Monthly Archives: May 2009

Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Services, Public Health, Technology

Communicate Clearly – Streamlining the Communication Process

In my current profession, I am tasked with responding to disaster areas and treating the afflicted and displaced. I must communicate my intent and direction clearly and with a presence of authority. Understanding the various communication modes and methods that different people utilize and respond to, perhaps across cultures or socio-economic backgrounds, will allow me to streamline my communication processes to directly impact the most people in the most efficient manner possible.

Previously, I stated that I only have one long-term personal goal: leave a positive mark on the society in which I live. My attention to this goal is unwavering and will never change. Technology being what it is today, effortless communications across lines previously drawn is paramount in improving society. I value improving the lives of others: individuals and society as a whole. I feel I have already met the outcome objective of Walden University which is one of the reasons why I chose to enroll here. Apparently, others share many of the same goals.

In college, I have found a chance to interact with a variety of people from a variety of backgrounds without ever really knowing who they are. Not unlike a double-blind study, the results of the discourse are authentic to the environment. I found this to be quite interesting and attempted to hone my communication skills in such ways as to be a benefit for as many of my classmates as possible. I will never know if I have succeeded in this, but I feel the intent and the experience will stay with me far longer than the results. Being able to communicate clearly with yourself, however simple a task that may seem at first, allows one a clearer understanding of one’s needs and allows for the development of a plan for attaining those goals that meet these needs. That is being true to one’s self!

Technology

A Reflection of Writing

Words are limited by grammar, vocabulary and definition. If words alone were capable of capturing the essence of communication, poets would be rock stars. This is certainly not the case. Many people suffer in cogently stating their views in writing. I have never had this problem. I have always appreciated the art of writing. Too often, I rely on my creative writing skills.

On the other end of the spectrum lies technical writing. In this style, there is no room for opinion, save clearly defined professional insight. I also have no trouble writing in this style.

College-level writing lies somewhere in the middle of creative and technical and is best accomplished by brevity in an incisive and specific manner. Embellishment and ostentation tend to obscure the primary intended message, and though fact-based opinion is readily acceptable, one must be sure to limit personal opinion, typically outside the scope of a college-level assignment, to topical discussions on the writing. This is where my weakness becomes quite apparent. My goal in writing is to cogently state my message, but again, I feel as if words fail in describing the intended affect.

Another area in which I could use improvement is the analysis of fact referenced in my writing. Without a statistical background, I tend to lack the expertise to evaluate the statistical significance of professional studies and articles.

As of late, I have been altering my verbal communication methods to better reflect my writing style. My hope is that in speaking as I would write, I can create better habits which will, in turn, be reflected in my writing. Additionally, I hope to learn more about statistical analysis to better support my views when expressed to others. To this end, I will peruse interesting research to increase my exposure to statistics and take a class to increase my understanding of the various statistical models. My goal is to excel at all forms of writing.

Technology

Merit Badges in Punditry and Blogging

Everyone’s a pundit! Actually, I guess anyone who has a weblog, or “blog”, of some type can be an expert these days. I see them on the news all the time, “Larry Marshall, author of the internet blog ‘Who Cares’, what do you think of this situation?”

“Well, Bob, in my blog I have written…”, the rest can be filled in by imagination.

Some of these bloggers might actually have education or experience relating to the topic, but I find that many do not; certainly not to any degree of expertise. When questioned regarding their expert standing, they invariably seem to respond with, “I have been authoring my blog for over ‘x’ years!”

Perhaps, the Cub Scouts will offer merit badges in punditry and blogging.

However, not all blogs are full of pedantic ego fulfillment. Well, even some that are have their place in the 21st century scramble to “let somebody know something… anything!” Typically, one cannot falter fact. Blogs, podcasts, vodcasts (etc.) that report facts are becoming commonplace and finding importance to a variety of people. Examples of these are the CDC podcasts. Great expert medical information in a convenient podcast package. With this media, however, the more opinion added, the more debated the positions.

In the online community, there are a number of experts who tend to set the stage for a debate or commentary. Then, there are ostensibly a number of anti-experts. These ‘anti-experts’ seem to have the knowledge and skill of the experts, but perhaps, not the education or the standing. What these anti-experts do have is cynicism, altruism and an uncanny ability to think outside of the expertly regarded box. The only thing these dodgers need is a soapbox.

The internet is a great forum for anyone to be heard by anyone who will listen. It can only be imagined, then, that everyone with an internet voice will want to speak. This will certainly provide for an array of views on a single topic and an opportunity for arguments to be raised in defense of certain views. Though this forum allows a debate between experts, anti-experts and laymen, many times the debate falters and the parties lose their ambition to continue providing evidence. This can lead to information that is not truly tried and tested, and though someone may provide a great argument, they could still be dead wrong.

Remember! Not everything you read on the internet is true.

With all of that being said, for reliable truth in journalism, The Onion! http://www.theonion.com