Communication Cometence

Communication competence is broadly defined as "communication [that] involves achieving   one's goals in a manner that, ideally, maintains or enhances the relationship that occurs" (Alder, Proctor, and Towne 32). This means that someone who is communication competent can alter their style to the situation. Competence can also be defined as "a measure of effectiveness" (Wrench and Punyanunt 224). A competent communicator will be able to: manage their emotions, overcome the problem with listening, and learn how to handle self-disclosure.

Ways to Improve Communication Competence From The Text
Someone who is communication competent knows how to express their emotions in specific ways to save their face, and the face of others. The   first topic that will improve communication competence are the guidelines for expressing difficult emotions. The second topic that will improve communication competence are the ways to manage difficult emotions.
The first guideline for expressing difficult emotions is to recognize your feelings. Self monitoring your thoughts, nonverbal, and emotions can help you express the correct feeling for the situation. The second guideline for expressing difficult emotions is to expand your emotional vocabulary. The same everyday answer to "How are you doing?" is always "fine" when most of the time, that is far from the truth. By describing the situation with a more diverse vocabulary, the emotion will come out correctly. The third guideline for expressing difficult emotions is to share multiple feelings. For example, someone may be mad, but also disappointed. The anger over rides the disappointment and the person will never know unless both emotions are expressed. The fourth guideline for expressing difficult emotions is to recognize the difference between feelings. "Just because you feel a certain way doesn't mean you must always talk about it, and talking about a feeling doesn't mean you must act on it" (Alder Proctor and Towne 147). The fifth... [continues]

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