What Is the Most Significant Thing I Learned During the Time Period Covered by This Assignment?

Reflection Paper #1

Chapters 1 & 2

Josh Jarrell

Professor Youngkin

Business Communications

October 21, 2016

What is the most significant thing I learned during the time period covered by this assignment?

        I think the most significant thing I’ve learned is how much actually goes into getting your initial point across correctly and accurately. I never realized just how many things can affect how your message gets across. I never considered there was more to it than just what I was saying to someone and the other person receiving it. The “Self-awareness, Self-management, Empathy” diagram really opened my eyes and helped me understand what all goes into my message better.

        I learned in the book that complete and total accurate communication between two or more people is unlikely because a variety of factors create distortion. The way we try to communicate and the way a person receives it can be completely different and if we don’t keep that in mind our message could be taken all wrong.

        I also learned that noise doesn’t always mean literal noise. Noise can be anything that interferes with the ability of your message being received. The book says it can be various types of distortion that reduce accuracy which can be introduced in the exchange between the source and the destination. I had never considered noise before and sometimes I would get frustrated when  I couldn’t understand why my message wasn’t being received the way I tried to send it when really, more times than none it was probably the noise I didn’t consider.

        In Chapter two I learned how much our clothes even communicate for us. Clothing is an artifact that communicates important meanings. Dressing can communicate status and power. In Chapter two in “Understanding the Interpersonal Communication Process” it tells us that those in power were concerned about preserving their social ranks. In the 1400 and 1500s it even came down to what colors, what types of clothes, type of fabric and accessories were allowed at each level, which limited that of which the lower class could wear. These codes identified appropriate attire for those in the higher class and individuals in the position of status and power.

        Sometimes clothing can be an indication of your profession. Successful people in virtually every business have developed a look and image that says success. I think people draw all sorts of snap conclusions about character, personality, reliability, social status and intelligence on how we dress. Something that seems unfair like you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but people aren’t necessarily mistaken in forming impressions based on something superficial.  Which could also go right along with dressing to fit in.