COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE

A Critical Dimension of Good Communication

• Good Communication is Competent Communication

 Communication competence is essential to satisfy fundamental human needs
(Communication and survival):

o Safety – the need to feel protected from dangers, difficulties, and privations that
threaten our physical well-being
o Security – the need to feel relationally accepted, cherished, and unconditionally
loved by others
o Self-efficacy – the need to feel that we’ve impacted our world in a way that
makes a difference through our own unique capabilities
o Significance – the need to feel appreciated, respected, and esteemed by others for
our worthwhile contributions
 Only cooperation accomplished through communication can satisfy our fundamental
needs
o If we don't communicate, then we will die – physically or psychologically

• Core Components of Competent Communication (Spitzberg & Cupach)

Appropriate for
Knowledge
Relationships
Skill Competent
Passion Communicator
Effective
Compassion
Content
  Four prerequisite factors or ingredients for competent communication
o Two interconnected capabilities:
 Knowledge – know what to say
 Skill – know how to say it
o Two interconnected motivations:
 Passion – care about what to say
 Compassion – care about who it’s said to
 Two characteristic outcomes or results of competent communication
o Relational appropriateness – satisfies our expectations
 Social expectations – common to cultural context
 Interpersonal expectations – unique to relationship
 Conflict management expectations – rules of engagement
o Content effectiveness – accomplishes my goals
 Instrumental goals – winning your cooperation to achieve what I
desire
 Self-presentation goals – getting you to see me the way I want to be
seen
 Relational goals – developing the kind of relationship with you I
hope for

• Dual Dimensions of Competently Communicated Messages

 Two dimensions of every message: relationship and content
 A communicator can focus on neither, either, or both of these dimensions when
communicating

frank high competent

Content

low high
Relationship

fearful low friendly

 Practical application – competent communicators think before they speak:

o Frank – think about how our relationship should govern and guide what is said
o Friendly – think about how my goals can be clearly and convincingly articulated