Analyze your Communication Skills: Other Cultures, Demographics, Co-Workers, and Students

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I am generally able to get my point across to people of many backgrounds. I do not make assumptions based on ethnic background or culture. I like to hear what others have to say, even when their views are different from mine. I possess excellent communications skills in providing explanations or directions for others on how to do something. I am patient and open to questions others may have within a conversation or presentation. While I come across as being confident when I speak, others are often not aware that I may be nervous or apprehensive. Sometimes this apprehension or anxiety causes me to ramble a bit. Others have made the comment that I occasionally tend to speak too much.

While I come across as being confident when speaking and communicating with others, I have been told that I can appear to talk above others or use vocabulary that others are unfamiliar with. This can make others feel inferior at times. I must learn to tailor my speaking or presenting skills to address the varied educational levels of my audience. Because I possess excellent teaching and instructional skills, I should be able to make the same considerations in personal conversations with others or with groups of others that I make for my adult learners in the classroom.

I enjoy speaking with older adults and tend to address them very formally. Often they appreciate this and I believe that they will let me know if they prefer a less formal tone, upon being addressed. I like to hear about the experiences of older co-workers, in order to gain further insights into attitudes or processes that may be helpful in my work. I have quite a bit of interest in the differences in cultural backgrounds. I show genuine interest in the backgrounds of others, by asking questions about customs and beliefs, which may be applied in the professional setting. ...