Personal Communication Assessment - Research Paper Example

This paper presents a comprehensive assessment of my communication skills in terms of development, strengths, weaknesses, and possible way forward towards improving them. Written communication There are three main communication skills namely verbal, nonverbal, and written communication. Due to the advancement in technology and education system, written communication has become an integral part of the modern society (O’Rourke 32-34). I started written communication the day I entered the first class in pre-unit level.

I have since then perfected my written communication skills and can comfortably communicate in writing. Emails, Facebook, twitter and other technological communication platforms demand excellent writing skills for effective communication. Through daily experience with such platforms, I have perfected this technique. In addition, I find official communication through letters, memos, minutes, and other forms of official communication quite easy. Verbal communication Verbal communication is certainly the most important form of communication.

It is the most widely used form of communication hence requiring a lot of practice and perfection in order to meet the communication demands of modern society. In fact “The ability to deliver and effective talk is one of the most valuable skills you can poses” (Worth 46). . I am excellent in listening, which is an important part of verbal communication. However, the confidence drains away when I have to communicate with high profile persons. The problem gets even worse when I have to address a meeting or congregation of important people or dignitaries.

Nonverbal communication As the saying goes “Actions speaks louder than words.” Body language is an important communication tool when well blended with verbal communication. Body language can either exemplify or annul verbal communication (Hargie 556). I have been working on this skill for quite a long time and I am happy with the results. By consciously controlling body actions, I can communicate effectively even to people with hearing difficulties. Assessment Techniques There is a wide variety of ways in which communication skills can be assessed.

Most of the assessment was done through an elaborate personal reflection of previous encounters and experience in communication. Interviewing my friends and family members was also a very helpful assessment tool since they were in a better position to tell things I did not know about myself. I also recorded some of my conversations with people both face to face and when making calls, listened to them later and analyzed the experience (O’Rourke 168-173). Communication Gaps and Additional Training Perfection does not come without a lot of practice and time investment.

I still find that I have communication gaps especially in verbal communication. This results from erosion of confidence when talking to people with higher authority than I do. I also find it difficult to exercise assertiveness when situations demand. Certainly, I need to invest a lot of time energy and resources towards improving my level of confidence and assertiveness