Before this course, I was more interested in interpersonal than intrapersonal communication. I perceived the former as the most important form of communication because it entails methods that we use to communicate with others. It did not occur to me that intrapersonal communication is vital because I thought I was constantly communicating with others, not myself. However, my interest shifted after going through the importance of intrapersonal communication. I realized how communicating with myself is critical and how it impacts my interpersonal communication.
I learned that intrapersonal communication is critical in maintaining social adjustment (Jones, 2016, p. 8). Besides, intrapersonal communication is used for self-criticism, self-reinforcement, and self-management, key skills for a good communicator (Oleś et al., 2020). One of my most significant weaknesses has been communicating in a stressful situation. I am always anxious when under stress. In such circumstances, I always find it difficult to convey what I intended to communicate. The anxiety makes me rush over the main points, which I always discover later when I have settled. The situation is frustrating because I am always unlikely to get a second opportunity to convey the message. However, learning the tricks of intrapersonal communication has helped me improve on this weakness. In the future, I will always self-talk to calm down, process emotions, and think through my messages when communicating or planning to communicate in stressful situations. The technique will help me become a competent communicator, regardless of the situation and environment.
Dangers of Inauthentic Self-Presentation
Jones (2016, p. 102) defines self-presentation as revealing or concealing personal information to influence our audience’s perception. Naturally, when we engage in self-presentation, we try to make a good impression of ourselves to others. However, sometimes, we realize that our true self is uninteresting to our audience, making us misrepresent ourselves so that we become appealing to others. After going through this concept, I realized I often practice self-presentation when communicating with my peers, friends, and seniors. I have misrepresented myself in some incidences, mainly when engaging with peers. For example, when having an intellectual argument with my peers, I always want to present myself as informed and intelligent. Such a misrepresentation has occurred, even when I was aware that I was not well versed with the topic under discussion. Even though I have gotten away with such cases of false self-representation, I have learned that inauthentic self-representation can be dangerous in my career as a communicator. As a professional communicator, I will accurately present myself so that my audience can understand who I am. This way, I will establish a culture of honesty and integrity, which are critical values employers consider in communication.
Understanding Others Through Nonverbal Communication
As a professional in the communication field, I will engage with persons who communicate with different intentions. For example, some people will intentionally attempt to distort the messages’ accuracy for personal gains, while others may be unable to communicate sensitive details verbally. However, as a communicator, I should be able to detect such cues and perceive what the communicator cannot communicate verbally (Vrij et al., 2019). Such abilities require an in-depth understanding of nonverbal communication. According to Jones (2016, p. 191), nonverbal communication conveys critical emotional messages than verbal communication. In the future, I will be more attentive to nonverbal communication cues I have disregarded. Identifying nonverbal cues will significantly improve my interpersonal relationships. Elements such as voice monotones, eye contact behavior, and posture will make me better understand the emotions affecting other people. This way, I can show empathy when needed or ease pressure on those who are shy or anxious.
To sum up, this course has critical concepts I will carry to my career, personal development, and interpersonal relationships. The concept of intrapersonal communication will be essential for my self-improvement because it has helped me learn how to remain calm and communicate accurately amidst high-stress levels. Also, I have learned that inauthentic self-presentation can ruin one’s reputation. I must develop a culture of honesty and accurate self-representation. Lastly, understanding others through nonverbal communication cues is critical to forming formidable interpersonal relationships. By applying these concepts, I will be a better communicator, form strong interpersonal relationships, and gain other’s trust in my professional positions.
References
Jones, R. G. (2016). Communication in the real world: An introduction to communication studies. University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing.
Oleś, P. K., Brinthaupt, T. M., Dier, R., & Polak, D. (2020). Types of inner dialogues and functions of self-talk: Comparisons and implications. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00227
Vrij, A., Hartwig, M., & Granhag, P. A. (2019). Reading lies: Nonverbal communication and deception. Annual Review of Psychology, 70(1), 295-317. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010418-103135
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