- Mindy does not dress appropriately for the medical facility. Her dressing is casual and is too accessorized for a medical environment that embraces conventional dressing (Bryan 223). As a person working in a medical environment, she should ensure that she represents the decorum associated with the profession, right from her dressing.
- Mindy’s personal ‘style’ detracts from the medical facility’s aire of professionalism. Dressing in miniskirts, coloring the hair, mixing colors and over-indulging in accessories is not associated with the medical workplace. Such dressing is appropriate for informal or social environments.
- In my opinion, every employee should always adhere to the dress code stipulated by the organizational culture and society. Doctors, for example, are known for their white lab coats and the dignity and solemnity associated with this profession can only be encapsulated through decent formal dressing. If in doubt, one should simply dress in a decent, non-provocative manner that invites public confidence.
Non-Verbal Communication
- Non-verbal signals could significantly have affected Mr. Collin’s clinical experience because they carry more meaning than verbal communication (Means 68) and are prone to misinterpretation. Only the employee who was talking while facing Mr. Collins directly would have convinced the latter that the proposed action was sincere.
- Facial expression and body language play a big part in professionalism in the health sciences because people tend to believe actions more than utterances (Means 69). Mr. Collins could only be convinced if the employee’s facial expression and body language were synchronized with words.
- Non-verbal signals can change the outcome of a communication. For example, while arranging items on a table, a nurse told a patient he had treated that the latter would be cured of an illness. The patient stood rooted to the ground and asked the nurse to confirm the information. It was only when the nurse turned, held the shoulder of this patient and spoke in a warm reassuring tone that the latter left with a smile on the face.
- Non-verbal signals can help resolve conflicts. For instance, a pat on the back, a firm handshake or a warm genuine smile can convince a conflicting party that the other has forgiven and normalcy can return (Means 71) as opposed to mere words.
Diverse Beliefs
- The fact that Cynthia is conscientious, spiritual and prayerful could be the reason why her seemingly carefree colleagues do not want to associate with her. Apparently, the belief systems of the two parties are not in tandem. However, the situation is a consequence of lack of interaction between employees since Cynthia is new and her colleagues have not known her well.
- A cohesive professional environment for all personnel can be created by encouraging teamwork and constant communication between employees (Marque, Dhiman and King 154). Lack of communication breeds information gaps which employees attempt to fill through gossip and antisocial behavior just as Cynthia was shunned by other employees yet they knew very little about her.
- Interacting with colleagues from the Orient in my workplace was an eye-opener. Their humble demeanor and avoidance of open conflict made me think most of them were queer and timid. However, a few friends and I invited all the three ‘foreigners’ for dinner several times during which we discussed and interacted closely. After that I was able to embrace and interact with them more freely.
Works Cited
Bryan, Karen. (Ed.). Communication in Healthcare. Bern: Peter-Lang AG, 2009. Print.
Marques, Joan, Satinder Dhiman, Richard King. Spirituality in the Workplace: What It Is, Why It
Matters, How to Make it Work for you. Fawnskin, CA: Personhood Press, 2007. Print
Means, Thomas. Business Communications. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning,
2010. Print.
