Week 2/13-19: Public Communication: Part 3

A skill in public communication is needed in almost every career, if you want to succeed to a high degree. As the textbook argues, public communication is a skill necessary in the managerial positions. Not only does one have to have the skill, but the information spoken should be clear and concise.

Early in my insurance career I did not have to have the public speaking skill. I was able to come into work, sit at my cubicle, take my demanded lunch, and leave on time. That was short lived since I have the drive to success and to always learn more. I moved from one department of insurance to another. In the new department, I was told I would have to give live presentations and web based presentations.

At first I was terrified. I had already taken my public speech class, argumentation & debate class, and was a leader in another communication class, but this was work. I would have to talk to people about insurance. I had to talk to people who were older and who were CEOs, CFOs, and founders of Bay Area companies. I was terrified. Nonetheless, I took on the challenge. Now, it has been almost three years, and I can talk to anyone about employee benefits in any crowd. Now I can take this skill to any professional career in the future and will be more likely to be hired as a manager than a representative.

Fact: More people have a fear of public speaking than a fear of dying!

Week 2/13-19: Public Communication: Part 2

A well-known speaker that comes to mind is Martin Luther King, Jr. His strongest characteristics during his speeches were bravery, persistence, patience, and leadership. Along with those characteristics, Martin Luther King, Jr. absolutely had the influential enhancements of a speaker. MLK had credibility, in that he related to his audiences, and would speak on intelligent topics/discussions. He spoke at many different locations and had the persistence to make his “dream” become reality. MLK had attractiveness, since he would dress in respectable attire (suits) at almost every speech. His leadership skills translated into power. He would speak anywhere with an audience of two people or two million people.

Ethos in the context of speakers is, the impression that audience forms of the speaker’s character. People respect MLK during his speeches and their impression of him grew. He attracted so many people the later speeches had to be done outside. He led a movement, and this could not have been done with a lack of character. He was loved by many, and is remembered by all.

Week 2/13-19: Public Communication: Part 1

I have definitely been influenced by a speaker. There have been motivational type speakers, school speakers, graduation speakers, and others. The speaker that has been most influential was a teacher at West Valley Community College, Mike Burke. He teaches the Human Relations course, and has made one of the biggest impacts on my life. He speaks clear, concise, direct, boldly and makes people feel important. The term he used for making people feel important was being a “people artist”. We can all become this, but it takes practice and a conscious mind to do so.

The worst speaker was a Blue Shield of California representative that was scheduled for an insurance webinar. There were many insurance brokers and clients on this particular call, so the pressure was on. This man stuttered, spoke with a soft voice, and had numerous technical errors. The speaker and the presentation were so bad, I decided to end the call and wait for the PowerPoint to be sent. To be honest, I do not remember much of that call, except it had to do with employers putting premiums on employee’s W-2s.

Definitions, Models & Perspectives: Part 3

In the evolving perspective of our culture studies have shown persuasive aspects and have shown to be hugely political. Through our cultural perspectives we see the discursive acts/text and power and the relationship with acts of communication. As this is seen with our culture today, I think it is safe to say we can also understand the invisible communication with mass media communication. It has a message that does not make it present to the public, but if researching you may see its connection and power to control.

An example of this would be commercials for political debates, or commercials for children. During the political campaigns, someone will be most likely wear a suit and tie. Although we may not be aware the red tie represents power while a blue tie symbolizes peace. You may think the blue tie is the weaker of the two, but it soothes the audience which makes the person wearing it seem calm, collected, and at peace. These are all symbols we have created in our cultures and are evolving every day.

Definitions, Models & Perspectives: Part 2

The third perspective, the pragmatic perspective sees communication as patterned interaction (Trenholm, p.24). The example used on page 32 of the text is a great way to show how communication is a patterned interaction. When someone is nice, kind or accepting, you will generally respond back in the same way. If the opposite is expressed, than you will most likely respond the same way. It is a never-ending pattern of interactions between two or more people.

The way this model is described is exactly like a game. Every action is important and every action will have certain interpretations and expectations of the next move. Each player is affected by each move and need one another to play. Each relationship has rules and even not participating is playing the communication game. Your partner/player is the only needed part for the game.

It is not like a game because the perspective does not explore the option of culture and individual personality. This model looks only at the patterns but does not request data for intentions, desire, need, etc. Also, no questions are ever asked what happens to the game when it is no longer located on the board. These things are very important in our lives and need to be questioned.

Definitions, Models & Perspectives: Part 1

When discussing communication there are numerous types of models that have been founded. In Chapter two of our textbook, it discusses four vastly different perspectives. The social constructionist perspective focuses and views communication as a process of world building (Trenholm, p. 24). In this perspective we build our worlds through their surroundings and the groups’ ideas- mostly through culture. Also, in this model four basic cultural tools are utilized to mold the reality we create. The bottom line of the social constructionist model is people do not come from our experiences but rather through communicate directed at us.

An idea we discuss in American culture that may not exist in many others is the problem of obesity. There are starving countries all around the globe yet Americans have a problem or overeating. We have signs in our restaurants and advertisements pointing to the gluttony in America, Chris' Outrageous Chocolate Cake at the Cheesecake Factory, and Outback’s Chocolate Thunder from Down Under.

The concept of the American culture being drowned in food is hurting us. We cannot see past our own disgusting overweight lives to understand many people are suffering in the world. If communication creates individuals like the social constructionist perspective states, than we are creating a blinded reality. It is the norm in most of the U.S. to eat as much as possible and even chuckle at the idea of walking on a treadmill or eating a leafy salad.

Comm Rocker-105P

Religion and Rhetorical Study

I am not a religious person, so to read in our textbook that history has shown a declination of rhetorical study due to the rise of Christianity saddens me. Science and rational thought were suppressed because religion bestowed itself upon us. I try to imagine how the world may have been different if this were not true in all of our history. We should strive to be successful and communicate thoroughly with others. This was not the case with the fall of the great Roman Empire.

During 354-430, there were preachers who believed that natural signs in our minds were real. If we thought love and linking this thought to the color red was a thought created by God. If we rationally thought about this method now, we would laugh because we know this is erroneous.

It is important to read history and understand where our knowledge once was. This is important because it can show us in a few more hundred years that we can become more knowledgeable. People in the future may laugh at us because we thought aliens created our world, and that two of each species could fit on a boat.

The Communication Tradition: Part 2

To be an orator you do not have to be morally good, unlike what the Greeks believed. Many of the greatest public speakers in history were not good people. Adolf Hitler led Europe into fascism and early in his career was a politician. His ability to speak convinced the Nazi Germans to kill many people during World War II. He was not a morally good individual, yet was an orator for the Nazis for many years.

Another unmorally good person is the recently deceased Kim Jong Il. North Korea has a reputation of an unhealthy mass population, and a country that only has one person of great power. If you, a citizen of North Korea, speaks ill of the leader, Kim Jong Il, you could be imprisoned with hard labor for years, and your entire family could also be imprisoned. The thought is, if you are corrupt then your whole family must be. In your house, you cannot hang pictures of anyone but Kim Jong Il, and you must think he is God-like. Is this a morally good person? I think not, but he is the only public speaker of that country.

Good people tend to want to do well by people, so they seek to speak the truth. People, who are not moral or good, want to twist the truth to their own advantage, so are unlikely to speak to truth. Public communication to both a good and not good person is important. Each person has their agenda and whether the truth is important or not, they need a following to act out their goals.

The Communication Tradition: Part 1

One speaker I admire is my boss, Jeff. He is a person who worked in the corporate USA world for most of his life, and decided to build his own company while sitting on a plane on the way home from a meeting across the country. He was a way from his family and did not want his life to be sucked away by his career. He is a charismatic man with the born ability to sell ice to an Eskimo and get a refund from a stripper (true story). Due to his Ethos, or personal skill of persuasion, he was able to create a successful insurance brokerage.

I on the other hand, do not have the personal skill, but do have the ability to arouse emotions in order to persuade my audience.

Aristotle’s classification scheme works for Jeff and me. However, I do think another scheme could be added to represent not simply for the logic side, but the intelligence skill to persuade.