Interpersonal Communication

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Interpersonal Communication

• WXES2112
• Thinking and Communication Skills

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Introduction

• Interpersonal communications means "showing
  appropriate ways to exchange your ideas and
  needs."

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Introduction - Cont.

• A student demonstrates appropriate application of
  this skill when he / she can do a good job of
  presenting both sides of an issue, showing how
  both sides feel and interact, showing respect,
  using appropriate language, not using "put
  downs", and using strategies such as "I messages"
  and refusal techniques.

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Introduction - Cont.

• Some examples of activities that help to build
  this skills include skills, role plays, dialogue,
  and puppet shows.

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Agenda

• Interpersonal Communication Primer
• Interpersonal Communication Skills
• Communication Styles
• Communication during a crisis
• Functions of interpersonal communication

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Vocabulary

• interpersonal
• of relationships between people concerning or
  involving relationships between people

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Vocabulary - Cont.

• Communicate (from Latin word to share)
• exchange information to give or exchange
  information, for example, by speech or writing
• convey to transmit or reveal a feeling or
  thought by speech, writing, or gesture so that it
  is clearly understood
• understand one another to share a good personal
  understanding.

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Vocabulary - Cont.

• Communication
• exchange of information the exchange of
  information between individuals, for example, by
  means of speaking, writing, or using a common
  system of signs or behavior.

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Five methods of communication

• Written word
• Spoken word
• Visual images
• Multimedia
• Symbolic gesture

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The 6 written communication methods

• memo less formal than letter, more likely to be
  read, not confidential
• notice boards may never be read, good for
  staff-to-staff
• letter to staff private, personal, lends weight
  to its subject
• e-mail private, less formal than letter, less
  likely to be kept like letter
• faxes personal, public
• internal newsletter public, not for bad news,
  useful for minor but necessary news

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The 5 verbal communication methods

• telephone immediate, informal, private
• one-to-one meeting confidential, more formal
  than phone call
• departmental or inter-departmental meeting for
  group interaction, for discussion
• presentation persuasive, one-sided (control
  interruptions)
• company meeting for very important news,
  everyone hears at the same time

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Basic concepts

• Sender
• Message
• Medium
• Recipient
• Feedback

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Interpersonal Communication Primer

• You listen to and acknowledge other people's
  thoughts and feelings Rather than showing that
  you only care about broadcasting your feelings
  and insisting that others agree with you, you
  encourage others to express what they are
  thinking and feeling. You listen and try to
  understand.

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Interpersonal Communication Primer - Cont.

• You express your own thoughts and feelings openly
  and directly If you only listen to what other
  people are thinking or feeling and you don't
  express your own thoughts or feelings, you end up
  feeling shortchanged or "dumped on."

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Interpersonal Communication Skills

• I-statements help you express the way you feel
  and what you want with great clarity. Sometimes
  people use "you" statements, such as "You never
  call when you are going to be late." This type of
  statement can make others feel angry and
  defensive immediately. When you use I-statements,
  such as, "I really need to know when you're going
  to be here so I can make plans," you express your
  the concern in terms of you.

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Interpersonal Communication Skills - Cont.

• A respectful tone of voice conveys that you are
  taking others seriously and that you also expect
  to be taken seriously. In addition, people with
  good communication skills are assertive without
  being aggressive or manipulative

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Interpersonal Communication Skills - Cont.

• Eye contact is vital for good communication. For
  example, how would you feel if the person you
  were talking to kept looking around the hallway
  or out the window?

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Interpersonal Communication Skills - Cont.

• Appropriate body language encourages
  conversation. Nodding your head, smiling,
  laughing, using words such as "uh-huh" and "yeah"
  and asking questions at appropriate times assure
  the person that you are really listening.

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Interpersonal Communication Skills - Cont.

• Clear, organized ideas help you accurately and
  honestly describe your feelings and contribute to
  conversations and to decisions that need to be
  made. Good communicators are also specific. For
  example, a good communicator would say, "I need
  to use the computer from 7-9," as opposed to
  "I'll need the computer tonight."

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Communication Styles

• Passive communication involves the inability or
  unwillingness to express thoughts and feelings.
  Passive people will do something they don't want
  to do or make up an excuse rather than say how
  they feel.

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Communication Styles - Cont.

• Assertive behavior involves standing up for
  oneself. Assertive people will say what they
  think and stand up for their beliefs without
  hurting others

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Communication Styles - Cont.

• The aggressive style of communication involves
  overreaction, blaming and criticizing. Aggressive
  people try to get their way through bullying,
  intimidating or even physical violence. They do
  not or will not consider the rights of others.

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Communications during a crisis

• Effective Listening
• Appropriate Self-disclosure
• Audience Understanding
• Perceptual Clarity
• Channel Awareness (all senses)

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Communications during a crisis - Cont.

• Effective Verbal Messages
• Reasoning
• Evidence
• Credibility
• Organization
• Style

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Communications during a crisis - Cont.

• Effective Nonverbal Messages
• Vocalics
• Kinesics
• Artifacts
• Touch
• Proxemics
• Environmental factors

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Communicate Under Pressure

• keep everyone inform at the same time
• give everyone important instructions collectively
• encourage people to ask questions
• involve people in key decisions
• be available
• let them see that you are rooting from them
• keep your sense of humor

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Functions of Interpersonal Communication

• Gaining Information
• Building a Context of Understanding
• Establishing Identity
• Interpersonal Needs
• Inclusion
• Control
• Affection

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Good Communication Benefits

• less gossip
• better motivation
• higher productivity
• increased staff loyalty
• lower staff turnover

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Summary

• Interpersonal Communication Primer
• Interpersonal Communication Skills
• Communication Styles
• Communication during a crisis
• Functions of interpersonal communication

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Lets think about it

• We hear but we do not listen
• We see but we do not observe/read

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References

• Functions of Interpersonal Communication at
  http//www.abacon.com/commstudies/interpersonal/in
  functions.html by Tim Bochers,  Moorhead State
  University, US
• Interpersonal Communication Involves at
  http//www.uh.edu/crc/intcomm.html by
  Crisis Resource Center, Universirty of Houston
  (2002)
• Interpersonal communication at Health Teacher
  http//www.healthteacher.com/teachersupports/skill
  s4.asp by Anita Davis, Health Teacher.com,
  Tennesse, US. (2002)
• Four Principles of Intersonal Communication
  http//www2.pstcc.cc.tn.us/dking/interpr.htm by
  Donn King,  Associate Professor, Pellissippi
  State Technical Community College, Knoxville. US.

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Reference Books

• Shirley Taylor, Essential Communication Skills
  The Ultimate Guide To Successful Business
  Communication, Longman, 2000 ,ISBN 0 582 43202 2
• Ros Jay, The Seven Deadly Skills Of
  Communicating, International Business Press,
  1999, ISBN 1-86152-373-4, www.itbp.com