Interpersonal Communication and Dynamics Course Discussion

Interpersonal Communication and Dynamics Course Discussion

Compelling Topics in the Course

Communication barriers is among the most interesting topics in the interpersonal communication and dynamics course. From the outset, a communication process may seem like an easy undertaking, but the process of actual communication is often met with communication barriers that alter the intent of the message. The common communication barriers discussed in the course include filtering, selective perception, gender differences, biased language, and many more (Bowman, 2019). The ultimate solution to avoiding these barriers is for the sender and receiver to exchange feedback. A message recipient should ask whether the speaker meant what they have perceived.

Another compelling topic in the course was the importance of conflict resolution. Conflict in a communication process emerges from, among other reasons, political and emotional disagreements. To that end, communicating with the opposition is the best way to resolve these disputes (Bowman, 2019). The course particularly emphasizes the need to listen more about what the opposing party has to say. The art of listening enables one to recognize what is important to the other party, even if one disagrees with them. Also, communication comes in handy when brainstorming about the potential solutions to an ongoing conflict.

Also, the topic of team building and small group dynamics emerged as a critical subject in this course. A group largely constitutes members with a similar set of skills and talent. Nonetheless, there is the issue of power balance in a group since talkative members tend to exhibit more control over less talkative members (Nazzaro & Strazzabosco, 2009). It takes courage to speak to many people, hence the need to manage power dynamics because such power is sometimes unfairly skewed towards chatty members. Also, cultural and personality dynamics emerge, especially if group members have diverse cultural and personality differences. The best way a group leader can harmonize a group is to listen to members at an individual level to discern their needs.

Importance of Group Discussions

Group discussions came in handy throughout the course as they helped me learn more. Sometimes, I had difficulty understanding some course concepts, but these concepts became quite easy to decipher after participating in group discussions. Also, the discussions helped me understand the concepts I had omitted earlier during the regular learning schedule in class. The group discussions also enabled me to generate more ideas about the subject. After learning new concepts from other students, I realized focusing only on the textbooks was never enough. Other students had access to diverse sources, and group discussions helped consolidate the concepts learned from such diverse sources.

Approaches that Yielded Additional Information

Apart from group discussions, approaches outside the classroom could be used to gain additional information. One such strategy is the direct consultation of instructors. To that end, one can approach a few faculty members concerning challenging concepts to seek help. This strategy could offer the benefit of engaging with instructors individually, hence sufficient time to inquire about complex issues. Since communication is an essentially practical phenomenon, a direct meeting with instructors is a perfect moment for them to demonstrate how best one can communicate. Another strategy is mock communication sessions with classmates. These are simulation endeavors whereby students can create a mock real-life situation and apply relevant team and communication dynamics. For instance, we simulated conflict situations and used appropriate communication strategies to solve the issues often encountered in real-life situations.

References

Bowman, J. M. (2019). Interconnections: Interpersonal Communication, Foundations and Contexts. Cengage.

Nazzaro, A. M., & Strazzabosco, J. (2009). Group dynamics and team building. World Federation of             Hemophilia.

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Review and reflect on the knowledge you have gained from this course. Based on your review and reflection, write at least 3 paragraphs on the following:

Interpersonal Communication and Dynamics Course Discussion

What were the most compelling topics learned in this course?
How did participating in discussions help your understanding of the subject matter? Is anything still unclear that could be clarified?
What approaches could have yielded additional valuable information?