During the creation and refinement of my video, I quickly realized that
the verbiage I use on a daily basis in a military environment differs greatly from
the communication style used in the civilian sector. As I began rehearsing, my
wife often mentioned that there was terminology or jargon I used that she did
not understand. This made me recognize the challenge I faced, adapting my
language for a broader audience. The feedback I would provide myself is to
focus on understanding my audience and tailoring my message accordingly. I
cannot assume my normal environment and experiences would be transferable
or understandable.
When I received feedback from my peers, I found myself in agreement
with all comments. One common point mentioned was my lack of visual aids to
emphasize or strengthen my message. Once I watched the first peer
presentation, I immediately recognized that my video was missing just that.
Both pieces of feedback emphasized the importance of visuals in helping the
audience grasp key ideas. This would have supported my own feedback as
mentioned above. In the Army, we typically rely on trackers of structured
templates as our main visual sources, and I did not think to include anything
outside of those. This was an important learning lesson for me, highlighting the
need to adjust not only my language but also my presentation style.
Receiving constructive criticism or feedback has become a normal part of
my life over the last 12 years. The military environment encourages resilience
and openness to critique. After every briefing, training event, or exercise, we
conduct a routine after-action review or feedback session to identify areas for
improvement and sustainment. Due to this, I have learned to view feedback as
an opportunity for growth rather than a hindrance. Overall, I truly appreciated
this assignment, as it afforded me an opportunity to share insight into
experiences and challenges faced by service members while improving my
communication skills in a civilian context.