Final Reflection

In my first blog, I used the success of President Obama’s election campaign speeches to illustrate how effective communication can facilitate one’s development socially and professionally. In addition, I have suggested that effective communication can enable a pleasant intercultural communication experience. To date, I would say that my understanding of the value of effective communication skills has not changed. This status quo does not suggest that my experience in this module had not been enriching. Rather, it suggests that the issues on the different aspects of communication which have been raised during the lessons have affirmed my beliefs on the importance of effective communication. The discussions on interpersonal conflict, intercultural behaviour, resume writing, minutes taking and letter writing have all highlighted the social and professional realms where effective communication finds its significance.

In my opinion, if I have to describe the most valuable lesson which I have learnt from this module, it would be the skills to a polished piece of writing. The 7Cs introduced in this course is in my opinion an easy to remember checklist which I will bear in mind when I embark on a piece of written work. In particular, reference to the 7Cs has made me aware of one of the common shortcomings in my writings. Conciseness is the aspect which I must admit to be occasionally absent in my work. From my weekly blog-post and peer review, comments from my blogging buddy have helped me realised that I have the tendency to write in long sentences. With this knowledge, I have learnt to be more conscious of my choice of words while penning a script.

The resume writing exercise is another aspect which I feel is particularly useful. Although, I have written resumes to secure an internship and vacation job in the past, there are certain aspects of resume writing which I am not aware of until lately. For example, the resume writing exercise has helped me identify the aspects of resume writing unique to applying for a scientific career. Moreover, I have learnt that the contents within resumes should cover the entire sheet of paper otherwise, it may be perceived by the reader that the writer does not have much experience, skills and achievements to bring to the job.

Last but not least, I believe the small class size and group discussions have enabled me get to know my class mates better and promoted interaction within the class.

Overall, I feel that the Professional Communication lessons have been a fruitful and enjoyable one.

Biodata

“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing, at whatever cost must be attained.”
Marie Curie, 1867-1934

I am Caroline Chia Yun Ling, a third year university student majoring in the Life Sciences with concentration in the Biomedical Science. The quote of the late Marie Curie as presented above provides, in my opinion, an inspirational and excellent perspective of life. It succinctly describes my philosophy to life that is success is something within our reach and all we ever need is just the courage to dream, the determination to cling on and the diligence to attain our dream. Having a brief taste of twenty-one years of life, I am like many others just a typical young adult on the journey to pursue a dream. Fortunately for me, my journey has been peppered with assurances from my mentors and the opportunities to discover my interest. My research internship at the Institute of Biotechnology and Nanotechnology was perhaps the most fruitful and defining part of my life. It was from this experience where I learnt how research work can be both meaningful and interesting. The experience has helped me affirmed my decision to pursue a career in biomedical research and I hope that through the exciting journey of discoveries in research, I would be able to contribute positively to our society.

Unfavourable First Impressions: Can we avoid them?

First impressions are an inevitable aspect whilst communicating with a newly acquainted individual. Simplistically, we can define them as our immediate perceptions of the other party conceived out of the verbal and non-verbal communication cues. Although they may be treated with different weights by different individuals, they almost invariably affect our reactions to the other party. Communication theorists have proposed different theories on the different ways people form first impressions and the implications they bring in an interpersonal communication or relationship. Amongst them, the attribution theory stands out as the model which I believe could provide a comprehensive explanation of the first impressions’ formation process and their effects.

The attribution theory attempts to describe how people explain the behaviour of others or themselves. Relevant to this discussion are the models proposed to explain how we attempt to determine the causation of others’ behaviours. A central explanation on this is the concept of “external” and “internal” attribution. In the concept of “external” attribution, we explain the behaviours of others based on factors outside these individuals’ control. On the other hand, in “internal” attribution, we explain the behaviours of others based on factors within these individuals. In addition, attribution theory highlights that one of the flaws during our attribution of others lies in our predisposition to explain the behaviour of others by over-emphasizing on “internal” attributions and under-emphasizing on “external” attributions. Although I agree that the flaw is detrimental, I feel that it is not easy for us to avoid entering into this pitfall and encourage ourselves to take on a more balanced approach whilst attributing the behaviours of others. This is because our emotions which have been elicited in response to the cues that the other party has transmitted usually make us reactive to the situation rather than rational. In order to highlight this issue, I would like to share my personal encounters with two professors whom I shall name as Prof X and Prof Y. They were professors who I met while I was in search for a prospective final year project professor.

During my first encounter with Prof X, I was greeted with a handshake and a warm smile. Thereafter, he invited me to take a seat and proceeded on by skimming through my academic records. Whilst doing so, he tried to relax the atmosphere by mentioning how I shared the same surname with one of his cousins. In addition, he shared with me his experiences of his research career peppering it with details of what drew him to his area of research, the difficulties he faced and the triumphs he made. Throughout this first encounter I had with Prof X, the conversation atmosphere felt comfortable and relaxed. At the same time, I felt that he treated me as an equal even though I am was just an amateur who was keen on embarking on research work. I believe the reason for the favourable first impression I had of Prof X was largely due to his words and actions which made me felt at ease and welcomed. It is not surprising that I had also attributed his friendly demeanour with character traits such as kindness and amiability.

However, my first meeting with Prof Y was a stark contrast. Prof Y appeared stern on the onset and the entire conversation continued with an awkward mood as she persistently put on a stern face even whilst I was expressing my views to her questions. In addition, her words of advice on the realities of life as a researcher sounded harsh. Consequently, an uncomfortable conversation atmosphere lingered and I could not resist but delve into the pitfall of over-attributing her behaviour with character traits of unfriendliness.

I must admit that through these experiences of mine, I have become more aware of the numerous emotions that can be elicited within ourselves during the course of interaction with others. In addition, I have gained a greater appreciation of how these emotions may shape our first impressions of others. Furthermore, I believe the experiences have underscored the dilemma which could ensue in the face of unfavourable communication climates; that is the internal struggle to avoid overemphasis on internal attribution while perceiving others.

Do you have a similar experience as I do? If you did, how did you manage your dilemma?

Intercultural Communication

In the globalised world which we are living in today, interactions with individuals from different nationalities and ethnicities have become commonplace. As a result, the display of etiquettes in the context of intercultural communication is called for. In this week’s blog, I would like to share my experience of communicating with my Japanese counterparts.

“There’s no communication to speak of at all!” These were exactly the words which were used by a Singaporean friend, who recounted her experience of playing host to 2 Japanese students. This statement was made by her as she was trying to express her frustrations over what she felt was the lack of candidness on the part of the Japanese students while providing feedback on how they felt. The account is not an isolated one. In fact, the ambiguity and indirect approach adopted by the Japanese while rejecting others or providing feedback has been well known to many who have interacted with them. Even among the Japanese themselves, many of them are well-aware of such a practice amongst their contemporaries.

For the Japanese who have been brought up under such a practice, this does not come as a surprise. However, problems arise when an individual of a different culture interacts with the Japanese. For individuals unfamiliar with the Japanese cultural norms, like my friend, they find it difficult to understand why the Japanese are reluctant to express their ideas clearly, especially when it comes to stating views that differ from others. However, things would be different if the different parties of diverse cultural backgrounds involved in the conversation, understood the cultural norms and values of the other.

In the context of the Japanese, they feel that it is only polite to take the ambiguous and indirect approach while rejecting others or providing feedback, as they believe that by doing so, they would save the other party from embarrassment or the lost of face. However, for most English speaking cultures like the Singaporean’s, it is considered acceptable for the individual to take on an assertive approach while raising opposing viewpoints or rejecting others. In light of such a difference in cultural norms, it is not difficult to understand why misunderstandings and frustrations ensue between the Japanese and Singaporean when they encounter situations where their ideas differ.

In fact, if one were to analyse the situation closer, they will realize that this disparity is reflected within the language structure that either party uses. In the case of the Japanese, it is common to hear phrases such “sumimasen ga chotto”, which has the nuance of “excuse me, please hold on”, while rejection of offers are being made. In this case, there is no explicit statement of objection but the native Japanese as well as those familiar with their culture would be quick to understand that the statement is clearly expressing one of rejection. However, for a foreigner this may be misinterpreted as a possible yes but the other party needs some time to confirm. While in the case of the English speaking Singaporean, when one is making a statement of rejection in English, it is common to hear phrases such as “I am sorry but I do not think…” In this case, the intention of the speaker is clearly conveyed to the listener.

In light of the above scenario as depicted, it should be highlighted that while effective communication has been commonly associated with following the acceptable verbal and non-verbal communication norms, one should also realize that “appropriateness” is measured differently in different cultures. Thus, due to the differences that exist between cultures, it is pertinent that one should learn to understand the practices of the other so that differences are minimized.

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Let's discuss about Business Correspondence Letters

In this week’s blog, I will share my thoughts on a business letter I had received some time ago. This letter was written with the intention to persuade cardmembers to join a priority taxi booking service. The content of this letter is provided below.

3 January 2009

XYZ
12 ABC Avenue 3
Singapore 567890

Dear Valued Cardmember,

Relax. Now you’ll be the first to get a cab whenever you need one

From now on, you can be the first to get a taxi when you need one, with the priority taxi booking hotline reserved exclusively for QRS Credit Cardmembers. What’s more, you will enjoy a waiver of the usual 10% surcharge and GST for credit card payments. The waived amount will be credited back into your Credit Card account and reflected in your following months’ statement.

Only registered QRS Credit Cardmembers have access to the hotline, so you will find your calls are connected much faster. What’s more, the hotline helps you book with the biggest taxi fleet in Singapore – comprising 15,000 Comfort, City Cab and Yellow-Top Cab taxis. The dedicated hotline operator will manage your call and help you get a cab fast.

The credit card surcharge and GST waiver, as well as the priority booking hotline promotion are valid from 4 January until 4 July 2009. To register for the hotline, simply provide us with your address and choose two telephone numbers to have access. Please allow 5-8 days for your application to be processed, before calling the taxi on the hotline 6553 8888.

Why wait any longer? Register your details today and leave the taxi queue behind.

Yours sincerely,


EFG
Head, Consumer Finance
QRS Bank

I feel that the overall letter, as shown above, had been well constructed, as it was clear in conveying its intention of persuading clients to sign up for the priority taxi booking service. In addition, some strategies employed within the letter helped in making it an effective one. These strategies are described as follows.

Firstly, the effective use of the caption “Relax. Now you’ll be the first to get a cab whenever you need one” at the start of the letter, helped to captivate the readers’ attention. Thus, it could lead them into reading the letter further. Moreover, it succinctly conveyed the privilege that cardmembers can enjoy if they signed up for the service.

Secondly, the potential benefits have been clearly outlined within the letter. Furthermore, there was concreteness in presenting the benefits as demonstrated by the employment of vivid explanations which helped to elaborate how the benefits arise. For instance, to emphasize that cardmembers can enjoy faster taxi booking service, the letter attributed it to the exclusivity of the taxi booking hotline and staffs’ commitment to providing quality service.

Thirdly, the letter addressed the anticipated queries of the readers, as it provided the readers with the relevant details as to how and when they could register for the promotion mentioned, as well as, the telephone hotline number to dial to enjoy the priority taxi booking service. Besides these, contact details were written to inform readers the channel they could approach if they had any queries.

Fourthly, the inclusion of a last reminder of the benefits as a concluding statement helped to reiterate the objective of the letter and provided a persuasive yet non-aggressive means to appeal for readers’ action.

Fifthly, the appropriate use of diction had effectively conveyed courtesy, coherence and conciseness. Courtesy was demonstrated by the choice of words such as “valued cardmember” and the use of gender neutral pronoun “you” throughout the length of the letter. While coherence was illustrated by the use of connectors such as “what’s more”, that helped to introduce the multiple benefits in a sequential manner.

Sixthly, the cohesiveness in structure was shown by the methodical approach employed in putting forward the ideas. Starting from the outline of the benefits, to the explanation of how the benefits arise, to ultimate provision of program registration details, a systematic progression in ideas could be seen. As a result of the cohesive organization of ideas, clarity was conveyed.

However, there is still a need for improvement within the letter. For instance there was incompleteness in informing how the application for the priority taxi booking service could be performed. This is because there was no mention that the application details had to be written within the enclosed form and returned via mail through the enclosed self addressed envelope. Moreover, with regards to correctness, there was a minor error in the language used. Instead of the use of “following months’ statement”, it should have been “following month’s statement”.

In spite of the minor mistakes made, I feel that the letter remained largely successful in portraying itself as a good persuasive business correspondence letter.

Interpersonal Conflict

Interpersonal conflict can take the form of a disagreement between or among connected individuals such as friends, family members, colleagues or lovers. In any interpersonal relationship we are engaged in, conflicts are usually inevitable. Most researchers in interpersonal communication would teach us that conflicts are not always detrimental but rather, it is the way we manage conflicts which will dictate the outcomes on our relationships. Joseph Joubert, a French moralist, once said “The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress”. His words echo the philosophy of most interpersonal communication researchers that adopting the win-win approach is the ideal to conflict resolution. These words of wisdom may be something you may wish to ponder over whilst attempting to suggest possible solutions to the following hypothetical account.

X and Y came to know each other in school. They became friends readily as they went to the same school, studied the same subjects and went to the same class. During their school days, they forged a close-knitted friendship as they met up for sports activities, birthday celebrations, meals and girls’ talk. Both X and Y did not continue their university education after college. As they ventured into the adult world, their paths began to diverge. Eventually, a bitter conflict ensued between them.

Soon after graduating from college, X was lucky to be accepted as an employee in a banking firm in the country’s capital. Gladly, she readily accepted the job offer as she aspires to be a successful career woman. On the other hand, Y, who is talented in art, dreams of becoming a fashion designer hence she hoped to find herself a job as an apprentice in one of the fashion boutiques. Unfortunately, despite searching diligently for a job, Y’s efforts were to no avail. Feeling down and in need of company, Y tried to phone her friend X on several occasions to pour her sorrows. However, X, who was bogged down by work and tired after a hectic day, did not feel ready to offer Y her attention hence, she would usually hang up the call after a few words citing reasons such as exhaustion. This caused Y to feel lonely and dejected. At the same time she felt displeased that her best friend could not lend her a listening ear. Despite that, Y tried hard to hold back her complaints. The last straw came when the former classmates of X and Y initiated a get together session. Like usual, Y informed X of the class gathering. While informing X, X insisted that she was busy and would only meet up Y and their classmates if they came over to the capital where she was working. As Y could no longer bear with what was perceived as a self-centred behaviour on X’s part, she rebuked her and said “Y, you have become so selfish ever since you worked in the capital! All you ever care about is yourself! You have forgotten your friends and now you have left me so disappointed in you!”. X was annoyed by Y’s comments and felt that Y failed to empathize with her. X felt that she had been working so hard and it was only right that her precious free time should be kept to herself. She felt that agreeing to meet up with her classmates was already a sacrifice on her part. Thus, X rebutted saying “Fine, so be it! Since I am no friend of yours, you shall not see me in the coming class meeting!”. Both abruptly ended their conversation by slamming their phones.

In light of the above conflict scenario, do you think both X and Y failed to empathize with each other’s situation? If so, how do you think X and Y could have confronted the matter in a better way?

Effective Communication and Me...

20th Jan 2009 was heralded with a celebratory mood as many citizens across the globe awaited with anticipation, the installation of Mr. Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States of America. Domestically, millions of Americans turned out at Capitol Hill to witness this occasion, despite having to brave the chilly temperatures of the wintry morning in Washington. The massive public support showered upon Mr. Obama makes one curious as to why so many are attracted to him. The reasons could be many, but one of them could have been the sense of connection, that was evoked amongst the people during the numerous public speeches made by him in his presidential campaign trail. In fact, the press had praised Mr. Obama’s eloquence and reasoned that it was this very ability of his, which enabled him to captivate and inspire audiences. The exemplary communication skills exhibited by Mr. Obama and how it was able to draw scores of people to his ideas, vividly illustrate the reason why developing effective communication skill is pertinent.



In my opinion, the success of Mr. Obama has portrayed the significant benefits that effective communication skills bring on an individual basis. When one is an effective communicator, he or she can efficiently present his or her ideas to others. This enables others to develop a vivid understanding of one’s ideas, a necessary step before others can feel that they are able to relate to you. When the latter is fulfilled, it facilitates the fostering of a sense of bonding between you and others, which is an essential ingredient in one’s personal development, socially and professionally.



Furthermore, given the increasingly cosmopolitan nature our societies are evolving into, it becomes inevitable that we will come across people of different cultures in our daily interactions. Hence, honing of effective communication skills becomes ever more important. When individuals make an effort to equip themselves with effective communication skills, they would be better informed of the verbal and non-verbal taboos of other cultures. With this understanding, it helps to break down barriers of communication between people of different cultures and promotes mutual understanding and cooperation. Moreover, armed with the knowledge of the cultural sensitivities of others, we can make better choices in conveying our intended messages so that ultimately, it would be undistorted and not misinterpreted as offensive and insensitive.



Thus, given the personal advantages that would ensue with effective communication skills, the significance of developing them cannot be overemphasized.