Overview

• Task: Understand and apply the best practices for each concept of communication we will study in this class and set goals for what you want to get from this course. 
• Purpose: Reflect on what skills are important and where you would like to be. 

Background

Clear communication is an important skill to be successful in the workplace, whether you are involved in sales, management, or just trying to get a job. Before we officially begin learning about each concept of interpersonal communication, reflect on what you think the best and worst practices are in the workplace and what kind of communicator you would like to be. 

Instructions

1. Imagine the ideal and the worst employees in the career you have (or would like to have someday) and the kind of communication skills he or she has. If you do not have a specific field you know you would like to be in, choose a field you might be interested in pursuing. Please choose one specific career.  
2. Use the Concepts of Communication worksheet.
3. Compete all ten concepts of the worksheet by doing the following:  
   • First, in your own words, describe why this is an important skill in this chosen profession. (If you don't have a specific profession decided, choose one that interests you. Make sure you include which profession this is.)  
   • Second, write one sentence about what the ideal candidate in your line of work would be like in that concept of communication.  
   • Third, describe what characteristics the worst candidate would have.
   • Fourth, set one simple goal of how you would like to improve personally. 
4. Submit your worksheet to the W01 Assignment: Concepts of Communication assignment in Canvas.
   • Remember to please use complete sentences.
   • Review your communication for clarity and typos before submitting. 
   • Do not use generative AI to write your assignment for you. This assignment is about you, your perceptions, and your goals. You are the expert. 

Example

Here is an example of one concept:

My career goal— Sales for a small company

Applying this to career— This is an important skill because self-esteem in sales influences how you feel about yourself and this is often reflected in how you treat your coworkers and customers.  

Ideal Candidate—An ideal candidate in sales would be confident in his or her abilities at work but also comfortable asking questions when he or she doesn’t know the answers. 

Poor Candidate—A poor candidate would put down other people so that he or she looks better.  

My goal is to learn how to confidently ask for help when I need to improve without feeling like I am not good at my job.