COMMUNICATION DYNAMICS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT Olusola O. Isola, Ph.D Peace and Conflict Studies Program Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan E-mail: sola_isola@yahoo.com Phone: 08023049433 3/23/2016 1 Introduction • Communication is crucial to every human interactions • Most of the time, ineffective communication is at the root of conflicts • Good communication leads to good interaction and progress, while poor communication could lead to poor performance and even violence in communities 3/23/2016 2 So, what is communication • It is basically the sharing of information between two or more individuals or groups in order to reach a common understanding • Efficiency, quality, responsiveness to others and innovations can only be achieved through good communication • Improvement in quality of life and social interactions can also be achieved through good communication • Productivity can be enhanced through good communication in communities and places of work 3/23/2016 3 Forms of Communication • Communication consist of verbal and nonverbal forms • Non-verbal communication includes gestures, sounds, facial expressions, signs, spatial relationships, etc. • Both verbal and non-verbal forms are capable of sending strong messages • Efficient communication occur when both verbal and non-verbal forms are combined 3/23/2016 4 The communication process • The Elements of communication includes the sender, the message, the medium and the receiver • Defects in any of the elements can lead to conflict • Conflict management and conflict resolution depends largely on the effectiveness of communication at every of the stages 3/23/2016 5 Communication Model Transmission Phase Mess age Encod ing Sende r Deco ding Mediu m Noise Mediu m Enco ding 3/23/2016 Deco ding Receiv er Mess age 6 Feedback Phase • The communication process consists of two phases – The Transmission phase and the Feedback phase • Sender – Originator of messages • Receiver – The one who receives the message • Medium – The channel through which information is passed • Noise – Any interference that is capable of disturbing any of the communication stages • Types of Noise- Mechanical, Physical and Psychological • It is the responsibility of those involved in communication to ensure the elimination or reduction of noise in the communication process 3/23/2016 7 Nexus between noise and conflicts • Noise interfering with any of the communication process or elements is often the cause of conflicts because it is capable of causing misunderstanding • Noise can emerge in forms of language differences, differing perceptions, emotional disturbances etc. 3/23/2016 8 Perception, communication and conflict management • Perception plays an important role in every communication. • Both the sender and the receiver are influenced by their perception and wrong perception can lead to conflict • Perception is the process through which people select, organize and interpret sensory inputs to give meaning and order to the world around them • Perception is influenced by types of individual personalities, value systems, attitudes, moods, experiences, etc. 3/23/2016 9 • Perceptions are naturally subjective. They influence every communication • For a successful negotiation and mediation to take place, perceptions must be managed to be free of Biases and Stereotypes • Biases are systematic tendencies to use information about others in ways that could result in in-accurate perception • Stereotypes are simplified and often in-accurate beliefs about the characteristics of particular groups of people. • Biases and stereotypes can lead to ineffective communication and conflicts if left unmanaged 3/23/2016 10 Ways to Ensure Accurate Perception • Try to be open to other points of view • Do not be afraid to change your views about a person, an issue or an event • Seek out the opinions of others who have had different kinds of experiences apart from yours • Try to examine your perception if you have made a faulty decision 3/23/2016 11 Communication Skills for Conflict Management • It is important to learn how to develop one’’s communication skills to avoid barriers to effective communication during conflict negotiation or mediation • Such barriers could originate from both the senders and the receivers of information and it could hamper understanding • It is also important to learn to select appropriate medium for effective communication to take place. 3/23/2016 12 Communication Skills for Senders • Send clear and complete message. A message is clear when it is easy to understand and interpret • Learn to anticipate how receivers will interpret the message and adjust appropriately • Encode messages in symbols that the receiver understands. Use simple languages and avoid jargons 3/23/2016 13 • Select a medium appropriate for the message • Select a medium that the receiver monitors. Learn if the receiver have any disability that could hamper understanding • Include a feedback mechanism. This could be in form of asking for responses • Provide accurate information in order to avoid rumour within your system. 3/23/2016 14 Communication Skills for Receivers • Pay adequate attention to the subject matter and avoid distractions • Be a good listener. Ask questions, maintain eye contacts, refrain from interrupting the sender • Restate or paraphrase statements in simpler ways and simpler words • Be empathetic. Try to understand how the sender feels and interpret from his perspective. 3/23/2016 15 Active Listening • The capacity to develop active listening skill is crucial for conflict management • Don’t interject when anyone is talking • Never ridicule or be sarcastic about someone else’s comments • Try to maintain eye contact with the individual who is trying to pass a message across • Pay attention to non-verbal gestures 3/23/2016 16 The “Dos” of Managing Conflict Mediation • Focus attention on the speakers • Repeat back in your own words for clarifications • Restate important thoughts and feelings • Ask questions to make issues clearer or to get more information • Summarize facts and feelings • Stay neutral while mediating in a conflict 3/23/2016 17 The “Don’ts” of Managing Conflict Mediation • Don’t talk about yourself or be critical of the conflict parties • Don’t ignore the facts and feelings of participants • Don’t be a poor listener with your voice, eyes and body • Don’t deny participants adequate chance to express themselves • Don’t take sides during discussions 3/23/2016 18 Thank You for Your Attention 3/23/2016 19