Learning Reflection #1
We live in a diverse society which is composed of people from different cultural backgrounds, beliefs, traditions, and practices. Since I am from India, starting my studies in the country has been both challenging and interesting as I had to begin learning new practices and traditions in the environment. As such, an area in interpersonal communication which I believe would be of great help if I improve on is the intercultural communication. While in school communicating with my instructors and fellow students, I believe that I fail to appreciate both the social and cultural sensitivities of people communicating. For instance, when we are in a group discussion, I sometimes feel disappointed when my group members fail to understand my points and perspectives. Also, I usually consider some students to be too vocal, forceful, and loud in their communication, as this sometimes turns out to be a scary experience as I value polite and indirect communication as an Indian. This is mainly due to the fact that there is a lack of cultural sensitivity as I fail to recognize and acknowledge cultural differences while communicating (DeVito et al., 2016, p.37).
Improving my intercultural communication will significantly contribute to my personal, social, and professional success. I will now be able to create and maintain friends at school as there will be positive interpersonal interactions between my classmates and me and other students. Besides, I will be able to freely, comfortably, and productively interact with my neighbors, acquaintances, and other people I meet and interact with frequently. Improving my intercultural communication will also help me stand out in a competitive interview process. I will be able to demonstrate a positive attitude, a strong work ethic, excellent communication skills, and teamwork in my communication, which are essential for the success of any organization (DeVito et al., 2016, p. 2).
I will work towards recognizing and reducing my ethnocentrism to improve my intercultural communication. My high degree of ethnocentrism has always made me consider my cultural beliefs and values to be more superior to other cultures. To improve on my intercultural communication, I will need to appreciate the fact that we are different, and we need to recognize others’ cultures (DeVito et al., 2016, p. 37). Therefore, I will not only value my desire and belief in polite and indirect communication but also recognize and appreciate other people’s styles of communication, for instance, direct communication. Secondly, I will be mindful of others to ensure there is effective communication among people from different cultural backgrounds. I will ensure that my behaviors, including communication styles and channels, are consciously competent and mindful to others to avoid conflicts and miscommunication during communication (DeVito et al., 2016, p.38).
Reference
DeVito, J. A., Shimoni, R., & Clark, D. (2016). Messages: Building interpersonal communication skills (5th Canadian ed.). Pearson