Running Head: MY MOTIVATION
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My Motivation for More Effective Communication
Jami Lester
COM 321
Instructor Andrea Moak
February 28, 2011
MY MOTIVATION
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My Motivation for More Effective Communication
“Words kill, words give life…you choose” (The Message, 1995). I choose to have my
words be life giving. There are many aspects that motivate me to study communication beyond
this choice I make in how to use my words. I will share a little background and past
communication experiences that have helped guide me to study communication, the
motivation that has developed, how gaining a greater understanding of communication will
benefit me, as well as the definition of Trenholm’s communication I most identify with and why.
There are certain traits within my communication habits that have been present for as
long as I can remember speaking. As a child, I remember continually being criticized to speak in
full sentences and not to talk in circles. It seemed that the more I was told this, the more
unnerved I became and the more I continued to speak in circles. This has carried into my adult
life and while I do not get as unnerved, I would like to be able to speak and communicate in a
more clear and precise way. It is my hope to become better spoken through more clear and
organized thoughts. Another characteristic in my communication history is enjoying debate
over a wide range of issues and being willing to be confrontational, when necessary. My
greatest fault in these situations: while I may be spot on with the words of my communication,
it is my approach that I see turns ears off. When any person’s approach is inappropriate, it no
longer matters what they have to say. The only thing people are taking in is that approach, not
the words or the point. While I believe passion is a great asset in good communication, that
passion must be controlled on some level if you expect your listening audience to actually hear
you. While I have made many changes in my own heart and character to improve these
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shortcomings, it is my hope that through studying communication, I “will gain a greater
understanding of how communication works and, in the process (I) will begin to develop more
control over the way (I) communicate” (Trenholm, 2011).
While my past experiences and self-evaluation of personal communication has been a
great motivator to study communication, there are several other factors. I have had an interest
and joy in the past, studying in the field of Communicative Disorders. Through this period of
study, I gained an interest in studying language and phonetics and even the psychology and
social aspects that surround communication so heavily. I hope to understand more about how
communicators’ “mental sets” (Trenholm, 2011) influence sending and receiving. My
motivation is rooted in a desire to have a positive and effective influence on the people and
world around me through communication.
Gaining a greater understanding in this field will be very beneficial in an overlapping way
in my personal and professional life. I have already stated above how it will benefit my
personal life. As for my professional life, I enjoy written and spoken communication and hope
to write professionally with purpose. If I can improve the areas of my personal flaws, I will be
able to be more effective, professionally. As Sarah Trenholm states, “Knowing how to
communicate clearly and effectively will benefit you no matter what career you choose”
(Trenholm, 2011).
“Spoken symbolic interaction is the process by which people use words and other
symbols to create meaning and to affect one another” (Trenholm, 2011). This is the most
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accurate way that I attempt to use my words in all settings of my life. People affect one
another every moment with all aspects of communication.
In studying communication, I hope to understand how to better communicate in a way
of choosing to create life in myself and the people around me. Between my past that has
created motivation and the benefits it will bring to fulfill my definition of communication, I
hope to “leave school knowing…ways of improving style and delivery…” (Trenholm, 2011): just
as one of Aristotle’s students.
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References
Peterson, E.H. (1995). The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs,
CO: Navpress Publishing Group.
Trenholm, S. (2011). Thinking through communication: An introduction to the study of human
communication (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.