INRODUCTION

Over the course of the past few years, I have been immersed in the world of
communication where I have learned that what we do, say, wear, act, look, and so much
more are all a form of communication. As the time has passed, I have learned how the
messages we send can be received in a variety of ways depending on various factors,
such as; the channel in which the message is sent, the context of the message, and how
phrases and terms can have different meanings in various cultures. Factors such as these
alone can have such a great impact on our communication and awareness, or knowledge,
about these factors is critical. For example, something as simple as a person extending
index and middle fingers in some cultures is known as the peace sign, while in other
cultures such as in France; this is seen as a disrespectful gesture. This example illustrates
how something in one society that is thought to be universal, yet due to cultural
differences, could represent something very different to another society and culture.
Simple messages when used properly have to the ability to create images, cause change,
and so much more.

ARTICULATION
My focus of communication is crisis communication within Emergency
management and how it is used effectively. I am interested in how local, state, and/or
federal governments and organizations in a bad situation shape their messages in order to
inform their desired audiences about the current state, while preventing moral panic and
distrust. Everything stated so far has shaped my own unique communication perspective
that is like a rolling snowball. When first creating a snowball, one simply packs together

a handful of snow; just like everyone starts with the basic knowledge of communication,
whether intent of messages, facial expressions, or bad words compared to nice
words. Now when trying to increase the size of the snowball, maybe to create or
snowman, a person must add more snow by rolling the ball around in surrounding snow.
Naturally packing itself, the snowball gathers more snow along with the dirt, grass, or
even little twigs that may lie in its path.
Similar to the creation of a gigantic snowball, my education and understanding of
communication builds everywhere I go. (Picking up more and more snow, along with
overlooked twigs that also have importance.) The more I learn, the bigger my ball of
knowledge for communication grows. Though as simple as watching certain television
channels, we can learn of other cultures to a certain extent. For example, Animal Planets
River Monsters star, Jeremy Wade travels the world angling some of the most dangerous
fish in order to try and explain certain attacks on village fishermen and their community.
In various episodes, Wade has been in positions where the local villages beliefs and
ways call to eat the dangerous devil fish (villagers commonly refer to the animal as
devil or monster fish no matter the species due to the negative taboos surrounding the
fish.) if caught which conflicts with Wades tradition of catch and release. Informative
shows like this illustrate how even fish can carry certain significance, possibly showing
how a certain group perceives a person by simply eating a fish or releasing it back into
the water. These experiences of watching a variety of educational shows contribute to my
ever-growing snowball of knowledge. They may not hold great importance, but they add
value they are the twigs and shrubs. As my snowball of knowledge continues to reach
great size, I will be able to further my abilities and use it even more effectively. Having

said that, knowledge of the community, culture, technology, and identity of the area or
organization are all much needed steps to developing effective messages that will reach
the set goals of a plan.
As my communication perspective relates to community, when dealing with
natural disasters or company crises, the supporting and affected audiences trust in a
person who can identify with the community, or appear as the one of us persona. The
sense of identifying with a community gains the ability to have empathy which will, to a
certain extent, give an organization the capability to look through the targeted audiences
eyes and what the community wants to be done. As a by-product, trust will arise from this
and will help the community believe in the intended messages in order to create calm.
Focusing on community has shaped my perspective by: 1) Learning the ability to frame
or shape a message to a particular audience, 2) provide a sense of unity among the
diverse groups in the targeted audience, and 3) use effective communication as a tool to
help turn a challenging situation into a possible opportunity. A prime attribute to being
able to identify with a person, or group, begins with having some sense of the regions
demographics. One of the first things I have learned is audience analysis. In Detroit for
example, although the population is predominantly African-American, there is also a
sizeable population of Hispanics in the Southwest area, Jews in the Southfield area, and
Muslims in the Dearborn area. Although many may identify Detroit as a black-dominated
city, all of these groups comprise of Detroit. Race, religion, employed, unemployedthese
are just some of the factors that must to be taken into account when trying to identify
with a community. As I grow and acknowledge that factors such as these contribute to
and are necessary for effective communication, I continue to add snow, or knowledge

to that rolling snowball of mine and improve its potential power. It takes more than a sly
combination of empty words to gather the support of an affected community or audience.
With different communities naturally come different cultures. Cultural differences
have the potential to make or break a good communicator. Similar to the example
mentioned earlier about the different interpretations of what the Western culture signifies
as a peace sign, what we know as the ok sign has a variety of cultural meanings. In the
United State and United Kingdom, it is received as meaning ok, in Russia it is seen as
the number zero, in Japan it means money, and in Brazil it is interpreted as an insult.
Another example is the typical handshake compared to a bow. Whether it is a business
meeting or a simple greeting, if I were put my hand out for a handshake and the person I
am meeting with starts to bow, I have already sent a message that I am not aware of their
cultural background. As mentioned earlier, communication goes beyond words; messages
are sent in actions, expressions, fashion and much more. To go into an area to help turn
around a situation, one must know what it is important to the culture and what the people
hold dear. A small town on a coast where the main revenue might come from fishing may
prioritize the water supply and their ports more than would an inland city. Emergency
management calls for great awareness of cultural differences, and is vital to a speakers
success. An audience will identify much more easily with the embodiment of a person
and message rather than simply his/her words. An effective communicator does not have
to convert to the target culture, but he/she must be able to at least be aware or understand
the beliefs and ways of a communitys culture in order to send the necessary message.
Referring back to my communication perspective, traveling to the neighboring state,
town, or even city, a person can gather a great deal of information about an areas culture.

Just as a rolling snowball gathers more snow. Everywhere I go there is potential to learn
about factors contributing to a communitys culture. Important aspects such as religion,
the popularity of a sports team, traditional dishes or type of restaurants, or the main
industries of a community all contribute and hold value in a groups culture.
Having the skill to determine and establish a certain identity for a population
gives a communicator a distinct advantage. Once an identity is recognized, we can
structure the messages to relate or directly to the groups interest. People love someone
who can identify with them and what they stand for as a group. Detroit, for example, is a
resilient, prideful, scrappy area, which played a big part in the people electing Dave Bing
as mayor. Dave Bing played professional basketball for the Detroit Pistons at one point of
time so he already had a sense of how the people of Detroit identified, having been a part
of that community. This illustrates just how much people trust and believe in a person
that can really identify as one of.
When it comes to technology this may be one of the most difficult areas for a
communicator using the digital communication channels, the lack of emotion and
misinterpretation when reading a message on a screen. Text lacks emotion, and tone of
voice, and sarcasm can be mistaken for intention. The problem with technology is that no
one has complete control over what is said over the Internet, or the frequency of what is
said. In order to prevent this, we must be very active with social media and informative
platforms. This will not prevent a mishap, but will allow the chance for the communicator
to catch something that may negatively affect a message make modifications of it if it has
potential to be harmful.

DEVELOPMENT
When first coming to Alma College, I wanted to major in athletic training but
after about a week, I realized that was not what I wanted to do. I have always had an
interest in psychology and learning how people thought and how it affected their
decisions. But after taking a course in Human Communication where we studied the
various methods and theories of communication, learning how to frame a certain idea or
event in order to shape someones perception, and changed my mind. The idea that I
could actually learn how to perfect and master different ways to communicate with
people and perhaps persuade them to see something in a different light fascinated me. As
broad as the field of communication is I never really quite knew in which area I wanted
to focus. Being an athlete, I always thought I would always stay close to sports. I just
assumed sports communication would be what I wanted to do, until the summer of my
sophomore year.
During the summer of my sophomore year, I had the opportunity to be a part of a
small group of students that accompanied Dr. Dale Sanders to an Emergency
Management Symposium at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Headquarters in Maryland. While there, I had a discussion with a professor from North
Dakota State where she mentioned the term PIO. After explaining to me that with a
Communication degree and an interest in Emergency Management, becoming a Public
Information Officer was something that I might want to consider. During numerous
conversations with various other people who all happened to mention becoming a PIO, I
figured it was the way to go. Later that night I researched what exactly a PIO does and
whether it was a large enough field to yield a position. A spokesperson who specializes in

communicating to an audience about a certain mishap, or something positive, while

creating a certain image that represents an organization or form of government sounds
like something I would love to do for the rest of my life. It almost sounds superhero-like,
on most occasions, being called upon in times of need. When learning about PIOs and the
job description, another aspect of the work that appealed to me was the thought of giving
back to a community. I have always felt strongly about community and the sense that
everyone, in a way, contributes to its overall production and success. Becoming a PIO
whether for an organization or a form of governmentwhen addressing the media or the
citizens of the community, I become a part of that community, and am there to be a
trusted conduit for information.
Throughout my time here at Alma College, a string of certain classes have
influenced and helped develop my communication perspective. Courses such as Health
Communication, Relational Communication, Sports Communication, and Human
Communication have all played vital parts in developing my focus within the field.
Health Communication was a course offered during a spring term where the class
analyzed the communicative relationship between health organization and the
community, considering the way demographics played a part in the communitys overall
health. We split into groups, focused on certain poverty or crime stricken areas, and
developed strategies that would potentially increase the overall community health and
while combatting poverty and unemployment. Some groups implemented the idea of
affordable city transportation designated for certain needs, more appealing city parks and
recreation buildings to help combat child obesity, the promotion of shopping locally to
increase the citys revenue, and health education programs provided by the city. This

class influenced a my communication development because as mentioned earlier, I feel a

need to contribute to the community as a PIO, and this course gave me insight into
improvements many cities could use. With the various arguments concerning health care
and related areas, it is important that in cities battling poverty, a divide is not created
between the upper and lower classes on whether proper and equal treatment is given to
everyone regardless of race, religion, or income.
Relational Communication was a course where in which we analyzed the
communication within different relationships, focusing on elements such as conflict
styles, use of active listening, and the use of I-language. The biggest lesson I took away
from this course was that each relationship, whether close or distant, relies on the strength
of the communication, and with poor communication, the relationship has greater chance
of deteriorating. As my course in Human Communication studied the various theories
and methods of the field and how different groups relay messages successfully. This
course was the fire starter for my interest in the field. Lastly a Sports Communication
course played a big part in shaping my communication perspective. Being an athlete my
entire life team communication just came naturally to me it was fascinating to me. Teams
have very complex and coded messages so repetitive it becomes a second language.
Sports Communication gave an in-depth look at the intricate system of messages among a
team and how repetition and time among people can transcend a relationships
communication. Teammates can read each others body language that opponents will not
know.

UTILITY

The idea that a person can take something as ordinary as everyday words and
reshape them in an organized way that can influence a persons thoughts is a tool that
could be used in daily life. The use of communication can be beneficial in any scenario
when one understands and is aware of the various messages sent through words and
actions. In a more personal sense, what I have learned will transfer not only into my
romantic relationships, but all the relationships I develop. I have the capability to analyze
the messages people send to me, whether verbal or non verbal, and to take a step back
and think about the message I intend to send. Also, my knowledge of different channels
with which to send intended messages is another advantage. For example, close family
members, such as my parents, would probably like to hear important news in person or
on the phone rather than to find out on Facebook where many other people have heard the
news before they have. Many people get a certain feeling of importance or connection
when told things in face to face conversation rather than on social media where they may
feel unimportant or distant. Knowledge and communication is just as necessary and
useful in ones personal life as they are in a professional setting. This knowledge will
help me develop numerous strong relationship ties throughout my life, and has already
helped me improve current relationships with friends.
In a more professional sense, even if I do not end up in a career in the
communication field, the skills I have obtained will give me a certain edge among my coworkers. I will be able to receive intended messages differently than the people I work
with and therefore, would have the opportunity to put myself in a position to excel. Being
able to interpret non verbal messages and having a certain cultural awareness alone are
tools that not everyone is equipped with. In the domain of Emergency Management, a

successful communicator has the skills to take a negative situation and create a message
that will inform a targeted audience, create unity and satisfaction, and do this without
stretching the truth or promoting an unrealistic end goal. Crises arise from uncertainty
and risk; when a crisis or natural disaster occurs, in order to stray from moral panic, the
person helping to maintain order must know how to present them and send a message of
strength and unity in order to gain/regain trust. As indicated earlier, the best way to
achieve these goals and exhibit effective communication, is to (connect and identify with
the community, become culturally aware, recognize an identity of the audience, and have
some level of technical knowledge). These are all applicable communication skills in the
Emergency Management career field along with any other job.
The progressions of humankind and the world have in some way, shape, or form,
had association with organized communication. Throughout history many people have
been able to do very noticeable things because they were such great communicators.
Speakers such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and John Kennedy were all people who held
a sense of power over others because of their ability to send messages to large audiences
that believed in their messages. Even in music there are examples of how once an
audience identifies strongly with a person they are willing to follow his/her lead. A
rapper by the name of Tupac Shakur had the ability to reach millions of Hip Hop fans to
an extent that many of his followers would not purchase, listen, or show any support for
another rapper because of the simple fact that listeners were born on the East coast. In a
time where many white Americans used violence and discrimination against AfricanAmericans, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. promoted a movement of non-violence that helped
further the expansion of rights for African-Americans. These are historical examples of

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how the application of great communication skills has the ability to influence, persuade,
and bring change to vast amounts of people when used effectively.

CONCLUSION
The ability to influence and shape a persons perception of things solely based on
the construction of a message is an aspect of communication that resonates with me as
one of the most important, if not the greatest, tool a person can acquire. The ability to
identify messages, verbal and non verbal, can take a person very far in life, whether it be
personal or professionally. Every section, paragraph, sentence, and example throughout
this piece has shaped and influence the development of my communication perspective.
As I continue to build on my knowledge of communication every day, my snowball
grows in size exponentially picking up every important snowflake, twig, and piece of
grass that will soon create the ultimate source of knowledge.

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