COMMUNICATION
The Communication Process

All organizational communication is on a
continuum
Impersonal
Interpersonal
Figure 4.2
Diagram of More Complex
Communication Process
Filters/Blocks








Semantics
Emotions
Language/Culture
Attitudes
Role Expectations
Gender Specific Focus
Nonverbal Messages
Silent messages
Filters




The country club’s male golf pro charges $50 per
hour for a golf lesson. A female pays this fee and
begins her first lesson but does not understand the
pro’s terminology.
Who is the sender? Receiver?
What filters may be present?
What can they do to overcome these?
Filters




A 25-year-old Hispanic salesman attempts to sell a
53-year-old Asian gentleman a $5,000 plasma TV
made by Sony. English is the second language for
both of them.
Who is the sender? Receiver?
What filters may be present?
What can they do to overcome these?
Nonverbal Communication
Verbal/Non-Verbal
Vocal/Non-Vocal
Vocal
Non-vocal
Verbal
Spoken words
Written words
Non-verbal
Tone of voice
Sighs
Pitch
Gestures
Movement
Facial expression
The Impact of Nonverbal Messages
Nonverbal Communication
Characteristics
Table 6-x
Some differences between verbal and nonverbal communication
Complexity
Verbal Communication
Nonverbal Communication
One dimension (words only)
Multiple dimensions (voice,
posture, gestures, distance,
etc.)
Flow
Clarity
Intermittent (speaking and
Continuous (it’s impossible to
silence alternate)
not communicate nonverbally)
Less subject to
More ambiguous
misinterpretation
Impact
Intentionality
Has less impact when verbal
Has stronger impact when
and nonverbal cues are
verbal and nonverbal cues are
contradictory
contradictory
Usually deliberate
Often unintentional
Types









Body Orientation
Posture
Gestures
Face and Eyes
Voice
Touch
Physical Attractiveness
Clothing
Distance


Territoriality
Time
Functions of nonverbal communication






Repeating
Substituting
Complementing
Accenting
Regulating
Contradicting
Nonverbal Activity



Leave the classroom for designated time
Discretely select an interpersonal conversation
Describe your context
 Who?




Where? What? How long?
Identify the type of nonverbal communication you
observe
Describe the function
What do you think is being discussed?
Return to class
LISTENING



Get a partner
Sit back to back
One calls, the other draws
Elements of Listening





Hearing
Attending
Understanding
Responding
Remembering
Elements of Listening
Reasons we don’t
always listen




Message overload
Preoccupation
Waiting to pounce
Rapid thought




We can think up to 600 words per minutes, but can only talk
up to 150 words per minute)
Effort
External noise
Attention span

Average adult’s attention span is 4 seconds
Active Listening



Created by Thomas Gordon in 1975
Defined as: a process of sending back to the speaker
what the listener thinks the speaker meant, both
literally and emotionally.
It does not mean repeating the speaker’s exact
words. Instead, it is a process of putting into some
meaningful whole your understanding of the speaker’s
total message- both content and feelings.
Active Listening

Purposes:
 Helps
you check how accurately you have understood
what the speaker said and meant
 You express acceptance of the speaker’s feelings
 You prompt the speaker to further explore her or his
feelings or thoughts
Active Listening

Differs from “regular listening:
 Listening:
 Seeks
 Active
to learn/ relate/ manage tasks/ influence other
Listening:
 Checks
accuracy of understanding
 Express acceptance of feelings
 Stimulate speaker to explore feelings and thoughts
Active Listening

3 techniques to use to demonstrate active listening

Paraphrase the speaker’s meaning




Express understanding of the speaker’s feelings



State in your own words what you think the speaker ment
Displays interests
Be careful not to lead the speaker in the direction you want to go
In addition to content, echo feelings
You seem very angry.
Ask questions
Understanding Your Communication Style
-Take Inventory
Communication Styles



Your communication style has an impact on those
around you
“patterns of behavior others can observe”
Remains stable through life
Communication Styles

There are two dimensions of human behavior:
1) dominance
2) sociability
Communication Styles

4 basic styles:
1) Emotive
2) Director
3) Reflective
4) Supportive
Communication Style Preference


As you respond to this inventory, you are keeping
your thoughts focused on your relationships.
Chose one answer in each box that describes you
the most and one answer in each box that
describes you the least.
Communication Style Preference – cont’d.
If your highest letter is…
then your communication style is…

A

Emotive

B

Director

C

D


Reflective
Supportive
Please form groups by your communication style.
When the dominance
and sociability
dimensions are
combined, the
framework
for communication
style classification
is established.
Supportive
Emotive
Figure 3.5
Reflective
Director
Source: Gerald L Manning and Barry Reece, Selling Today: Creating Customer Value, Ninth Edition,
Copyright © 2004. Adapted by permission of Prentice-Hall Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Emotive






High Dominance and High Sociability
Spontaneous, boisterous behavior
Extrovert
Natural persuasiveness / leadership
Exaggerated hand / facial gestures
Outspoken, offensive
Rosie O’Donnell/Jim Carey
Director







High Dominance and Low Sociability
Projects a serious attitude
Expresses strong opinions
May project indifference
Determined to be on top
Will not admit wrong
Unfeeling when dealing with others
Judge Judy/ Martha Stewart
Reflective






Low Sociability and Low Dominance
Expresses opinions in formal, deliberate manner,
slow decision maker
Seems preoccupied
Prefers orderliness
Quiet, likes to spend time alone
Long thinkers
Bill Gates/ Albert Einstein
Supportive






High Sociability and Low Dominance
Listens attentively, friendly
Avoids the use of power, agreeable
Makes and expresses decisions in a thoughtful,
deliberate manner
Agreeable
Sincere interest in people
Meryl Streep/ Princess Diana



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qri6V7oKaAY
What styles do you see here?
What elements of communication?
Style Flexing