Looking OutLooking In Eleventh Edition Chapter Nine Improving

Looking Out/Looking In Eleventh Edition Chapter Nine: Improving Communication Climates Ronald B. Adler, Russell F. Proctor II, and Neil Towne

Chapter 9 - Improving Communication Climates Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth 2

Chapter 9 - Improving Communication Climates Communication Climate: Confirming Communication • Recognition • Acknowledgement • Endorsement Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth 3

Chapter 9 - Improving Communication Climates Communication Climate: Disconfirming Communication • Verbal Abuse • Complaining • Impervious Responses • Interrupting The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that’s the essence of inhumanity. George Bernard • Irrelevant Responses Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth 4

Chapter 9 - Improving Communication Climates Communication Climate: Disconfirming Communication • Tangential Responses • Impersonal Responses • Ambiguous Responses The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that’s the essence of inhumanity. George Bernard • Incongruous Responses Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth 5

Chapter 9 - Improving Communication Climates Communication Climate: How Communication Climates Develop • Escalatory Conflict Spirals • De-Escalatory Conflict Spirals Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth 6

Chapter 9 - Improving Communication Climates Defensiveness: Causes & Remedies • Causes: Face-Threatening Acts Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth 7

Chapter 9 - Improving Communication Climates Defensiveness: Causes & Remedies Types of Defensive Reactions Attacking the Critic • Verbal Aggression • Sarcasm Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth How Critical are You? http: //www. rateyourself. com/poll. cfm/Subject_ID/3/Poll_ID/4001 8

Chapter 9 - Improving Communication Climates Defensiveness: Causes & Remedies Types of Defensive Reactions Distorting Critical Information • Rationalization • Compensation • Regression Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth 9

Chapter 9 - Improving Communication Climates Question: Gregor confronts his roommate, Patrick, with a complaint, “Pat, you haven’t taken out the trash or done any dishes in weeks. It’s starting to bug me. ” Patrick knows he hasn’t done much around the house but he doesn’t want Gregor to think poorly of him. He makes up an explanation and responds, “Yeah, sorry about that, but I think I’ve been coming down with something. ” Patrick’s response is an example of: a. rationalization b. compensation c. repression d. regression Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth 10

Chapter 9 - Improving Communication Climates Defensiveness: Causes & Remedies Types of Defensive Reactions Avoiding Dissonant Information • Physical Avoidance • Repression • Apathy • Displacement Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth 11

Chapter 9 - Improving Communication Climates Defensiveness: Causes & Remedies Preventing Defensiveness in Others • Evaluation Versus Description • Control Versus Problem Orientation • Strategy Versus Spontaneity • Neutrality Versus Empathy • Superiority Versus Equality • Certainty Versus Provisionalism Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth 12

Chapter 9 - Improving Communication Climates Defensiveness: Causes & Remedies Saving Face The Clear Message Format • Behavioral Description • Interpretation • Feeling • Consequence • Intention Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth 13

Chapter 9 - Improving Communication Climates Question: What is missing from this clear message? “The other day when you left the office door open, I thought you were being careless about our agreement. I’m frustrated because my personal belongings could be stolen from my desk. ” a. It does not describe behavior. b. It does not describe your interpretation of the behavior. c. It does not describe your intention. d. Nothing is missing from this clear message. Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth 14

Chapter 9 - Improving Communication Climates Defensiveness: Causes & Remedies Responding Nondefensively to Criticism • Seek More Information • Agree with the Critic Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth 15

Chapter 9 - Improving Communication Climates Responding Nondefensively to Criticism - Seek More Information • Ask for Specifics • Guess About Specifics • Paraphrase the Speaker’s Ideas • Ask What the Critic Wants • Ask About the Consequences of Your Behavior • Ask What Else is Wrong Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth 16

Chapter 9 - Improving Communication Climates Responding Nondefensively to Criticism - Agree with the Critic • Agree with the Facts • Agree with the Critic’s Perception Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth 17

Chapter 9 - Improving Communication Climates Question: Agreeing with the critic involves: a. Agreeing with facts that are correct, even if they portray your behavior in a negative light b. Agreeing that the critic should try to see things your way c. Apologizing and verbally agreeing with the critic’s evaluation of your behavior, even if you don’t really believe it yourself d. All of the above Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth 18