Essay on Communication in Our Lives

Communication plays an important part in our everyday lives. As I pondered the types of communication and how they affect our daily lives, it is challenging to think of a time when communication was not an essential part of my life. Communication is not only a vital part of our present lives but, also entails and makes up our past encounters and molds our future lives in many ways.

After many years in the military, I remember several occasions when communication played a significant role in my life. The use of both verbal and non-verbal communication formed a vital part of relying upon information from Command Staff to soldiers in the field. Training is critical within the military and the contact applied can and does affect the outcome in every aspect. Military training is often based on one way or linear models due to the need to act now (Wood 2013). Imagine, being a soldier in combat training, you receive an order to proceed to an unclear location. Communication in the military is often relayed on via radio, satellite phones, or other wireless types of devices, often leading to fragmented information being received. This miscommunication or fragmented information in the training area may result in soldiers ultimately placing themselves in a position of danger. I can recall a situation during training exercises round table types where we were given a scenario to perform as a group. Communication should have played an important part but, often within the group, some would make decisions alone which would affect the outcome for all. Simple group communication could have solved the issues; thus allowing for a successful outcome.

Communication plays an import part in both of my current jobs as an emergency 911 dispatcher and the County Coroner. As a 911 dispatcher, communication is vital in receiving and passing information. The use of several styles of communication and listening skills are required to calm nervous or agitated callers. Interaction with callers is important for gaining information from them. The tone of your voice when speaking with the public callers can and does set the tone for the communication of each call. The use of voice inflection while speaking with an individual on the phone can change the response you may receive. If your tone is sharp the call may become short in their answers and unwilling to provide information; whereas if the tone is calm the caller will feel comforted and relay information more accurate and complete. According to Wood (2013), intrapersonal as well as interpersonal communication plays a highly important part in being an emergency 911 dispatcher. Your thoughts as well the way you communicate could make the difference between accurate and non-accurate information to rely on officers in the field. As a Coroner, communication is essential, especially when dealing with families who have just lost a loved one. The tone of voice, body language, and facial expressions all play an important factor in communicating with grieving families. Even with the loss of a loved one, a family will be more acknowledgeable of information provided to them when all forms of communications used in a calming and direct manner. Communication is vital as well as honesty when dealing with families, once they perceive any deceit in connection either verbal or non-verbal their trust is gone as well as any bond you may have established.

Having been in a marriage for over 35 years, I would conclude communication is vital in a happy relationship. The first thing I have found is that intrapersonal communication is necessary for instance thinking before saying something makes a difference. In case one reacts to what is said before thinking the response may lead to misunderstandings or conflicts within your relationship. I would then say interpersonal communication plays the next role. Being able to communicate with your partner is often stressful as we age together we tend to become more acquainted with our partner and the way we share information. I have learned over the years that communication helps to keep my marriage healthy. We share our daily activities with each other no matter how simple they may be. This flow of communications adds value to each others day weather with their job or just what they have accomplished. There are also times within a relationship when you need your space. Often as coupes, we need to know when it is okay to let our partner have their space to do the things they enjoy. This too is a type of communication in which you without saying anything let your partner know it is acceptable for them to have their friends and time with them. As a couple, the one most important thing we have learned together is never going to bed mad at each other as in the morning the same issue is still there. I would say for me my communication styles the way you say something, the tone of what you said, and your body actions say a lot about your relationship expressly in public. People see how you interact with one another and form a general opinion by what those actions say. Couples who hold hands or walk arm in arm are seen to be loving or caring for each other; whereas couples who pay no attention to each other in public are of the seen as to be friends and not necessarily a couple.

I would have to say the one aspect of communication I feel is my strength would be the ability to communicate comfortably with people at both intrapersonal and interpersonal level. That can speak to one or two people openly who I don't know without difficulties are relatively easy for me. The area of communication I would like to work on deals with public speaking. It is my greatest short fall and weakness despite the fact that I am an elected official and am often required to interact with the public and media its hard for me to speak publicly.

Reference

Wood, J. T. (2013). Communication Mosaics: An introduction to the field of communication. Cengage Learning.