Transcript Professional Communication

Interpersonal Communication in
the Workplace
Based on Chapter 7, Goodall and Goodall
Lynne Dahmen
COM 2301: Advanced Speech
How do we make first impressions?
Perceptions (appearance, voice,
language use)
 Schemata

Person Prototypes
 Personql Constructs
 Scripts/phatic communication

Making Positive Impressions









Eye contact, smile, handshake
Clear speech
Proper titles/names
Make efforts to remember names (and use the
name)
Respond clearly
Be positive
Be pleasant
Be aware of appropriate social distance
Don’t prolong conversations
Types of Peer Relationships
Information peers
 Collegial peers
 Special peers

What limits work relationships?
Rules
 Policies
 Cultures

N. American Ethical Standards





Trust
Respect
Value the individual
Keep your word
Honesty

Integrity
 Open to change
 Take risks
 Be creative
Self-Disclosure
Is it socially/culturally appropriate?
 Is there an expectation of reciprocity?
 Is this person trustworthy?
 Is this information ok for public
consumption?
 Is it about/involve a third party?

Rules for Giving Feedback
Own your opinions
 Don’t apologize
 Be specific
 Target behaviors
 Non verbal should reinforce the verbal
 Avoid offering unsolicited feedback

Dialectics for Communication
Autonomy-togetherness
 Novelty—predictability
 Expressive-protective

Ways to Promote Dialogue
Focus on mutuality
 Discover rather than disclose
 Be more interested in access than in
domination
Kellett (1999)

Approaches to Avoiding Conflict
Withdrawing
 Accommodating
 Compromising
 Avoiding/postponing

Strategies for Managing Conflict

Win-lose methods
 Competition
 Withdrawal
 Avoidance

Lose-lose methods
 Compromise
 Smoothing
 Accommodation
 Win-win method
 Confrontation-problem solving
 Collaboration
 Partial win-partial lose
 Compromise
Questions to Ask About Conflict
Where does the conflict come from?
 How is it being managed?
 How are other people reacting?
 How does it affect the organization?
 Does it appear in other places in the
organization?
(Kellett and Dalton, 2001)

Sample Progression of Conflict






First meeting: We could always get along
without a leader.
Second meeting: Absences in meetings
Third meeting: Lateness
Fourth meeting: Tension
Group divides….
What next?
Myths about Conflict
Conflict is harmful
 Conflict should be avoided
 Conflict represents a misunderstanding
or breakdown in communication
 Conflicts can be resolved through
discussion

Functions of Conflict
Increases involvement
 Provides an outlet for hostility
 Promotes cohesiveness
 Increases group productivity
 Increases the chance of genuine
commitment

Conflict can avoid groupthink…
Overestimation of power and/or morality
of group
 Group becomes close-minded
 Group experiences pressure to conform

Types of Conflict
Affective conflict
 Emotional
 Interpersonal
 Often over
personal needs or
perceptions
 Minimizes
interaction
Substantive conflict

Opposition of ideas
 Focus on content
 ‘opinion deviates’
 Increases interaction
What are some
examples of
affective
versus
substantive
conflicts?
Dysfunctional Management
Strategies







Do not say “communicate more”
Do not say “cooperate more.”
Do not blame the other person
or the group.
Do not be too general
Do not attack the other person or
persons
Do not avoid conflict
Do not extend conversation
Managing Interpersonal Conflict






Talk with other members of the group to confirm
your perceptions and conclusions.
Make a list of the specific behaviors you have
observed as being disruptive.
Have some tentative suggestions in mind to
present if needed.
Be prepared to listen carefully to the other
person’s view.
Be prepared to use supportive communication
behaviors.
Attempt to integrate the view of others when
possible.
Confrontation in Groups

Be sure you want to confront










Put some time between the conflict moment and your
decision making.
Examine the situation from all relevant points of view
Determine whether or not confrontation is appropriate
for a commonsense perspective.
Set your goals
Select the right channel
Set the time of the confrontation carefully
Choose the location and setting carefully
Stay in the present tense
Personalize the confrontation
Be supportive
Reaching Conclusions

Compromise



Majority vote




Pseudo-consensus
Seek commitment to goal
Consider extending time
Can lead to resentment
Make sure minority view is heard
Arbitration

Seek neutral party, better outside group
Culture in the Communication
Process





Language
Differences
Social rules for
communication
patterns
Process of thought
Non-verbal
behaviors
Concepts of time
Cultural Influences on Decoding

Cultural filters- ways we see the world through
our own culture influences our interpretation of
messages
 Ethnocentrism—influences how we judge or
accept others as either similar or like
ourselves
 Stereotypes--generalizations about people,
particularly about their underlying
psychological characteristics or personality
traits
Characteristics of Intracultural
Communication
Communicators share the same ground
rules
 Share cultural and NV codes
 Implies judgments about the ‘proper’
socialization of the other person
 Similar processes in encoding &
decoding messages
 Can lead to negative stereotypes

Characteristics of Intercultural
Communication

Dissimilar
encoding/decoding
practices
 Ambiguity
concerning ground
rules for
communication
 Miscommunication
can occur on
nonverbal level
 Increased conflict
Cultural Divides: Low vs. High
Context Cultures

Meaning in message
 Speaker responsibility
for comprehension
 Explicit
 Details in message

Meaning in context
 Listener
responsibility for
comprehension
 Implicit
 Details in context
Cross-cultural Stumbling Blocks
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Assumptions of similarities
Language differences
Nonverbal misinterpretations
Preconceptions and stereotypes
Tendency to evaluate
High anxiety or tension
Skills to Improve Communication
Assume difference until similarity is
proven
 Take responsibility for communication
 Withhold judgment
 Show respect
 Empathize
 Tolerate ambiguity
 Look beyond the superficial
 Be flexible in your conclusions

Skills (continued)
Be patient and persistent
 Recognize your own cultural biases
 Be flexible
 Emphasize common ground
 Send clear messages
 Increase your cultural sensitivity
 Deal with the individual
 Learn when to be direct

Intercultural Communication
Competence

Describes ability to
communicate
effectively in
intercultural contexts
 Can be associated
with various factors
Other Differences to Consider in
Business:
Recognition of time
 Decision making strategies
 Ethical and legal behavior
 Corporate Cultural difference
 Personal space
 Relationship between social and
professional lives

Tips for Oral Communication








Look for feedback
Eliminate ambient distractions
Rephrase ideas as needed
Use repetition and examples
Don’t ‘talk down’ to the other person
Use accurate language
Listen carefully and patiently
Clarify expectations post-discussion