One definition of myth stated by Dictionary Com. (2020) is “an unproved or false collective belief that is used to justify a social institution”. As you explore the basic of communication, you might have encountered in your readings of this module several ideas that run counter to your belief or knowledge. Communication as social construct has its own share of weakness in terms of its definition and process. Sostrin (2013) identified several myths of effective communication and he provided several explanations to support his claims. We shall begin to read and critic Sostrin’s claim on myths of effective communication. He asserted the following as pure myths about communication: Communication is just an exchange of information and ideas. To get it right, you have to listen well and speak clearly. Effective communication is inevitable with well-designed conversations. You have to know what you want to communicate and have clear message for every interaction. Communication only occurs when others are present. The active periods of communication take place when people are together (i.e., at meetings, etc.) and it goes dormant when people are not in direct conversation. The more you know about other people’s preferences and types, the better you’ll be able to communicate with them. Good communication follows a process, and if you follow the right steps, you’ll get good results. Once you get the hang of it, you can take the same communication approach into every situation. It takes a lot of time to repair dysfunctional communication dynamics and their aftermath. One person can’t do much about communication at work because the organization culture dictates what happens. Things are so complex and fast-moving; there is no clear starting place for change. Sostrin identified the ten myths of communication. To support his claims, he advanced the following concepts in re-making communication at work. Communication is made by complex patterns of interaction. To get the results you want, you have to learn the chemistry, physics, and design elements needed to re-make unwanted patterns. It is not about listening and speaking as much as it is about making the communication patterns that shape our working lives. Effective patterns of communication and interaction are not the results of good conversation. They are formed by coordination episodes of interaction and making desired choices at the critical turns that come together to shape the pattern. How people communicate is not as important as why. It helps to know what you want to say and what messages you need to deliver, but those things alone do not shape our experience or produce the outcome we get in communication. Communication is in constant motion at all times and we continuously enact our patterns when we make meaning and coordinate actions with others – before, during, and after faceto-face interactions. Assessments that measure style and type explain part of the picture, but can distract from seeing the powerful stories that give structures to our patterns. Communication is unpredictable. Staying present in the moment reduces pressure to perform according to certain rules and process steps, which keeps you open to seeing the communication as the fluid, generative process that makes our every day experience. Nothing stands still and every pattern of communication and interaction varies. Principles can hold true, but approaches to seeing and making diverse patterns of communication vary by contact situation. Patterns of communication and interaction are held together by strong forces that make them easy to sustain, but hard to change. In the right conditions, patterns of communication can be re-made in an instant or they can be sustained for a lifetime. You get what you make and you make it in communication. If you get the pattern of communication right, you can create different experiences. Culture is simply experience over time. The first skill you need is the ability to spot the critical moments where your patterns of communication are made. If you can spot these moments, you gain leverage to make something better within the turns and episodes that give structure to the larger patterns of communication and interaction that make your experiences and outcome at work. Which of the ten myths surprised you because you have gotten used to live by this concept of communication? What does Sostrin suggest generally about myth in effective communication? Which of the ten “remaking of communication at work” you find convincing? Why? What does Sostrin suggest generally about the “remaking of communication at work”? From Sostrin’s concepst of communication, what communication principle can you draw out of his claims?
One definition of myth stated by Dictionary Com. (2020) is “an unproved or false collective belief that is used to justify a social institution”. As you explore the basic of communication, you might have encountered in your readings of this module several ideas that run counter to your belief or knowledge. Communication as social construct has its own share of weakness in terms of its definition and process. Sostrin (2013) identified several myths of effective communication and he provided several explanations to support his claims.
We shall begin to read and critic Sostrin’s claim on myths of effective communication. He asserted the following as pure myths about communication:
- Communication is just an exchange of information and ideas. To get it right, you have to
listen well and speak clearly.
- Effective communication is inevitable with well-designed conversations.
- You have to know what you want to communicate and have clear message for every
interaction.
- Communication only occurs when others are present. The active periods of communication
take place when people are together (i.e., at meetings, etc.) and it goes dormant when
people are not in direct conversation.
- The more you know about other people’s preferences and types, the better you’ll be able
to communicate with them.
- Good communication follows a process, and if you follow the right steps, you’ll get good
results.
- Once you get the hang of it, you can take the same communication approach into every
situation.
- It takes a lot of time to repair dysfunctional communication dynamics and their aftermath.
- One person can’t do much about communication at work because the organization culture
dictates what happens.
- Things are so complex and fast-moving; there is no clear starting place for change.
Sostrin identified the ten myths of communication. To support his claims, he advanced the
following concepts in re-making communication at work.
- Communication is made by complex patterns of interaction. To get the results you want,
you have to learn the chemistry, physics, and design elements needed to re-make unwanted
patterns. It is not about listening and speaking as much as it is about making the
communication patterns that shape our working lives.
- Effective patterns of communication and interaction are not the results of good
conversation. They are formed by coordination episodes of interaction and making desired
choices at the critical turns that come together to shape the pattern.
- How people communicate is not as important as why. It helps to know what you want to
say and what messages you need to deliver, but those things alone do not shape our
experience or produce the outcome we get in communication.
- Communication is in constant motion at all times and we continuously enact our patterns
when we make meaning and coordinate actions with others – before, during, and after faceto-face interactions.
- Assessments that measure style and type explain part of the picture, but can distract from
seeing the powerful stories that give structures to our patterns.
- Communication is unpredictable. Staying present in the moment reduces pressure to
perform according to certain rules and process steps, which keeps you open to seeing the
communication as the fluid, generative process that makes our every day experience.
- Nothing stands still and every pattern of communication and interaction varies. Principles
can hold true, but approaches to seeing and making diverse patterns of communication vary
by contact situation.
- Patterns of communication and interaction are held together by strong forces that make
them easy to sustain, but hard to change. In the right conditions, patterns of communication
can be re-made in an instant or they can be sustained for a lifetime.
- You get what you make and you make it in communication. If you get the pattern of
communication right, you can create different experiences. Culture is simply experience
over time.
- The first skill you need is the ability to spot the critical moments where your patterns of
communication are made. If you can spot these moments, you gain leverage to make
something better within the turns and episodes that give structure to the larger patterns of
communication and interaction that make your experiences and outcome at work.
- Which of the ten myths surprised you because you have gotten used to live by this
concept of communication?
- What does Sostrin suggest generally about myth in effective communication?
- Which of the ten “remaking of communication at work” you find convincing?
Why?
- What does Sostrin suggest generally about the “remaking of communication at
work”?
- From Sostrin’s concepst of communication, what communication principle can you
draw out of his claims?
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