Underneath It All

How can nonverbal aspects of communication NOT be considered an integral part of a political campaign? In my opinion it is the nonverbal aspects of the current presidential election that’s got everyone in a tizzy.

Questions like, “Who’s a better speaker?” are answered by not only looking at speech quality but nonverbal qualities as well. Is the candidate displaying confident body language?

Don’t you think that Obama and McCain have someone to tell them how to sit and stand during a debate? I know that’s what I’m thinking about when I’m watching….perhaps that makes me weird…or a student of sociology. J

I agree that nonverbal aspects of communication can influence a voter’s decision. I won’t get into who I’m voting for but I can tell you three things:

1. I do not know much about political policy.

2. I recognize just how important nonverbal cues are to overall communication.

3. Quality of communication will influence my decision in this election.

Kopacz, M. (2006). Nonverbal communication as a persuasion tool: Current status and future directions. Rocky Mountain Communication Review, 3(1), 1-19.

The X Factor

I am attempting to get a Master’s degree because of Theory X. Douglas McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y explains how an organization can be managed in two ways.

Simply stated (and embarrassing to say) I am the employee of a manager who exudes every point in McGregor’s Theory X. McGregor hit the nail on the head for me when he mentioned the following assumption of Theory X:

-Because employees dislike work, they have to be forced, coerced or threatened with punishment to achieve goals.

I share with you an exact quote from my manager which is only part of an email he sent to our Account Management team, “As mentioned in the past, I do not appreciate being blind sided by an issue or filled in after the fact and disciplinary action will be taken should this happen moving forward.”

If this statement does not hit Theory X right on the head, I don’t know what does. I still, to this day have no idea what disciplinary action my manager was talking about. What was he going to do, put us all in “time out?” His statement did not motivate our team, it only lead them to feel discouraged.

This example is only one of the reasons why I am working on achieving my Master’s degree. Then, I can get out of this organization in which I am managed by a stereotypical “Manager X.”

Wow, what a depressing blog. Sorry folks!

Shah, K. & Shah, P. (n.d.) Motivation. Retrieved July 10, 2007, from http://www.laynetworks.com/Motivation.html.

Lu is Loco about Listening!

When I first started in on the article I immediately thought about how I had never really considered the listening aspect of communication. I agree with Lu when she says that listening is a skill. It certainly is a skill I need much work on.

Lu says that failure to listen is probably the cause of more interpersonal problems than any other human behavior. As a remote worker I have several different people contacting me through different mediums all day long. Often times I find myself on our instant messaging system and on the phone at the same time, possibly talking to two people at one time. This does not bode well for being able to pay full attention to whomever I’m trying to communicate with.

The result of my not listening often comes to me asking the person to repeat themselves. I know that this must be pretty annoying to some people. I know that my lack for listening is often a consequence of attempting to multi-task--since you can try when you don't have anyone looking. Lu’s statement about the way a person can be perceived as either an effective or ineffective listener rang true in my thoughts. I am positive that some of my colleagues notice my lack of listening skills when they realize that I am typing and asking them to repeat themselves at the same time. I think that I’m a much better face-to-face listener rather than an on the phone or “online listener”. There are so many outside "noises" or distractions that interfere with virtual communication. This is just something I’m going to have to work on as a remote employee. Not only is Lu’s article relevant in my work situation but also relevant in 21^st century communication for the same reasons. Virtual communication is even more complicated than face-to-face listening.

I suppose that becoming more aware of how I am listening (or not listening) is a start to changing my ways.

Lu, J. (2005). The listening style inventory (LSI) as an instrument for improving listening skills. Sino-US English Teaching, 2 (5), 45-50.

Katz, J. (2007). Mobile media and communication: some important questions. Communicaiton Monographs, 47 (3), 389-394.

"It's a Burgh Thing"

Hey "yinz guys",
This is my very first blog and because of that I'd like to open by talking about something that is very near/dear to my heart. "What is that thing?", you may ask. Well, my fellow 704bloggers that thing is football -- but not just any football.....

STEELERS FOOTBALL!

You see, I was born (and raised) in the great city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania which means I was born with black and gold blood coursing through my veins. I am about to share with you a few facts that make the Steelers an organization forever rooted in the history and tradition of football. Perhaps you'll get the Steelers fever and be saying "Yinz" and waving your "Terrible Towel" before you know it.

The Steelers are the 5th oldest franchise in the NFL.

In 1933, Art Rooney purchased the NFL franchise for $2,500.

Originally named the Pittsburgh Pirates (which is interesting), they were a member of the Eastern Division of the 10-team NFL. The other four current NFL teams in existence at that time were the Chicago (Arizona) Cardinals, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears and New York Giants.

The Steelers have played in six Super Bowls, winning five of them, including four in six years.

Dec. 23rd, 1972 marked a play that will live on in football infamy with Franco Harris’ "Immaculate Reception" in the final minute of the Steelers playoff defeat of the Oakland Raiders (13-7)
(click play below to watch this amazing stuff!)

The Steelers have only had 16 head coaches since 1933 and only 3 in the last 39 years.

The Steelers are the only NFL team that sports their logo on only one side of the helmet. Today's helmet reflects the way the logo was originally applied and it has never been changed.

On a more current note and one of my favorite "fun facts"...
Indy's 2007 Superbowl Victory Parade - estimated 45,000 fans
Pittsburgh's 2006 Superbowl Victory Parade - estimated 250,000 fans
Total Population in Indianapolis - 784,118
Total Population in Pittsburgh - 316,718

You see, these are just a few reasons why I love the Steelers. They are so full of history (as is the wonderful city where they are located). If you've never been to Pittsburgh I'd highly recommend it. It truly is a beautiful area (no matter what other "Ohioans" or "Brownies" might tell you). The heart and soul of Pittsburgh certainly is STEELERS FOOTBALL!