Chapter 7 Nelson & Quick Communication Copyright ©2005 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights reserved.

Communication Communication - the evoking of a shared or common meaning in another person Interpersonal Communication - communication between two or more people in an organization Communicator - the person originating the message Receiver - the person receiving a message Perceptual Screen - a window through which we interact with people that influences the quality, accuracy, and clarity of the communication

Communication Message - the thoughts and feelings that the communicator is attempting to elicit in the receiver Feedback Loop - the pathway that completes two-way communication Language - the words, their pronunciation, and the methods of combining them used & understood by a group of people

Communication Data - uninterpreted and unanalyzed facts Information - data that have been interpreted, analyzed, & and have meaning to some user Richness - the ability of a medium or channel to elicit or evoke meaning in the receiver

Basic Interpersonal Communication Model Event X Message Context Affect Perceptual screens ////////////////// ////////////////// ////////////////// ////////////////// CommunicatorReceiver Influence message quality, accuracy, clarity Include age, gender, values, beliefs, culture, experiences, needs

Reflective Listening Reflective Listening - the skill of listening carefully to another person and repeating back to the speaker the heard message to correct any inaccuracies or misunderstandings This complex process needs to be divided to be understood What I heard you say was we will understand the process better if we break it into steps

Reflective Listening  Emphasizes receiver’s role  Helps the receiver & communicator clearly & fully understand the message sent  Useful in problem solving

Reflective Listening Reflective listening emphasizes  the personal elements of the communication process  the feelings communicated in the message  responding to the communicator, not leading the communicator  the role or receiver or audience  understanding people by reducing perceptual distortions and interpersonal barriers

Reflective Listening: 4 Levels of Verbal Response Affirm contact Paraphrase the expressed Clarify the implicit Reflect “core” feelings

One-way vs. Two-way Communications One-Way Communication - a person sends a message to another person and no questions, feedback, or interaction follow Good for giving simple directions Fast but often less accurate than 2-way communication Two-Way Communication - the communicator & receiver interact Good for problem solving

Five Keys to Effective Supervisory Communication  Expressive speaking  Empathetic listening  Persuasive leadership  Sensitivity to feelings  Informative management

Barriers to Communication  Physical separation  Status differences  Gender differences  Cultural diversity  Language Communication Barriers - factors that block or significantly distort successful communication

Defensive Communication Defensive Communication - communication that can be aggressive, attacking & angry, or passive & withdrawing Leads to injured feelings communication breakdowns alienation retaliatory behaviors nonproductive efforts problem solving failures

Nondefensive Communication Nondefensive Communication - communication that is assertive, direct, & powerful Provides basis for defense when attacked restores order, balance, and effectiveness

Two Defensiveness Patterns Dominant Defensiveness - characterized by active, aggressive, attacking behavior Subordinate Defensiveness - characterized by passive, submissive, withdrawing behavior

Defensive Tactics Defensive TacticSpeakerExample Power PlayBoss“Finish this report by month’s end or lose your promotion.” Put-DownBoss“A capable manager would already be done with this report.” LabelingBoss“You must be a slow learner. Your report is still not done?” Raising DoubtsBoss“How can I trust you, Chris, if you can’t finish an easy report?”

Defensive Tactics Defensive TacticSpeakerExample Misleading Information Employee“Morgan has not gone over with me the information I need for the report.” [Morgan left Chris with a copy of the report.] ScapegoatingEmployee“Morgan did not give me input until just today.” Hostile JokesEmployee“You can’t be serious! The report isn’t that important.” DeceptionEmployee“I gave it to the secretary. Did she lose it?”

Nondefensive Communication: A Powerful Tool  Speaker seen as centered, assertive, controlled, informative, realistic, and honest  Speaker exhibits self-control & self possession  Listener feels accepted rather than rejected  Catherine Crier’s rules to nondefensive communication 1. Define the situation 2. Clarify the person’s position 3. Acknowledge the person’s feelings 4. Bring the focus back to the facts

Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal Communication - all elements of communication that do not involve words Four basic types Proxemics - an individual’s perception & use of space Kinesics - study of body movements, including posture Facial & Eye Behavior - movements that add cues for the receiver Paralanguage - variations in speech, such as pitch, loudness, tempo, tone, duration, laughing, & crying

c c = social 4-12’ b b = personal 1.5-4’ Proxemics: Territorial Space Territorial Space - bands of space extending outward from the body; territorial space differs from culture to culture a a = intimate <1.5’ d d = public >12’

Proxemics: Seating Dynamics Seating Dynamics - seating people in certain positions according to the person’s purpose in communication Cooperation X O Non- Communication O X O Competition X O X Communication O

Examples of Decoding Nonverbal Cues Boss fails to acknowledge employee’s greeting No eye contact while communicating Manager sighs deeply Boss breathes heavily & waves arms He’s unapproachable! My opinion doesn’t count I wonder what he’s hiding? He’s angry! I’ll stay out of his way! SOURCE: Adapted from “Steps to Better Listening” by C. Hamilton and B. H. Kleiner. Copyright © February Reprinted with permission, Personnel Journal, all rights reserved.

New Technologies for Communication  Informational databases  Electronic mail systems  Voice mail systems  Fax machine systems  Cellular phone systems

How Do New Technologies Affect Behavior?  Fast, immediate access to information  Immediate access to people in power  Instant information exchange across distance  Makes schedules & office hours irrelevant  May equalize group power  May equalize group participation

 Communication can become more impersonal— interaction with a machine  Interpersonal skills may diminish—less tact, less graciousness  Non-verbal cues lacking  Alters social context  Easy to become overwhelmed with information  Encourages polyphasic activity How Do New Technologies Affect Behavior?

Strive for message completeness Tips for Effective Use of New Communication Technologies Build in feedback opportunities Provide social interaction opportunities Don’t assume immediate response Is the message really necessary? Regularly disconnect from the technology Provide social interaction opportunities