Effective Communication In Social Work

According to researcher Summak (2014) Communication is the process in which a message is conveyed from someone into another. Whether it becomes verbal or non-verbal, “the process of communications” includes a receiver and a sender; as for the process consists of five significant phase Effective communication is important component in social workers career. Social workers must be able to communicate verbally with clients, supervisors, community members, and other professions. “Social workers must be able to use several modes of communication effectively, including the written word, spoken work, electronic word, and nonverbal communication” (Garthwait, 2014, p.65). Social worker must be able to communicate with in large groups, small groups,

and one on one situations. Communication is far more advance than just words, the presentation of word and communication plays a role. “The content, structure, and sequencing of verbal messages, as well as the paralinguistic cues, gestures ,facial expressions, body movements and cues provided by the physical environment that accompany verbal messages, all afford considerable grist for social actors’ comprehension and interpretative mills”(Burgoon, Berger,& Waldron, 2000, p. 106).

We all have different communication styles and ways to advance our communication skills. It can be said that the individuals, who have a extraordinary ability of communications, have the skills for presenting comportments and style of communications appropriate to the present circumstance and environment. Which approach the conflicting individuals will practice and how they will behave is connected not only with the perception of his/her own communication capability but also with his/her belief about the communication capability of the conflicting side.
I have had the pleasure to shadow several different case workers at Adult Protection Services, and they all have diverse ways of communicating, writing, and documenting case notes.

During training caseworkers are all offered identical resources, but they all have adapted the resources to fit their individual styles. For example, the origin for conducting initial interviews are similar, but documenting information differs. Some case workers have adapted a shorthanded note taking style, were as others use the long handed style. Nonjudgmental responses are one of the communication styles used at Adult Protective Services. When conducting interviews and follow ups, case worker abstain from critical statements. When working as a Social Workers eliminating your personal view and beliefs, are a tough job. Once case workers have established that rapport with clients, they create an opening and trusting relationship. The variance in communication styles among case workers, can create an unproductive barrier in my internship. This past week I was working on an assignment for a case worker, and I was having a diffcult time on writing the important information. After some thought, I was able to request help from the case worker. After speaking with the caseworker, I was able to complete assignment, adapting her style of writing. Effective communication is continually developing and adjusting to fit the person environmental setting, but once the communication lines are open produce a smooth outcome and

relationship.