Communication Apprehension Paper Example

Introduction

Communication takes place in different forms of contexts and scenarios. The need for people to interact and associate with others makes communication a very crucial element, as people may judge you according to how competent you are in contact. Therefore, people seek to communicate effectively in different contexts; job, school, clubs, and other social settings. However, effective interpersonal communication can be hindered by fear and anxieties experienced by individuals as they communicate. This fear and anxiety experienced as people engage in different forms of communication are called communication apprehension (CA). It may range from stage fright, hesitation, or avoidance to communicate in extreme situations. The challenge may either arise from one's personality or result based on the specific circumstances one is in. To overcome this challenge, different strategies can be adopted (Bevan & Sole, 2014). Therefore, Communication apprehension hinders effective communication although the use of particular strategies helps in overcoming it.

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Identify one or two forms of communication apprehension you have experienced on the job.

Different contexts pose unique challenges and therefore, different forms of communication apprehension. Consequently, communication apprehension can either be in contexts such as dyadic, group, meeting or public speaking (Bevan & Sole, 2014). In my personal experience at the school level, in my personal experience, I have experienced mainly group and public speaking CA. In my first year in college, I was so eager to make new friends whom I wound hung out with and share personal issues. However, this has always been a hard issue based on my experience. Through my high school life, I experienced bullying in my acting classes as my fellow students thought I was too loud while speaking. This resulted in them giving me funny nicknames based on my loud speaking. As a result, it was always a hard experience gaining the courage to speak in a group setting and worse public speaking. If forced to, I find myself speaking in a low tone to avoid ridicule from my friends. These two forms of communication apprehension have greatly hindered my communication with other people. As a result, I develop personal friends, but I am always anxious anytime I appear before a group discussion or made to do a presentation on behalf of the group.

Explain at least two strategies discussed in Bevan and Sole to overcome the communication apprehension.

Overcoming communication apprehension in interpersonal associations can be achieved by the use of different strategies. These strategies include developing communication confidence and understanding your needs, practicing and developing communication competence and seeking assistance from others. To address my challenge, the first two strategies are the most effective in addressing both group and public speaking CA. The primary step in boosting confidence in interpersonal encounters is identifying personal strengths and weaknesses using self-test such as the one provided by Bevan 2014. This test will be useful in determining the magnitude of communication apprehension both in the group and public contexts and consequently, know when to boost my confidence (Bevan & Sole, 2014). Primarily, the significant distinction should be whether I am introverted or extroverted. Identifying introversion as a personality helps in striking a balance between social interactions and the need for solitude. Secondly, developing and practicing communication competence is another ideal strategy to overcoming my problem. With my avoidance to a group and public communications platforms, it is less unlikely to develop communication competence skills (Bevan & Sole, 2014). However, this strategy involves a clear look at different components of communication competence, either motivation or knowledge in communication. This task is followed by practice to enhance and improve on the skill.

Discuss the role of communication in a professional setting.

Communication places a very critical role in professional settings. Communication in professional settings, therefore, is vital in developing professionalism amongst workers, improved collaboration, and improved integrity among other soft skills that aid professional success. Chiefly, communication is a crucial element in sharing information, maintaining relationships, expression of negative emotions, and organization in administration. Human resource professional argues that different professionalism components relate to both verbal and non-verbal communication (Bevan & Sole, 2014). They range from appearance, communication skills, confidence, ethics, time management, productivity among others. Therefore, effective communication in professional settings is crucial in realizing success, productivity, and relationships in the workplace.

References

Bevan, J. L., & Sole, K. (2014). Making Connections: Understanding Interpersonal Communication - EBook (2nd ed.).