COMM 277 Week 1 Part 1-Selecting a Communication Goal

Student Name

Chamberlain University

COMM-277 Interpersonal Communication

Prof. Name:

Date

Part 1A: “I Can’t” List

Challenge 1: Difficulty Saying “No”

One of my biggest challenges is assertively saying “no” when I am offered additional work or responsibilities, especially when I am already overwhelmed. This issue arises primarily due to my strong desire to be viewed positively in the workplace. I often fear that turning down tasks could result in others thinking I am not a reliable team member or that I am unwilling to contribute. As a result, I tend to overcommit myself, which leads to stress and affects my work-life balance. This struggle also extends into my personal life, as I find it difficult to refuse social invitations, further contributing to burnout. Overcommitting often results in a decrease in the quality of my work and personal life. For example, a recent incident at work involved my manager asking me to take on another project, despite my already heavy workload. I agreed because I feared disappointing my team, even though I knew it would stretch me too thin.

Challenge 2: Fear of Negative Reactions

Another significant communication difficulty I face is the fear of negative reactions when I express my limitations or decline additional tasks. This fear stems from my desire to maintain positive relationships with coworkers and others. While I understand the importance of setting boundaries to prevent burnout, I often find myself overcommitting due to concerns about how others will perceive me. For instance, I recently hesitated to decline an additional project, even though I had several other commitments, because I feared my boss or coworkers might think I was unreliable. This fear often results in unnecessary stress and burnout. Overcoming this fear is crucial for my emotional well-being and professional growth.

Challenge 3: Fear of Speaking Out During Meetings

Public speaking, especially in meetings, has always been a significant source of anxiety for me. I often struggle with nerves that cause me to stumble over my words, have a shaky voice, and feel physically uncomfortable. This fear has hindered my participation in meetings and limited my ability to share ideas effectively. As a result, I often hold back from speaking up, even when I have valuable input. This fear affects both my professional growth and my ability to contribute to team discussions. For example, in a recent meeting, I had important ideas to share but chose not to speak up, missing an opportunity to add value to the conversation.

Challenge 4: Communication Across Cultures

Although I value and respect cultural diversity, I find it difficult to communicate effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds. This challenge arises from differences in communication styles, norms, and expectations, which can sometimes lead to misunderstandings. Despite my efforts to improve, I often find it hard to adapt my communication approach when interacting with individuals from cultures different from my own. For instance, in a recent project, I observed cultural differences in decision-making processes and communication styles, which led to confusion and delays. To overcome this challenge, I need to work on being more adaptable and improving my cross-cultural communication skills.

Challenge 5: Overthinking Before Responding

I tend to overthink before responding in conversations, often analyzing every possible interpretation of my words and the potential impact of my response. While careful consideration is important, this tendency can lead to delays in my responses and a lack of confidence in my communication. For example, when a coworker presented a challenging idea, I hesitated to respond, overthinking the implications of my reply. This pattern of overthinking not only slows down communication but also affects my ability to express myself clearly and efficiently.

Challenge 6: Difficulty in Expressing Emotions

Expressing my emotions openly is a significant communication challenge for me. I often withhold my feelings because I fear negative consequences or misunderstandings. This difficulty in expressing emotions can strain both personal and professional relationships. At work, I may avoid expressing dissatisfaction or frustration with a colleague’s approach to a project because I fear it will be seen as confrontational. In my personal life, not expressing positive emotions can lead to a lack of emotional connection, while suppressing negative feelings may result in frustration or outbursts. To address this issue, I need to develop strategies for expressing my emotions in a healthy and constructive manner.

1B: “I Won’t” List

Challenge 1: I Won’t Say “No”

While I recognize that I have the ability to decline additional tasks, I choose not to change this behavior because I worry about my job security and how others perceive me. I am afraid that saying “no” might lead to being viewed as unreliable or uncommitted.

Challenge 2: I Won’t Change My Fear of Negative Reactions

Although I understand that overcoming my fear of negative reactions is possible, I have chosen not to address this challenge at this time. I am not ready to make changes in this area due to my ongoing concerns about how others will view me.

1C: “I Don’t Know” List

Challenge 1: “I Don’t Know How to Get Over My Fear of Speaking Out During Meetings”

I don’t know how to overcome my fear of speaking up during meetings or public speaking engagements. This challenge causes me significant anxiety and discomfort, making it difficult to share my thoughts and ideas in group settings.

Challenge 2: “I Don’t Know How to Communicate Across Cultures”

I struggle to communicate effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds, particularly in adapting to their communication styles, norms, and expectations. I am uncertain about how to improve in this area and bridge cultural differences in conversations.

Challenge 3: “I Don’t Know How Not to Overthink Before Responding”

I often overthink my responses, analyzing the potential outcomes and interpretations of my words before I speak. This habit makes it difficult for me to respond promptly and confidently in conversations.

Challenge 4: “I Don’t Know How to Express My Feelings”

I have difficulty expressing my emotions in a clear and effective way. I am unsure of how to communicate my feelings without causing misunderstandings or creating emotional distance in my relationships.

1D: Issue Selection

When selecting my project focus for the Communication Change Challenge (CCC), I carefully considered the challenges listed in my “I Don’t Know” list. While each of these areas requires improvement, I decided not to focus on communication across cultures or overthinking before responding, as I felt I had made significant progress in these areas and could address them alongside my chosen focus. Instead, I decided to concentrate on “Difficulty in Expressing Emotions,” as this issue has had a considerable impact on my interpersonal and professional relationships. By improving my ability to express emotions, I believe I will be able to foster stronger connections with others and enhance my overall communication skills.

1E: Project Statement

For my Communication Change Challenge, I will focus on the challenge of “Difficulty in Expressing My Emotions.” During the next two weeks, I will work on improving my emotional expression in both professional and personal contexts.

Part 2: Emotions and Communication

Summary
Suppressing emotions can lead to negative emotional reactions, which may harm both individuals and their relationships. It is important to acknowledge emotions instead of denying them, as unexpressed feelings can build up and cause emotional outbursts. Research suggests that managing emotions in interpersonal conflicts, such as marital disagreements, can lead to quicker resolution and better relationship outcomes (Bloch, Haase, & Levenson, 2014).

Insight

Emotions are a natural part of the human experience, and the way we express them in communication can influence how others perceive us. Dismissing or suppressing emotions can lead to misunderstandings or emotional disconnection. While it is possible to change one’s emotional state, expressing emotions openly and authentically can help individuals understand and process their feelings in healthier ways.

References

Bloch, L., Haase, C. M., & Levenson, R. W. (2014). Emotion regulation predicts marital satisfaction: More than a wives’ tale. Emotion, 14(1), 130–144. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034272