I was surprised to read that little research has been done in the study of the effect of non-verbal behavior on the American voter. Additionally, the most significant information or concept I garnered from the Kopacz (2006) article is the idea that studies lack current and factual information on these effects. In a time when lawyers hire consultants to learn how to be more persuasive to juries, I would expect any political candidate with an ounce of sense to be extremely aware of how his or her body language and non-verbal cues affect their appeal to voters. If Kopacz (2006) is correct, the communications field is almost two decades behind on studying this issue and has missed out on some major non-verbal behavior! (Including nearly 8 years of the Bush presidency!) However if researchers are now paying attention, the current presidential election cycle should provide enough material to make up for lost time.
I would define persuasion as using specific ideas or concepts to encourage someone to take a specific action. If information-integration is the persuasion theory political campaigns use, it is important to realize that the way people accumulate and organize information about their candidate can result in attitude change (Hamilton, 2008). Therefore, teaching candidates to use positive non-verbal communication helps in persuading voters to take an action of voting for a particular candidate. Non-verbal communication can be anything unspoken such as facial gestures, sounds, body motions, or even lack thereof.
Kopacz (2006) makes an incredibly insightful point in her article. She suggests that the personal character, appearance, and non-verbal behaviors of political candidates tend to be particularly persuasive factors among voters who are uninformed and unfamiliar with the issues, or the candidates’ stances on the issues. An embarrassing example of a non-verbal, persuasive behavior took place a few months ago when Senator Barack Obama received applause when he paused during a speech to blow his nose. Whether or not it was considered non-verbal behavior is subjective, but it shows how caught- up voters are in Obama's persona. His fans/groupies seem to be more concerned with Obama’s race, looks, and charm than his stance on issues; they seem less concerned about the type of job he will do than how he will look doing it.
I am a supporter of Obama and have been pursuaded by his message of change in our country. The manner in which he delivers his speeches, including non-verbal behavior, plays a large part in the development of my opinion. While it’s a concern to consider that our next president may be elected based on such shallow scrutiny by some, the deeper concern is that the scrutiny may not change anytime soon.
References
Hamilton, Cheryl (2008). Communicating for results: A guide for business and professions.
(8th). Belmont: CA: Wadsworth.
Kopacz, M. (2006). Nonverbal communication as a persuasion tool: Current status and future directions. Rocky Mountain Communication Review, 3(1),
Monday, June 9, 2008
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Motivation Anyone?
Shah and Shah’s (n.d.) article on motivation discusses the definition, process, types, and theories of motivation in a very clear and understanding way. If all academic articles and journals were written in this fashion, students would better understand concepts, ideas, and theories overall. Specifically Shah and Shah list 15 different theories. Some of the theories adopt another, but include additional ideas to an original theory already studied. Simply stated, from a personal perspective, motivation is that which drives us to do the things we do, or what makes us determined to do what we either want or need to do.
Most of what the author presented are theories which I do not disagree with, but rather agree that there are many various factors motivating humans based on different wants and needs. The most significant concept I gained from this article is the idea that everyone is motivated in different ways, and no one factor, money for example, can motivate 100% of people 100% of the time.
The types of motivation I subscribe to are achievement, affiliation, and competence. When it comes to my efforts in graduate school, I am motivated by achievement. “Here accomplishment is important for its own sake and not for the rewards that accompany it” (Shah and Shah, n.d., p. 4). As my blog is titled, although not terribly creative I admit, “To Attain a Grad Degree,” sums up my scholarly motivation. The pay-off for me at the end is the feeling that I accomplished something new and significant.
Affiliation motivation and competence motivation are the approaches to my career. “Competence motivated people seek job mastery, take pride in developing and using their problem-solving skills and strive to be creative when confronted with obstacles. They learn from their experience” (Shah and Shah, n.d., p. 4). If ever there were an idea that defined my current job, this would be it. For example, I often receive backward compliments from Harvard and Yale scholars who can be frustrated that I perform as well as I do for them without having their high-end degrees. From this example, I am constantly reminded that I have honed my craft based on many years of experience in a field chosen at the young age of 19. Combined with the competence motivation that drives me is another type of motivation known as affiliation motivation. Believe it or not, these legal scholars I work with can give proper compliments and, given their social status, a compliment from these individuals can and does motivate me in a different way. I often feel proud that I have worked to the potential of the lawyers that I work for and that feeling drives me to continue doing the best I can.
If I fully understand each of the 15 theories of motivation listed in this article, I believe the theory that most applies to my current work setting is Vroom’s Valence x Expectancy theory which is commonly known as expectancy theory. Vroom’s theory focuses on three things: “Efforts and performance relationship, performance and reward relationship, and rewards and personal goal relationship” (Shah and Shah, n.d., p. 11). What is the outcome of an action? How attractive is that outcome to me? These questions are a few thoughts considered in Vroom’s theory. In my case, the outcome is client satisfaction with the law firm. Furthermore, as a contributor, I know that when the client is happy I am more likely to be praised which, in turn, motivates me to perform better. Performing well leads to better performance evaluations and commonly leads to a salary increase. In the firm I work for, better performance evaluations also lead to better work assignments, bigger cases, higher profile clients, and different lawyers to work for.
If I were an unmotivated worker, firm managers would do well to employ Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory and examine the degree to which hygiene factors and motivator factors are being addressed within the firm (tutor2u, 2007). If hygiene factors such as policies, wages, supervision and working conditions are not being met, employees are not likely to find satisfaction in their work place. If motivator factors such as opportunity for advancement, recognition, and challenging work are not provided by the employer, employees are not going to invest anything above average interest in their jobs (tutor2u).
Salary increases are a big motivation professionally, but the additional considerations that come with good evaluations add to my personal goals of being trusted with additional responsibility. Excellent performance fulfills my competence motivation which, in turn, drives me to do what I do at work and keeps me fulfilled personally.
References
Shah, K. & Shah, P. (n.d.) Motivation. Retrieved July 10, 2007, from
http://www.laynetworks.com/Motivation.html
tutor2u. (2007). Motivation in theory - Herzberg two factor theory. Retrieved June 4, 2007 from
http://www.tutor2u.net/business/people/motivation_theory_herzberg.asp
Monday, May 26, 2008
Listening Styles and Personality Connection
Summary
The article Exploring the Relationship Between Listening Style Preference and Personality discusses how the art of listening can be directly related to one’s personality. The four types of listening styles are: people, action, content, and time. Each type has certain characteristics. People listeners look for the commonalities with the speaker and tend to listen with their own feelings. Action listeners are more critical and look for incorrect or questionable information. Content listeners look for the evidence or proof of the information presented. Time listeners are in a hurry to get the most important information from the speaker and move on. As further discussed by Worthington (2003), the type of listener can be determined by individual personality. She discussed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). This instrument assesses personalities in the following categories or pairings: Extraversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuiting, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving. As subjects take the test and end with a score, they are determined to be one type in each pair, which then helps to determine the type of listener they are.
Reflection
When relating this topic to my current work setting, I have learned that listening is more than simply hearing what has been spoken. Actively listening and ingesting what is being said is not as easy as one may think especially when working with lawyers who are poor communicators in general. It is imperative to listen to instructions and then ask questions based on the information that was missing. Directions are often unclear and knowing which questions to ask will bring more information than the original set of instructions. Often the outcome of an assignment is not at all what was asked. According to Worthington, having the type of personality to think quickly and feel comfortable asking helps in being an action/content type of listener (2003).
Realization
I agree that our listening style mimics that of our personality for the most part and further agree that the testing provided in the article would be considered accurate most of the time. However, the MBTI isn’t an exact science and given the type of day one may have, they may score differently if they took it weeks later in a different mind set. I also believe that there are times we listen differently based on the interest of the subject or the reason we are exposed to.
Overall, the most significant concept that I took away from this article was simply the idea that listening can be related to the personality of an individual. This concept is not something I had ever encountered or considered before. I found it fascinating that there is more behind the manner in which one listens than simply being active or passive. Before reading the article, I believed we listened based on our level of interest. However, there are times that we need to listen even when we are not interested at all. This is where I believe we need to adapt in order to better communicate with those around us.
If I were to know the personality types of my coworkers, I may find it easier to improve my professional communication skills. However, now that I am aware that I am an action/content listener, I can easily determine when I need to tailor my listening to the person that I am interacting with. There may be times that I communicate with people in other countries and of other cultures which present challenges of their own. Adapting my listening and communicating should help to break down communication barriers.
References
Worthington, D. (2003). Exploring the relationship between listening style preference and personality. International Journal of Listening, 17, 68-87
The article Exploring the Relationship Between Listening Style Preference and Personality discusses how the art of listening can be directly related to one’s personality. The four types of listening styles are: people, action, content, and time. Each type has certain characteristics. People listeners look for the commonalities with the speaker and tend to listen with their own feelings. Action listeners are more critical and look for incorrect or questionable information. Content listeners look for the evidence or proof of the information presented. Time listeners are in a hurry to get the most important information from the speaker and move on. As further discussed by Worthington (2003), the type of listener can be determined by individual personality. She discussed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). This instrument assesses personalities in the following categories or pairings: Extraversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuiting, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving. As subjects take the test and end with a score, they are determined to be one type in each pair, which then helps to determine the type of listener they are.
Reflection
When relating this topic to my current work setting, I have learned that listening is more than simply hearing what has been spoken. Actively listening and ingesting what is being said is not as easy as one may think especially when working with lawyers who are poor communicators in general. It is imperative to listen to instructions and then ask questions based on the information that was missing. Directions are often unclear and knowing which questions to ask will bring more information than the original set of instructions. Often the outcome of an assignment is not at all what was asked. According to Worthington, having the type of personality to think quickly and feel comfortable asking helps in being an action/content type of listener (2003).
Realization
I agree that our listening style mimics that of our personality for the most part and further agree that the testing provided in the article would be considered accurate most of the time. However, the MBTI isn’t an exact science and given the type of day one may have, they may score differently if they took it weeks later in a different mind set. I also believe that there are times we listen differently based on the interest of the subject or the reason we are exposed to.
Overall, the most significant concept that I took away from this article was simply the idea that listening can be related to the personality of an individual. This concept is not something I had ever encountered or considered before. I found it fascinating that there is more behind the manner in which one listens than simply being active or passive. Before reading the article, I believed we listened based on our level of interest. However, there are times that we need to listen even when we are not interested at all. This is where I believe we need to adapt in order to better communicate with those around us.
If I were to know the personality types of my coworkers, I may find it easier to improve my professional communication skills. However, now that I am aware that I am an action/content listener, I can easily determine when I need to tailor my listening to the person that I am interacting with. There may be times that I communicate with people in other countries and of other cultures which present challenges of their own. Adapting my listening and communicating should help to break down communication barriers.
References
Worthington, D. (2003). Exploring the relationship between listening style preference and personality. International Journal of Listening, 17, 68-87
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Essay on Becoming a Successful Graduate Student
Becoming a successful graduate student means learning how to reprioritize life in general, being open to learning many new things, and working towards a goal. When deciding to enter graduate school at Franklin University, the biggest adjustment came in the form of life style change. Gone are the days of arriving home from work and casually doing the things one would do from day-to-day to maintain life. The weekends that used to be spent unwinding from a tough week, and recharging the batteries for a new week, now serve to finish assignments and fulfill responsibilities geared towards meeting due dates.
As a student who works full time in a busy law firm, it is expected that working under pressure and managing deadlines should come naturally. It does not. Working under pressure and juggling deadlines for a living was a learning process itself. In order to keep the job, receive compensation, and maintain a lifestyle, the learning process went quickly and successfully. Generally speaking, this writer has experienced many occasions where she performs better under pressure. Clearly this is not the ideal manner to approach graduate school and all of the extra pressure that it brings, however, it may prove useful when both work and school deadlines coincide.
In addition to adjusting to a new life schedule and learning to not procrastinate, the graduate student will begin a new kind of writing which involves many new challenges. Performing research using scholarly resources, evaluating those resources for usefulness and reliability, and organizing thoughts into research papers are among a few of the key tools for being successful as a graduate student.
The mere entry into a graduate program means a new goal has been set. As Donahue states, “Make sure the goal you are working for is something you really want, not just something that sounds good.” The sacrifices one experiences as a graduate student will be worth it when they have learned to adjust their life style, become a well trained researcher, writer and presenter, and achieved a goal that they set for themselves (n.d.).
References
Donohue, G. (n.d.). Goal setting: Powerful written goals written in 7 easy steps! Retrieved May 18, 2008, from
http://www.topachievement.com/goalsetting.html
As a student who works full time in a busy law firm, it is expected that working under pressure and managing deadlines should come naturally. It does not. Working under pressure and juggling deadlines for a living was a learning process itself. In order to keep the job, receive compensation, and maintain a lifestyle, the learning process went quickly and successfully. Generally speaking, this writer has experienced many occasions where she performs better under pressure. Clearly this is not the ideal manner to approach graduate school and all of the extra pressure that it brings, however, it may prove useful when both work and school deadlines coincide.
In addition to adjusting to a new life schedule and learning to not procrastinate, the graduate student will begin a new kind of writing which involves many new challenges. Performing research using scholarly resources, evaluating those resources for usefulness and reliability, and organizing thoughts into research papers are among a few of the key tools for being successful as a graduate student.
The mere entry into a graduate program means a new goal has been set. As Donahue states, “Make sure the goal you are working for is something you really want, not just something that sounds good.” The sacrifices one experiences as a graduate student will be worth it when they have learned to adjust their life style, become a well trained researcher, writer and presenter, and achieved a goal that they set for themselves (n.d.).
References
Donohue, G. (n.d.). Goal setting: Powerful written goals written in 7 easy steps! Retrieved May 18, 2008, from
http://www.topachievement.com/goalsetting.html
Summary of Resource Evaluations
When evaluating resources for validity, reliability and usefulness, the first consideration should be the author’s intended purpose for delivering the information. Were they trying to sell a product or service? Were they biased in their view of the information presented? Resources can be professional, academic, or opinionated. In evaluating the assigned resources, the author’s credentials, bias, and purpose were considered. More credibility was given to those authors whose credentials were of academic status, had professional experience in the topic area they were writing about, and showed little or no bias.
A resource is considered to be useful if the information provided pertains directly to the topic area being researched. If it speaks specifically to one point or another it is more helpful than if it is written as an overview. A source is considered accurate particularly if the information it provides is consistent with other sources that address the same subject. Whether the author is biased is another consideration. An opinion that agrees with the researcher’s position will be useful, but evaluating the information on accuracy is even more important. Just because the information is what one may want, it doesn’t mean the source is credible. Therefore, particular attention should be paid to agreeing sources.
Wikipedia and encyclopedias are generally not good sources. While Wikipedia appear to provide current and interesting information on a topic, it cannot be regarded as credible because its content can be altered by the general public. No professional experience, expertise, or credentials are required to add or alter a Wikipedia entry. Encyclopedias, however, can provide good information, but their information is typically dated and not terribly in depth. Using the reference sources that these resources cite may prove useful, but only after a thorough evaluation of that research has been conducted.
Overall, it is important to know how to evaluate resources in graduate school because much of the work done is based heavily on research. If the resources are not evaluated then research used may be inaccurate or unreliable and therefore result in poor performance at the graduate level. Regardless of the type of source, accurately referencing and citing the information is of the utmost importance. Failure to do so can be considered plagiarism and students can be placed on academic probation or expelled from their program. The ideas, theories, and work of an author does not belong anyone but the author, and that author deserves to be credited when their work is used. Additionally, should professors or other readers of graduate papers want additional information about a topic that has been written about, they should be able to go directly to the sources of the research. Lastly, in graduate school, it is expected that students not simply write papers based upon their opinions and experiences, but to write papers based on actual in depth research.
Many graduate students will go on to become leaders of corporations, industry, and even society. Thus, it makes sense that, in preparing for potential leadership roles or simply advanced career positions, graduate students are held to a higher level of accountability than undergraduate students. The use of academic references and scholarly sources is integral to this preparation and to meeting the standards that graduate students are held to in school and will be held to in the professional world.
A resource is considered to be useful if the information provided pertains directly to the topic area being researched. If it speaks specifically to one point or another it is more helpful than if it is written as an overview. A source is considered accurate particularly if the information it provides is consistent with other sources that address the same subject. Whether the author is biased is another consideration. An opinion that agrees with the researcher’s position will be useful, but evaluating the information on accuracy is even more important. Just because the information is what one may want, it doesn’t mean the source is credible. Therefore, particular attention should be paid to agreeing sources.
Wikipedia and encyclopedias are generally not good sources. While Wikipedia appear to provide current and interesting information on a topic, it cannot be regarded as credible because its content can be altered by the general public. No professional experience, expertise, or credentials are required to add or alter a Wikipedia entry. Encyclopedias, however, can provide good information, but their information is typically dated and not terribly in depth. Using the reference sources that these resources cite may prove useful, but only after a thorough evaluation of that research has been conducted.
Overall, it is important to know how to evaluate resources in graduate school because much of the work done is based heavily on research. If the resources are not evaluated then research used may be inaccurate or unreliable and therefore result in poor performance at the graduate level. Regardless of the type of source, accurately referencing and citing the information is of the utmost importance. Failure to do so can be considered plagiarism and students can be placed on academic probation or expelled from their program. The ideas, theories, and work of an author does not belong anyone but the author, and that author deserves to be credited when their work is used. Additionally, should professors or other readers of graduate papers want additional information about a topic that has been written about, they should be able to go directly to the sources of the research. Lastly, in graduate school, it is expected that students not simply write papers based upon their opinions and experiences, but to write papers based on actual in depth research.
Many graduate students will go on to become leaders of corporations, industry, and even society. Thus, it makes sense that, in preparing for potential leadership roles or simply advanced career positions, graduate students are held to a higher level of accountability than undergraduate students. The use of academic references and scholarly sources is integral to this preparation and to meeting the standards that graduate students are held to in school and will be held to in the professional world.
What am I doing?
That is the question I have been asking myself for four weeks now.
As I post this blog, I find myself reflecting on the weekend. My mom at the age of 59 graduated with her master's degree yesterday. Talk about a roll model!! I've been working in my field since I was 19 and I'm ready for a change sooner rather than later. Why in the world didn't I pay more attention when she was complaining about "APA"?
So the answer to my own question is, I'm trying to "attain" a graduate degree. It's far more complicated than I thought it would be. Like everyone else, I'm a working adult with a family and friends who are incredibly supportive. Working 65 hours a week on average doesn't allow me to be a 4.0 student, so I couldn't be more happy that I'm in a class with like-minded people who are all in the same situation.
Beyond the hours of preparation for class each week, I find my biggest challenge is the way I research. I've been trained to research in support of a position (or in support of a client's case) so researching objectively on a given subject, and presenting both sides is beyond difficult.
My goal: one class at a time - one trimester at a time. Hopefully I'll be done before I'm 59!
As I post this blog, I find myself reflecting on the weekend. My mom at the age of 59 graduated with her master's degree yesterday. Talk about a roll model!! I've been working in my field since I was 19 and I'm ready for a change sooner rather than later. Why in the world didn't I pay more attention when she was complaining about "APA"?
So the answer to my own question is, I'm trying to "attain" a graduate degree. It's far more complicated than I thought it would be. Like everyone else, I'm a working adult with a family and friends who are incredibly supportive. Working 65 hours a week on average doesn't allow me to be a 4.0 student, so I couldn't be more happy that I'm in a class with like-minded people who are all in the same situation.
Beyond the hours of preparation for class each week, I find my biggest challenge is the way I research. I've been trained to research in support of a position (or in support of a client's case) so researching objectively on a given subject, and presenting both sides is beyond difficult.
My goal: one class at a time - one trimester at a time. Hopefully I'll be done before I'm 59!
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