Interpersonal communication

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Interpersonal communication

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Process of Interpersonal Communication

• Definition of Interpersonal Communication
• Interpersonal Communication is an
  interactional process in which one person sends a
  message to another

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Key elements of Communication

• Sender
• Must send in a mediu that the receiver can
  understand
• ?? Receiver
• Must be able to capture and decipher the
  Message
• ?? Message (content)
• One that both sender receiver must be able
  to Encode and Decode
• ??

• Channel or Medium
• Through the which the message is transmitted
• Context
• Setting or physical place where the
• exchange occurs

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Why we communicate

• We communicate to
• Share our ideas and opinions
• Provide feedback to others
• Get information from others
• Develop social relationships
• Maintain self-expression and our culture

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Missed communication
As Purchasing ordered it.
As the Manager Requested it.
As Marketing wrote it up.
As the Supervisor implemented it.
As the Art Dept. designed it.
What the Employee really wanted!
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Obstacles to sharing ideas

• What can make sharing ideas difficult?
• Take a few moments to write
  down some of your thoughts
  

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Barriers to communication

• Unclear process The receiver and sender may not
  share the same language, slang, jargon,
  vocabulary, symbols
• Chain of command There may be too many layers
  that a message passes through between sender and
  receiver
• Large size of an organization, geographic
  distance Large numbers of receivers require good
  message sending methods
• Personal limitations Physical and mental
  disabilities, and differences in intelligence and
  education may interfere with mutual understanding

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Barriers to communication

• Human nature Peoples egos, prejudices, and
  traditions can get in the way
• Conflicting feelings, goals, opinions If people
  feel on opposite sides of an issue they may not
  share
• Power The idea that knowledge is power can lead
  to information hoarding

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Message Structure

• Content is simply communicating what you desire
  to communicate.
•  
• Context involves adapting your presentation of
  the content to your audience.
•  
• Treatment is the arrangement or ordering of the
  content by the speaker. The treatment directly
  supports the context and content of the message.

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 Encoding and Decoding Processes

• Encoding - creation of an intentional message
• Decoding putting some coherent meaning to the
  message

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SHARE your ideas a model

• State the main point of your message
• Highlight other important points
• Assure the receivers understanding
• React to how the receiver responds
• Emphasize/summarize your main ideas

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SHARE an example

• State the main point of your message
• Id like to talk to you about the new employee
  welcome program.
• Highlight other important points
• We need to discuss the new schedule, locations,
  and presenters.
• Assure the receivers understanding
• Do you need me to further clarify how we are
  making invitations?
• React to how the receiver responds
• I understand your concern about parking.
• Emphasize/summarize your main ideas
• To wrap-up, Ill develop the schedule and make
  the room reservations, if you can line up the
  guest speakers.

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Getting good information

• Why is it necessary to get good information from
  others?
• Take a few moments to write
  down some of your thoughts
  

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The power of listening

• The philosopher Epictetus stressed the power of
  listening in this quote
• Nature gave us one tongue and two ears so we
  could hear twice as much as we speak.

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Thats a good question!

• Close end questions limit the answer to yes or no
• Open end questions allow the responder total
  freedom in answering
• Direct questions ask for specific information
  limit answers to brief fact statements
• Probing questions follow up other questions to
  solicit additional information
• Hypothetical questions present a theoretical
  situation to which receiver responds

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Good question - examples

• Close end question
• Did you attend the staff meeting this morning?
• Open end question
• What was discussed at the staff meeting this
  morning?
• Direct question
• Which topics were listed on the meeting agenda?
• Probing question
• Can you tell me more about the first agenda
  topic?.
• Hypothetical question
• What would you have done, if you had not had the
  chance to present your idea at the meeting?

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FOCUS on information a model

• Focus the discussion on the specific information
  you need
• Open-end question to expand the discussion
• Close-end question to get specifics
• Use active listening skills to understand what
  you are hearing
• Summarize and close the discussion

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FOCUS on information an example

• Focus the discussion on the specific information
  you need
• I need to ask you about the computer meeting you
  attended yesterday.
• Open-end question to expand the discussion
• What kinds of decisions were made regarding
  expansion of our departmental system?
• Close-end question to get specifics
• Did the committee decide to buy Dell computers?
• Use active listening skills to understand what
  you are hearing
• What I think I heard you say was that the
  decision was made?
• Summarize and close the discussion
• So to wrap up, the system will expand and we
  will be using Dells. Thanks for keeping me up to
  date.

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Giving feedback

• Why is it necessary to give constructive feedback
  to others?
• Take a few moments to write
  down some of your thoughts

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Obstacles to giving constructive feedback

• What makes it hard to give constructive
  feedback?
• Take a few moments to write
  down some of your thoughts

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Types of Feedback

• POSITIVE feedback - is designed to encourage a
  response.
• NEGATIVE feedback - is designed to discourages
  a response. (ex an annoying buzzer)
• NEUTRAL feedback - neither encourage or
  discourages responses.
• INFORMATIVE feedback - displays the correct
  answer.
• CUMULATIVE feedback - sums individual
  performances.

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STATE feedback a model

• State the constructive purpose of your feedback
• Tell specifically what you have observed
• Address and describe your reactions
• Tender specific suggestions for improvement
• Express your support and respect for the person

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STATE feedback an example

• State the constructive purpose of your feedback
• Id like to give you some feedback about your
  training style so that your evaluations will be
  more positive and you will enjoy it more.
• Tell specifically what you have observed
• I notice that you rely heavily on your notes.
• Address and describe your reactions
• I feel as though you are unsure of yourself when
  you read.
• Tender specific suggestions for improvement
• I can help you develop a PowerPoint presentation
  so that you can use the screens as a cue instead
  of being tied to your notes.
• Express your support for the person
• You know a lot about the subject. With practice
  you can become a good trainer.

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Nonverbal Communication

• Nonverbal communication, known as body language
  sends strong positive and negative signals
  through non-verbal cues

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Body language includes

• Face
• Figure
• Focus
• Territory
• Tone
• Time
• Each of these is described in the following
  slides

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Body language - face

• Face includes
• Your expressions
• Your smile or lack thereof
• Tilt of the head
• What message are you sending if someone is
  presenting a new idea and you are frowning?

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Body language - figure

• Figure includes
• Your posture
• Your demeanor and gestures
• Your clothes and accessories such as jewelry
• What message are you sending if you are dressed
  casually at an important meeting?

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Body language - focus

• Focus is your eye contact with others
• The perception of eye contact differs by culture.
  For most Europians
• Staring makes other people uncomfortable
• Lack of eye contact can make you appear weak or
  not trustworthy
• Glasses may interfere or enhance eye contact
• What message are you sending if you are looking
  at other things and people in a room when someone
  is speaking to you?

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Body language - territory

• Territory focuses on how you use space. It is
  also called proxemics.
• The perception of territory differs by culture.
  Most Americans are comfortable with an individual
  space that is about an arms length in diameter
• What message are you sending if you keep moving
  closer to a person who is backing away from you?

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Interpersonal distance zones(Alan Chan)
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Body language - tone

• Tone is a factor of your voice
• Pitch is the highness or lowness of voice
• Volume is how loud your voice is
• Emphasis is your inflection
• What message are you sending if during a
  disagreement you start speaking very loudly?

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Body language - time

• Time focuses on how you use time. It is also
  called chronemics.
• Pace is how quickly you speak
• Response is how quickly you move
• Punctuality is your timeliness
• What message are you sending if you are
  consistently late for meetings?

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Test yourself(2 examples)

• 1. Communication is defined as the interchange
  of thoughts or opinions through shared symbols.
• True___ False___
• 2. The four facets of interpersonal
  communication are sender, receiver, information,
  and behavior.
• True___ False___