ENG2024
Communication Skills
Written Report of:
CASE STUDY - Lea’s misunderstanding
Prepared by:
Liew Yong Xuan (20027454)
Prepared for:
Ms. Nalina
Date of submission:
1/6/2022
CASE STUDY REPORT
[Liew Yong Xuan 20027454]
Introduction
Lea is a person who takes her job seriously and is dedicated to completing high-quality tasks.
In the day she started her new job, she saw a man ranting at a woman on the phone in a
parking lot. Without knowing it, this made Lea believe he was a grumpy man. However, it
came out that he was Jayden, her new company's manager. LEA was not thrilled about
Jayden because she had a terrible first impression of him. Despite her best friend Dahlia's
numerous corrections, she maintains her position and claims that Jayden has not revealed his
true colours. She also mistook her colleague, Jessy being lectured and crying by the manager
which made her even more furious about Jayden. Finally, she realised it was a
misunderstanding. Everything turned out to be a figment of her imagination. In fact, Jayden is
a decent individual. This story teaches us that communication is crucial and the importance of
not being too wedded to initial impressions. Instead, we should get to know someone
gradually since only then can we truly judge what kind of person he is.
Communication Problem 1 & Solution
In this scenario, the first communication issue is clinging onto inaccurate first impression.
This indicates that we will form an opinion about someone based on our initial interaction
with them. Based on their appearances or nonverbal indications, our first impression of a
person decides whether we like or dislike them. For instance, Jayden was rude and impatient
during Lea's first meeting with him, prompting Lea to conclude that he is a grumpy and
unpleasant guy. As a result, this is how a first impression is stick with someone. They never
leave and remain with someone, causing you to condemn them every time you see them after
that. Even if our first impressions of someone are incorrect, we tend to cling to them instead
of seeking to change them.
The solution for this problem is Active, Empathic and Critical. When someone is providing a
message, we should use active listening, emphatic listening, and critical listening techniques.
Active listening encompasses all senses in this concept, as hearing with a purpose is essential.
Emphatic and critical listening can help a person understand the other person's point of view
and emotions, as well as assess the message's quality (Erin Eatough, 2021). In this situation,
Lea must learn to use this principle by carefully evaluating what others say to him and
discerning what is correct and what is erroneous. Rather than relying on a faulty first
impression, she should follow Dahlia's advice and thoroughly examine Jayden's facts as
expressed by Dahlia.
Communication Problem 2 & Solution
Moreover, the second communication problem arise in this story is influenced by what is
most obvious. Normally, we focus on the intense, repetitive, odd, and attention-getting
characteristics that make someone stick out from the crowd, overlooking the more pleasant
aspects of their personality. For example, Lea saw Jessy crying after she walk into Jayden's
office for half an hour, which she assumed Jessy was embarrassed by the manager. Even
though Jessy's visit to Jayden's office may have served a variety of goals, however when
Jessy emerges in a foul mood, people will insist that it is caused by Jayden. This prove that
people pay attention to stimuli that are intense, repetitive, or contrastive.
To solve this communication problem, perception checking is required to interpret the
behaviour of others more effectively. Perception checking is a method of summarising,
analysing, and validating information in order to better understand another person, their
communications, or a situation. When a situation occurs, there are three steps to perception
checking: a description of the behaviour, recommendations for possible interpretations, and a
request for clarification. (Zero to Skill, 2021). In Lea's case, she should study Jessy's
behaviour without evaluating or judging it. Then, consider some possible reasons for her
crying in the office. Finally, she should also request clarification from Jessy after the
interpretations to confirm the basis for her displeasure.
Communication Problem 3 & Solution
Furthermore, there is also defensiveness occurs in this story. Defensiveness is a coping
mechanism in which we attack someone else in order to divert attention away from our own
flaws and fears (Guides, 2020). If you are feeling bad about something and someone else
brings up a similar topic, you may react defensively. For example, when Jayden came up with
a logical explanation for Lea's confusion, she became irritated and tried to refute his
statements. This is a defensive reaction with the purpose of distracting him from feeling
shamed when Lea finally realised that she was misunderstanding her manager for a long time.
The objective is to shift attention to the faults of the other person, so that in turn Lea will feel
better about herself in the moment.
Self-monitoring is the answer to this dilemma. Self-monitoring is a personality trait that
entails the ability to monitor and control one's own appearances, feelings, and behaviours in
social circumstances. People with a high level of self-monitoring are more likely to adapt or
match their behaviour to the circumstances. As a result, Lea could get a clear picture of the
issue by asking Jayden and Jessy what was going on before making a judgement. Of course,
if Jayden tries to explain something to her, she should listen instead of arguing. Lea should
also make sure she has permission to be wrong, and that she gives that permission to others.
By doing so, Lea will be acknowledging that it is fine if she does not get everything right the
first time (Ishak, 2016).
References
Erin Eatough, P., 2021. 7 types of listening that can change your life and work. [Online]
Available at: https://www.betterup.com/blog/types-of-listening
[Accessed 8 July 2021].
Guides, I., 2020. Defensiveness: How It Works and What to Do About It. [Online]
Available at: https://nickwignall.com/defensiveness/#:~:text=Defensiveness%20is%20a
%20coping%20strategy,it%20in%20a%20healthy%20way.
[Accessed 16 August 2020].
Ishak, R., 2016. Ways To Communicate Without Being Defensive. [Online]
Available at: https://www.bustle.com/articles/144493-6-ways-to-communicate-without-
being-defensive
[Accessed 18 March 2016].
Zero to Skill, 2021. The Ultimate Guide To Perception Checking (Everything You Need to
Know). [Online]
Available at: https://www.zerotoskill.com/perception-checking/
[Accessed 23 November 2021].
