Friday, July 5, 2013

Communication

When thinking about communication one of the first people that comes to mind is the fabulous OPRAH!


Oprah, unlike many other new anchors and TV personalities, is able to show the affiliation she has for others in a way unlike anyone else.  When interviewing I notice she laughs and smiles, when appropriate, she is gracious for allowing others to speak with her, she touches her guest, on the hand or shoulder, and whether the topic of a serious nature or not the viewer, or at least I walk away feeling touched, inspired, or open to receiving the information present or extracted from the interview (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2012, p. 6).  Oprah also has a goal in mind when speaking or interviewing.  She does not talk to gossip or slander but rather to expose a truth, dispel a myth, gain understanding, etc.  She uses her ability to communicate to achieve a specific goal, which is why she is considered one of the most influential people (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2012, p. 7).  

Oprah is influential over many people, "there is no body else with that kind of consistency and power", as stated by Dorothy Pomerantz of Forbes.com (Reaney, 2013). Additionally, Oprah always seems to be aware of cultural barriers and differences when speaking to others, she demonstrates appropriate behavior which make you want to spill all the tea! She is surely one that I have attempted to model some of my own communications after.  She is very successful and a huge portion of that is due to her ability to communicate.  I admire her ability to disagree without making others feel degraded or intimidated.  I admire her sincereness when speaking with others and respect for differences.   I admire her ability to accept responsibility for her communication, as she often expects the same when interviewing others (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2013, p.15).  My current level of communication is aligned with my experiences, age, and knowledge I have gained through work and personal experiences.  As my experiences and knowledge deepen and expand over time and through opportunities my level of communication will change and expect.  

References

O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Reaney, P. (2013). Oprah tops forbes' most powerful celebrity list. Huff Post Media. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/26/oprah-forbes-most-powerful-celebrity_n_3500418.html 


2 comments:

  1. Talibah,

    I also like Oprah. When she interviews she listens and builds upon what she has heard from the interviewee. I think when she touches her interviewees, she is giving them the message that she wants to establish a close connection, I like that and I also do that when I speak to close friends.

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  2. Talibah, I really enjoyed reading your blog this week. I agree with you that Oprah is an influential speaker. I admire how she has the ability to "o be aware of cultural barriers and differences when speaking to others, she demonstrates appropriate behavior" as you stated. This is a great trait that I would love to have and can hope to learn more about through this course.

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