COMM 277 Week 3 Part 3 – Enacting Communication Change

Grace J.
August 7, 2025August 7, 2025
COMM-277, CU BSN

Student Name

Chamberlain University

COMM-277 Interpersonal Communication

Prof. Name

Date

Week 3 CCC: Part 3 – Enacting Communication Change

Part 1: Beginning of the Week

This week, I have chosen to apply my communication change strategy to my supervisor at work. Since I interact with my supervisor daily during my shifts at the Ob-Gyn clinic, I am confident that there will be multiple opportunities to implement my plan of assertively saying no when necessary.

In preparation for this, I have been mentally rehearsing scenarios in which I would need to respectfully decline a request—specifically, when I am asked to stay beyond my scheduled hours. My strategy involves analyzing the context of the conversation. If I sense that the request stems from my reputation of always agreeing to stay late, I will politely yet firmly decline. I plan to suggest that my supervisor first approach other team members instead. This allows me to uphold a respectful and composed demeanor while establishing clear boundaries. My tone will remain positive and courteous to ensure the conversation does not come across as confrontational.

Part 2: Middle of the Week

The anticipated setting for this interaction remains my workplace, an Ob-Gyn office. The conversation could take place with either my supervisor or the manager—depending on who initiates the request for me to stay late. Regardless of who asks, I am determined to maintain my boundaries and respond that I am unable to extend my shift.

It is crucial for me to maintain a calm and professional tone, so as not to appear rude or uncooperative. At the same time, I must be assertive and clear in communicating my refusal, leaving no room for misinterpretation. This firmness ensures that my boundaries are respected and discourages attempts to pressure me into changing my decision.

Part 3: End of the Week

3A. Topic Selection Reflection

What communication strategies did you use?
During the interaction with my supervisor, I relied on self-assessment and careful planning. I focused on tone, timing, and word choice—factors that significantly influence how my message is received. This experience reinforced how crucial it is to use the right language and tone when expressing disagreement or refusal, especially in a professional context.

3B. Implementation Analysis: Satisfaction

Was I satisfied with the outcome of the communication?
Yes, I was quite satisfied with the outcome. As McLean (2018) highlights, “Sometimes we want our meaning to be crystal clear, and at other times, less so.” I adopted this principle by ensuring that my response was unambiguous. I wanted my supervisor to clearly understand that I was unavailable, and I successfully communicated this without sounding disrespectful. The ability to say no confidently is a skill I’ve cultivated through this process, and this week marked a significant milestone in my personal and professional growth.

3C. Implementation Analysis: Dissatisfaction

Was there anything dissatisfying about the communication experience?
So far, I have not encountered any dissatisfaction with the way I implemented this communication change. However, I recognize that failure to maintain consistency in this new behavior would lead to regression. If I fall back into old habits of always saying yes, it would nullify the progress I’ve made and leave me feeling disappointed in myself. Continuous effort is necessary to ensure long-term change.

3D. Implementation Analysis: Additional Changes

What else do I need to improve?
A key area for further development is ensuring I don’t revert to old patterns. I must remember to assess each conversation carefully and maintain awareness of how my tone affects the message. McLean (2018) aptly states, “It isn’t what you say that counts, but the way you say it.” This quote resonates deeply with my experience. Regardless of the message, how it is delivered can shape the listener’s perception significantly.

I want to ensure that my tone remains respectful and professional, especially when declining requests from someone in a supervisory role. For this reason, I will continue practicing and mentally preparing for such conversations. Doing so helps reinforce my confidence and ensures that my communication remains consistent with the values of respect, clarity, and assertiveness.

Table 1: Communication Change Implementation Overview

Section	Details
Setting	Ob-Gyn workplace, during regular shift hours
Participants	Self and Supervisor/Manager
Strategy Used	Assertive communication, respectful tone, boundary setting
Goal	To say “no” when unable to stay late without sounding negative
Challenges Faced	Internal nervousness, pressure to conform to past behavior
Outcome	Successfully communicated boundaries; satisfaction with self-growth
Future Focus	Practice consistency, remain mindful of tone and delivery

References

McLean, S. (2018). Exploring Interpersonal Communication (Version 2.0). Retrieved from https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781453390429/