire process this employee more than likely will start off trying to minimize the effect their attitude is having on the fellow employees and customers, by simply blaming all his bad actions on others. As the manager this is where me diligent record keeping can expose the problem that lies within this particular employee and hopefully we could move to recovery. Recovery is where we can begin to salvage what is left of a working relationship and hopefully move forward in a better way.

     Often in management we see problems become almost too great to handle by allowing employees too much advantage over other employee’s by way if disrespectfully attitudes. Not only does this employee need to apologize and try and rebuilt a cohesive working relationship with his management staff but they of his colleagues as well. The only reason “conflict, crisis and chaos is created is because many managerial staffs do not want to do the documentation, firing and hiring until it become necessary.

 

 

 

                                                            

 

                                                              Reference

 

Beyond Intractability. (2003, September). Conflict Stages. Retrieved from http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/conflict_stages/

Hahn. Martin. (2005, December 30). Ten Commandments of Intercultural Communication. Ezine @rticles. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Ten-Commandments-of-Intercultural-Communication&id=120247

Sunday, August 10, 2014


“…media are means of communication that are used to reach the general public for the purpose of creating audiences for information, artistic expression, and other kinds of messages.”

  
  Mass Media such as broadcasting places me in the mind of the local news stations, and what they do in order to keep all local folks abreast of what they need to know in their cities and the surrounding areas. Mass media can encompass a great deal of all the four of media. I choose mass media because when you think of communication there are so many outlets that accompany it. Mass media can be in the form of radio to print to Instagram. Any way of communication can be listed in Mass media. There are many times that we will see or hear a story and find ourselves wanting more than one stream of media to have the complete story. That is what Mass media allows us to do. Become informed in more than just one way. I usually see a news enthusiast try and tune in to several different news stations because they feel between the four networks that they will be given all the facts. I would have to say I agree because such as mediums as NPR they have a more conservative view. When it deal with issues that they do not necessarily agree with you will receive the worst possible story. Therefore I have learned when listening to NPR I have known it is not as bad as they have said because that is their spin. That is why I enjoy mass media because as stated it encompass all forms. When you have a more broad view of any subject you are either to gain one or two thoughts, complete understanding or total confusion.

   
Social Media such as Instagram is where many people like to spend their time to talk and share photos of anything you think might be a small milestone in your day or life. Social media can be a bit more lighthearted than any other type of media. Social media has taken on a world of its own. Social media can be a wonderful tool for anyone to stay connect, but can have very severe drawback if someone is not sure how they are using social media. I myself took a very long time to warm up to social media and still am somewhat weary of it. I do believe in when used with caution social media can be a very fun tool to use. When most people think of social media in this day and time the first that comes to mind is Facebook. I simple way if staying in touch has made a very young man without a college degree a billionaire. Who would have ever thought just say hi and how your day is going could generate such buzz? Social media has the power to inform as well as to announce. When you think of social media many other sites come to mind also. Twitter, myspace and also sites such as cooking like allthecooks. These sites allow a give and take which allows people to stay connected. Again you must know how much to share and when and what needs to be shared. There have been just as many horror stories on sharing as there has been success stories due to sharing. 



    
Audio Media comes in place for all those commuters who can listen to some gospel first thing in the morning to have a great day and audio media is a way that many people are learning new languages on the daily commute also. Audio media is a way that appeals to what a person or a group is hearing. This field is so open that one has endless opportunities to learn or enjoy by way of audio media. One of my favorites is e-books and the list continues. Audio media can in my opinion allow a person to multi task. You can do a murid of duties, chores or recreational hobbies all while enjoying the use of audio media. Audio media can come in the form of iPod, internet radio and the like. As I sated earlier many are learning second language just by way of audio media. Audio media also allows in the area that you can record a message or a song and have instant recall with a recording device that can be mobile. That is one reason I really enjoy audio because it has not limitations as other forms of media seem to. I can remember once I had to learn a speech and was a given a copy on a cd disk. I listened to that disk on my daily commute for a week and when I needed to regurgitate the information I could hear the words in my ear just as if I were still in my car. That is the power of audio media, it is limitless.
  
Print Media also can come in many varieties. Although perhaps one of the oldest forms of media it is still one of the most trusted and has a very loyal following. My first example was a newspaper as an example of print media, but it can go so much further than that. Print media can come in the form of magazines, brochures and the latest reading material via an electronic notebook. Although many may not subscribe or buy a newspaper each day, there are those who love to read the news via a notebook. Print media has a new landscape and it has evolved to stay with the current trends of the social media. By linking ad from the newspaper to different social sites. Print media I believe will always be a very important form of media to all citizens there is still something very concrete and comforting that comes with seeing it in print, that audio cannot provide. And although I am mostly speaking of news agents for print media, I am more in tune with print magazines that showcase new designs for homes, clothes and the like. Print is a dinosaur that we love to keep around. My major is mass communications and thus I have learned to embrace them all. However I would have state that mass media and print media are by far my favorite. I believe they both allow the human touch and I believe that is the appeal of print media. They are words that can be touched.
 

      All these forms of media do the same as the other and that is inform and connect and inform people.  Inform and. All these modes have their place in society and is why they all still remain. Just as I stated about the print media in the form of a newspaper though many say the newspaper is a dying art, there is still someone who loves having that morning paper with a cup of copy.  

 

 

 

 

                                                              Reference

Hahn. Martin. (2005, December 30). Ten Commandments of Intercultural Communication. Ezine @rticles. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles.com/?Ten-Commandments-of-Intercultural-Communication&id=120247 http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/upfront/grolier/mass_media.htm

 

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Live for Christ, Love Family and Cherish Friends!

The only source we can lean on is that of Jesus Christ. "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and his Righteousness." This part of an old hymnal is so important to me and how I live my life. God has been good to me.


Living for Christ, Loving Family and Cherish Friends are all important factors for me. In this life I have found that we cannot do without each other. I have come to understand and appreciate the human touch. Even if that comes from someone that is a rude and a mean individual. We can learn something from each person we come in contact with even if it that means we do not want to be like that person.

In a world where there are many economic and health struggles I have found that your circle are those that will keep you going long after all else has failed. Our government is overspent, our air supply is tainted and our food has deadly pesticides. Yet I find joy in this life because I have God, family and friends.

A word of encouragement to you that no matter what you may be going through on today; know that God loves you and nothing stays the same. A brighter day is in your future.