Listening: Empathy and Dividing Emotion from Facts Mediation & Conflict Resolution

Empathy - Review  (Definition) A communication behavior which requires us to detect and identify how a person is feeling and to respond in an appropriate manner.  Put self in another person’s place  Understand and respect another’s feelings  Demonstrate sensitivity  Sympathy: one person is experiencing the same feelings as another  WHY? reduce tension and enhance relational functioning

Empathy - Review  Validate: acknowledge  Empathize: understand their perspective  Clarify: ask non-judgmental questions  Summarize: bring them to closure

Proximity – Seating Arrangement

Multi-Channel Communication Model  Developed by Karl Albrecht, a business management consultant  Transactions between two people take place through separate communication channel  Deals with blocks in communications due to confusion about emotions and facts  Typically, one channel predominates the conversation

Multi-Channel Communication Model  FACTS: verifiable aspects of experience, inferences, assumptions based on truth, information without an emotional connection  FEELINGS: emotional responses to experiences, reactions which influence the transaction  VALUES: ideals, behavioral standards, sense of propriety, people or institutions held dear  OPINIONS: belief which falls short of certainty; short-range ideas about situation, people, or propositions; attitudes

Why use Multi-Channel Communication Model?  Communication has become blocked because of mixed or misinterpreted messages  Ex: getting attitudes confused for facts  Ex: feelings being influenced by values, opinions  Help separate emotions from facts – what is really going on here?  Help other party to be able to listen objectively  Draws attention to non-verbals to help interpret message

HYPO: Using Empathy and Multi- Channel Communication  Break into pairs  Interviewer:  Listen to other party  Use empathy skills  Try to divide their expression into four channels  Pay attention to body language  Identify issue and help problem solve  Interviewee:  Work from script  Don’t forget body language and proximity

For Next Week  TOPIC: Identifying and overcoming stereotypes  Laverne Cox presentation on Wednesday?  Don’t forget about weekly journals