Assignment 5: Communication

Communication is essential. Without it, we cannot understand each other's wants and needs, but communication is beyond verbalizing words to one another. Communication extends to aural (listening and hearing), non-verbal (facial expressions, body language, and posture), written (journals, emails, blogs, and text messages), and visual cues (signs, symbols, and pictures). Most often I change my form of communication when it comes to my friends, family, and employer. Comparing my forms of communication with people around me, I use written with my friends, aural/ written with my family, and aural/ non-verbal/ written with my employer. Each situation is different, because of my relationship with one another. Between my friends and I, it is more casual and not formal, so I text them using SMS language. Similar to my friends, I use the same written form with my family. In addition, I use aural --specifically with my parents, because I never want to miss a single word or task they are telling me. Much like with my parents, I have a high respect for my employer. When speaking to my employer, I make sure that my body language appears that I am engaged and listening. I acknowledge them by saying "Yes ma'am/sir", maintaining eye contact and a smile. If there is a conflict and I will not be at work, I always notify my employer via a phone call, but if they do not answer, I leave a formal voice message and send them a text message, just in case my call did not go through.

When speaking to my mentor, I expect myself to treat them not like a friend but like my employer and parent. Once I begin my mentorship, I will have already exchanged contact information with my mentor, because it is essential that we have written communication in case one were to not be there for the day. When entering the office, I will let my mentor know I have arrived by giving them a warm greeting by saying " Good afternoon! How are you today?". This delightful welcoming will get me up to speed and what I should expect for the day, using aural communication. If my mentor is with a patient and I would like to ask a question or make a statement, I will start by saying " Excuse me (mentor's name)...". By doing so, I get their attention and acknowledge that they are with a patient by kindly interjecting. When my mentor is speaking, I will ensure that he/she knows I am attentive by keeping a subtle smile, relaxing my arms by my side, and maintain a proper posture. Maintaining a subtle smile and a proper posture lets them know I am engaged, while relaxing my arms shows that I am open to what they are about to say. Although verbal communication is the simplest and most common form, I am going to focus on enhancing my aural, non-verbal, and written communication.