This course has been a great help because as Admission Specialist I always thought of keeping my pattern of making interviews.Now I understand more how to flow while having communication with others,how to manage it,and how to balance and go from what seems to be difficult to the easy way of making interview much more comfortable for both,listeners and interviewer. Thanks
Brian, great point here. So when we are thinking of the communication hierarchy it sounds like you are good at the ritual and small talk. The idea is to work through each step and continue to ask yourself where you are in the hierarchy because perhaps more time should be spent in another level. Good luck.
Dr. Jean Norris
I would say I have the hardest time with the bonding stage of the communication hierarchy. I have been blessed with the ability of people tend to feel comfortable enough with me to just start up a conversation with me. It happens virtually anytime I am in public. It drives my wife crazy because it always extends any outing we have. I just always seem to have a problem developing that bond. One way I could improve would be to try to seek out more friends to get more practice at developing bonds with people.
Lorri, thanks for sharing. That is great awareness. Practicing and taking your time can be a challenge, but you are right, once you take the time, the bond will be so much stronger. Good Luck and keep us posted on your success.
Shannon Gormley
The most challanging portion of the hierarchy is bonding. Sometimes I jump to fast to that step and have to retrack. I am going to work on taking my time to reach that step so bonding is more secure. Lorri Brown
Great observations, Faye. It can be difficult to prevent ourselves from jumping to opinions or feelings too early in the relationship - especially when we feel strongly about the topics. It sounds like you'll be cautious when expressing opinions with your students to ensure that you're still able to move up the hierarchy without being "ceilinged" by your students. Great approach.
Considering feelings are only credible when opinions are valued, I think that the "Feeling" can be the toughest part of communication heirarchy for myself. I will have to be sure that when stating an opinion that I dont say something too opininated. A general opinion rather than a belief would be best. THis can sometimes be difficult when you have a strong belief in something.
Opinions can be tricky, Karen. It sounds like you feel comfortable in your ability to build rapport using this framework. What specifically is it about the opinion stage that troubles you the most do you think?
I am very good at small talk and bonding. The area of the communication hierarchy that challeges me most would be opinions. I need to make sure to fully listen to others & not form opinions.
Great awareness to have, Kimberly. Many individuals find that breaking the ice or small talk to be difficult. It's important to understand that the hierarchy provides a framework, so that you can always have a sense of where you are with the student and where you can go next. Continued practice can help make the process easier and impact the individuals you are communicating with in a positive way.
Breaking the ice with someone is sometimes a challenge for me. It's hard to sometimes associate with a student because we as humans get so stuck on appearances or filters, that we don't see the bigger picture. That picture is to help and serve all students as equal and as much as possible. We are their support, and they need us to make them a success in life.
This is wonderful awareness, Antonio. It's funny, small talk is a challenge we see in the communication hierarchy quite often. However, it's typically the opposite of your challenge! One of the most important things, as you said, is being sure that you continue to build rapport and trust throughout. When you take the time to do that you have a greater opportunity of moving up the hierarchy with the other person. Keep up the good work!
small talk is a challenge for me, its not starting the small talk but knowing when to end it. I will admit some times I can get caught up in the small talk, but I see it as me just building trust. I want to work on cutting back on the small talk, but not to the extent trust is not built.
Great ideas, Jason. Thanks for sharing.
There are some topics that most people in this world can relate to:
Pop Culture
Sports
News
Kids
Weather
Vacation
Usually can find mutual interest in any or all of those categories and more.
Jason, that is a great point. While it sometimes is difficult to find that mutual interest, it is a critical piece to bond with a student. What are some way's to found helpful in finding that mutual interest?
Mutual Interest can be a difficult obstacle to overcome for myself. The student today is so diverse it can often be hard to find common ground with them.
I believe we all have mutual interests, it just takes time and effort to figure out what they are.
Great point Middalia. Listening and reading people can be an effective tool when using the communication hierarchy. It sounds like you recognize what to do when "celienged" and how to move forward with a student.
I will wait to hear to what the person has to say look at body language read between the lines stay focus and wait to the person tells me what the problem is and what makes them feel uncomfortable before I give an opinion especially without being asked.
Thanks for the input Middalia. Utilizing the communication hierarchy in sequence can be an effective way to bond with a student. I'm curious, have you been “ceilinged” before when you have expressed an opinion? What would you do differently now?
