Three Major Lessons I Learned from COM 2206 Class

Communication plays a significant role in every aspect of our lives. I took an Interpersonal Communication course that I could not help but think would not be beneficial to me in one way or another. The experience was whole, as it exposed me to new terminologies and ways of thinking. I enjoyed how the class progressed and the steps we went through throughout the interpersonal communication. I keep reflecting on each method and term I learned in the material, as there are three major lessons I learned from this class in particular. The major three lessons I learned from this class are communication skills, conflict styles, and the difference between hearing and listening.

               First, there is no overstatement when I say that the class helped me directly overcome the lack of communication skills before taking the Communication class. I struggled to communicate with people in giving and receiving constructive feedback until this class. Studying the material helped me overcome all these obstacles I had in communication. I learned to watch my language, as I learned it is subjective (Adler et al. 139), and every word I utter may be understood differently by my friends and the people with whom I deal. Moreover, the language is ambiguous, so I have to use my nonverbal skills to emphasize the real meaning behind my words. Further, I started noticing my nonverbal communication; tone, facial expressions, posture, body language, and   physical appearance. 

              Nonverbal communication, ​​“Messages expressed by nonlinguistic means” (Adler et al. 166),  reveals more about what I mean behind every word. Being aware of nonverbal communication facilitates a better experience of communication. On the other hand, I am now aware of the nonverbal skills that I have to understand the meanings behind their messages, so no misinterpretation takes place from my side, which helps keep the relationships intact. What we learned in chapter six caught my attention of how nonverbal communication is presented and explained, taking every component to the next, deeper level. 

            This way of thinking paved the way I think about the idea of the reason behind this communication in the first place. I keep thinking of the reasons for my conversation with my friends and family. Stating the reason before our eyes helps me choose the communication component to achieve the goal of healthy communication. 

            Second, what I found the most helpful is learning how to deal with conflicts. It helped me step aside and look at the conflict from another perspective, to look at it from the other’s point of view. Further, by doing this, I can resolve my distresses better and in a short period, preserve my relationships. Chapter 11 presents the styles of conflicts and how each one affects my relationships directly. 

              By learning about all the conflict styles, I learned to choose the win-to-win style. Compromise “gives both people at least some of what they want, although both sacrifice part of their goals” (Adler et al. 331). This style keeps everyone in the relationship or the communication parties satisfied, as no one has to lose, and the  scientists who presented those styles also emphasized this idea.

 

          Third, I started differentiating between listening and hearing and implementing them in my life, especially in my relationships. Listening is “the process of receiving and responding to others’ messages” (Adler et al. 197). ​​While hearing is “the process in which sound waves strike the eardrum and cause vibrations that are transmitted to the brain” (Adler et al. 198). So knowing the difference between these two terms helps me use each in its proper context.

             Another lesson I learned from communication class, and I am grateful for, is that it taught me some manners that do not have to be academic. I believe manners are significant lessons learned from material that no one highlights.Taking the assignments and submitting them on time helped me to be disciplined. Discipline is the core manner that organizes all aspects of our lives. I believe that this is a life lesson that will accompany me all the way in my life, as it will help me in my job and future businesses. 

           Overall experience taught me to reflect on the knowledge and terminologies I gained to better communicate with myself and others. I aim to improve the lessons I learned from the Communication class throughout my life. I will always yearn for this experience, making sure to reflect each part of it in my life. Further, I highly recommend taking this class not only to improve the way of communicating, but also to maintain our relationships; family, friends, and partners.

Works Cited

Proctor, Russel F., Adler, Ronald and Rosenfeld, Lawrence.Interplay: The Process of Interpersonal Communication. New York: Oxford University Press, 23 May 2021.