It Takes a Village

here is no doubt about it; it takes a village to raise a graduate. I may be a bit early in my assessment, but I promise you that this post is not one of boasting or vanity, but is instead one of humility, gratitude and a great deal of respect.

After a very quick assessment of the past 2 and-a-half years of my life, I wanted to take just a moment to simply say how thankful I am for the faculty and fellow students of Ashford University. I know, without a doubt, that there is no way I would be where I am today (anxiously and patiently waiting for my grade in my final course of my BA in Communication Studies) without the help, encouragement, reflections and constructive criticism of my peers and the instructors who have walked through this journey with me.

Yes, there were a lot of nights with less sleep than I desired and I certainly put in a lot of work and effort to get here, but I want to say with the sincerest and deepest sense of gratitude, that I am forever indebted to the entire University for my ability to look graduation in the face and say, I've finally arrived.

I wish you all the best in your future endeavors  and please know that the life lessons which I've learned while studying at Ashford University will remain with me forever.

Thank you for the memories and God bless.

Jason

Have a Little Help From Your Friends

etworking is a crucial aspect of success in nearly every field.  If you want to be successful at what you do, it is very important that you learn to lean on others within your field in order to grow, learn and develop your skill set. Communications is such a broad field that there are seriously countless organizations which can help you become successful.  The important thing to keep in mind is that like many other things, you can't simply hope to become great, on your own.  Tap into the resources which are available to help you become a successful player in the Communications field.  

Below is a list of (5) of organizations in the area of Communications.  Take some time to look at who they are, their mission statements and also the common goals which they all share.  I have provided their website addresses as well, so you can find out more information about them.  Again, these are only (5) of the many organizations out there, so don't settle for the list that I found helpful, but instead use this list as a springboard to discover organizations which will be a better fit for you personally.  The main thing to keep in mind is that you need to give some serious thought about getting plugged in, somewhere.

The National Communication Association:

According to the description on their website, the aim of The National Communication Association (NCA) is to advance communication as the discipline that studies all forms, modes, media and consequences of communication through humanistic, social scientific and aesthetic inquiry. (What is NCA)

Their primary focus is to support their members, which include scholars, teachers, practitioners. This organization focuses on the promotion of the appreciation of communication in everyday life, whether it is public or private. They also focus on using ethical communication to solve human problems.

This organization certainly sounds like a valuable resource for anyone in the Communications Field and would be an invaluable source for information.

Website: http://www.natcom.org

The Association of Women in Communication:

The Association of Women in Communications (AWC) has a very clear and powerful mission statement. They state clearly that they are a professional organization that champions the advancement of women across all communications disciplines by recognizing excellence, promoting leadership and positioning its members at the forefront of the evolving communications era. ("AWC overview," )

This organization seems to exist to help women navigate the sometimes treacherous terrain in the Communications field. Looking at the FAQ page on their website some of these issues include pay equity, commitment to education, leadership development and recognitions of excellence. This organization is a wonderful opportunity for women in the communications field.

Website: http://www.womcom.org/AWC-Home.asp

International Communication Association:

The International Communication Association (ICA) aims to advance the scholarly study of human communication by encouraging and facilitating excellence in academic research worldwide. (“Mission statement”).

This organization exists for many reasons, but they also lay out several purposes which they feel meet their primary mission. These include:

1. Providing an international forum to enable the development, conduct and critical evaluation of communications research 
2. To sustain a program of high quality scholarly publication and knowledge exchange 
3. To facilitate inclusiveness and debate among scholars from diverse national and cultural backgrounds 
4. To promote a wider public interest in, and visibility of, the theories, methods, findings and applications generated by research in communication and allied fields. 

Clearly by this mission statement and the goals, it’s clear that this organization prides itself in the promotion quality individuals in the communications field. Having a international reputation for the betterment of the field of communications as well as the promotion of quality individuals in this field, I think this organization would be a great resource to personal development and networking within this specific field. Having this credential on a resume would certainly enlighten any organization to the values you probably share with the ICA.

Website: http://www.icahdq.org/

Eastern Communication Association:

The Eastern Communication Association (ECA) prides itself on being the oldest professional communications association in the United States. This organization was established in 1910 and it continues to be a pivotal player in the advancement of communications. They pride themselves on achievement in research, criticism, communication theory, and excellence in teaching.

Like the NCA, AWC and the ICA the ECA exists to continue the growth in communication and those in the communications field. The values and leadership of the ECA along with their presence in advancing communications research and training are all wonderful aspects that make this organization great. Being a member in this organization will easily set you apart from others in your field of study who have not invested into an organization with such a rich and productive history.

Source: http://www.ecasite.org/aws/ECA/pt/sp/p_Home_Page

The Center for Nonviolent Communication:

While this organization certainly is different from the others I included in this post, it does seem to be a good fit. While the other organizations I discussed above all exist to support and promote ethical, fair and safe communication the Center for Nonviolent Communication (CNVC) exists specifically to ensure that communication happens without fear or violence. This organization makes it their aim to promote a powerfully transformative way of communication in a nonviolent way. They promote healthy listening and speaking in a way that makes people feel important, respected and honored. This is an international organization and without question is a wonderful organization.

While few people probably consider themselves violent by nature, we must also understand that people will always approach communication (especially conflict) in different ways. Organizations like the CNVC make it their aim to ensure people are educated and trained about the difficulties of communication and how we can communicate in these situations in an ethical and safe way.

Website: http://www.cnvc.org/

Handling Conflict in the Workplace

andling conflicts in the work place are never easy. As a manager it is crucial that you help lead your team towards achieving the goals of the organization. One of the best ways to accomplish this task is by ensuring all of your employees are on the same page and working together to achieve the goals. When an employee becomes a distraction, either to their fellow co-workers or to the customers, it is crucial for the manager to handle the situation both quickly and effectively. One bad apple can spoil the whole bunch, so the manager bears the responsibility of communicating with the employee to determine if the situation can be resolved or if action must be taken to dismiss the employee permanently. These are not easy conversations to have, but they cannot be ignored or the overall morale of the department and even the organization can easily be affected. 

As the manager, when attempting to deal with conflict, it is important that you not only have a plan but also have a rough idea of how the conversation is going to flow. When dealing with a difficult employee a manager must plan for the worst and hope for the best. If the end goal is a healthy department and organization, the manager must be willing to accept that this cannot be achieves without first putting in the energy and effort to address the problem.

The following steps are aimed at helping a manager deal with a difficult employee.  It is a review of a case study pertaining to an employee who is continuously receiving complaints from fellow employees and outside customers.

Explain how you would approach this employee:

When dealing with the situation laid out in the case study, it is important, as a manager, to ensure you have the facts documented and ready to present in a well-dressed and articulated way. The standards are the same for every employee in the department and more than likely the employee you are having issues with is well aware of them as well. It will be important to keep the atmosphere of the conversation structured while you continue to point this employee back to the expectations and goals of the organization. The approach of your conversation should not be confrontational, but instead welcoming and professional. In order to illuminate walls of defense and promote open conversation, it will also be important to ensure that you approach the employee in a way that does not feel intimidating, disrespectful or demeaning.

Anticipate the employee’s response:

Because there are numerous complaints from both customers and coworkers about this employee's conduct, it is safe to say that a pattern has already presented itself and the issue has been isolated. However, when people are confronted they react in different ways. Some shut down and communication becomes very difficult. Some become aggressive and/or defensive and communication becomes very difficult. Some become emotional and communication can become difficult. Do you see a trend here?  Communication becomes difficult in conflict and you will need to be prepared to handle a difficult conversation. One of the most important things to keep in mind while having this difficult conversation is to remember that it is not personal. You are not personally attacking this employee, but are instead reacting to a steady stream of complaints that have been raised about their work performance and attitude. However, it is still very important that you keep an open mind and try to discover the root issue at hand. If the idea is to deliver an ultimatum and hopefully lead (manage) this person towards change and a successful career in the organization, it will be important for you to ensure that you are giving them time to speak. Let them respond to the information you have presented and make a point to actively listen to them.  Ask questions to try and find out why they are choosing to act the way they are. Is there an underlying issue that needs to be resolved? (i.e. issues at home, stress, anxiety, lack of training etc) If you promote an open and honest conversation, and the employee has any desire what-so-ever to be successful in the organization, then they may be willing to open up and help you understand why things are difficult. At that point you may be able to point them to some solutions which will help them achieve the improvement and/or change you are looking for.

Analyze which conflict resolution techniques you would use:

There are several conflict resolutions which can be used in this situation, but I’d like to touch on a few that seem to apply to this situation most directly. The first of these is, being clear about your agenda. Your stated agenda may be to inform [the employee] about your origination’s expectations and how the employee is not meeting expectations. There may also be a hidden agenda wrapped into your overall objectives and it’s important to ensure that you have a firm grasp on what you are trying to accomplish in the discussion. The clearer you are about your goals, the more effectively you can deliver [the message]. (Davitt, Unknown)

The second conflict resolution technique I would employ is, to listen carefully. Before jumping to conclusions, try to understand the issue fully. During the conversation, make sure you acknowledge [the employee’s] feelings and paraphrase their opinion back to them to enhance your comprehension (Lankton-Rivas, 2008). Regardless if you think you already understand the situation fully, until you have talked with the employee and given them a chance to respond there is no way for you to be sure. There may be other factors at play in the situation that are not as clearly visible and by keeping an open mind and practicing good listening skills you will open up the conversation and pave the way for productive communication. Also, when you take the time to invest into listening well, you will give the employee a fair opportunity to express their feelings and emotions and also help them understand that you are invested into them as a person. When people feel that they have a voice, even in a situation where they may be in the wrong, they are more likely to have an open mind instead of being defensive.

While conflict is never easy, there are certainly steps which can be taken to ensure it is effective. And, we must always keep in mind that the key to handling confrontation productively and successfully is being able to handle the most important factor in it. That factor is you. (Davitt, Unknown)

References:

Davitt, M. (Unknown). How to handle confrontation. Retrieved from http://westsidetoastmasters.com/article_reference/how_to_handle_confrontation.html

Lankton-Rivas, S. (2008, May 14). Overcoming conflict in the workplace. Retrieved from http://www.boston.com/jobs/news/articles/2008/05/14/overcoming_conflict_in_the_workplace/

Miscommunication: It Happens Everywhere Folks

We are all prone to communication failures and/or breakdowns, regardless who we are or what situation we may find ourselves in.

s an avid Patriots fan, I was watching the Patriots vs. Ravens game last night and I couldn't help but chuckle. Communication is so ingrained into our lives, that often times we like to assume we know what others are trying to say and do without investing an appropriate level of effort to ensure we are actually on the same page.

Case-in-point, John Harbaugh was flagged for a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty last night, because the referee assumed he was trying to interfere with the flow of the game. When the referee came to the sideline, coach Harbaugh then pleaded his case that he was not trying to be insubordinate or disrespectful, but instead was attempting to call a time out.

Without question the replacement referees are out of their league and are certainly taking their fair share of criticism and outright verbal bashing form players, coaches and fans. However, looking at how this chain of events played out last night, it really made me think about this very simple fact: we are all prone to communication failures and/or breakdowns, regardless who we are or what situation we may find ourselves in. For me, this situation reiterated the importance of investing fully into a conversation, both as a listener and as the person trying to communicate the message.


Jason

No Longer Grandma's Sewing Circle

Social media has shaped the way people (around the world) communicate, and the rules of engagement in communications are not the same as they used to be. 

ithout question, social media has quickly become the most common way that Internet users communicate with one another. This rapid growth in the past six years has had a major effect on the way customers, organizations and business partners do business. In a survey posted on The Social Skinny, statistic show that 62% of adults worldwide now use social media. Another interesting statistic is that in quarter one of 2012, social media users logged an average of twenty-four minutes per day on gaming apps on social media platforms and mobile applications. So, without question, social media has shaped the way people (around the world) communicate, and the rules of engagement in communications are not the same as they used to be. 

Below, you will find a list of four of the most common social media outlets today. While there are new social media applications being created on a daily basis, one thing is common between all of these applications. People are looking for ways to stay connected, in real time. Whether it be quick blurbs about what they are doing or the freedom to write down their deepest inner thoughts in full length, people now have a desire to share what is happening in their lives, and family and friends are buying into the concept that even though we live in a world of globalization, distance can no longer be a factor in not keeping up with each other.

Twitter:

Twitter is a social media outlet, or a micro-blog which is used to connect users together on various platforms on connected to the Internet. The unique thing about Twitter is that it only allows users to make posts of up to 140 characters. So, essentially this platform us for short and/or abbreviated posts called “tweets”. Twitter has taken on a life of its own, because it has been used for much more than social interactions. Twitter is now used on the majority of media outlets (i.e. news stations, sports stations, radio stations) and has also been used as a primary means of communication in large scale events such as uprisings in Libya, Syria etc.

In 2012, Twitter hailed over 500 million users who generated on average over 340-million tweets per day. Twitter has become the eighth most-visited website on the Internet and its many uses and continue to evolve as many third party companies work to create different applications that link into the Twitter infrastructure (ex: Twitpic, Hootsuite, Tweetstats).

The audience for Twitter is limitless. While it does require some tech-savvy skills, Twitter is very user friendly and doesn’t require much more than a connection to the internet in some capacity (i.e. cell phone, computer, smart phone, iPad)

Facebook:

Facebook is another social media outlet which has evolved quickly since its conception nearly ten years ago. What started as the brain child of Mark Zuckerburg. In his book titled, “The Facebook Effect” author David Kirkpatrick spoke about the rise of social networks, but more specifically the way Facebook completely shattered the mold for the common use of the Internet. An epochal change on the Internet was announced in March 2009 by the Nielsen Company research firm. Time spent on the social networks by Internet users worldwide had for the first time exceeded the amount of time Internet users spent on email. A new form of communication had gone mainstream (Kirkpatrick, 2010). He also gave an impressive statistic about Facebook’s growth in total Internet usage between ’08 and ’09, when he revealed that a study conducted by the Nielsen confirmed that time spent on Facebook had increased 566% in one year.

The audience of Facebook is evolving as well. While it was originally created for student at Harvard, it quickly spread across many campuses in the USA. Once the phenomenon caught on it was opened up to anyone 13 years of age or older. Today, the audience is wide open and global. Companies, bands, individuals and organizations have Facebook pages and are using this social media outlet for many different purposes.

Blogs:

Blogs are still a fairly common way of communication for many individuals and organizations. As we discovered last week, there are many different purposes for blogs. Some are to meet very specific purposes, such as cooking instructions or healthy living etc. However other blogs, like the Huffington Post, are a much larger scale resource which essentially work and run as online news resources much like the big printed paper of old. The blogosphere has evolved greatly over the past several years as well as social media has become the new wave of passing information both nationally as well as globally. Blogs are being developed for many different audiences. While some blogs have a very narrow scope of influence, others have a much larger influence and even a staff of different writers and/or editors contributing to the content.

Vimeo:

Vimeo is another social media outlet, but it has a much less broad scope of influence. While Vimeo certainly interactions with many of the other social media technologies, up to this point it has been strictly a video sharing application. While there are plenty of different account types you can have through Vimeo, the tool continues to be used solely for producing and sharing video. The audience of this resource is anyone who has a desire to share videos online. The quality of the Vimeo videos seems to be a bit better than Youtube and in most cases the videos have a more secure hosting plan unless otherwise setup by the authors. Content can be stored and only shared as desired and therefore it gives the authors of the content a lot more control over who can and cannot access their videos. Vimeo also remains on the cutting edge of design and layout for their customers. While Youtube continues to struggle to keep their user base happy, Vimeo places a great deal of its time, resources, energy and effort into ensuring they are keeping their customers happy. For example, Vimeo worked hard to allow its users to customize the thumbnails used to statically display their video. Essentially what this does is allow the creators the opportunity to take any frame from their video and turn it into a thumbnail to promote their video. Because a video is moving content, it’s important to be able to capture your audience’s attention with customized thumbnails which will better indicate the content of the video. Youtube, who is probably a more well known video sharing application did not have this feature and instead randomly selected frames form the video which it would then allow the creators to choose from. Youtube has since stated that they are working towards allowing their creators to choose and customize thumbnails of their own, but at this point it is still a work in progress (Manarino, 2012).

While there is obviously a battle going on between all the video sharing media services, the one thing that Vimeo has continued to grasp is the strategy of putting the creativity and control in the hands of the creators and owners of the content. When a customer feels empowered to create, freely, they will be more likely to consider Vimeo as a tool to help them accomplish their needs. Vimeo has also worked hard to ensure that they plug into other social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter and Google+ which will allow their customers to share their video content more freely.


Resources:

http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/twitter.com

Kirkpatrick, D. (2010). The facebook effect, the inside story of the company that is connecting the world. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Manarino, M. (2012, August 21). Vimeo has custom thumbnails & why all youtube partners should have them too. Retrieved from http://newmediarockstars.com/2012/08/vimeo-has-custom-thumbnails-why-youtube-partners-should-have-them-also/

We All Have Something to Say

Chances are that you'll be saying way more than you ever thought you would and if you want your viewers to have an enjoyable time reading what you post, then you need to consider them first.

egardless if we're the self-important types who love to hear ourselves talk, or the wallflower who would much rather be playing a solo game of solitaire in the corner of a studio apartment, the reality is that we all have something to say.  The wonderful part about communication, especially in the social media world is that it presents a wonderful platform for people to simply be themselves. With no worries about what you look like, what kind of clothes you wear, whether your hair style is trendy or whether you even have hair anymore it's all irrelevant.  The only thing that matters in the blogging world is whether you can articulate what you want to say in such a way to capture an audiences attention.

I enjoy blogging.  I've done it for several years now and while I haven't captured a wide range of followers, I certainly have found quite a bit of pleasure in this domain.  What I realize a long time ago is that I have quite a bit to say and while I don't find many platforms where I can simply speak my mind without fear of judgment, quarrels or people poking fun at my my shortcomings articulating my feelings...what I've realized about blogs is that they can be both fun as well as refreshing.  I think of them much like I do a journal.  In fact, that's essentially what they are.  A place for to write down your thoughts and feelings in a way that allows you to speak and get things off your mind and your chest.  It can be a very freeing feeling to be honest.

While I've never used a blog as a tool for business or professional purposes, I have learned to have fun and enjoy the blogging lifestyle.  I certainly don't blog every day, but I do find that when I simply need to talk, blogging is a wonderful way to do it.

As our instructor already pointed out, there are definitely some no-no's when it comes to blogging.  Most of these don'ts are geared towards making the viewers time on your blog enjoyable.  Find colors, backgrounds and fonts that are easy to read.  Chances are that you'll be saying way more than you ever thought you would and if you want your viewers to have an enjoyable time reading what you post, then you need to consider them first.  While a certain design or layout may look cool, if it's hard to read then chances are people won't stick around or come back for more.  So, put your viewer first and then make sure that you don't get too busy with the fun things like pictures and widgets.  Other than that, have fun and enjoy your blogging experience.


Jason