Personal Communication Concerns
Purpose
To review individual communication concerns and problems.
Instructions Following is a list of 15 problems many individuals have as they try to communicate
effectively. Read the list and rank your top five individual concerns from 1 to 5, with 1 being your top
choice. _______
I often speak before I really think.
I usually speak rather than really listen to others.
I feel that I am shy.
I let others do most of the talking.
I would rather communicate in writing rather than speaking face to face.
People tell me that I speak too fast.
I often misunderstand what people say to me.
People often misinterpret what I say.
When talking, I gesture more than others. I often interrupt others while they are talking.
I feel uncomfortable looking into someone’s eyes when talking.
When meeting others, I tend to get very nervous.
I have trouble when speaking to people in authority positions.
I feel that others lose interest in what I am saying.
I often find myself playing games with others instead of expressing how I really feel.
Discussion
1. List your top 5 communication concerns.
2. What steps can you take to begin working on these concerns?
