COM10007
Topic Three: Intrapersonal and Interpersonal
Communication
 Read Chapters 4-5 from the text

PLEASE REMEMBER
• Respect other speakers by giving your full attention
• Direct your comments to the whole group
• Refer to other speakers by their name
• Active participation – no negative comments or selective audiences
• Strive to understand by asking questions
• Build ideas on what has been said

Warm Up

Load up a picture that represents peace to you. Discuss why this

represents PEACE to you and compare this to the interpretations from other people
in the class.

Week 3 Tutorial Questions

1. From the lecture, what do we mean by “intrapersonal communication” - What
is the definition of ‘interpersonal communication” according to the Lawson
et.al. (2019) text?

A. Internal Communication is our internal thoughts and conversations.

Interpersonal communication is defined as an interaction between two or three
people. (Lawson, C. et al. 2019, Communications Skills for Business Professionals
(2nd Edition), Cambridge University Press, Port Melbourne pg 60)

2. What influence does our own intrapersonal communication have on our ability
to communicate? Be prepared to discuss your thoughts and literature from the
text with the group.
A. If we do not take caution to ensure we are self-regulating and self-motivating our
intrapersonal communication, it could lead to poor communication with others. By
ensuring we are being emotionally intelligent and communicating with a good
balance of thinking both rationally and logically we should be able to have clear and
effective communication.
3. What do professional communicators mean by the term “social competence”?
A. Social competence is the ability to read social situations by using emotional intelligence
to interact in a variety of different ways, to achieve effective communication.
4. What other types of non-verbal communication does Lawson et. al. (2019) or other
authors suggest may be used in conjunction with speaking to help with meaning?
A. It is recommended that people use non-verbal communication like mirroring
(copying another persons behaviour
5. As professional communicators, what tactics (or strategies) can we use to improve
our own interpretations and thoughts (consider rational and emotional thoughts as
well)?
A. Start by changing the mindset, as improving our thoughts can improve our life.
Our thoughts can be improved only when we communicate correctly with our mind.
In order to improve the thoughts one need a solid understanding, thinking, sound
strategic, and act to make time for thinking and embrace conflict.
6. Sometimes the place and the way we communicate with another person can
significantly impact the way they receive a message and interpret our meaning. In
assigned groups, discuss the best approach to dealing with the following scenarios:
(a) One of your team members has decided to get fit and has begun jogging at
lunchtime. Unfortunately, she is doing this in her work clothes and her team-mates
have complained to you about her perspiration issues and body odour.

  In order to resolve this issue, who should you discuss it with, and where?

A. It is best to discuss with both the parties first talking with the person with the body
odour problem, it is best to approach her at a place where other teammates won’t
ridicule her, first I’ll hear her why she has started jogging at the office hours, and
then I’ll discreetly take her aside and address it like how it can affect one work and
the colleagues. Then I’ll let the other teammates not to pass comments on her and
should value her decision.

 How would you communicate the issue to make sure the receiver interprets
the meaning of the message correctly?

A. Treating her with dignity and by being empathetic as discussing about body odour
can be a bit embarrassing or I can refer her to use different deodorant by saying “I
want to let you know that your deodorant is not working”. Do you want to try the one I
am using as it I very effective.

(b) On Monday morning one of the junior mail-room staff, Justin Bieber, has come to
your office very upset following Friday night drinks in the company provided bar.
Justin alleges that one of your staff, Selena Gomez, repeatedly groped him
throughout the night, and he claims it is not the first time this has happened. 
As you are the manager, it’s your responsibility to deal with this situation.

 In order to deal with this issue, who should you discuss it with, and where?
A.It’ll be best to talk with Selena, by telling her that if Justin is not interested in being
friends with her then she should respect his decision and should not disturb her next
time or she should talk to him politely about the situation as grouping is not way to
start a friendship.  

 How would you communicate the issue to make sure the receiver interprets
the meaning of the message correctly?

A. Selena should know how important it is to respect the decisions of your colleague.
I’ll listen the story of her side and will tell her about the drawbacks of grouping.

7. Imagine you received the below email from a colleague (who was on the same
level as you), and they CC’ your manager. What tactics would you use to decide on
your response to this work email?
“You missed another meeting today; your incompetence is stopping me doing my
job. I want to reschedule for lunchtime tomorrow”
And, what would your email response be back to this colleague?
A. I’ll reply him by saying that I apologize for being absent as from past few days I
am not feeling well due to which I was not able to attend the meeting and was gone
for a Blood sampling test.

8. Consider this image (above) and be prepared to discuss with the rest of the
tutorial what does it say to you emotionally? How would you feel if you walked into
the room and were confronted by a crying baby on its own? What would your first
instinct be? What would you do?
A. I have a nephew, and she is a cry baby so I am kind of aware of this situation, in
this situation the baby can be hungry, sleepy or can be in pain. So first I’ll try to make
him quiet by holding him or by playing with him when he’ll stop crying then I’ll go and
look for his mother.
9. Look up the twitter exchanges between two Olympic basketball athletes Liz
Cambage and Andrew Bogut:
Eg: http://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-life/olympic-feud-reignites-in-heated-
twitter-spat/news-story/4db613b27f17d1fdd249efa281db5144  (Links to an external
site.)
a. Why do you think the two stars are at odds? Do you believe that their own
intrapersonal communication may be playing a role in their interpretation of each
other’s tweets. How could the interpersonal communication be better handled?
A. The two stars are at odd because of the public slanging match and both of their
nature seems to be prickly. It is surely not a case of misunderstanding they are just
verbally barbing each other. They both are believed to be on a bad note, they should
speak formally to each and should not use unpleasant words.
b. Discuss if you believe both athletes are behaving in a professional manner?
A. No, they are not being professional talking to each other as unpleasantly is not
counted as professionalism.