Working Style paper
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School
Western Governors University *
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Course
235
Subject
Communications
Date
Jan 9, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
10
Uploaded by EarlFlagRaven32
Stacia Kiesser
D235 Task 1 May 2023 Part One: Working Style
1.
My working style fell heavily into the categories of execute and excite.
Both working styles were identified as effortless and comfortable to use. I was surprised to find that none of my working styles were identified with an intensity level of abundant. Additionally, I was not as surprised that explore and examine were rated as deliberate and that I must consciously chose to adapt. 2.
The Working Style Self-Assessment tool showed my biggest strength as execute. A specific strength that I have in relation to execute is that
I almost never give up, I keep trying and I am persistent until the task
is completed. The second group I showed strength in was the excite category. The strength that I attribute to excite is my ability to be likeable and add energy to any group. My two challenges fall into the explore category and the examine category. I learn best by doing the work in real time. I need to have a clear concise plan and I am always looking for the quickest way to achieve results. According to my learning report, I am always asking two questions: “What are the objectives and what are the goals?”
Two of my biggest challenges described in my Working Style Self-
Assessment are explore and examine. I must be deliberate when approaching these categories. The report also highlighted that I am high energy and I move from topic to topic and constantly shift my focus onto any given task. The report is very comprehensive in its review and I agree that explore and examine are areas of growth opportunities. I recognize that details are not as important to me as getting the task done promptly. Furthermore, it highlights that I learn best by focusing on automatically getting results by using bullet points that are clear and concise to take notes and to learn new materials. Additionally, I learn
by synthesizing the information into as many learning styles to suite my needs. These energy dynamics present daily in my current professional role. I
am always looking for ways to collaborate with like minded people that are also asking the same questions to accomplish a project or task. If I perceive that they can help me accomplish my goal and they have a clear concise plan to achieve said task or project I will pursue a collaboration. 3.
Working styles that I would look for in a teammate or professional would be complementary to execute and excite. I would pursue like-
minded goal-oriented people that would be deliberate in explore and
examine. I tend to focus less on the details and will often skip over important information to get to the end of a task or project. I would try and seek out someone that could pull out the important details so I
could organize the information to be as brief and to the point. Collaborating with someone who is focused on details related would add value to any project. Part Two: Communication
4.
I recently had a conversation with my son regarding his behavior in school as well as his academic progress this year. After reflecting on this conversation I recognized that my conversation fell into the sincerity category on the Conversation Meter. I went into this conversation with the mindset that my perspective was accurate. Historically, attendance and missing assignments have been a struggle for my son. We have the same conversation about this issue every school year. In looking back at our most recent conversation, I pointed out how they directly correlate to each other. I recognized that my approach may have been attempting to add value to this conversation by utilizing the accuracy of the facts and sharing with him how these two actions are mutually exclusive of each other. I
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tried to explain my point that when you don’t show up for class you miss the lesson, and you don’t learn the material. What I learned about my listening levels is that by shutting down the conversation I did not provide an opportunity to allow my son to discuss why he was missing school. This resulted in me not being able
to appreciate the authenticity and accuracy that his side of the story could have brought to the conversation. We did not come to a mutual intersection where we should have moved forward on common ground. By applying the wheel of communication I will better understand my teenager in the future. I now recognize that I was not actually letting my son participate in the conversation and this was pushing him to continue to keep skipping school instead of allowing him the opportunity to share what was really going on. My sons perception was that I was unable to listen, and this was contributing to a cycle of waste instead of adding value to the conversation.
I learned that my listening levels have had a profound effect on my relationship with my son. He has expressed that he does not always feel heard. He has attempted on several occasions to explain that I don’t usually allow him the time and space to develop his thoughts so that he can participate in a two-way conversation. This is especially true when the topic of grades and attendance come up. I have identified that this is an area to growth and development for me as it
relates not only to my relationship with my son but with other family members as well. 5.
I had a conversation with my husband regarding my desire to go back to school. He was very hesitant and not engaged in our discussion about it. I found myself again verging on the spectrum of sincerity. I was honest and brutal and certain that my view was correct. What I didn’t recognize was that I was being too direct and brutal about why I should go back to school. I was not allowing my husband to reciprocate and unable to shift into the authenticity listening mode. I was not open to various views of how my desire to enroll back in school may impact my family. I was making the argument that this has
been a dream of mine that I wanted to accomplish and that I needed to do this for me. I wanted him to see my purpose while I disregarded that he had some concerns. I was not sensitive to his concerns, and we were unable to communicate in a way that added value to our conversation. What I learned about how I speak is that I tend to start most conversations with either pretense or sincerity and less on the other end of the spectrum of accuracy and authenticity. I recognize that I need to take a step back and refocus my listening style to be more open.
What I learned about how this style of speaking and how it impacts my relationships is I am shortsighted about other people’s perception and needs. I tend to come off as threatening or unaware and this contributes to the cycle of waste. 6.
My communication style applies the laws of conversation to create styles of waste in my relationship because I tend to shift toward pretense and sincerity and not accuracy and authenticity. By being more direct and less open to asking “what is their purpose” I am contributing to cycle e of waste. I am not allowing the other person to contribute to the conversation or feel heard. 7.
I will use what I learned about how my listening levels impact the other person just as much as it impacts me. In the past I have never placed a lot of emphasis on how my listening style could change the course or the outcome of a conversation. Being self-aware and entering each conversation open to the other persons needs and concerns will most lead to a more favorable outcome that is mutually agreed upon. Part Three: Reflection/Hero’s Journey
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8.
What I learned from these experiences through learning the material is that I have several areas of opportunity to improve my listening skills. During the mindfulness lesson I learned that I need to focus more on mindful thinking and slowing down both physically and mentally. I correlated my focus of always moving on from task to task both in the physical sense and the mental sense and how it has a direct impact on how I tend to only half listen to others and coincidently half listen to my needs as well. What was most challenging was acknowledging that mindfulness requires active discipline and selfcare. I tend to want to bypass this power and move on to other things. Putting into practice the act of mindfulness has really been difficult to implement. However, I also found that self-
recognition of how difficult this is for me and deliberately shifting my focus to actively participate in the moment has been one of the most valuable things I have learned from this course. What was most valuable to me from this course material was the section History of Modern Mindfulness. There is a quote that I have not stopped thinking about. “
Mindfulness is about being fully awake in our lives. It
is about perceiving the exquisite vividness of each moment. We feel more alive. We also gain immediate access to our own inner resources
for insight, transformation, and healing" (Kabat-Zinn & Hanh, 2013). I
have never perceived that I have all the inner resources I need for myself and that I just need to apply the practice of mindfulness to
access them. This has transformed the way I approach my personal life as well as my professional relationships. I have already started to see a difference and I recognize that I was getting in my own way by not slowing down and practicing mindfulness. 9.
The two ways I could help the people in my life is by first introducing
them to the concept of adding waste or value to a conversation. The
Conversation Meter tool is a great opportunity to introduce the
concepts and how it can easily be applied to personal or professional
life. The second way that I have already started to utilize in my
professional relationships is the concept of the Ladder of Listening. I
have recently shared with my team the different rungs of listening and
how each are important to be aware of. Especially starting with
understanding the first rung of bioreaction and how it can change the
course of any situation. 10.
Explain how you plan to sustain the positive skills and habits
you have formed from this course and how you will continue to
maintain success in those areas.
The first part of my plan that I have already implemented is I printed colored copies of the Conversation Meter and have one framed in my office and I have shared this concept like previously stated with my
team. By opening up the conversation regarding the Conversation Meter I have set the expectation with my staff that when we bring new ideas of concepts to meetings or emails that the whole team is responsible for determining if their spoken or written word bring waste or value to the conversation. By sharing this and implementing the expectation with my team it will also hold me accountable to utilizing it in my daily conversations as well. The second thing I have already implemented that will help me to remember what I have learned is I framed the quote “
Mindfulness is about being fully awake in our lives. It is about perceiving the exquisite vividness of each moment. We feel more alive. We also gain immediate access to our own inner resources for insight, transformation, and healing" (Kabat-
Zinn & Hanh, 2013). I have this in a beautiful frame on my desk as a daily reminder that I have access to resources within myself and all I need to do is practice mindfulness.
11.
The areas of communication and leadership that I have room for
development is recognizing and being more aware of my bioreactions.
Prior to this course I believed I understood what this meant and that I was a good listener and was able to be mindful of other peoples needs
as well as my own. By practicing mindfulness, it will allow me to be more cognizant and deliberate with addressing not only my needs but the needs of others to be able to come together to accomplish like minded tasks and projects in a more efficient manner. Another area
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that I need to work on developing is the art of strategic planning. I have always considered myself a planner. I make lists, I have a calendar that I strictly follow. I have never sat down and considered the future outcome of all my planning. The idea of strategic planning and recognizing the future consequences of my planning is an idea that I need to develop and use in my life.