Chapter 8 Interpersonal Processes

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Chapter 8 Interpersonal Processes Behavior
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Effective Communication
I didnt say that I didnt say it. I said that
I didnt say that I said it. I want to make that
very clear.
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Communication

• Communication - the evoking of a shared or common
  meaning in another person
• Interpersonal communication - communication
  between two or more people in an organization

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Communication

• 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

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Basic Interpersonal Communication Model
Event X

• Message
• Context
• Affect

Perceptual screens
Message - the thoughts and feelings that the
communicator is attempting to elicit in the
receiver Feedback loop - the pathway that
completes two-way communication
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Communication

• Language - the words, their pronunciation, and
  the methods of combining them used understood
  by a group of people
• 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

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The Communication Process
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Words That Create Distortions
Many people today use a vocabulary of filler
words that contribute to imprecise language.
The following words and phrases distort
communication because theyre confusing and
ambiguous to listeners
Like you know See So OK Like
oh my God I mean Basically And all that
And everything like that And whatever
n stuff

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Communication Networks
Three Network Types
Connected, decentralized decision
makers (cyber-cowboys)
Centralized decision makers (commanders)
Independent, decentralized decision
makers (cowboys)
Places where actions are taken and information
is generated
Centralized decision maker
Source T.W. Malone, Is Empowerment Just a Fad?
Control, Decision Making and IT, Sloan
Management Review, Winter 1997, pp. 23-35.
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Three Common Small-Group Networks
Chain
Wheel
All-Channel
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Hierarchy of Channel Richness
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Coping With Rumors

• Announce timetables for making important
  decisions.
• Explain decisions and behaviors that may appear
  inconsistent or secretive.
• Emphasize the downside, as well as the upside, of
  current decisions and future plans.
• Openly discuss worst case possibilities -it is
  almost never as anxiety provoking as the unspoken
  fantasy.

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Implications for Managers

• Less uncertainty, the greater the satisfaction
• Less distortion in communication equals
• Incongruities between verbal and nonverbal
  communiqués increase uncertainty and reduce
  satisfaction.
• The goal of perfect communication is
  unattainable.
• The issue of communication is critical to
  motivation.

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ACTIVE LISTENING

• You can not truly listen to anyone and do
  anything else at the same time.
• M. Scott Peck

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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

What I heard you say was we will understand the
process better if we break it into steps
This complex process needs to be divided to be
understood
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Response
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Levels of Empathy  
 
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Reflective Listening

• Helps the receiver communicator clearly fully
  understand the message sent
• Useful in problem solving

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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

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

• Make eye contact.
• Exhibit affirmative head nods and appropriate
  facial expressions.
• Avoid distracting actions or gestures.
• Ask questions.
• Paraphrase.
• Avoid interrupting the speaker.
• Dont over talk.
• Make smooth transitions between the roles of
  speaker and listener.

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Effective Listening

• Find an area of interest.
• Judge content and not delivery.
• Hold your fire.
• Listen for ideas.
• Be flexible.
• Resist distractions.
• Keep your mind open.
• Work at listening.

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Steps To Effective Listening

• Attending
• Following
• Reflecting
• Responding

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One-way Vs. Two-way Communications

• One-way communication - communication in which 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 - a form of communication
  in which the communicator receiver interact
• good for problem solving

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Five Keys to Effective Supervisory Communication

• Expressive speaking
• Empathetic listening
• Persuasive leadership
• Sensitivity to feelings
• Informative management

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Barriers to Effective Communication

• Filtering
• Selective Perception
• Defensiveness
• Language

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Barriers to Communication

• Physical separation
• Status differences
• Status differences
• Gender differences
• Cultural diversity
• Language

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Message Influences
Age
Factors that influence sent received messages
Gender
Culture
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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

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Defensive Communication

• Defensive Behaviors
• 1 Evaluation
• 2 Control
• 3 Strategy
• 4 Neutrality
• 5 Superiority
• 6 Certainty

• Supportive Behaviors
• 1 Description
• 2 Problem Orientation
• 3 Spontaneity
• 4 Empathy
• 5 Equality
• 6 Provisionalism

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Nondefensive Communication

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

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Two Defensiveness Patterns
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Defensive Tactics
Emp l o y e e
B o s s
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Nondefensive Communication A Powerful Tool

• Speaker exhibits self-control self possession
• Listener feels accepted rather than rejected
• Characterized by
• assertiveness
• control
• informative approach
• centered
• realism
• honesty

Power
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Nonverbal Communication

• Nonverbal communication - all elements of
  communication that do not involve words
• Four basic types
• Proxemics - an individuals 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

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Proxemics Territorial Space
Territorial space - bands of space extending
outward from the body territorial space differs
from culture to culture
a intimate lt1.5
b personal 1.5-4
c social 4-12
d public gt12
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Proxemics Seating Dynamics
Seating dynamics - seating people in certain
positions according to the persons purpose in
communication
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Decoding Non-verbal Cues
Hes angry! Ill stay out of his way!
Hes unapproachable!
Boss breathes heavily waves arms
Boss fails to acknowledge employees greeting
I wonder what hes hiding?
My opinion doesnt count
No eye contact while communicating
Manager sighs deeply
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Gender and Communication

• Does gender really make a difference?
• Differences
• Purpose
• Level of Involvement
• Style

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Childhood -- Growing up in Different Worlds.

• Men
• Emphasize Sports
• Military Metaphors
• Games rules, boastful winners
• Women
• Girls Speak Sooner
• Small Groups same sex groups
• Intimacy is Key
• Emphasis on getting along

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Gender Specific Behaviors

• Men
• Position
• Problem Solving
• Interruptions
• Hierarchy
• Independence
• Talk to Report

• Women
• Personal
• Process
• Permission
• Disclaimers
• Upspeak
• Solidarity
• Talk to establish Rapport

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Cultural Context Effects
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Cross-cultural Communication I

• There are barriers caused by semantics.
• There are barriers caused by word connotations.
• There are barriers caused by tonal differences.
• There are barriers caused by differences among
  perceptions.

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Cross-cultural Communications II

• Assume differences until similarity is proven.
• Emphasize description rather than interpretation
  or evaluation.
• Practice empathy.
• Treat your interpretations as a working
  hypothesis.

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What Do I Do If They Dont Speak My Language?

• Verbal Behavior.
• Clear, slow speech.
• Repetition.
• Simple sentences..
• Active verbs.
• Nonverbal Behavior.
• Visual restatements.
• Gestures.
• Demonstrations.
• Pauses.
• Summaries..

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What You Hear, May Not Be What You See.
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The Future

• Workplace Diversity
• Generational Issues technology, loyalty,
  motivation, styles of communication
• Boomers
• Busters
• Changing Role Models
• Electronic Communication

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Computer-mediated Communication

• Informational databases
• Electronic mail systems
• Voice mail systems
• Fax machine systems
• Cellular phone systems

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How Does CMC Affect Communication?

• 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

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How Does CMC Affect Communication?

• Communication can become more impersonal--interact
  ion 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

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Tips for Effective Use of CMC