Achieving Goals
To reach our goals, we must communicate. Without communication, such things as becoming educated, getting a job, and completing tasks like opening a bank account or making dinner for a large group would be impossible. We need communication to accomplish particular objectives, a function we call goal achievement.
Technology and You
Can you think of a recent situation in which you expressed or received a positive affiliation through Facebook or other social media? What was the situation, and what technology was involved?
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There are usually multiple goals at play in any given situation. For example, you may want to host Thanksgiving this year to illustrate your adult status in the family, but your mother-in-law may insist on keeping the holiday at her home out of tradition. If you and she are interdependent, both of you will likely try to accomplish your individual goal without losing any affection for each other. In addition, goals may change during a communication encounter. For instance, you initially think you want to host Thanksgiving but then realize you don’t want that responsibility once you recognize how much work is involved. We achieve our goals in a variety of ways too. To illustrate, you might simply ask your sister to help you host Thanksgiving. You might try to bully her into it. Or you might hint at what you want or suggest that she’s lazy if she doesn’t help you host.
Contestants in demanding competitions, such as on the show Hell’s Kitchen, know that it would be impossible to achieve goals without clear communication.