My view of Multi-Literacy has shifted from viewing communication as a tool for transmitting information to understanding it as a culturally-situated process of “negotiating meaning” (Hall, 1980). This intellectual and practical evolution was directly shaped by my academic coursework, various formats and mediums of projects, and cross-cultural experiences.

My early courses, such as Integrative Forum I & II (RCLP 1111), (RCLP 1112), laid the groundwork by emphasizing dialogical reflection and the collaborative construction of understanding through diverse modes of expression, be they written, oral, or reflective. This challenged the notion that clarity and articulation are “neutral” or universally valued in the same way. This foundation was powerfully expanded in Images and Insights (RCLP 4031), where I learned to critically decode (Hall's encoding and decoding) visual and symbolic language, understanding that images, like words, are messages embedded with cultural and ideological assumptions (Hall, 1980). This course provided the academic framework for my later ability to prioritize "meaning over perfection" during my International Internship in Vietnam, as I was already practiced in interpreting non-verbal "texts."

The most profound theoretical insight came from Leadership in Cross-Cultural Contexts (RCLP 3002) and my International Internship (LEAD 3046), where I engaged directly with the "Peach and Coconut" cultural frameworks (Hachey, 2021; Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 1997). This model provided the vocabulary and conceptual understanding to analyze my own communication style. I recognized my default Canadian ("peach") approach as just one way of building trust, rather than the "right" way. This was the theory behind my indicator of change: "Using language to connect rather than perform knowledge." (conceptual vocabulary) I learned that Multi-Literacy isn't about perfect fluency in every language, creative ability, communication, and encapsulating classic the title of a "Renaissance Man", but rather about the meta-skill of attunement: reading the context, the person, and the unspoken cultural rules governing the interaction.

Furthermore, my work in NB Power's bilingual customer service role was a practical lab for "Social Judgment Skills" from the "Skills Approach" (Northouse, 2019). To de-escalate frustrated clients, I had to rapidly understand their perspective (empathy), frame information in a way they could accept (flexibility), and manage my own emotional responses (self-regulation). This was the real-world application of "unlearning the instinct to react defensively," demonstrating that Multi-Literacy includes the emotional and social literacy required to navigate conflict and build rapport under pressure. (Framing, reframing, regulating tone)

Ultimately, my development in Multi-Literacy shows that having the ability to create and understand in an interdisciplinary capacity is the bedrock of effective, ethical leadership in a globalized world. Allowing communication across cultures and assumptions. It is the conscious practice of stepping outside one's own comfort zone of communication to meet others where they are, using a full toolkit of verbal, non-verbal, and cultural skills to foster genuine shared understanding.