This was an interesting insight for me I asked a coworker to evaluate me and my 23 year old son. The most interesting was the anxiety of communication, when I enter a conversation that deals with uncomfortable issues I am very nervous, often times I will write down different responses so I can self monitor my response. I don't always have time for that so I was pleased to hear that others perceive me as comfortable in those situations. This does however point out that I often enter communication of a sensitive nature with a goal in mind, therefore I am not truly actively listening because I have an agenda.
A comparison where my evaluators and I had the same score was what type of listener I am, I was grouped in #1 people-oriented. I really thought I was more action oriented in my work because the days are so busy and there is not often time for empathic listening. The description for group one is that I have clouded judgment because I am very trusting of others, this is right on.
As a director and teacher I need to be able to listen to others and trust in myself that I do not have to prove that I know what I am talking about by interjecting my own experience and knowledge. Often in early childhood education we are struggling to prove this is a viable, worthy field. I have gotten in the habit of making sure others know that I know what I am talking about, which has clouded my listening skills.
Many lessons to be learned!
Tina
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you have had an epiphany. Thank you for sharing this information it has given me a different perspective as I encounter people who consistently interject their own experiences and knowledge of the early childhood field.
Christina,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your post and I can see from your post that it influenced your way of thinking. I too received the score of being people-oriented, which also caused me to be shocked but I thought I was the complete opposite. Hopefully we all can learn from the test and become better communicators.
Sha'Keema