E-PORTFOLIO OF PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION
COURSEWORK
PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION
COURSE CODE
LANG 2128/MPU 3273
SEMESTER
MARCH 2021
LECTURER
MS. NURSYAHIRAH@SYIRA
STUDENT
1.
SITI NURFARAHIM 203022287 Exam id : 8723R
Table of content
Biodata section
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Entry 1: Basic Theories of Communication
2
Entry 2: Understanding Communication
6
Entry 3: Communication Process (Verbal & Nonverbal)
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Entry 4: Listening Skills
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Entry 5: Barriers to Listening
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Entry 6: Intrapersonal Communication and Interpersonal Communication
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Entry 7: Applying for a Job – Resume & Curriculum Vitae
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Entry 8: Effective Meetings (Types of Meeting;Conducting a Meeting; Agenda & Meeting Minutes)
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Entry 9: Conflicts in Meeting
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Entry 10: Designing and Delivering Oral Presentations (Planning – Developing OP)
26
Entry 11: Designing and Delivering Oral Presentations (Enhancing – Planning OP)
28
References
30
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Biodata section Name: Siti Nurfarahim bt Zul akbar Age: 23 years old Date of birth: 8th september 1997 Birth place: Medan, Indonesia Nationalities: Malaysian Religion: Islam Marital status: single Qualification: Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies Language known: Malay, English, basic Indonesian language and basic French Hobbies: combine clothes to form an outfit (fashion), taking pictures, reading books and drawing Ambition: my ambitions is to become an educator also to own a clothing shop ( thrift shop) Social network contact: email- farahimakbar@gmail.com Instagram- farahimakbar Linkedin - farahimakbar Issuu.com - farahimakbar
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Entry 1: Basic Theories of Communication date : 13th April 2021 (week 1) Topics: Basic Theories of Communication Duration of time spent on this entry: 2 hours Personal reflection First week of this semester, for professional communication the first topic that is being lectured is the basic theories of communication. For personal reflection there is not much that i could share since the first week of this class i haven't registered yet. But based on my understanding by going through the topic myself, this topic basically explains a few perspectives, opinions or statements regarding communication academically. Since there are tons of types of communication, in these topics we discuss the basic ones. According to recent research (Communication Theory - Meaning and Examples, n.d.). Communication theory was proposed in 1980 by S.F. Scramble. This theory states that all living things on this planet communicate, even though the means of communication are different. Communication is a fact of life. It is imperative. To express themselves, people need to communicate. An individual needs communication to express their feelings, convey information to other people, and share their thoughts and feelings. Unlike other living things, animals and plants, both have a specific way of communicating. Setting aside, this topic is mostly about Communication relates to all human activities. The words we speak and the actions we take to convey messages, emotions, and information. Like for example saying “I’m tired” or yawning both means you’re tired. Scream "Ouch!" or grimace, both announcing that you are in pain. After learning to speak, write, and use computers, we will no longer think about communication. The message came and went quickly. But lightning still exists, and is more accurately called communication theory. Communication theory definition is a study of the scientific process of sending and receiving information. There are many principles, methods, and components that can affect a message, and communication theory explains it all. In the KB management site (2021), communication theory shows three things; sender, message and receiver. It can take the form 3
of humans and their environment through messages in the form of signs, symbols and thoughts (Mowlana, 2018). Or, it can be said to produce a point exactly or close to the message selected at another point (Shannon and Weaver, 1949). The communication model aims to describe a theory with a conceptual representation to explain the process of human communication. This can be done to demonstrate and improve working methods.
Figure 1 shows the main thing that form communication There are tons of types of communication according to sectors, like for example health
communication,
business
communication,
mass
communication,
cultural
communication, and etc. there are five main functions of theories according to the research (Phil Venditti, Open Course Library, n.d.).
Figure 2 showing the function of communication theories
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In a recent research communication theory function (Phil Venditti, Open Course Library, n.d.) the first function was first used to help us communicate and understand our communication experiences. We use theory to create experiences across a wider range of categories when we examine the "general characteristics" of communication situations. For example, many books or lectures on gender differences. men and women speak in different ways, with important theories about gender communication that help us understand gender differences in a better context,we can develop general patterns of communication skills. It helps us make decisions relevant to gender communication situations. Second function is to help us choose which communicative actions to study. Theory guides us on what we choose to look at, what we look at and how we look at the phenomena of communication. For example, you have a theory on strategies that can be used to make it work the way you want. Your theory guides how you approach using persuasive efforts, and what you look for to see whether you are successful or not. The third function is to help us expand our understanding of human communication. Demonstrating theory generates dialogue and thus refines the theory developed in this area. With the opportunity to discover countless theories through books, magazines, the Internet and the latest TV shows, the general public has the opportunity to discover theories that will influence understanding and communication in this world. (Phil Venditti, Open Course Library, n.d.) In figure 2, the fourth function of theories is that they help us predict and control our communication. When we communicate, we try to predict how we interact to maintain a certain level of control. While theory does not allow us to predict and control communication with 100% certainty, it can help us function at a more predictable and controllable level on a daily basis. We need to remember, whether or not the communication is successful in an interaction, we are using this information to assess and refine our own theoretical perspective. The last function of communication theory is to help us challenge today's social and cultural realities by giving us new ways of thinking and living. Sometimes people assume that one-way communication is innate rather than learned. This is not true. For the challenging communication standards we learned, using critical theory to inquire about the status quo of human communication, we focused primarily on how people use communication to their 5
advantage, and privileges for certain people or groups. For example, in situations where someone is expressing feelings or problems, people tend to just listen, give advice or solve problems rather than empathy or sympathy which are needed. With this understanding, we can begin to learn new conversational listening strategies that can strengthen the bond of communication. Critical theory challenges traditional theoretical understanding and offers alternative communication behaviors for social change (Phil Venditti, Open Course Library, n.d.).
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Entry 2: Understanding Communication date : 13th April 2021 (week 1) Topics: Understanding Communication Duration of time spent on this entry: 2 hours Personal reflection In regard to what I've written in entry 1, for entry 2 I believe it's been taught on the same day and there's nothing much that I could write about since I did not attend the class due to not yet registering for the semester at the moment. For entry 1 the topic is about Basic Theories of Communication, entry 2 is the continuity of it because in entry 2 topics is about Understanding Communication. After learning about the theories which we've known to be how others perceive communication academically, so in entry 2 is like communication 101, which helps the student like me to understand communication in few aspects like function, types and tips on how to have a good communication among people. Understanding communication, communication literally is a process of transmitting information from one person to another using different media. The first party that sends the information is called the sender and the second party that receives, translates and responds to the information is called the receiver or the receiver. So, in simpler terms, communication is simply a process by which the sender sends information to the recipient which they can respond to. Sending our message to someone else looks easy, but it is a process that is often experienced by accident. Many people find it difficult to communicate effectively, orally and in writing. They express thoughts and ideas that do not reflect their meaning and that get misinterpreted or misunderstood. This can lead to confusion, frustration, wasted effort, and missed opportunities. Communication is broken, making collaboration and progress impossible. Research shows that good communication is one of the ‘soft’ skills that is needed not just on a daily basis but also at a professional level. But communication can only be successful if the person who sent the message and that you receive know if you know the message is the most important (mindtool content team, n.d.).
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Figure 3 showing the communication process To have successful communication we need to understand the communication process. We all exchange information with others countless times each day by phone, e-mail, printed word, and of course, in person. According to research (skillsyouneed, 2021), A message or communication is sent by a sender through a communication channel to one or more recipients. The sender must encode the message (the information sent) in a form suitable for the communication channel, and the recipient then defines the message so that it can be understood and have meaning. Misunderstandings can arise at any stage of the communication process. Effective communication involves minimizing misunderstandings and overcoming communication barriers at every step of the communication process.
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Entry 3: Communication Process (Verbal & Nonverbal) date : 15th April 2021 (week 1) Topics: Communication Process (Verbal & Nonverbal) Duration of time spent on this entry: 2 hours Personal reflection Communication process is a fun topic to discuss. From here we could find out different perspectives or point of view of someone. Meanwhile is a way of knowing whether our message is received by the other party or not. There's a lot of interesting stories that could be told. From my part, I always find that being straightforward is the easiest way to communicate with people regarding work or assignment. For example, instead of going around and around just to explain a certain point, the less word is better if it's in a word form. But when talking to someone face to face, for me the communication process is quite challenging. I'm not very expressive myself. Maybe due to that people cannot decode the message I try to deliver and the result of it getting me tired of explaining myself again and again. For example, between me and my dad. My dad won't accept my explanation if there's no visual proof, it's like the phrase in a picture could tell a story by itself . Since that I believe communication needs two ways: verbal (our explanation) and non verbal ( visual proof) not just to make sure the message is being delivered but also to convince the other party regarding certain things. In entry 2, I've explained regarding the Understanding Communication, the topics also explained a bit about the communication process. So this entry is basically the continuity of entry 2. Here we are focusing on the main types of communication which are verbal and non verbal. Interestingly, non-verbal communication is used intentionally and not intentionally. Most people don't have control over the perfect facial expression - we've all heard comments that don't raise an eyebrow in a professional response, which is wise or not. by learning more about the use of non-verbal communication, you will be able to manage communication and ensure that your message is exactly the way you want it to be (Valamis, 2021). The muscles of the face transmit emotions. We can send a silent message without saying it once. Changes in facial expressions can change our emotional state. For example, if we focus on beliefs before the interview, the face will build on those beliefs for the interviewer. Wearing a smile 9
(even if you are stressed out) can reduce your body's stress level. To be an effective communicator, we need to match our body language, appearance, and voice to the words we want to convey. Research shows that people lie, they tend to blink, change their weight and more often shrug their shoulders (Siegman, 1985). This is why what you say is a vital part of any communication. But what you don’t say can be even more important.
Figure 4 showing a group of people in a group Second type of communication is verbal. Communication barriers can arise at any stage of the process. So for our message to be effective, you have to achieve it.If our message is too long, disorganized or full of jargon or errors, it could be misunderstood and misinterpreted. It could leave the person you were sending the message confused or even angry. Using poor verbal or body language can also create the message you want to convey. Contextual barriers often arise from providing too much information too quickly. So keep in mind that it's often "less than much". Think about the demands of other people's time, especially people who are too busy right now. Last but not least, put your message in context. Make sure that we understand the culture of our audience. This will help us to talk to people in our posts and people from different backgrounds and cultures than ours. (mindtool content team, n.d.).
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Figure 5 the picture above showing different types of body language According to recent research (4 types of communication and ways to improve, 2021), oral communication is one of the most common forms, often used during presentations, video conferences and phone calls, meetings and direct conversations. Oral communication is important because it is effective. It can help support verbal communication as well as non-verbal communication and written communication. When we speak, we communicate more than the content of words. We also use tone and pitch, and the degree of formality that is used to convey the subtext is important for people to talk to. By choosing carefully how to use each of these aspects, we can be sure that the message will be received as intended. From greetings with colleagues to client meetings to presentations throughout the company, verbal communication is an important factor in professional life (Valamis, 2021).
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Entry 4: Listening Skills date : 20th April 2021 (week 2) Topics: Listening Skills Duration of time spent on this entry: 2 hours Personal reflection I believe people refuse to listen most of the time unless the things we are going to say are actually regarding them. People grow to be narcissist types of people and believe they are holier than thou, for example teacher and student, boss and employee and in the asian community hot issues are between parents and children. It's hard to gain people's attention if it's not something that is interesting like gossip for example. Listening is not easy to be honest, even sometimes I find myself fidgeting just to focus on a person talking, especially nowadays all the class requires extra attention due to it being online. But if it's something that is more intimate or close to the heart I can fully focus without being anxious most of the time maybe because the feeling of getting judged is not there. For example, does he or she care if I listen to them? Or do I need to respond to everything I listen to? Sometimes I wonder why I am tired by just listening to something. Why is it different when we listen to music but not when we listen to someone talking? This is the kind of question running in my mind most of the time. But what I'm wondering the most is are they able to comprehend after listening to me from the start till the end of a conversation. This is where I feel like listening skills are crucial and need to be taught from a young age.
Figure 6 shows the percentage of us communicating and listening 12
To understand the message, you must first determine the main idea you want to convey. Then consider the anecdotes, explanations and other details intended to explain its meaning. When trying to improve your listening skills, pay close attention to the primary stated goal (Educationcorner, 2021). There are two main types of listeners, namely active and passive listeners. According to research (Mulvania, 2020), passive listening is more than just listening. Listen to passive listening without responding: let others talk, without interfering. At the same time, do nothing else, but ignore what they are saying. Passive listening is a one-way communication where the recipient does not give comments or ask questions and may not understand the message from the sender. Listen actively, include responses that show you know what you are trying to do with others about their experiences. This is a very different communication technique from passive or fuzzy listening that is often used in everyday conversation. When you accurately reflect back to a person what’s been said, you show that you’ve been listening, not just hearing and that you genuinely understand the feeling/s or message/s they are trying to convey. There is a conversation between Sheldon and Amy in the series of The Big Bang Theory. The reaction of Amy during the conversation is a great example of being an active listener. She reacts on certain points and the interaction builds a person’s self-esteem, she applies a lot of tips being an active listener like maintaining eye contact, using short verbal affirmations and she also displays empathy. (the link to the video https://youtu.be/3_dAkDsBQyk ) there is also an example of poor listening skill. A scene of a counsellor and a student, the counsellor shows a bad example of being a poor listener. There's a lot of this kind of counsellors and due to it it's not easy for students or anyone to open up their issues or problems. They tend to keep things to themselves because the one who gets paid to listen is not even listening to them. Even the professional did not show the care to listen to others (the link to the video https://youtu.be/7AzNPWnzgC4 ).
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Entry 5: Barriers to Listening date : 20th April 2021 (week 2) Topics: Barriers to Listening Duration of time spent on this entry: 2 hours Personal reflection Ego, emotions, overthinking, internal conflicts and intellectual level are some of the barriers to listening that we mislook. Sometimes people are too egotistical to listen, for example in a family the dad refuses to listen to their wife even though they are right about certain things just because theyre a wife and a husband is always right. Another example is during class, I observe that people’s acceptance of someone’s opinion is biased simply because of gender. whereas, the two uttered similar answers and opinions. So some of them refuse to listen and gender becomes the barriers to listening. In any institution or organization there is always a problem regarding communication. Communication takes two ways, one is talking and the other should be listening. Whether they refuse or don't comprehend due to some distraction the communication is not successful. Regarding this topic, what I've understood and learnt is about the barriers and how to overcome them. “When people respond too quickly, they often respond to the wrong issue. Listening helps us focus on the heart of the conflict. When we listen, understand, and respect each other's ideas, we can then find a solution in which both of us are winners.” Gary Chapman. Poor listening skills inevitably have a negative impact on individual and team morale and productivity. These situations usually lead to conflicts and misunderstandings between team members or between two human beings , which creates a negative environment. Fortunately, the listening skills are understandable. The first step is to identify the hearing loss. The second step is to deliberately apply the tips here to overcome these obstacles (10 Obstacles to Effective Listening with Tips to Overcome Them, 2011). There are various types of barriers in listening, and there are also tips on overcoming it. First barrier for example, according to a research (Andrews, 2020) If you are busy, your thoughts will change. Even if you think you are engaged, you are truly "fake attention." There are many factors that can distract or occupy us, including: Phones and Devices - Don't feel guilty for remembering this sometimes - we all pay more attention to phone calls or emails 14
than we should. However, if you have to listen to speakers or attend classes, you will lose important information that you need. your emotions - Are you taking a break or are you thinking about debating with the people you love? Maybe you are worried about money and can't think about your finances? Maybe you are so happy the day of the week before vacation that you can't concentrate? All of these emotional states can improve listening skills. Visual disturbances - If you are trying to have a chat in a pub, why can't you stop watching TV? If you're like everyone else, he might not be. Visual distractions can distract you from the task at hand. Mental guidance comes from the fact that our mind wanders 100 miles an hour; thereby hindering us to focus on anything else. Barriers characterized with mental distraction can affect the ability to listen. If you are not “sharp and focused,” your mind will tend to wander to other thoughts.The physical body can understand it, but the spirit is far away. The term for this high phenomenon is daydreaming (ifioque 2021). At the same time, there are long conversations in which we do not actively engage in the communication process. Psychological barriers can be addressed in frontal memory between the speaker, the level of trust on the core of the communication, the speaker's conversation and the speaker's observed experiences. We need to understand that Conversation does not exist in a vacuum. When communicating with other people, all emotions and personal biases can be done. Are you in love with these people? Do you have prejudices about what is shown? Does he remind you of others that you don't? Our own thoughts can be one of the biggest obstacles to effective listening. The following are some of the factors that can influence attitudes and personal judgments (Andrew 2021). Prejudice - Our own prejudices against certain groups are not something to be proud of, but we refuse to admit that we are exacerbating those prejudices. Unconscious bias can also mean not paying attention to certain people while speaking. Bias - While similar to prejudice, bias can be very broad. If you know someone is voting for a political party you don't like, or if you already know they're a fan of a rival sports team, you cannot easily resist the behavior. Jealous - Did Mrs. X or Mr. Y get the promotion they were looking for? Did he just land a big contract or sell a lot?. Bored - Nobody is perfect, and sometimes they get bored at the most inopportune times. Boredom with the subject at hand will cause your mind to wander and you will feel overwhelmed by listening this is according to research (Andrew 2021). 15
Entry 6: Intrapersonal Communication and Interpersonal Communication date : 22th April 2021 (week 2) Topics: Intrapersonal Communication and Interpersonal Communication Duration of time spent on this entry: 2 hours Personal reflection Intrapersonal means all about self-awareness and controlling our own internal attitudes and inner processes. I believe everyone did this intrapersonal thingy from time to time. This activity has the power to motivate you. I used to do it during the time I was facing certain issues or conflicts. I'm an independent woman and I take control of my own emotions and feelings. Most of the time I try to solve things by myself instead of asking for help for the sake of self development. Talking to myself helps me to rationalize the issues and keep myself at ease. It also helps me to see clearly my goals to get what I want. Interpersonal skills are skills that you should use when facing another person. I believe that people could talk to me easily because of my interpersonal skills where I'm the type of person that is always straightforward and honest and people appreciate honesty so much. Usually during the interview I will try my best to provide answers and be as friendly as possible. When with my friends most of them said I'm the type of person that you can share anything without being worried about being judged. One of the important things in interpersonal skills is empathy. I don't understand the feelings but I try to imagine myself being in that person's situation. It helps me alot to analyze the situation and give the right reaction and respond to comfort or help my friends. The difference between interpersonal and intrapersonal is that interpersonal is a social skill and intrapersonal is about yourself. Interpersonal skills help you collaborate with others, and intrapersonal skills help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. Both are soft skills that contribute to your personal growth, your ability to set and achieve your goals, and your overall success in your personal and professional life. Good interpersonal skills can increase the ability to communicate effectively and build meaningful relationships with friends, colleagues, and clients. Good interpersonal skills can pave the way both personally and professionally. ( m. 2021a)
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Without good interpersonal skills, it can be difficult to fit somewhere or "read the room" and you can accidentally damage your work environment or create friction that reduces creativity, productivity and value to your team or your company or between you friends Professionals with strong interpersonal skills who know how to work with others. He knows everything from body language to voice, not just the message his words convey. The ability to deal with the feelings and thoughts of others can help you bond with coworkers, motivate and discourage infidelity. Inclusiveness is an important part of building a team, including a culture of growth and encouraging creative thinking. It helps them feel safe to spread ideas. Other than that, the ability to listen to others and make positive changes to ensure a better work environment and help you achieve better results. Responding quickly and clearly to requests for information or concerns will let go of those who frustrate others and show that you value your time, thoughts, and energy. There's good interpersonal skill that being applied in movies that could be an example, in a movie called The Pursuit of happiness, the scene between the interviewer and the candidate (Chris Gardner), he appear in the interview session looking shabby he doesn't have anything except his interpersonal skill. In the interview showing how the candidate reframed the way out of
an impossible
situation. ( the link to the video
https://youtu.be/5mNxBB6uKXc ) and also another example is from the movie Flight, Mike Bundrant a retired psychotherapist commented that making yourself vulnerable is an interpersonal skill It takes practice. There are effective and ineffective ways to do it, mature and immature methods of bearing your soul. In this movie showing the actor Denzel Washington Letting his guard down, admitting the truth and accepting the consequences of his actions – is so rare. ( link to the video https://youtu.be/kuRpCnJ3mLw and https://youtu.be/drRbGumjGcc )
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Entry 7: Applying for a Job – Resume & Curriculum Vitae date : 27th April 2021 (week 3) Topics: Applying for a Job – Resume & Curriculum Vitae Duration of time spent on this entry: 2 hours Personal reflection Growing up this whole time I never knew how important a resume is in the professional world. All this time working various types of work, never feeling needing to create one makes me think a resume is not useful. Until I continue my study at a higher level. Because during the diploma each student needs to provide a resume to apply for an internship. Luckily at that time i was close to the counselor of my college and pretty close as well with the management. They help me alot on creating my resume and curriculum vitae. My counsellor checked everything and assisted me in writing the resume, also providing me with some tips to make sure I created a good resume. One of the tips is, I'm not really active with sports due to my health condition, however I was active in other activities as a student representative council. I've joined a lot of educational programs like leadership courses. It really does help me showing credibility and versatility. This kind of thing seems petty at first for all the students I believe. But it is important to make our resume interesting besides good academic grades. So what is a resume, in research from The Benz and Slack Research (2021), a one- or two -page resume overview of work experience, key skills, and job vacancies. Unlike a curriculum vitae, a resume is used to apply for non -academic jobs. So 99% + of people looking for a job need to learn how to write a resume instead of a curriculum vitae. Continue to emphasize work experience and professional skills, and less weight on the education side (unless you are a recent graduate and have no work experience). In Sundberg's (2020) study, a resume (Curriculum Vitae, meaning "journey of life" in Latin) is a detailed document that can run over two or more pages and contains details of achievements, plus just a career biography. The curriculum vitae includes education as well
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as other achievements such as publications, awards, honors, etc. These documents are usually listed in chronological order and should make it easier to get a complete career picture. curriculum vitae are static and do not change position differently, the difference is in the cover letter.
Figure 7 shows the differences between CV and Resume
According to research, the main difference between the two is that resume and curriculum vitae are the length, purpose and layout. A resume is a summary of your skills and experience on one or two pages, a resume is more detailed and can span more than two pages. A curriculum vitae is assigned for each position, a curriculum vitae is maintained, and any changes to the cover letter are made. The curriculum vitae have a clear chronological layout that captures all individual careers, while the resume information can be tailored precisely to the candidate. I would say that the main difference between a resume and a curriculum vitae is that a curriculum vitae is meant to be a complete overview of your professional background and a resume is a concise, focused list of skills and achievements. (Sundberg 2020)
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Entry 8: Effective Meetings (Types of Meeting;Conducting a Meeting; Agenda & Meeting Minutes) date : 4th May 2021 (week 4) Topics: Effective Meetings (Types of Meeting; Conducting a Meeting; Agenda & Meeting Minutes) Duration of time spent on this entry: 2 hours Personal reflection My whole life, I've been to various types of meetings but to have an effective meeting we need to take a lot of consideration like for example timing, commitment and also the goals of the meeting. And I've tried conducting a meeting before it was tough, especially nowadays with covid19, most of the meetings are virtual which make it twice harder than before because of the internet connection and so on. Sometimes I wonder if there is an effective way for meetings so that everyone is happy. There are various types of meetings. Meetings may be of a different nature depending on formality, purpose, usage, legality, participation, etc. The most important meeting was the first formal meeting. The meeting requires a quorum, the minimum number of people that must be present for you to be allowed to close the meeting. Official minutes of the meeting should be kept, usually with the company secretary. The next one is Annual General Meeting (AGM) AGM is held once a year to assess the professional association each year. All shareholders are encouraged to refer to the AG, but must be given 21 days notice. The third is a statutory meeting. This kind of meeting should be kept close to the board of directors and shareholders to communicate and review the special report. Businesses are required by law to hold a law meeting. Fourth, board meetings are held according to the needs of each organization. It brought together all the directors and was chaired by the chairman of the board of directors. The latter is an informal meeting, an informal meeting is not limited by the same rules and regulations as a formal meeting. Meetings like these can be brainstorming or
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discussion sessions if there is no tight agenda and it is not possible to take minutes. It is also good business practice (iEduNote.com, 2020).
Figure 8 shows a group of people having an informal mock meeting virtually
Conducting a meeting is a pretty tough thing to do, to handle a certain group of people and explaining and reaching the goals in one meeting is something that is not easy to do if there are no guidelines. Most of the workers in a company they all have experienced and also well trained to handle a meeting. According to a study. To get the results of a meeting, everything must be scheduled successfully. You need real management. In order for a meeting to be effective, they must achieve the objectives of the meeting, reduce time, and make all participants feel they have followed a good process. Prior to the meeting, identify key employees needed for the meeting, then appoint, prepare, and share the agenda before the meeting. Dissemination of the agenda and other relevant documents 48 hours prior to the meeting will influence the success of the meeting. Your meetings will also be shorter and more productive. Third, determine the purpose of the meeting. Don’t hold a meeting because you just want a meeting. Provide useful purposes. Set action items, in the same way everyone in the meeting and everyone will see the action items provided. There is no difference in interpretation and who is responsible for assigning responsibility for general implementation. Fifth, prepare the ingredients. This can make the meeting really productive and ensure that
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nothing else is missing on the agenda. Do not waste time. It’s time to be the core of everyone in your office. You don’t want to waste the same time with you. (6 Steps to Success, 2017) according to research (Second Rise LLC, 2021). An agenda is a version of a meeting plan that is shared with meeting participants. The agenda may also contain a list of topics to be covered, the sequence of activities planned, or both. A more complex agenda may contain a detailed description of the topic, including expected outcomes for each item and background documents, as well as reports and recommendations to consider prior to the meeting. The official agenda will also include schedule and presenter information for each agenda item. Meeting planners and facilitators often develop a more detailed meeting plan (or guide for facilitators) that includes process notes, activity descriptions, and a schedule in addition to the meeting agenda. according to skillmaker sites (Richard Bowen, 2013). Without an agenda, meetings can become disorganized and time-consuming. If the reader doesn't know what to discuss - or for how long - the discussion can get messy. This inefficiency can mean that the meeting doesn't work. The agenda helps ensure that the meeting achieves its objectives effectively. The agenda acts as a moderator and agenda making sure readers don't take turns or talk too long and providing a checklist so all topics are covered also makes it easy to take notes to record minutes. In research by the Institute of Corporate Finance (2020), minutes of meetings are recorded during meetings. They highlight key themes discussed, ongoing suggestions or recommendations and activities to be undertaken. Meeting minutes are usually written by a pre -determined group member. The work illustrates exactly what happened during the meeting. Meeting minutes are important because they are used to document key issues encountered during the meeting. For example, an effective minute can indicate a proposed approach to solving a particular problem and the main reasons why members choose one method over another. Meeting minutes can be recorded manually or on an electronic device such as a laptop or iPad. After the meeting, the reporter checks the minutes and corrects them if necessary. Minutes of the meeting were then distributed to group participants. In addition to distribution, minutes are also saved for future use.
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Figure 9 example of minute meeting template
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Entry 9: Conflicts in Meeting date : 6th May 2021 (week 4) Topics: Conflicts in Meeting Duration of time spent on this entry: 2 hours Personal reflection I believe most of the people in the world have been in a meeting at least once in their life. Even a small group meetup is considered a meeting. And meeting conflict is inevitable.in my experience seeing my upper colleagues getting scolded by the supervisor or the CEO itself is an experience that is not rare, because in a small group meeting for assignment there's always an issue of conflicts that we couldn't avoid let alone a larger group of people or larger industry. The issues can come from the internal for example worker itself due to lack of communication or a community weak teamwork. I've seen a few of my colleagues during work a year ago, having disagreements and verbal arguing just to prove a point. And now everytime during group work online meetings are the last thing everyone wants to do, it's excruciating pain for everyone. Conflicts are inevitable but how to avoid it at least ? People disagree, new research shows. People disagree for some reason (De Bono, 1985). For disagreement it happens When they see things differently because of different ideas and perspectives. Many of these differences are generally not significant. Personality differences or conflicting emotional needs can lead to conflict. Conflict arises when two groups or individuals in the same situation see their situation differently due to different parameters, information related to the universe, consciousness, background, disposition, intellect. or point of view. It is clear that the company has different styles, principles, values, beliefs and slogans that determine its choices and goals. When there are different possibilities, people want different things and this can lead to conflict situations. For example, managers who take risks do not fit well with risk mitigation regulators who believe that strict controls and routines are applied (Session 5. Conflict Management, n.d.) Conflicts are inevitable in organizations. However, conflict can be used as a driver of healthy change. In today's environment, several factors create competition; may differ between departmental goals, individual goals, resource use competition, or different perspectives. It must be consolidated and used effectively to achieve the organizational goals. 24
A manager must be able to spot conflicts as they arise and respond appropriately. Managers need to understand the causes of conflicts, the outcomes of conflicts and the different ways to manage conflicts in the organization. With this in mind, managers must develop an approach to resolve conflict before disruptive influences affect productivity and creativity. Therefore, managers must have specific skills to respond to conflict situations and to create an open climate for communication between parties to the dispute. (Session 5. Conflict Management, n.d.) In a research from mindtools (n.d.), Conflict resolution, a conflict required by Depersonalization from the individuals, This involves wording issues so that they focus on what one party doesn't like rather than the person who is proposing the unpalatable option. Another approach is to shift your team’s focus from conflict to “research”. Don’t get angry or disagree with the matter, encourage them to provide information. Use carefully written questions for this. Don’t just ask yes or no - try to explain what’s on other people’s minds. Ask for specific examples and perhaps suggestions so that “unpleasant” ideas can be modified to be more acceptable. In some cases, the desired change may be small. Extra. Eliminate or reduce perceived threats. The main cause of anger or conflict is to let people know that he or something he loves is threatened. They may have the impression that one of the items discussed could threaten their reputation, their rank, their chances of success in their project or their chances of earning a bonus. Last but not least, take things "offline". Sometimes you can’t resolve a situation in a meeting: this is especially true if it’s a sensitive personal issue and can’t be discussed “openly”. In this case, you should acknowledge that you do not agree and arrange a special meeting to resolve the issue later.
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Entry 10: Designing and Delivering Oral Presentations (Planning – Developing OP) date : 25st May 2021 (week 7) Topics: Designing and Delivering Oral Presentations (Planning – Developing OP) Duration of time spent on this entry: 2 hours Personal reflection Professional communication subject gave the opportunity for the student to explore different types of oral presentation. My lecturer gave zero restriction for the student to design and plan on producing our own virtual oral presentation. The experience is fun but at the same time quite stressful. Is not easy to produce a presentation, especially oral in a group. Teamwork is the most crucial thing. If one member could not cooperate or contribute as much as another member it would affect the whole team and not just that most of the team members have no experience in editing a video. But overall it is a fun experience.
Figure 10 shown a screenshot of group 2 oral presentation in instagram @profcommmarch2021
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What is actually an oral presentation ? In research from University of Wollongong Australia (2021), Oral presentations, also known as general presentations or simple presentations, involve individuals or groups speaking to the audience orally on a particular topic. Its purpose is to educate, inform, entertain or provide an argument. Oral performances are seen in the workplace, in classrooms, as well as at social events such as weddings. Oral lecture presentations assess the presenter's ability to effectively convey relevant information in an interesting and engaging manner. Planning and oral presentations. The most important factor for successful presentation of the plan with care, practice and attracting readers. It's a good idea to watch professional presentations online to get ideas about good speakers. See the topic overview. Find out all the pertinent details you need to know about the topics, including when to perform them, the weight of the assessment and how long it should last. See evaluation criteria. What is being evaluated? Analyze the task. Determine the purpose of the presentation. Do you want to answer a specific question? The most important thing is to think of the audience. What do you want with your content and delivery? Map out everything you already know about the topic. Write down any ideas that can be used to communicate or speak to the audience, and list the questions, explanations, and information the audience should ask for. Do your research. Find relevant material, take notes, and don't forget to save any references you use. Organize your ideas. Make a logical presentation so that the information flows smoothly. Try to see the language used. Presentations should be made orally or orally rather than in writing. The spoken language is better understood by the public (University of Wollongong Australia 2021).
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Entry 11: Designing and Delivering Oral Presentations (Enhancing – Planning OP) date : 1st June 2021 (week 8) Topics: Designing and Delivering Oral Presentations (Enhancing – Planning OP) Duration of time spent on this entry: 2 hours Personal reflection I have a few presentations and I don't mind admitting it is difficult. For people who are not born with fluent speech, this can usually cause nervousness. To be honest, yes I experienced it and I can relate. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the last few years is that to be a speaker, it’s very important to develop a personal style of expression. I'm not a good speaker myself. I try my best to be excited and give out jokes but trust me it's hard. But there are plenty of ways to attract an audience besides being funny. What we should do to enhance our oral presentation is that, to attract the people watching, the video or the slides needs to be visually attractive with bright colours. Background song must be according to the theme or topics, for example from the internet on how to produce an oral presentation and there's a lot of examples. There is one video of Bill Gates giving a talk. We can see he manages to catch the audience's attention with a slide behind him and the tone he uses when he talks there up and downs flows to stress on the point ( the link to the video - https://youtu.be/81Ub0SMxZQo ) In a research from the University of Wollongong Australia (2021) Many assessments of oral presentations allow or require the use of visual aids, such as slides, pictures, or props, to add elements of interest to the audience. Remember your visual aids are clear and concise, and make sure the tools are easy to read for your audience. Like for example in a talk regarding The virginity fraud | Nina Dølvik Brochmann & Ellen Støkken Dahl | TEDxOslo ( the link to the video - https://youtu.be/fBQnQTkhsq4 ) we can see the presenter using props to resemble the object that they were talking to make the audience understand regarding the topics while it also helps to gain the attention of the audience. Besides that, Humor makes the
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world go round. So is the business world. After all, no one likes hard work. So even if you're presenting to a "serious" client or investor, don't forget to use humor in your presentation. That doesn't mean you have to joke. It means cheerful, gentle and kind. Is humor not your main point? Does not matter. You can find presentations on how to make presentations with jokes. What else we can take to enhance the presentation is be exciting. You talk about fun. If you think arousal, your audience will feel it and automatically become more interested. Speak with confidence. When you speak, you have authority over the topic, but don't assume you know everything. If you don't know the answer to your question, admit it. Try to defer a mentor or suggest a more in-depth investigation. Connect with your audience. Your interest in interacting with the audience, and they can hear better if you want to speak to them directly. As you mentioned, specify that you give a few seconds to one before moving on to the other. You don't need eye contact with everyone, but make sure to connect them with all parts of the audience (Oral Presentation Tips - Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Grand Valley State University, n.d.).
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