Competent Communication

The person who demonstrates competent communication within a particular context to me is the center manager at the Head Start I’m employed at. No matter what environment she is in, hostile or ruffled, she is always able to communicate and calm everyone down. She is a very caring and understanding person who has the ability to listen attentively to any and everyone. When you talk to her, she will sit quietly and listen until you have stopped talking. What I love about her is she never interrupts when you are talking to her. I do not like it when someone interrupts me when I am talking. 

I would love to model some of my communication behaviors after my center manager because sometime, without thinking, when my coworkers, friends, husband or other family members are talking to me, I often check text messages or make a phone call when they are talking to me. When this happens, I often ask them to repeat themselves which causes them to walk away or inform me that I am not being respectful or being a good listener. 

I really need to work on being an effective listener and communicator. I have a hard time communicating with some parents, especially if I have to be the deliverer of bad news. I’m always trying to be the good guy and don’t want to cause a problem or conflict with parents. I really need to work on this.