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07
Oct 21

The Importance of Communication Skills

Communication skills are a major component in the everyday life that we live in. According to an article, “Interpersonal skills were defined as the ability to work on teams, teach others, serve customers, lead, negotiate, and work well with people from culturally diverse backgrounds” (Parton, 429). We grew up learning communication skills from family, friends, and teachers and continue to expand our knowledge on communication skills as we get older. Since we are young children we learn through school and family the importance of communication skills. Throughout adolescence, skills are expanded and are expected to be better. Careers as well require everyone to have communication skills that build up their work career. Communication skills are like active listening, respect, friendliness, confidence, public speaking, and many more.

Since childhood, we learn many different communication skills that are a big part of our life. Some communication skills are like respect, friendliness, active listening, confidence, etc. According to the textbook, “Semin (2007) suggests that communication is the most fundamental topic social psychologists can address because it represents the foundation of social life” (Gruman 271). communication is a very important aspect in our life. Going to elementary school we learn to develop communication skills like respect and friendliness. We learn how to respect teachers, students, parents, and any person. For example, as I was a child, my school used to require a course in which we learned the importance of these skills in our daily lives. Respecting a teacher helps a student get good grades and have great communication with teachers and faculty. While students, for example, do not respect a teacher and keep talking over the teacher and not listening, it causes communication to become more difficult with each other. Another communication skill is friendliness in which as we are young we are more innocent and we become friends with other students easily. This skill helps students communicate with each other easily and being able to work with groups. If a student is not liked, he or she might be bullied or no student would want to be friends with him or her.

As we grow older, our communication skills expand and relate to our life even more deeply. We continue to learn different communication skills as we grow older. In college, we learn how to develop confidence, independence, and being open minded. Through specific courses, for example, we learn how to speak properly using the proper language, as well as having proper gestures. I took a communication course last semester where I developed more communication skills and learned how to speak more properly through presentations and group work. Through the presentations I was to express my interest with my words of choice but making sure I used the proper language and gestures while presenting. As well as giving me confidence through the presentation and speaking in front of a class. College also teaches a person how to become independent and be open minded through the different courses that we take. Being open minded helps a person think outside of the box.

College allows us to expand our skills and apply them to our work fields which require us to have certain requirements. For example, if a person wants to work as a translator or a teacher then good language skills are required in order to expand on to other students that are being taught. Another job that requires a skill is like a doctor in which confidence in yourself is important because you have to be confident in yourself to have a procedure done on another person. These skills apply to every career there are with many different communication skills. Study “found 49% of entry-level ads included requirements for basic skills related to communication, including reading, writing, listening, and speaking” (Parton, 430). The most important skill in the work field is body positivity and talking skills (whether verbal or non-verbal). Our gestures in the career field are important to have a positive communication set with others. Connecting to the ideas that we learned through the textbook, we notice the importance of verbal, non-verbal through messages that are being coded and decoded.

Communication skills are the process in which we give information and we receive in return through verbal or non-verbal gestures. These skills are being implied to our life since we are children through family, friends, and schools. As we grow older our skills that we learned, like respect, confidence, friendliness, continue to expand on in our lives. Colleges allow our skills to expand and become more prominent in our daily lives. Our communication skills continue to grow with us and fall in the work fields which help everyone in their communication asset with others. These skills are very important in our daily lives, whether in school, home, work, or anywhere. What are some communication skills that you think are most important to you?

 

References: Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2017). Applied social psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. SAGE.

Parton, S. R., & Kinnick, K. N. (2005). Workplace communication: What the apprentice teaches about communication skills – Katherine N. Kinnick, Sabrena R. Parton, 2005. Retrieved October 07, 2021, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1080569905282099?casa_token=00lX3YLPq4EAAAAA%3AwIfxspcDV0JV6h8gZyLd38RJkm9QgyuLSZfX7ftXEbrV4qbc1dlBVCtnS_VyTCqPa_nDD-gw_AVN

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06
Oct 21

Forming, Norming and Performing

The idea that as a team we can enhance each other’s successes is such a profound thought. Once we become a part of team and offer up some of our greatest assets, we can go even farther with a little help from fellow team mates. Magyar, Feltz, and Simpson found that the self-efficacy beliefs of players were related to their beliefs in the efficacy of their team (i.e., team efficacy). (Gruman, 2016)

I recently used the example of being on a 400 meter relay team as a way of explaining my thoughts on developing team behaviors. What I did not explain is that I also ran the 50 meter dash and the 100 meter dash, individually. I had very different ideas of how I was going to approach the two scenarios. When I was responsible for my own race and my own personal performance, forming, norming, were the least of my concerns.

The team dynamics are apart of the forming aspect. As teammates repeatedly interact, information (which might not ever be explicitly articulated) is learned and shared so that the players perform better together. (Gruman, 2016) The norming is apart of each persons responsibilities and then performing is what everyone is expected to do. When you are performing individually, the person you are thinking about is you and your best record. Even though I was rooting for my relay team all the way, I had to switch gears and focus on my personal achievements.

www.allproreels@gmail.com — from the Washington Football Team vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers at FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland, January 9, 2021 (All-Pro Reels Photography)

When you are on a team such as a relay team, collectively the ideas of the entire group must be taken into account. You need to be mindful of how you approach conversations and how you may come off. When I was running individually, it was just me and the track. When it was my individual races, I didn’t care if I was liked or if someone respected me. It’s such a mind blowing idea that you have to take the “you” out of team.

 

Applied Social Psychology : Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems. Jamie A. Gruman, Frank W. Schneider, and Larry M. Coutts. SAGE Publications. 2016

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04
Mar 21

Cohesion in Small Military Units

Group cohesion is one of the most important attributes inherent in successful small unit (i.e. team) military operations, at least in my own experience. When I reference small unit, imagine a four to ten soldier team (the latter referred to as a squad, or up to a ~30-person platoon/~120-person company) maneuvering harmoniously through a field. Or kicking in an insurgent’s door, and flowing room to room through the dark interior of a hostile house until they meet their target. If applied social psychology has taught us anything about organizational and sports teams it is that cohesion has a strong positive correlation with performance, especially task cohesion (Gruman, Schneider, and Coutts, 2017, p 181). If group and task cohesion is important when sales numbers or playoff births are on the line, imagine how important unity and working together proficiently is when it is the lives of you and your team members on the line.

Military personnel rosters are constantly changing, whereby familiar faces are promoted or transferred to other units or duty stations, or exit the military service altogether, and their absences filled by young privates or lieutenants fresh out of their initial training or new faces in general. As well, the branches of the United States military, like the nation it serves, is a diverse melting pot consisting of individuals from all walks of life. The men and women one conducts training with for up to a year or more might not all be the same that end up going off to war with them. Therefore, social cohesion can be a slow roll, and ebb and flow, as bonds are made, and tempers boil over, much as they can with any team. Much to the last point is the fact that the racial make-up of the United States Armed Forces is well representative of the American population. In my experience, whites predominantly makeup most of a unit, followed closely by black and Latino, and thereafter by a smaller percentage of races and ethnicities that do not fall into any of those constructions. Despite such background and racial differences, Widmeyer, Silva, and Hardy (1992) found that athletes reported “social and racial similarities to be of minimal importance toward the task and social cohesion of their team” (Gruman et al, 2017, p. 185). I have found the same to be true in my experience, of course, and if anything, it is diversity that fosters greater depth of experience and helps to avoid group think. Moreover, the bonds that are formed through shared misery and hardship that can be the crucible of training, and war, help to strengthen the social and racial cohesion of smaller military units.

Despite the bonds infighting still does occur within even the tightest knit of military units. It may even occur because of how close the groups are, both in shared space, duration, frequency, and duration (and often because of too much testosterone and bravado (in all male units); and sometimes too much alcohol). Nonetheless, task cohesion can prevail despite upward and downward trends in group social cohesion. Task cohesion can remain high, in a well drilled and trained group, because roles are clearly defined, and role clarity amongst members, where the expectations of individuals and groups is reinforced and rehearsed. When role performance is lacking, or even when carried out in flawless precision as planned, military units stimulate performance growth and reinforcement (whether positive or negative/reward or punishment) through routine feedback.

Few organizations or teams find success without effective communication. Imagine how unlikely it would be for the five best basketball players to play together if they were not able to call for passes, or signal for a pick and roll. Or between a baseball pitcher and catcher to know what the next pitch will be; or for the runner on first to know that his third base coach wants him to steal second. Just the same, effective communication within and between small or larger sized military units is key to their “exchange of resources,” as Roloff (1981) defines it (Gruman et al., 2017, 197) to enhance coordination and ensure comprehension. I like to think that the military has mastered nonverbal communication, the best that can be done without delving into actual sign language anyway, such that I can lead a small group through many different combat scenarios with only the use of hand and arm signals and no verbal communication at all. While the universality and proliferative use of hand and arm signaling is effective toward task cohesion in tactical situations, it is the congratulatory fist bump in triumph, the pat on the back for a job well done, or the hugging embrace of another member in the worst of situations that highlights the effectiveness of nonverbal communication toward social cohesion, and social cohesion in general, within the small units and the profession of arms.

Reference

Gruman, J., Schneider, F., and Coutts, L. (Eds.) (2017). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN 978-1-4833-6973-. pp. 181, 185, 197

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26
Feb 19

3 Characteristics of a Strong Team Member

We all have worked on a team one way or another, whether it has been for a group project, for your occupation, or even a sports team. It is something that we can relate to others about. But what truly makes a strong team? Is it due to an effective leader or is it due to each one of the group members individual attributes? Here are a few characteristics that every team member should possess:

  • Reliability/ Commitment to the group
    1. You have to be committed 110% if you want to get the job done. No matter what the reasons are for the individual to be on the team in the first place, you have to show that you are reliable enough to follow through. This includes  meeting up with your teammates at your designated time and making adjustments to your schedule if needed. Being a hard worker will really show if you put the effort in. A selfless teammate will put the team first, before themselves. They will do everything they can to help the team to succeed.
    2. Being flexible with meeting times will help your teammates incase there are scheduling issues.
  • Great communication
    1. Schneider, Gruman, and Coutts (2005) state that effective communication helps teammates in improving their team performance especially in developing a superior functioning team.
    2. Having effective communication can also help one to reach their goals. Goal setting is an essential component when trying to make a strong team (Schneider et al., 2012). When setting one’s goals, try to keep the goals as relevant, challenging, and realistic as possible. Remember to note if the goals are short-term or long-term goals (Schneider et al., 2012). Research has shown that goals help an individual in the development of new strategies, while helping one to pay attention to certain aspects of their own performance (Schneider et al., 2012). Overall, this helps to increase one’s efforts toward striving for a specific goal.
  • Another form of communication to other teammates is nonverbal communication. This can act as a form of motivation for your teammates and can help boost their confidence. A few types of nonverbal communication between your teammates are high fives, hand piles, and team hugs (Schneider et al., 2012).
  1. Some distracting signs of nonverbal communication include body swaying, bad posture, and not maintaining enough eye contact. However, if your team effectively communicates then the main message will be that much easier to understand.
  • Confidence
    1. If there’s no confidence in yourself, how will you get the job done? Your confidence will effect your performance and how you carry yourself.
    2. Be self-motivated and passionate about your work.
      • A efficient teammate shouldn’t wait for others to give them directions, they should be the one to do their share of the work without someone telling them too. Being self-motivated may show other teammates that you have a certain drive and dedication to your team and in reaching your goal.
      • Encouraging others will help empower them. Remind others how to reach the main objectives, the end goals, the main mission, and vision because it will show others of your team it has a purpose (Saylor, 2019).

These characteristics will help you to make you in becoming a better teammate. By being self motivated, being a dependable team player, being honest, having passion in what you do, and by communicating it effectively to your teammates will truly help in the development an effective team. Settings goals will help in the long run because it shows that you are focused on reaching them. Being honest with teammates about things that might not work will help them with improving themselves for the team by understanding their weaknesses and strengths (Yost & Tucker, 2000). In order to create a strong foundation with your team, you have to be ready to have difficult conversations with members by having open effective conversations with your members (Saylor, 2019). Actively listening will also help one with the development of one’s trust and even by encouraging your teammates with empowering messages can help you to get that much closer to your goal. Being a team player requires dedication, a lot practice, self-motivation, and passion for the team/ project (Saylor, 2019). By following these three characteristics, anyone can become the best team member they can be.

References

Saylor, T. (2019). Teaming up for success. Journal of Accountancy, 227(2), 14. Retrieved from http://ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/docview/2176184493?accountid=13158

Schneider, F.W., Gruman, J.A., & Coutts, L.A. (2005). Applied Social Psychology: Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Yost, C. A., & Tucker, M. L. (2000). Are effective teams more emotionally intelligent? Confirming the importance of effective communication in teams. Delta Pi Epsilon Journal, 42(2), 101. Retrieved from http://ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/docview/1297786949?accountid=13158

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21
Feb 18

Team Cohesion Leads to Success

A team is a small group of people with a common goal, all of whom have a skill to offer on the quest to obtain the goal (Nelson, 2018).  Teams are proving vital to organization success for several reasons.  As society progresses and modernizes, the work that organizations perform is also progressing, and becoming more in-depth and complicated (Nelson, 2018).  As a result, more individuals are needed to complete tasks that work together to achieve a common goal.  Furthermore, as organizations expand, progress, and offer specialized products or output, workers with more specialized skills are also needed (Nelson, 2018).

As you can tell, teams are the pieces that really make the wheel go round.  But what if some pieces were damaged?  What if some pieces didn’t quite fit?  The wheel might not go round, or if it did, it might not move as efficiently as it could.  For this reason, team cohesion is greatly important.

Cohesion can be described through four unique elements.  First, cohesion possesses multidimensionality, and consists of various factors that help to forge the bond in the team (Schneider, Gruman, and Coutts, 2012).  Cohesion is also notably dynamic, and is witnessed to have a special element to it (Schneider et al., 2012).  Affectivity within cohesion is also important to recognize, as members of the team have their own feelings about the team and the common goal (Schneider et al., 2012).  Finally, cohesion is instrumental in the sense that just because a team member might not agree on all accounts with another team member, their common goal is still the same (Schneider et al., 2012).

Contributing to cohesion is accomplished through both individual and social factors.  One’s personal attitude and performance is important to the team performance, and these factors can influence one another (Schneider et al., 2012).  For example, imagine the team captain of the hockey team, charged with motivating his fellow teammates, as well as directing and guiding a lot of the action on the ice, shows up to practice and games always in a bad mood, and never putting in his best effort.  His performance, and lack of effort, can spill off onto the teammates as well.  Under the same scenario, the teammates are not affected by their captain’s poor attitude lately, but are instead picking up his slack.  This in turn motivates the captain to put in more effort for his team.

On the topic of team and cohesion, and using this same scenario described above, the team epitomizes cohesion when they do indeed pick up the slack for another teammate, and still drive on to achieve their common goal.  Roles are also relevant within a team.  In fact, research has suggested the importance of role clarity, acceptance, and performance on cohesion (Schneider et al., 2012).  When every member of the team knows their job, accepts it, and performs their job well, cohesion is better achieved.

Within an organization, teams are often formulated to achieve various goals  throughout, which also later may even help to further larger goals, and those may help further even larger goals, and so on.  Organizational goals can be plenty, although are usually concise.  When a team is put in place to accomplish a task, it makes sense that a team that works well together would be the most effective.  It is important to note that cohesion and success can still be acquire even when team members are not fully alike, or do not fully see eye to eye.  As the saying goes, “it takes all kinds to make the world go round.”  It also takes all kinds to make the team wheel go round.

 

Nelson, Anthony, PhD. (2018).  Applied Social Psychology Course Commentary.  Presented on PSYCH 424 Course Content site lecture at The Pennsylvania State University.

Schneider, Frank W., Gruman, Jamie A., & Coutts, Larry M. (2012).  Applied Social Psychology:  Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems.  Second Edition.  Thousand Oaks, CA:  Sage.

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