Non-Verbal Communication

1. What is one thing you do well - that has a positive impact on your communication/relationships with others? Give an example.

I am a really good listener. I always have been. I listen to what people have to say, give them ample time to talk and ask questions that help them to open up more or understand what they are going through. I have always been someone that people felt like the could talk to.

2. What is one thing you need to improve - that has a negative impact on your communication/relationships with others? What will you do this week to improve?

Although I am listening, I sometimes give the impression that I am not, by doing other things with my hands. I am a fidgeter and I suppose it sometimes gets in the way of my communication. I don't like to sit still.

3. What did you enjoy most about your nonverbal "field trip" with the class? What are two of your personal observations and conclusions?

I loved watching the reactions of people when we did something out of the norm to see how people would react to non-verbal communication. For example the guy in the bookstore. 2 people came up on either side of him and crouched down and started passing things between his legs and then I came up and stood right behind him with my back to him looking at the bookshelf. We essentially had him blocked in and he panicked a little and took off, we didn't need to say anything but we were still communicating.

a. I noticed that people react sometimes very strongly to the non-verbal communications even though we don't say anything.
b. I decided that it is fun to use non-verbal communications to help get our point across even more. I especially loved how some people didn't even notice that my sweatshirt was on backwards and other people had to do a double take. Sometimes I guess we don't really notice our backgrounds.