My Interpersonal and Written Communication Skills

PDP Evaluation

Introduction

I created a personal development plan (PDP) to try and improve my work and assignments in school. In my PDP I outlined my strengths and weaknesses, and for my strengths I made a plan on what I could do to maintain that it stays as a strength, for my weakness I made a plan on how I could improve my weaknesses. I also kept my PDP up to date by writing up about each strength and weakness 6 months after creating it to say how I was getting on with improving and maintaining my strengths and weaknesses.  

Strengths

One of my strengths was spreadsheet, because I was able to work well with formulas and create tables. To maintain my strength in spreadsheet I would of had to learn more formulas off by heart and to get more practice by turning information at home into spreadsheet. I was successful in doing this and was able to maintain my skill in spreadsheet. I was successful because I know more formulas and I can do it much faster and slicker, I am also much tidier as well.

Another strength was time keeping I was very good at getting to school on time and did not miss many days, I was always able to bring work in before the deadline and it was of the best of my ability. To maintain this strength I would have had to keep all deadline dates in a dairy so that I know what work has to be handed in and what date and I would have had to split work up over the duration of the amount of time that was given, so that it is not rushed. I was successful in handing in work before the deadline, but I have been unable to get to some classes on time. I was successful in handing in work because I have not missed a single deadline date, but I have been un successful in getting to class on time because I have arrived to some classes 5 minutes late or even 10 minutes late.

My third strength is that I am a hard worker, I can sit in peace and get on with my work and complete it to the best of my ability. To maintain this strength I would have had to keep up to date with work and not to let it pile up. I was successful in maintaining my hard work and I know this because I have kept my work up to date and handed in work before the deadlines and to the best of my ability.   

Weaknesses

One of my weaknesses was that I was not a fast enough at typing. To improve this weakness I would have had to improve my typing speed by practicing as much as possible even at home. I was able to increase  my typing speed but not fast enough, I am faster than I was but I still need to get faster. I was unsuccessful because I needed more practice. To improve my typing speed  I would have to practice even more, I would have to try and type everything instead of writing so that I can get more practice and hopefully increase my typing speed.

Another one of my weaknesses was self motivation, I found it difficult to get motivated to do work once I started I could work hard but getting started was hard. My goal was get more motivated to do work and I would do this by using different methods so I don’t get sick of doing the same method all the time. I was successful in fixing this problem and I find it much easier to motivate myself. I know this because any work I am given I can start it and work through it no problem    

My final weakness was organisation, in my previous schools I was not very organized, my bag was very untidy and finding work was difficult. My goal was to become more organized and to keep all my work in files on the computer. I was successful in doing this and my work is much tidier and much easier to find. I was able to do this by keeping my working in folders on the computer, I would have a folder for each subject and for each subject there would be two separate folders, one for class notes and one for assignments.

If I have any goals that I need to achieve in the future, I will now know how to achieve them, I think that a personal development plan is a good, and effective way of outlining strengths and weaknesses and coming up with ways to improve them. In the future I will use a person development plan to improve my work.

For certain strengths and weaknesses my learning style did help to improve. My learning style is kinaesthetic so it helped to improve such things as trying to speed up my typing, because you are actually doing it so that is why it is kinaesthetic.     

WBCC Presentation

Reduce the Impact of Communication Barriers

Overcoming Barriers in Communication

Overcoming Language Barrier (Spoken):

To extinguish this problem when communicating, be sure to use a language that everyone in your audience will understand so that you can bring them the advice or information that they need without coming across as being patronizing or boring to the audience. It is best to write speeches and other things that you are going to be presenting in a neutral way. Write things that once spoken or read will not cause offence to anyone that may hear the information. You will need to know exactly who is in your audience so that you can overcome the communication barrier and know not to offend anyone. Make sure that you are not mumbling when you are speaking to the audience as this may mean that they are unable to hear you clearly and understand the message that you are trying to present.

Overcoming Interpersonal Barrier (Body Language):

To combat this you and the people you are communicating with need to make sure that you are using the correct body language at all times and that you aware of how you are acting to the people that you are talking to, as you may be acting inappropriately but not realise it. Get into the habit of controlling your body language when you are talking to someone as this will help you to overcome the communication barrier. If you are trying to get someone or a group of people to understand your message it is going to be best to use healthy, positive body language and avoid things such as folding your arms as this makes you seem negative and bored of the subject. To keep members of your audience interested you need to ensure that you are making eye contract with them as this will make them feel like you are actually interested and trying to talk to them.

Overcoming Written Barrier (Document):

To overcome the communication barrier and avoid this problem the author of the document needs to make sure that they have laid out all of their information into easy to read and well laid out paragraphs, make sure that they have spelled all of the words correctly and also used the correct grammar as this will save the reader from any confusion, and it will make your document seem a lot more professional and make the reader more interested as to what you have said. Always proofread anything that you write. This will help you from making spelling, grammatical and other types of mistakes. Another good idea is to use headings and sub headings within any documents that you are creating as it gives the user a better sense of what exactly they are reading, it also makes it easier for the user to quickly find any information as that they can just scan the headings and sub headings. A document will also need to be well structured with an introduction and a conclusion so the reader knows when the document starts and ends.

Barriers to Communication

Communication Barriers

Communication Barrier (Language, Spoken) –

The language that the presenter is using can result in a communication barrier for the audience. If the presenter is using language that is too big in a sense for the listeners then the presenter may come across as being patronizing, or they will look like they have not researched their audience well enough which is unprofessional. Due to this barrier the listener may feel like the presenter is boring them or offending them due to their use of technical terms that they do not understand. This could also make the listener lose motivation and interest. Culture is another problem within language when talking. If you have not fully researched your audience and have written something like a speech that contains things that someone of a certain culture could get offended by then this could lead to problems. You might not be communicating your message very clearly to the audience when speaking due to problems with your volume levels, tone of voice etc. In order to communicate effectively when speaking you need to make sure that the audience can hear you, but also that you are changing the pitch and tone of your voice when saying certain words to provide emphasis and make the audience pay more attention to you.

Communication Barrier (Body Language, Interpersonal) –

Body language can and should be used in interpersonal communication. However, if you or the listener is using the wrong body language then the conversation may be interpreted differently from how it was intended to be. If anyone in the conversation uses aggressive, bored or nervous body language without realising it then the rest of the people in the conversation may be left feeling like they have said something to offend you, not given you the right information etc. It is best to try and use neutral body language such as using your arms to emphasise words etc. Also be aware what facial expression you are using as you may be frowning etc. without even realising it. Another thing to be aware about in regards to your arms is how you are using them, if you keep your arms down by your side you will seem like you are bored of the presentation and the audience may become bored also. Folding your arms is another mistake as this can be taken as a sign of rudeness or aggressiveness.

Communication Barrier (Document, Written) –

The structure of a written document may affect how the audience reads it. If you have not laid out the document well with relevant headings, sub headings, text formatting etc. then the user may find the document hard to read as things may be all over the place or they may take the information differently than how it was meant to be read originally. If the layout of the document is inconsistent (things are all over the place and the words are hard to follow) then this gives off a bad and unprofessional impression to the user and may lead them to ignore the document altogether since the writer could not be bothered to use the correct layouts etc. Also, the writer of the document will need to ensure that they have used all of the proper spelling, grammar and punctuation as the reader may have difficulty deciding what some parts of the document means if it is not written correctly. It is also unprofessional to not have taken the time to ensure that you have typed or written something correctly.

Principles of Effective Communication

Principles of Effective Communication

General communication skills –

General communication skills apply to every and any form of communication. For any form of communication to happen you need to be communicating with an audience otherwise you are not communicating with anyone. Your audience will determine the types of language that you use such as how you string your sentences together or how you act in general while you are delivering the message. 

Adapting to suit an audience –

Voice modulation and pitch changing – 

When you are modulating your voice, this means that you are changing the pitch from high to low constantly while you are speaking. This keeps the audiences attention drawn on you, as if you were speaking in one dull monotone pitch the audience would become bored and drift their attention away from you as the speaker.

Changing your speaking frequency will also keep the listeners attention on you. Slowing down certain words within a sentence is a great way of providing emphasis on spoken words. It can also be used in an onomatopoeic way such as when you speed up your speaking speed it may indicate to the audience fact movement etc. Raising, lowering, speeding up and slowing down your voice all gives hints to the listener that something is happening and it also draws them to emphasized words etc.

Cultural Differences

Not all words or expressions mean the same thing to everyone. If you are speaking to people of mixed race, religion etc. it may be unsuitable to say some phrases as it could end up causing offence to a group of people. You will need to evaluate the cultural differences within your audience before you begin speaking as this can end up saving you from a lot of hassle. Anything that you think may be at all inappropriate for anyone to hear should not be said at all as it may be misunderstood or taken as a great disrespect.

General communication is necessary as it can stop conversations, addressing an audience etc. from going the wrong way and could help you to not be misunderstood by an audience for being offensive etc. It will help deliver a fair message to your whole audience and refrain from making people feel left out, offended, uninformed etc.

Interpersonal communication –

This kind of communication applies when you are talking to someone on a one to one basis (face to face). These are some interpersonal skills –

Sign Language – 

If you are trying to communicate with someone who is deaf, being able to sign is the best form of interpersonal communication for them. Signing is a physical language that requires the user to use body language (their hands and expressions) to talk to the other person. The people will make shapes or movements with their arms and hands that represent words or letters, as they are unable to hear you verbally speak the words. Having someone with you that has learned how to sign is a good idea if you are going to be presenting to a crowd that may have people in the audience who are either hard of hearing or completely deaf.

Lip Reading – 

Another way to communicate with someone who may be hard of hearing is to use very clear lip movements as you are speaking. This will enable the listener to understand what you are saying as they are then able to read your lips. If you do not do this then any listeners who do not have good hearing will not be able to understand and take in the message that you are trying to convey to the audience and you are then essentially ignoring those people.

Written Communication Skills –

Written communication is the type of communication that cannot be interpreted through the use of tones of voice, body language etc. It is the form of communication that takes into account words written on paper.

Smileys –

Smileys (also known as emoticons), are ‘faces’ that you can write in text form. An example of one is ‘:)’ which represents a smiling face. These are used to represent emotions to the person that the user of the smiley is communicating with. They are most frequently used in SMS, IM, social networks etc. They are not to be used in serious, formal communications however as they are not a part of formal language and look very unprofessional if used in a serious setting. If you are using them in an informal setting they can provide a great way to express emotion where words may not be able to.

Grammar and Spelling –

If you are creating grammatical and spelling mistakes within a professional or generally formal setting this will make you look unprofessional. The mistakes may cause confusion to the reader as they may mistake the word you intended to write but spelled wrong as another word and the message will not have the effect you originally desired. Also using simple things like using capitals at the beginning of sentences, names etc. will make the document look a lot more professional and it will be easier to read.

Employee Attributes

Employee Attributes

Employee attributes	Example	Why employer’s value it
Specific attributes
1.       Specific to the job	Level 3 Extended BTEC Diploma in ICT	It has a lot of general ICT skills that will be needed to carry out projects that are needed here. In a level 3 you are taught Database, it also teaches the most up to date stuff in regards to new technology, software etc. so this will meet the managers needs as her own personal job requires her to keep the staff up to date with technologies. Also, the manager has asked you to create a blog. You have to create a blog in a module within the Level 3.
General attributes
1.       General (soft skill)	Teamwork	Teamwork will be a very important skill when working within a charity as you will have to work with other people in order to organise/run events. Also in regards to the job, you will have to work with the manager so having good team working skills here will be useful as you are having to work with another person.
Personal attitudes
1.	Determination	Determination within a charity is a very key thing to have. If you are working to provide services to people you will need to be determined to do the jobs to the best of your ability. If you are determined it will show in your work. Hard work and determination will let you get the job done on time and to the best of your ability. It is not good to be determined to the point where you cannot see anyone else’s view and are completely set on your own point of view though, it is good to be determined but also be able to see other peoples opinions as valid.
2.	Tolerance	If you are working in any business tolerance is one of the most important things to have. It is ok to have an opinion on someone based on your own personal judgment but it is then not ok to act on your opinion and start treating the person differently to how you would treat everyone else. Some people have their own ways of acting or doing tasks and you may have different ways than them. It does not mean that they or you should be treated differently. ‘Live and let live’ is a good approach to working with others. If someone is behaving completely inappropriately and is causing danger or offence to others this is when you should not be tolerant and speak your mind encouraging them to settle down or stop.

Learning Styles

Rainbow Light

Learning Styles:

Everyone learns differently. There are 3 main types of learning styles. Auditory, Kinaesthetic and Visual. Since everyone has their own learning styles, it is very important for you to find out what style you prefer.

Auditory:

Auditory learners learn through listening to facts. They find learning through physical interaction or seeing other people carry out tasks difficult. A good way for an auditory learner to learn is through listening to lessons, whether it be from a podcast or a video. In order to learn any new information an auditory learner must listen to the facts. These kind of learners would much prefer to be lectured by their teacher than to do physical tasks such as writing down notes. They may notice more sounds in things like TV shows or films. Being an auditory learner does not mean that they cannot learn by writing information out in the form of notes, but to absorb the information they like to have something like music playing in the background.

Kinaesthetic:

Kinaesthetic learners learn through interacting with the facts. They like to carry out physical tasks such as drawing out mind maps or writing out the same information over and over again. They may struggle with learning through reading or listening. Kinaesthetic learners usually have good hand-eye coordination.They have high energy levels and as a child might have been overactive and not sat still during class. These types learners normally perform excellent in art and drama related things such as playing instruments, singing, acting etc. They have higher levels of energy than normal learners, so may tend to fidget, play with things, bounce their legs while sitting down etc. to release some of the energy.




Visual:

Visual learners learn through seeing the task being performed. They do not usually like interacting with or listening to the facts. They like to see them. Visual learners, like kinaesthetics also enjoy mind maps. They find it easiest to learn when there are different colours for different pieces of information, as they can recall this easier. A visual learner finds sounds distracting while they are trying to learn, and they would prefer complete silence. They also find lectures harder to understand and will have to review the information in note form in order to learn it. Something like a bar graph or pie chart is ideal for a visual learner to use. They are more likely to learn sign language when compared with the other types of learners.

According to an online test, I am an auditory learner, here are my results:

If you have mostly blue results like I have, you are an auditory learner, if you have mostly green results, you are a visual learner, and if you have mostly pink results, you are a kinaesthetic learner. I have 7 blue results and 10 green results. Although I am mostly an auditory learner, I also have a lot of my learning leaning towards the visual side. This does translate to my actual learning, as not only do I like listening to lectures or background music while I work, but I also like to write out notes over and over again in order to learn new information.

Learning what kind of learning style that suits you can aid your learning in a big way. It will let you know how and what you should doing in order to make information stay inside your head when you are trying to learn it. Knowing simple steps such as the fact that you like listening to information rather than writing down pages of notes can save you a lot of time and make your learning far more efficient.