How I communicate

This week I did three surveys to determine the type of communicator that I am, and I had two other people, a coworker, and my husband also take the survey and give their input into what type of communicator that I am. For the communication anxiety survey I found that I scored at a 59 witch is at the higher end of the moderate level. My score "indicates that you feel somewhat concerned about a number of communication contexts, but probably not all. This mid-point level of communication anxiety is what we call situational". This surprised me because I do not like to speak in public, or even to be the main speaking in small group meetings. I thought my level of anxiety would be at a more elevated level. When my coworker, and my husband did this survey about me they had scores also in the moderate level, but with a lower score. Although they know I have anxiety about speaking in public, they feel that I am good at it, and do not feel that I have a super high anxiety about it.

Next I took the verbal aggressiveness survey. For this survey I scored a 56. I found many of the questions in this survey hard to answer so I answered the best I could with the options that were given. My score showed that I am in the mid range of the moderate level. This score indicates "you maintain a good balance between respect and consideration for others' viewpoints, and the ability to argue fairly by attacking the facts of a position rather than the person holding that position". This score also surprised me, and after reading the other descriptions of this survey I feel that I should have scored more at the low level that states "you are respectful of viewpoints and intelligence of others, and attempt to change their minds with gentle, inoffensive suggestions that do not attack their self-concept". When I read the scores of my husband's survey about myself in this area he scored me in the low level which as I stated before seems more appropriate. The score of my coworker's survey about me placed me in the none level, which I feel is very low, but I feel that it shows that I avoid any type of conflict in the work place, and I have only have a few times that I have had to engage in conflicts at work.

The third survey that I took was about listening styles. With this survey the results placed you into different groups. The groups are people oriented, action oriented, content oriented, and time oriented. My results placed me into group 1. I feel that this is very correct, but not how I strive to be, especially in the workplace. The description of the people oriented listening style is "you are empathetic and concerned with the emotions of others. This listening style helps you to build relationships, but it can interfere with proper judgment because you tend to be very trusting of others". This is true of me, but I have also learned how it can interfere with workplace situations. At times while at work I feel like I am on a tight schedule, and am very busy but try very hard not to show others that I do not have time for them, or am being impatient. I am happy to say that the score from my coworker also placed me at the people oriented level, but when she read the definitions of the different groups she said that she feels I am more content oriented. Being Content oriented is my goal in the workplace. My husband's survey also showed that I am people oriented, this did not surprise me at all.

Through the readings and surveys this week, as well as some life/work events that also happened this week I have learned a great deal. I need to ensure that I learn and put into place more of the content oriented listening style, and maintain my current styles for communicating. Although I feel I have a higher anxiety for communicating in public situations, or even small group meetings the ones I speak to or in front of feel that I am good at it and do not realize how anxious I feel. Also, I do not come off as being aggressive through my communication and that is something that I try to avoid, especially in the work place. I do feel that I need to speak up more, and be more of a leader in the workplace, as the way my coworker scored me seems to me as if I come off as being timid. These surveys have shown me a lot, and I think I will ask some of my other coworkers to complete them so I get a better idea of how others perceive me in the workplace.