Course Module 1: Advance Communication (GEACM01X)

Communication and
Confidence (Part 1)
(Week 1)

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TOPIC OUTLINE

1
Communication and
Confidence Part 1
• Image Management
• Employment Correspondence
OBJECTIVES
A F T E R R E A D I N G T H I S P A R T O F T H E M O D U L E ,
T H E L E A R N E R S W I L L B E A B L E T O :

• Write a reflection paper (CLO1)

• Write an employment correspondence (CLO3)

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 INTRODUCTION TO

COMMUNICATION

An indispensable tool for human survival is communication. People communicate to

get what they need and to accomplish what they want. For instance, babies normally cry
when they are hungry; consequently, they are given milk by their mothers. They may cry
again if they do not feel well; accordingly, they receive medical attention. An adult may pick
up his or her phone an hour before lunch and ask someone to deliver his or her food.
Simultaneously, he or she can send an email reminder to his or her staff to attend a
scheduled meeting after lunch. In both scenarios, the babies and the adult rely on
communication (the crying the ordering via the phone and the sending of reminder via email)
as vital means to accomplish their needs.

Communication in relation to human survival does not confine itself to just addressing
the biological needs of an individual such as food, shelter, and clothing, among others, to
survive. While the food that we take satisfies our hunger and the water that we drink
quenches our thirst, the daily interaction through the various communication opportunities
we make also feeds our mind, nourishes our heart, and enriches our soul. However, the
benefits of communication can only be fully enjoyed if carefully understood, affectively done,
and purposively carried out.

This course pack introduces you to the Advance Communication through which you
will encounter a different approach of learning communication. It focuses on the practical
side and workplace preparedness for communication. All the lessons on this material will
provides you with the ability to communicate and to use technology as two of the most
important skills in the real world. This course pack is designed to provide you with an
opportunity to learn managerial communication skills that can be immediately transferred
into a professional work environment. The course assignments and exercises are designed
to improve your practical business communication skills. This course pack emphasizes
concepts such as audience analysis, building and maintaining goodwill, and positive
emphasis. The course pack also highlights positive, informational, negative, and persuasive
messages, proposals, and reports–all done with a focus on customer-oriented, managerial,
and employment-related writing.

Are you ready? Let us begin!

Pre-Assessment (Getting Started)
Instructions: Complete the diagram below and give your ideas on how to gain
communication with confidence.

How to Gain
Communication
Confidence?

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 Image Management
Image Management
You may have asked the question, “How can I make a lasting impact to
others,” or you may have created your first impression already to others, but it is not
what you expected it to be. It seems to be kind of problematic right? According to
Mehta (2014) whether intentional or unintentional we convey ourselves to others.
We give them hints about what kind of person we are (approachable, introvert,
antisocial, etc.). You do not have to worry because in this lesson, we will help you
get pass those thoughts and make yourself knowledgeable on how you can project
a good image to others most of the time.

What really is image management? According to Image Consulting Business

Institute (n.d.), they defined image management as a process which is
simultaneously occurring through which you have an awareness about yourself and
have complete grasp of the impacts of your appearance to yourself, your goals and
to others. In easier words, image management is the ability to project who you are
to others and your recognition of your real identity and personality.

Why is image management important? Nowadays, personality and attitude

matter very much especially in career. For first time applicants, if they have a good
image management, it will reflect on their behavior, attitude and communication
which will help them ace job interviews. Of course, image management is not about
pretentiousness. We must give distinction to that. Image management should be
natural and not purposive. Natural in a sense that it is the real you. You reached
that point of confidence where your attitude is encouraging, inspiring,
accommodating, and presentable. It can be learned, embraced, and inculcated in
our daily lives so we would not be pretentious and purposive trying to impress
others.

How do we start learning image management? We should start with how we

perceive ourselves. Our self-image is formed based on our experiences from
childhood until adolescent years. Most of the time, we build our identity with what
others tell us (you are shy, you lack confidence, you are handsome/pretty, etc.) Self-
image as defined by Mountain State Centers for Independent Living (2018) states:

“Self-image is how you perceive yourself. It is a number of self-impressions

that have built up over time… These self-images can be very positive, giving
a person confidence in their thoughts and actions, or negative, making a
person doubtful of their capabilities and ideas.”
Self-Image vs. Self-Concept

Ackerman (2018) gave distinction between self-image and self-concept. At

first glance, they seem to be similar. However, they are not quite the same. Self-
concept is a more overarching construct than self-image; it involves how you see
yourself, how you think about yourself, and how you feel about yourself. In a sense,
self-image is one of the components that make up self-concept (McLeod, 2008).

Self-Image vs. Self-Esteem

On this part, self-image has a huge involvement with self-esteem. What we

feel is mostly due to how we perceive ourselves of who we really are. Self-esteem
goes deeper than self-image. Self-esteem is the totality of respect that we have for
ourselves, and it includes what we feel towards ourselves.

Surely, having a negative self-image can influence self-esteem, and having

poor self-esteem would be accompanied by negative self-image, but they are at
least somewhat independent “self” aspects (Ackerman, 2018).

Self-Image vs. Identity

Identity is a concept closely related to self-image but larger and more

comprehensive than self-image. When we say identity, it is the totality of the idea of
who we are. As mentioned by Baumeister (1997):

“The term ‘identity’ refers to the definitions that are created for and
superimposed on the self.”

In other words, identity is the complete perception that we have in ourselves,

and how we manifest ourselves to others while self-image is only a part of the
complete perception (Ackerman, 2018).

The Elements and Dimensions of Self-Image

According to Oltmann (2014) there are three elements of a person’s self-

image which we need to understand for us to develop image management. These
elements are as follows:

1. The way a person perceives or thinks of him/herself.

2. The way a person interprets others’ perceptions (or what he thinks others
think) of him/herself.
3. The way a person would like to be (his ideal self).

In addition, Oltmann (2014) also gave six dimensions of a person’s self-image:

1. Physical dimension: how a person evaluates his or her appearance

2. Psychological dimension: how a person evaluates his or her personality
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 3. Intellectual dimension: how a person evaluates his or her intelligence
4. Skills dimension: how a person evaluates his or her social and technical
skills
5. Moral dimension: how a person evaluates his or her values and principles
6. Sexual dimension: how a person feels he or she fits into society’s
masculine/feminine norms

These frameworks are not widely accepted but these give sense to the
possibilities of how a person perceives his/her self-image.

If you think you are having problems with your self-image, it is important to
deal it with courage. Know the people that can help you boost your confidence and
personality. If in case you might ask, “I am too shy to speak to others. I fear public
speaking,” then these necessary steps might help you improve your self-image for
you to be prepared and oriented with the reality of the career path you are taking.

Addressing Self-Image Issues

Ackerman (2018) proposed exercises that will help you improve your self-
image. The list are as follows:

1. Troll Travels – Who am I? Worksheet.

2. List 10 Things You Love About Yourself
3. List 10 Skills You Possess
4. List 5 Achievements of Which You are Proud
5. List 3 Occasions Where You Overcame Adversity
6. List 5 People Who Have Helped You
7. List 5 People Who You Have Helped
8. List 50 Things You Appreciate About Your Life

1. Troll Travels – Who am I? Worksheet

On this activity, you need to write everything about you, your personality,
and traits whether positive or negative. You can write as many as you can.
Then, try to imagine that you are on a journey. You are about to cross a bridge.
However, Trevor the Troll requires toll fee everytime you pass through a
bridge. There are total of 3 bridges that you need to pass through all along the
journey. On the first bridge, you need to unload 30% of your qualities. Same
applies to the next bridge until you reach the end of your journey. The
remaining character traits left for you are the ones you need to value, nurture
and exercise because they are your important qualities. It is the self-image
you need to build in yourself.
2. List 10 Things You Love About Yourself

This activity is like Troll Travels activity. However, this list is more
focused on your positive side. Keep on thinking the good things about you. If
you already reached 10 and have more to list down, feel free to write them

down. You can write beyond 10 things and that is something we can
appreciate.

3. List 10 Skills You Possess

Just like writing 10 things you love to yourself, this time, you are to write
your skills. Something you are good and are skillful in doing. It may be your
talent or craft. If you reach 10 already and you have more to write, keep it
going. You will realize that you have so much to be proud of.

4. List 5 Achievements of Which You are Proud

Try to think of your achievements. What are your accomplishments that

are worthy to be mentioned? Write them down. Again, if you reached 5 and
have thought of more achievements, consider jotting them down. Through
this, you will realize you have so much to be proud of because you are a
person who has great accomplishments.

5. List 3 Occassions Where You Overcame Adversity

Adversities are normal. We experience them from time to time. It is

important to remember them in a way that your outlook on it is positive. Treat
adversities as experiences which taught you a valuable lesson. List down the
details of those adversities and how you were able to withstand and overcome
them. Through this exercise, you can appreciate your resilient side and all you
are capable of doing just to succeed.

6. List 5 People Who Have Helped You

List down the people who helped you. It is important to appreciate them.
You may list down the details of how these people were able to help you.
Through this activity, you are reminding yourself that you are not alone, and
you will never be if you learn how to depend on someone else if you cannot
handle the pressure life brings.

7. List 5 People Whom You Have Helped

Part of self-image is your impact on other people’s lives. In this activity,

you will realize how helpful and compassionate you are. Whatever kind of help
you gave, list them down. You may elaborate the details for you to remember
the good deeds you have done. Through this, you will give value to yourself
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 because you do not only live for yourself, but your life also became significant
since you made an impact with others.

8. List 50 Things You Appreciate About Your Life

Perhaps, this is the most challenging thing to do since it requires several

things. You will try to list down all you think you can appreciate about your life.
Through this, you will be able to contemplate your significance because at the
end of the day, things still happen beautifully in all of us.

Takeaways in Image Management

Aside from the definitions mentioned above, Mehta (2014) reiterated that
image management is about rediscovering, recognizing, and accepting who you
are. This is understanding that we are different from one another and there are
many things to appreciate in us. We should not decrease our value and importance.
Being true to yourself is also the best thing to do. You must appreciate who you are
and thank God for all the blessings He has given you. By doing these, you can be
able to manage a good image which is not pretentious, but natural.

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Self-Paced Activity
Instruction: Write a short reflection about your current self-image. Aside from the
things discussed, what do you think are other ways you can improve your overall
self-image? Explain your answer in a paragraph after your reflection paragraph.

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 Employment Correspondence
On our second lesson, we will discuss what employment correspondence is.
Employment correspondence is a written communication that usually serves as a
medium for addressing your concerns and giving feedback to your employers. In a
material created by Mt. San Jacinto College Career Transfer Center, we will see the
steps in which we can create and observe good employment correspondence.

Let’s Read

Scan the QR Code below to find out more about

Employment Correspondence

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Here is a sample application letter that you can use as a guide for employment
correspondence.

August 15, 2022

HUMAN RESOURCE OFFICE
National University––Dasmariñas

Dear Sir/Madam:

Good day!

I am______, a graduate of________. I would like to inform your good office that I am
applying for the position of a full-time English instructor. I came across the online
publication posted on your Facebook page and I was delighted to know that the skills and
knowledge that I have learned for the past years make me an ideal candidate for a teaching
position at your learning community.

As a Licensed Professional Teacher and a Secondary Education graduate majoring in English

Language, I have been extensively involved in various opportunities inside and outside of
our school community which allowed me to develop strong interpersonal skills combined
with my instructional abilities and work ethics that would greatly benefit your university
and its educational program. Furthermore, I was trained to be professional in the field of
education through classroom management, application of teaching and assessment
methodologies to develop teaching materials and techniques, and organization of
workflow. In addition, I have fostered a great sense of adaptability, creativity, leadership
talents, and ability to work well under pressure by actively participating on opportunities
given to me.

In my first job__(explain your job experience and the necessary details)__

It would be an honor to have this exciting opportunity and to be part of your university. I
am also prepared to be engaged in a challenging but rewarding teaching experience and to
learn a more detailed understanding of the field by working with your talented
professionals.

Attached to this letter are my Resume, TOR, and Diploma. I look forward to hearing from
you soon. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Respectfully yours,
(Your Name)
Self-Paced Activity
Instruction: Write a cover letter/application letter.

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References
1. Mehta, S. (2014, August 13). What really is Image Management. YourStory.
https://yourstory.com/2014/08/really-image-management/amp

2. Self Image Management. (n.d.). Tranziam. Retrieved August 12, 2022, from
https://tranziam.com/self-image-management/

3. Employment Correspondence. (n.d.). StudyLib.

https://studylib.net/doc/7754561/employment-correspondence

4. Image Management 101. (n.d.). Image Consulting Business Institute.

Retrieved August 19, 2022, from
https://www.imageconsultinginstitute.com/blog/image-management/

5. Ackerman, C. E. (2018, December 22). What is Self-Image and How Do We

Improve it? Definition + Quotes. PositivePsychology.Com. Retrieved August
19, 2022, from https://positivepsychology.com/self-image/

6. Employment Correspondence. Retrieved from

https://www.msjc.edu/careercenter/documents/Employment_Corresponde
nce.pdf