Communication Climates

Think back to Aristotle

Occasion Occasion Time Place Situation Audience Exigency Constraint Kairos: the right, critical, or opportune moment.

Communication Climate A communication climate is the emotional tone of a relationship between people. A constructive communication climate is created when individuals feel valued. A destructive communication climate might include feeling blamed by a supervisor encountering a co-worker who feels superior getting flamed online being judged by a friend.

Communication climate Buber: I/Thou Interpersonal confirmation Recognition Acknowledgment Endorsement

Communication Climate Defensive vs. supportive climates Evaluation vs. description Certainty vs. provisionalism Strategy vs. spontaneity Control vs. problem orientation Neutrality vs. empathy Superiority vs. equality

Communication Climate Conflict exists when people who depend on each other have different views, interests, values, responsibilities, or objectives and perceive those differences as incompatible. Overt vs. covert conflict Managing conflicts Conflicts of interest Conflict orientations Conflict responses Conflict outcomes

Communication Climate In conflict mediation, context matters Place—the physical place Time—the temporal place Mood—the socio-emotional place

Communication climate Conflict and grace Defined: Grace is a willingness to sometimes excuse someone who has no right to expect your compassion and forgiveness. Grace is given without an expectation of reward or reciprocity Examples: Granting forgiveness Putting aside our needs Helping another save face Kindness that isn’t earned or requires