When interacting with others I usually try to present myself in the best possible light. I do customize my communication depending on whom I am speaking to. For instance, I am very courteous and polite when speaking to the elderly and people who I feel have earned a higher level of respect because of their age. There were times when an older person did not deserve a "higher level of respect," but because of how I was raised I still hold my tongue and remain as respectful as possible. When talking with children I am gentle and carefree. I am completely uninhibited and I tend to go with the moment. When I talk to young people and teenagers I use slang and I am pretty casual unless it is an instance when I have to wear my "grown-up" hat. Then I am serious and more authoritative.
When interacting with college professors I want to be seen as an intellectual colleague. I am very conscious of the "preschool teacher" stereotype and I find myself trying to dispel the myth, so to speak. I have had situations where someone starts out speaking down to me and then their manner changes when they realize I can "keep up" with the conversation on their level. Sad, but true.
Because of my love of other languages and my travels, I use colloquialisms from other countries when speaking with people from places I am familiar with. For instance, I immediately fall into the habit of saying, "yea" at the end of sentences when interacting with friends from the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
When interacting with people from various cultures I think I am always aware of my own race and culture and the impression I am making. I am often conflicted: I want to be seen as an individual, but I also want to be seen as a member of a group because I want people to realize that the negative stereotypes can't be applied to every member of the groups to which I belong. So, on the one hand they see me, but on the other hand I am trying to present an entire group of people in a positive manner so I become very conscious of my speech, behavior, dress, appearance, and nonverbal behavior.
I am probably most comfortable in speaking with friends and those I share cultural similarities with. I feel less guarded and I don't worry about being judged. We use slang and common expressions that are relevant to our age group and which reflect a familiarity from having grown up together.
Three strategies I could use for effective communication:
1. Being mindful of my nonverbal behavior and taking time to learn cultural rules and cues.
2. Consider the feelings and thoughts of others and the impact of my actions before I respond to others.
3. Asking questions when I need further understanding and being willing to admit when I don't know the answer.
Hi Michelle,
ReplyDeleteIt is natural to feel more comfortable communicating with friends and those who share the same groups and cultures. However, to increase cultural awareness, respect and understanding, we must reach out, learn about, and develop relationships with those who are different from ourselves. I think you shared good strategies for communicating effectively. I shared similar strategies on my blog.
Hi Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading through your blog and could identify with the numerous different "hats" you wear when interacting with different groups. I have found that I interact with children much differently than I do with adults (like you said). It was interesting to read that we both came to a similar conclusion that our communication styles do differ when we are with different types or groups of people.
I am in the same boat as you when trying to distinguish yourself among your social groups, while still maintaining an overall representation of them. It is so difficult to find that balance, yet I believe that if we keep representing through distinguish, others may be able to see that while we are apart of a specific social group, we are different in some way.
Thanks for sharing!
Erin
Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI have to agree that we all wear different "hats" when working with families and children. Being mindful of our nonverbal behaviors is a huge thing with me, especially my facial expressions. Your strategies for communicating effectively are great.