Try saying THIS five times fast: Communication Organizations!

Although one may have not been aware, there are several organizations available to communication professionals. In fact, there are so many that I chose only five to discuss at length. The five organizations that I chose to dissect were:

The Association for Women in Communications (AWC)

The Association of Professional Communication Consultants

The American Communication Association (ACA)

The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (AEJMC)

The Center for Global Communications (GLOCOM)

The AWC is committed to establishing women in different positions to ensure greater advancement for them in Communications. They recognize that the field of communications is growing and diverse, and women should have their own stake in it as well. Obviously, the intended audience for this organization is women who are interested in furthering their career in Communications.

The Association of Professional Communication Consultants provides consultants or references to companies that are sans a communications consultant. Most companies probably do not realize the dynamics a communications consultant can bring to any business. Thankfully, that is what the association is there to explain. Companies who require a PR representative or the like would be the most likely intended audience for this organization.

The ACA is a non-profit and was started out of an interest in all types of human communication. This association is also completely aware that communication is increasingly becoming a virtual forum. Their goal is to facilitate the freedom of communication on the internet and on other means of mobile communicative mediums. Other major goals of the ACA include: "(a) fostering scholarship in all areas of human communication behavior, (b) promoting excellence in the pedagogy of communication, (c) providing a voice in communication law and policy, and (d) providing evaluation and certification services for academic programs in communication study," (ACA, 2009). Technological communication experts could be the intended audience for the ACA.

The AEJMC's mission is to ensure high standards and multi-culturalism in journalism and education, while promoting objectivity of all journalists and mass communications. Another non-profit, the AEJMC also proliferates extensive research in communications. Teachers, journalists, broadcasters, and students would get the most out of this organization.

GLOCOM is based in Japan, but over the last decade has expanded to include over 50 countries in its pursuit for international communication awareness. Researching international communication methods, communicating with international governments and academia are only a few of the other things GLOCOM is a part of. Government officials, business professionals, and students with an interest in international communications would be the intended audience for this organization.

The organizations I am most interested in are AWC, AEJMC, and GLOCOM. As a woman, being a part of AWC might open up opportunities for me I might have otherwise been unaware of. As a former enthusiast for journalism, the AEJMC might give me a new appreciation for journalism while also educating me on the finer points of mass communication styles. Finally, different cultures fascinate me and I always wish to know more about them, thus GLOCOM would be a perfect way to learn and grow in the international business world of communications.

References:

ACA. (2009, n.d.) The american communication association. Retrieved on August 11, 2010, from http://www.americancomm.org/

AEJMC. (2010, n.d.). The association for education in journalism and mass communications. Retrieved on August 11, 2010, from http://www.aejmc.com/

AWC. (2010, n.d.). The association for women in communications. Retrieved on August 11, 2010, from http://www.womcom.org/about_us/overview.asp

GLOCOM. (n.d.). The center for global communications. Retrieved on August 11, 2010, from http://www.glocom.ac.jp/e/about/

Professionals. (n.d.) The association of professional communication consultants. Retrieved on August 11, 2010, from http://www.consultingsuccess.org/

Babies Have Another Way to Communicate: Sign Language!

Until they are about 8-12 months of age, babies only have one sure way of communicating: crying. Other subtle signs babies communicate like yawns, wetting their lips, or wiping their eyes can also cue a parent in to issues of hunger or sleepiness. However, babies begin to understand the cadence of language and meanings of words well before their first birthday, (Babies, 2006 ). Therefore, a baby might have more complex desires beyond that of the standard clean diaper, full tummy, and well-rested body. For instance, a baby might want to cuddle with their favorite stuffed animal or blanket, be read a story, or inform the parent that they are feeling too hot. In order to harness the full communication potential in an infant, a parent can utilize the power of sign language.

“Signing with babies, whether hearing or deaf, has proven to be beneficial,” (Berke, 2009). Not only will a baby or young toddler be able to let a parent know that they want their blue socks instead of their red socks, but American Sign Language is the 3^rd most common language in the United States. That means, “Should your baby continue to learn American Sign Language past his or her 3rd year, she will have acquired a 2nd or even 3rd language,” (Babies, 2006). When a child cannot verbalize exactly what they want, a tantrum can occur. To avoid frustration, a parent can show their child the hand signs for common words used on a daily basis, like “milk”, “water”, “teddy bear”, “blanket”, “sleep”, “more”, “hug”, and others. Another benefit of teaching an infant sign language is the improved relationship between parent and child.

References:

Babies. (2006, n.d.). Baby sign language with your infant or toddler. Retrieved on August 2, 2010, from http://www.babies-and-sign-language.com/

Berke, J. (2009, July 14). Using baby sign language with your baby. Retrieved on August 2, 2010, fromhttp://deafness.about.com/cs/signfeats1/a/babysigning.htm

Case Study: Delivering Bad News Tactfully

Delivering bad news is never easy, especially in a professional environment. When work performance slips, or even worse, when a person needs to be let go, communicating in such situations can be uncomfortable for both parties. Consider the case study and how the employee would have to be approached:

“You are a department manager in a mid-sized company that provides technology support services. You have ten employees who are required to maintain a high level of technical expertise and deliver excellent customer service. One of your employees, who has been with the company for two years, is performing at a substandard level and you have received numerous complaints from customers and coworkers. In addition, this employee has displayed confrontational behavior which has created a hostile environment. You must now meet with this employee and deliver an ultimatum regarding the need for immediate improvement or dismissal.”

First off, the employee might have different reasons for their decrease in work performance. Perhaps they had a death in the family, a bad break-up, or other personal problems to contend with. However, since the employee has been with the company for two years, they might simply feel a sense of entitlement that transcends to laziness. Before speaking with the employee, both states of mind of the employee should be taken into account. Therefore, planning for both variations of conversations would be prudent, (Michaels, 1983, p. 1307).

It is highly likely that the employee’s response would be defensive, given the subjects that are to be broached. The employee might say something like, “I was having a bad day,” or, “I have been an employee here for two years and I have never had complaints before!” To counter the employee’s various excuses, one might answer, “Regardless of any personal problems, they should be left at the door since every single human being has their own emotional dilemmas to contend with on a daily basis. If a death in the family, depression, or other serious issues are at hand, then after a few months of counseling, I will re-evaluate your professional attitude and performance.”

By following a conflict resolution style known as NORMS, a solution can be more smoothly facilitated. NORMS is an acronym that stands for, “ N-Not biased or personal interpretation; O-Observable, situation is seen and touched or experienced by staff; R-Reliable, two or more people agree on what took place; M-Measurable, parameters of conflict can be distinguished and measured; S-Specifics are not subjective, but objective and non-confrontational, (Huber, 2007). Maintaining an objective, calm attitude helps to alleviate unnecessary tension while keeping the path clear for the true problem that needs to be addressed.

References:

Huber, B. (July, 2007). Maintenance and Operations Conflicts. Rock Products, 110 (7),16-16. Retrieved September 8, 2007, from Academic Search Premier Database.

Intercultural Communications and You!

When communicating with other cultures, there are rules of etiquette to remember called the Ten Commandments of Intercultural Communication, (Hahn, 2005).

Although I am a stay-at-home mom, I plan on joining the workforce again in a few years. Once I begin my new job, observing the Ten Commandments of Intercultural Communication will aid me in facilitating and sustaining healthy professional relationships.

I. Be aware of differing social values;
II. Be aware of differing status symbols and how to demonstrate them;
III. Be aware of decision making customs: not all people like to make decisions quickly and efficiently;
IV. Be aware of concepts of time: not all people like to see time as money;
V. Be aware of personal space: people from different cultures have different 'comfort zones';
VI. Be aware of cultural context: people from certain cultures (called 'high-context cultures) rely less on verbal communication and more on the context of nonverbal actions and environmental settings to convey meaning. People from low-context cultures like the USA rely more on verbal communication and less on circumstances and implied meaning to convey meaning;
VII. Be aware of body language: learn the basic differences in the way people supplement their words with body movement;
VIII. Be aware of different etiquette rules or manners: what is polite in one culture may be considered rude in another;
IX. Be aware of legal and ethical behavior;
X. Be aware of language barriers: English is the most prevalent language in international business, but it's a mistake to assume that everyone understands it.

To say that the United States is a melting pot is an obvious statement. With that fact being recognized, it is still easy to see many people disregarding respect for other cultures. While I was a retail manager, I noticed many employees unjustly mocking customers or other employees for being different. Simply because they did not agree with or understand another person's religious, cultural, or personal beliefs, said employees felt it within their right to judge. I come from a bi-racial family that is mixed with African-American, Irish, Puerto Rican, French, with the list going on and on. I am certain more Americans have the same family history running through their veins, and simply are unaware of such lineage. 

The plethora of cultures present at my own family gatherings has made me more accepting of others. Language barriers can make communication more difficult, but a true professional or better yet, a true human being is willing to work around such minor details. There are many other cultures that rely on body language as the major factor in communication, therefore communicating with other cultures may be as easy as smiling warmly and bowing to acknowledge respect, (Hahn, 2005).

References:

Hahn, M. (2005, December 30). Ten Commandments of Intercultural Communication. Retrieved on July 28, 2010, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Ten-Commandments-of-Intercultural-Communication&id=120247