My Worldview and the Problem

efore starting work on this assignment, examine your worldview and identify any existing or potential biases that may influence your perspective of the problem or potential solution. Elements of your worldview related to the problem you have selected should include but are not limited to personal experience, political beliefs, cultural traditions, family values, etc. Prior to beginning work on this assignment, Review Chapter 2: Developing a Lens of Understanding of the coursebook One Step at a Time: A Roadmap for Problem Solving & Making a Difference. Review A Closer Look: Week 2: Lenses of Understanding: Week 2: Lenses of Understanding What is a cultural lens? Cultural lenses are subjective in nature and include influences from local customs, beliefs, religions, norms, attitudes, values, economy, political views, geography, collective experiences, etc. Researchers view situations through cultural lenses to better understand how these influences either created them or may have contributed to them. For example, in Malaysia, not only is it expensive to own and operate a car but space is limited and quite often, roads are not in a condition to support one. Mopeds (and motorcycles) are the preferred mode of transportation because they are more affordable, fuel-efficient, and can easily navigate traffic (Negara, 2023). Along with being practical, they are culturally significant in that they symbolize freedom and independence, especially by the youth culture (Negara, 2023). What is a worldview lens? A worldview lens includes many of the same cultural factors that are further developed by personal experience that could potentially bias an individual perspective. For example, a person may understand that owning a moped may be more economical yet feel that riding a moped reflects a “lower class” status, thereby creating a bias against people who elect to ride mopeds instead of owning a car. In contrast, the monarch of Malaysia supports the use of mopeds by riding one himself to encourage folks to consider the positive impact of smaller vehicles in the environment. How, then, are cultural and worldview lenses different? Cultural lenses are a collective set of influences that are held by most people in a situation or environment. Researchers apply cultural lenses to better understand situations but don’t necessarily subscribe to them personally. Worldviews, on the other hand, are personal sets of beliefs that can filter a person’s view of a situation. Case Study: We Need a Break Room! In the break room scenario, the context of the problem is that it is a professional environment that has grown so rapidly that it can no longer physically or emotionally support the entire staff, many of whom were recently hired. The culture has always been relatively easy-going with the few owners leading the organization and casually having conversations with the original four employees at their desks or by the couch and coffee table at the end of the room. However, now that there are over four times that number of people in the office, it has led to a mid-management hierarchy and squeezing additional desks into the already small space. Still new to managing people anyway, leadership is still learning how to navigate the situation. Declining Morale In the meantime, employee morale is starting to decline, which in turn is affecting productivity. This is mostly due to the new employees who were not with the organization from its inception and have no emotional ties to the company complaining about the cramped office with no place to relax and decompress. The effects of not having an adequate break room can also be recognized through nonverbal and paraverbal communication. Consistent tense looks, crossed arms, abrupt or harsh tones, and hunched bodies can all signal signs of stress that employees may be experiencing. Being mindful and aware of nonverbal and paraverbal signals is an important skill for everyone to master and in this case, leadership recognition of employee stress before it becomes too much of a problem can prevent more serious consequences in the future. The employees in this scenario also rely on paraverbal and nonverbal messages to signal the credibility and trustworthiness of information given to them by their leadership. Not making eye contact and taking a defensive stance may lead employees to be mistrustful of information being shared. Presentation Skills: What are Nonverbal and Paraverbal Communication Styles? Nonverbal and paraverbal communication refers to the peripheral cues that supplement the central message we deliver through our words. Whereas there are plenty of examples to demonstrate how nonverbal and paraverbal communication can negatively influence the audience’s perspective, these types of communication can be mastered to enhance and used to positively influence the observer. Select the arrows to read more. Paraverbal Communication Paraverbal communication, on the other hand, refers to the characteristics of our voices that influence the interpretation of our words. These characteristics include the rate of speech (how fast or slow we talk), the vocal variety we use, the tone we choose, and how we accent certain words. A classic example of paraverbal communication is demonstrated by a clip from the movie, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” In the movie clip below, the history teacher delivers his lecture in a monotone voice. The impact of his paraverbal communication is clearly reflected in the faces of his students. Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal communication refers to the subliminal messages we send through body language. Our gestures, facial expressions, body positioning, eye contact, all influence the observer’s perception and understanding of our central message. A common example of a nonverbal influence is when a child denies a wrongdoing while avoiding any eye contact. In the western world, avoidance of eye contact typically implies that the individual is telling a lie. The nonverbal message negates the verbal message and is usually more trustworthy since nonverbals tend to be automatic whereas the words we choose are deliberate. Here is a Ted Talk by Joe Navarro who successfully leveraged nonverbal communication to catch spies while in the FBI. Whereas this is an exceptional example of using this type of communication, it does demonstrate its power that we can leverage ourselves. What does “good” feedback look like? In your second discussion this week, you will be required to provide good feedback to your classmates about their video. “Good” feedback doesn’t mean simply telling your classmate that they did a good job. Good feedback is feedback that is useful, accurate, authentic, and thoughtful. It can be affirming, and it can also be constructive. Select the arrows to read more. Affirming Feedback Affirming feedback is reinforcing what the person did well. It is meant to identify the specific behaviors, words, and actions that we would like for the person to repeat in the future. An example of affirming feedback might be, “The use of descriptive terms in your speech helped the audience form a visual image of the situation in their minds. Continue to do that in the future”. Constructive Feedback Constructive feedback identifies what the person didn’t do well and needs to be changed or eliminated. Constructive feedback is often referred to as criticism. Criticism is feedback that either intentionally or unintentionally affects the person’s ego and self-esteem by focusing on the person rather than the action or behavior. Constructive feedback, on the other hand, directs the focus to the action or behavior, thereby sparing the person’s feelings. An example of criticism might be, “You did a bad job on that speech. Don’t you know how to talk slower?”. Clearly, this kind of feedback can be taken personally and affect a person’s self-esteem. In contrast, this same example delivered as constructive feedback would be, “For the audience to more clearly understand the message being shared in a speech, it is best to deliver it at a slow pace.” This feedback focused directly on the action rather than the person, sparing their feelings. Good Feedback “Good” feedback should have four components: specificity, sincerity, a focus on the behavior, and kindness. This Image depicts a square puzzle with four interlocking pieces with the long description provided next. Long description Specificity Feedback needs to be specific for it to be useful. Providing a vague comment is not helpful as the speaker has no idea what the target of the feedback is. An example of nonspecific feedback is "Good job" whereas specific feedback might be, "Your use of vocal variety successfully demonstrated the different feelings you wanted to express in the speech". Sincerity Sincerity is important. Hollow praise is rarely helpful. Consider feedback as a gift that is especially selected for the individual and choose words that convey your desire to make the gift unique to the speaker. For example, instead of simply saying, "your speech was good" using a flat tone, try saying it this way: "your speech was delivered so well that I was completely drawn into your story". Instead of using common and simple words, say it in your voice so that it comes across as from the heart. Kindness To avoid bruising the speaker's self-esteem or hurting their feelings, focus squarely on the behavior rather than the person. In other words, direct feedback on what they did rather than who they are. Instead of saying that they are a terrible speaker, or they could have delivered a better speech, focus on specific behaviors they can change such as "In the future, try practicing in front of a mirror. It helps folks learn how to adjust facial expressions to match the message" or "I noticed several ums and you knows in the speech. Recording your speech will help identify the areas where they were noticeable". Focus on the Behavior Finally, be kind when you deliver feedback, especially when it is constructive. It is always difficult to hear what we need to improve so being kind softens the blow, so to speak. Again, think about feedback as a gift that we give with kindness and sincerity, and consider how we would want to feel when we receive a similar gift. Required Live Learning Session In each week of this course, we will offer Live Learning sessions, where you will meet and interact with other GEN499 students and instructors face to face! Sessions will be offered each week, but you are only required to attend one live session during the five-week term – not one session every week. By the last day of Week 5, you are required to: Attend one Live Learning session. Complete the Post-Live Learning Quiz (any time after your session). The Quiz in the Week 5 module. A Look Ahead Select the arrows to learn more about what is coming up in the course. Conducting Interviews (Week 3) If you haven’t already, now is a good time to start thinking about Week 3 Discussion 2 where you will need to conduct at least one interview with a person who is directly involved with the problem you selected, is familiar with the problem, has experienced a similar problem, has professional insight or expertise that can help explain the problem, or may be personally able to help address the problem. Hopefully, you have already selected the person(s) you would like to interview and reached out to them. Now is the time to think about the questions you will need to ask. What gaps would you like this person to fill in? Review the Week 3 Discussion 2 directions for further information about formulating the interview questions. Final Assignment (Week 5) If you have not already, it is strongly suggested that you review the Week 5 final paper now and begin to think about how you might apply what you will learn this week to that assignment. The second section (Background Overview) will include information from this specific week including the background and cultural influences that may have caused or contributed to the situation. Now is also a good time to ensure that you fully understand the expectations of the Week 5 Final Paper. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out and ask! References Negara, I. (2023, February 28). Exploring the popularity of mopeds and motorcycles in Malaysia: Insights from King of Malaysia. Exploring the Popularity of Mopeds and Motorcycles in Malaysia: Insights from King of MalaysiaLinks to an external site.. https://www(dot)bhlmetalind(dot)com/post/exploring-the-popularity-of-mopeds-and-motorcycles-in-malaysia-insights-from-king-of-malaysia pmw8000. (2011, December 29). "Anyone, anyone" teacher from Ferris Bueller's Day OffLinks to an external site. [Video]. https://youtu(dot)be/uhiCFdWeQfA TEDx Talks. (2020, March 31). The power of nonverbal communication | Joe Navarro | TEDxManchesterLinks to an external site. [Video]. https://www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=fLaslONQAKM Review technical requirements for page length and source requirement. In your paper, Restate the problem you are investigating. Explain how any elements of your personal worldview could influence your perception of the problem in positive ways. Examine your worldview for existing or potential biases explain how they may negatively impact your perspective of the problem. If you believe no biases exist, explain why. Discuss at least two ways in which you can prevent biases from distorting your approach to the problem or efforts to find solutions. Must be 2 to 3 double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages). Must use at least two credible sources in addition to the course text.