Blog #1 12.05.08

Chapter 36: Common Threads in Comm Theories

While reading the Motivation Thread, I really was able to connect with the NEED FOR CONTROL.
It says that “The excessive need for control exhibited by powerful group and organizational leaders is what makes critical theories necessary” in reference to Deetz’ theory. (473)Furthermore, in muted group theory Kramarae discusses how men are muting women through language and its rules.
The reason I feel so connected to this thread has to do with my employer. I don’t feel as though I am being micro-managed, or that someone is trying to control me necessarily. I feel that due to the loss of our branch manager, a lot of the employees have lost their approval limits and authority for transactions. In a bank this is a big deal, especially when it comes to customer issues and their resolutions.
Our District Manager has decided to attempt to micro-manage the branch until we can find a new branch manager. It is obvious to everyone that she doesn’t trust our decision making based on her actions. She has taken away authority and made it mandatory that she be called or email before proceeding with any approval. It is going to be an interesting 2 weeks, or possibly more. I know that patience and communication are key to success in this situation. A positive way to look at this situation is that while the District Manager is in the branch and making so much contact with us, it presents a great opportunity to stand out and be a star. I hope that I can prove that I am self motivated and make good business decisions.

Blog #1 11.14.08

Muted Group Theory:
I first thought: "how interesting." I never considered women in cartoons and what the illustrator was portraying women to to say and do. The results of the research were surprising.
I don't consider women to be a muted group. As we saw with the political elections two women representing both sides of the isle running for President as well as Vice President. I know I shouldn't base my entire view on one arena, but I feel like the politicians represent the majority of the people they represent, whether that be a woman, an African American, or Homosexual... and so on. The people would not elect the individual if they didn't feel that he or she would represent their values, beliefs and opinions.
When Kramarae talked about masculine language, I could totally agree with that. A lot of the language we use today, especially the metaphors used are very masculine. I dont see our language as being balanced between men and women.

Blog #2 11.01.08

McCombs Interview:
I really like the conversation around media and its effects. I worked at a newspaper for a while and it was very interesting how the writers decided on what stories would be printed in the paper.
I would hear them hash out what the target demographic of the newspaper was, and how the story was relevant to one of those particular readers.
I really like the quote that McCombs has that says "Don't tell us what to think, but what to think about." I can really see that in the newspaper media I worked at. There would be an un-bias opinion (most of the time) and facts around the story.
When McCombs started talking about the bias, or lack there of, I was surprised that he felt that the lean was more on the conservative side. But as he said himself, there hasn't been the right research around the bias in the media.

Blog #1 11.01.08

Chapter 28: Agenda Setting Theory
What a great chapter for the times we are in!
I often wonder how a person can even make it into office if the media is not on their side. Like Obama for example with all of the help he is getting in this election. This was a great theory for me to consider because it is based on whether the media effects the people's agendas or the people effect the media's agendas. The quote that stood out for me was on page 363: "people are not automatons waiting to be programmed by the news media."

This made me really take a step back and think about how I felt about Obama and the media's support. I also thought about the props in this election. People want to know what the candidates beliefs and plans are, and they want to know what the props are really about. Should we rely on media or do our own research? I think the majority of research we would be doing would be sources of news media, but if we use our discretion we should be able to find some facts.

Blog #2 10.25.08

Chapter 24: Media Ecology
I really appreciated the analysis of Al Gore's inconvenient truth at the opening of chapter 24. I worked in Media Sales for a few years, and we analysed the movie An Inconvenient Truth and its effects on people.
It is so amazing to me how media can mold an entire generation. When I was growing up, everyone was scared of AIDS. While it is still important to protect yourself as much as possible from contracting AIDS, I don't see the same amount of media hype on it as when I was in elementary school.
Now that this generation is seeing its parents and grandparents stress out about the environment and our effects on it, I wonder how these children growing up might be scared that they wont have a planet to live on if everyone doesn't start doing their part.
In the diagram on page 315, it correlates the dominant sense receptor in humans based on the technological development of the time, I can help but wonder if post electronic age, a cartoon of stress and anxiety will be added to the diagram based on the medias effects on the general public.

Blog #1 10.25.08

Chapter 24: Media Ecology

When reading chapter 24 in "The Age of Literacy..." section, I was really impacted by the final sentence of the section. The statement says:

"When oppressed people learned to read, they became independent thinkers." (316)

I think this is so true. Initially I thought of women and African-Americans. There have been times where these groups could not read or were not allowed to be educated, but when they started to read and have an understanding, they were set free. Not entirely at first, but I truly believe it was a major step in achieving freedom.
It has obviously allowed these two groups, once looked upon as a lesser race or being, whom now make up 50% of our presidential candidates. I cant help but be excited for this election, because either way, the once minority group will be on a major political platform making decisions and representing our country whom finally finds comfort in a non-white male to be the president, and a female to be our vice-president.
These are exciting times, and I am so proud to be a part of them.

Blog #3 10.19.08

I have to be totally honest and say that I had a hard time grasping the concept in chapter 23 based on Narrative Paradigm.
From what I could understand, Fisher is saying that everyone is a storyteller, but how one views the story is the concept of Narrative Paradigm.
I would welcome anyone's comments on this blog just based on my struggle to understand the subject and theory in the chapter.

Blog #2 10.18.08

Chapter 22: Dramatism

What I found interesting in this chapter was the use of “god term” and “devil term.” I never used this in persuasion before.
When I attempt to persuade people I usually try and identify what is most important to them, and link what I am pitching them with what is most important and how the benefits are linked to my solution. I think if I am consciously using god and devil terms, I can see if this makes a difference in my persuasion.
I will also start paying attention to commercials based around the elections and voting coming up in November. I would like to see if I can spot devil and god terms in the ads.

Blog #1 10.18.08

Chapter 21: The Rhetoric

So much of this chapter applies to my work.
I am really glad I read this chapter and understood Logos, Ethos & Pathos. I have been struggling with sales and I really found it easy to blame the economy or the financial situation on Wall St.
By dissecting Dr. King’s speech, I was able to think about my presentations at work and compare the ability and thought I put into what I am trying to sell.
There are so many facets to what goes into a sale, and by understanding how to produce rhetoric in an intelligent form, I think I will have more success.
I know I will never compare to Dr. King, but by mirroring him and his effectiveness of speech and persuasion, I believe I will find success in sales.

Blog #2 10.10.08

Deetz interview:
What I found facinating about the Stanley Deetz interview was his concept of the 10% giving back for 90% more porductivity in corporations. Although it was mentioned at the very end of the interview and I wished that Em Griffin would have continued to probe Deetz with questions surrounding this idea, I still found it very interesting.
I also found it amazing that this theory is based around humility. It would be great to someday be a manager of a team at a large corporation, but I can see the pressure and responsability that it takes from an individual. I really can see that it takes a toll on some people, and others handle the pressure with easy (or so it appears.)
I like that Em Griffin talked about the argument that too many ideas would create chaos, and I think that the 10% concept explained by Deetz was a great rebuttle.

Blog #1 10.10.08

The thing I like most about Comm 101, is that I am able to read the book and in most cases know what the book is referring to. Chapter 19 is no exception. When the chapter starts out it discusses culture at work and how it can effect overall performance in employees.
I think that with my career, although it is short compaired to many people in the corporate world, the different companies I have worked with have all had very different ideas of culture. I think personally the companies with the stronger sense of culture and pride in excellence, I was a lot more motivated to work for.
Although every company wants to be profitable and successful, I think that many companies overlook the importance of culture and pride that chapter 19 discussed.

Blog #2 10.4.08

Chapter 18: Adaptive Structuation Theory

I really appreciated the interview with Scott Poole. I felt out of all of the interviews thus far, he did the best job of explaining his theory. After reading and watching the interview, the theory makes a lot of sense. At first, it was challenging to grasp, as Scott Poole explained in his interview, but after thinking about his examples, it clicked. I think back to high school initially regarding his examples of pecking orders… but that can apply to work, or church, or college also. I especially appreciated Scott Poole’s examples at how to approach situations in groups at the end of the interview. 1st he said to make small changes in your behavior in order to amend the situation with the group. 2nd he gave an example of undertaking a major intervention. He also made sure to not that we will never know the true outcome, but sometimes it is worth it to call someone out.

Blog #1 10.3.08

Chapter 17: Functional Perspective & Group Decision Making

In training at Wells Fargo, one of our days of class was dedicated to problem analysis and conflict resolution. One of the more interesting things the companies Learning & Development staff had us do was answer a series of questions about survival in the wild. Questions about what to do when we encounter a bear, were to find fresh water to drink in the desert, what color berries to eat, etc.
We first answered these 30 questions independently. After we were finished, all 30 bankers were divided equally and instructed to discuss what we chose for each question, and to come up with one answer as a group. This created CONFLICT! Everyone was so dead set on their answers and how they were going to survive in the wild. Some in the group were passive about what they said, claiming that they didn’t really know and they just guest. Others in the group started explaining their credentials, like: I lived in the wild for 3 years, or, I camped with my family every summer and this is what my dad said. It was very interesting to see everyone’s approach.
At they end of the exercise we evaluated how we handled the interaction and decision making process.
I felt my group did well because I tried to lead us in the Four Functions of Effective Decision Making process from p.223.
While we started to argue and bicker like the other groups we could hear, I spoke up and explained the problem and we analyzed it as a team. “We have to come up with an answer, so lets try to find a way to do this professionally.”
Next we set a goal: “Lets have each person read the question one by one and starting from the readers left, we each get an opportunity to explain our answer in 4 sentences or less.”
After a few rounds of this, we realized that this was going to favor the group member with the best persuasion skills instead of the group member that could keep us alive in the wild. So we reevaluated our approach, and came up with an alternative.
“Okay, we will each read the questions, but we will just have a raise of hands for a vote as to which letter we want to go with. If there is a tie, we flip a coin.” The coin toss was funny based on the subject of the questions… your ability to live in the wild. But this approach proved to have a better and more efficient process to handing conflict. Less arguing and more results.
When we evaluated, the last step of the 4 part process, our results, they proved to be someone positive. Out of the 30 questions, we would have survived for about 24 of the situations. I think it proved to be a great process and the Learning and Development staff took note because they had never seen a group take that approach before. I was pretty happy and my group really appreciated how nice it was to be able to communicate effectively with each other.

Blog #2 9.27.08

Lets try this again. For some reason I post blogs and they dont post... anyway.
Tug-O-War - Chapter 12
"The tensions they face are common to all personal realationships, and those opposing pulls never quit. (155)

This was such great insight into the struggles of any realationship. I really appreciated the fact that most of these readings and theories, I can relate.
I relate with the Tug-O-War with my family the most. It is tough to agrue and fight with family but I think it only makes that bond stronger.
I know that when I fight with my wife, it sucks, but we are able to work it out and are stronger afterword.

“From a relational dialectics perspective, bonding occurs in both interdependence with the other and independence from the other.” (155)

I feel that I am a very independant person, and I like other independant people. This deffinetly makes it tougher when it comes to compromise and the tug-o-war, but the fact that the love and sacrifice is more important to both of us, the relationship survives.

Blog #1 9.25.08

Chapter 11 -
CMC is predominant in my life, and I think we have reached a point in American Culture where: If one can afford the right media tools, they can literally have information immediately without ever contacting anyone.
I think that the introduction of the iPhone and companies focused on creating a virtual conference room for business is the sign of different times.
I know that the first time I had a phone interview, I thought it was so interesting how I was able to interview in shorts and a tee-shirt, and still get the job. You cant really get a job in shorts and a tee-shirt interviewing, unless the face-to-face interaction is removed from the communication structure.
Through reading the Media richness theory(138) I really thought about how much technology and changed the way people communicate everyday. Just on the shoe 'The Office' tonight, Jim and Pam's relationship has become long-distance, and Jim is attempting to communicate with Pam over a webcam on his laptop because he desires that non-verbal contact and interaction. It was really interesting to read about CMC and Media richness theory, then see something on TV that really spoke volumes about it. Even though Jim was trying to retain that part of their relationship of visual though media, Michael was still able to mess it up (he ended up taking the laptop and walking Pam around the office.
I think that CMC is something that this generation and future generations will have to work with and accept. I know that I still enjoy a face-to-face conversation because their is so much that goes into reading the non-verbal and really knowing what to say and how to say it to someone.

Blog #2 9.20.08

Closeness Through Self-Disclosure (Chapter 9)

Self-Disclosure:
“The voluntary sharing of personal history, preferences, attitudes, feelings, values, secrets, etc., with another person; transparency.” (114)

This section of Chapter 9 really hit home for me. I work full-time in sales and have for a few different companies. One of the major aspects of sales is the ability to ask open ended questions and “dig” deep in subjects regarding the person you are selling to. The term that I have heard over and over again in sales training has always been: “Peel the onion!” By saying this, sales facilitators and trainers are trying to get their sales staff to KNOW the client, not just the products. If I am able to peel the onion of my customer, then I am able to find out needs and goals for their business or personal life, that I may be able to sell them from my product menu.
After reading and understanding it from the text it allows me to take a step back and re-evaluate my sales approach. I need to remember and realize that I am digging into an intimate part of someone’s lives and business. It is best for me to tread lightly until that trust is established. I think by understanding self-disclosure I can become a better sales person.

Blog #1 9.19.08

Interview with Chuck Berger

In the interview with Chuck Berger, I took a few things away. It was nice to be able to sit back and listen to someone speak about a subject I just read in Chapter 10. It was nice because I was able to listen and really grasp what I had understood and listen to someone whom had studied the subject of Uncertainty Reduction Theory.
In the Interview, Berger was discussing theory and made the comment that there are no absolutes and I appreciated that. I was able to reflect on the first chapter and remembered what Dr. Griffin had said about theory, that it is all a test and an attempt to understand. I also heard Berger say “…you have to be willing to be wrong.” I can relate with that based on my work life. You can’t be right 100% of the time; you just have to be coach-able. I have a facilitator remind me of this recently and I agree with him.
I also understood what Berger was saying about uncertainty reduction and the idea of planning: The argument that we make mental plans for achieving goals… we have mental representations of goals, and have mental representations of plans to reach goals. Unless we can peel the onion and understand what someone else’s goals are, or if we are unwilling to let someone into our intimate self, it will only make the goals harder to obtain.

Blog #3 9.6.08

It is obvious to me that a lot of students have been affected/effected by the text regarding the surgeon’s son on page 61. I think it is by far on of the most powerful stories/riddles I have ever encountered and I didn’t even realize it until today. What has society been thinking placing women in a box and deciding that when women and men alike think about a surgeon they automatically think of a man… absolute blasphemy. I am a man and I can only relate to a limited degree, but after reading so many blogs about this subject I am up-hauled at how many students thought that the boy’s parent had to be a man (father) or an in-law; not his mother.
When I was reading the text, I had already heard the riddle, but it did make me think of the time I first heard it. I felt so ashamed that I didn’t think about the boy's mother. It is a great way to make us, not only as a class but a society, think about the way we communicate and perceive others in the world we live in.
Personal experience: I broke my leg when I was 14, and my orthopedic surgeon was a woman. At that age you have a limited amount of decisions to make… but I knew after speaking to Dr. Laura, I knew that she was, if not one of, the very best. 3 years later I needed coercive surgery on my ankle; I went to Dr. Laura because I not only knew she was the best surgeon, but she had kept in touch and went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that my healing from the original surgery was 100% corrected… dare I say a male doctor would not have gone the extra mile for me…. No I shouldn’t because we will be right back where we started… or would we…

Blog #2 9.5.08

Chapter 1 discusses the speech communication and thought process of Determinism vs. Free Will.
After reading this earlier in the week, I decided to pay close attention to the way my co-workers and I communicated what happened throughout our day. I have been proactively trying to speak in a more Free Will tone. I feel that this is what managers want to hear their employees speaking like. Being self-motivated and proactive is one thing, but speaking like you are ‘the master of your fate and the captain of your soul’ (17) should be a major plus in a managers eyes.
I have also learned that speaking this was has forced me to be more accountable for my actions. It is harder to pass the blame or to act as if I didn’t know what the policy or procedure was when I am speaking as if I knew exactly what I was doing.
When I have been public speaking or presenting I have been using this form of communication saying, ‘I decided to…’ and ‘The reason we chose to…’ and I feel that it exudes confidence and shows that my group and I are self-assured. I think by continuing this type of speech it could possibly help me be a candidate for promotion as well as put my customers and clients at ease and to have faith that I know what products and services are best for them.
One major factor is making sure that I don’t sound too confident or arrogant. So, when I am speaking like this, I am doing my best to make sure that I am using it in the best context.

Blog #1 9.3.08

Blog #1:
In chapter 1, I really related with the theories behind the Mastercard commercial. I worked in marketing and helped write and create advertisements for businesses in my last job, and that is the reason I related so much with the evaluation of communication through the advertisement.
I did a little further research and watched the commercial on YouTube that Glenn & Marty discussed their theories on. This really helped me to grasp what the two professors were discussing, even though the book described the 30 second ad really well. After watching the ad, I noticed that Payton Manning was not identified as Glenn pointed out. I also took not of the “ordinary people” were having disasters happen at that moment on screen, but Manning just cheered them on and put a smile on their faces.
After reading about what Professor Glenn noted about Herbert Kelman’s theory of opinion change ‘people forge a bond of identification with a highly attractive figure like Manning, they’ll gladly embrace his persuasive pitch (14)’ I couldn’t help but think about the elections that are going on. I watched the Republican Convention on TV the last few nights and couldn’t help thinking about this theory. I really paid close attention the non-verbal communication from the politicians and what mannerisms played a part to win over the excited crowd. More than anything, I wanted to understand the reasons that McCain chose Palin from Alaska to be his running mate, as I am sure a lot of other American citizens are also. I started to wonder if the selection was based on the Opinion Change Theory because of her ability to win over a crowd and gain so much support so quickly. We will find out soon I am sure.