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Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal communication means communication among two or more persons - is an important ingredient of the organisation. On average half or more of the working time of an organisation is spent in Interpersonal communication . For a manager, it is imperative to master the interpersonal skill the ability to relate skillfully with others and become aware of ones own and others feelings. Lee Iacocca summing up the importance of maintaining good Interpersonal communication, quotes. There is one phrase I hate to see on any executives evaluation, no matter how talented he may be, and thats the line, He has trouble getting along with other people To me thats the kiss of death.
The need for affection the urge to be close to others varies among persons On one extreme, there are some persons who remain emotionally neutral or openly antagonistic. On the other extreme, there are persons who go out of the way to please others. In the middle range, there are those persons who are able to be close to others but do not feel unworthy when they are not being liked by others. According to Schutz, these needs have two aspects one aspect is what the person expresses towards others and the other is what the person wants from others. The following table summarizes this expressed and wanted behaviour.
Inclusion
Expressed inclusion Wanted inclusion Control Expressed control Wanted control Affection Expressed affection Wanted affection I act towards others in a close and personal way I want others to be close and personal towards me I influence and decide fro others. I want others to influence and control me I join with others and ask others to join with me I want others to ask me to join them
Hostility
Affection
Submission
Transactional Analysis
Transactional analysis synthesizes Schutz and Leavys approach of interpersonal behaviour by looking at both the internal states of an individual and his external behaviour towards others. Eric Berne developed it as a method of examining transactions (social intercourse) and determining which part of the multiple natured individual is activated described as Parent, Adult and Child. Parent: In this ego sate, a person acts and speaks like elders (parents) setting norms, making moral judgments, controlling and nurturing others. This ego state is a result of the kind of conditioning people receive from their parents, elder members, teachers, etc. in their childhood it is right!, It is wrong!, It is bad!, It is Good!, etc. Adult: In this ego state a person gives factual information in logical, calculated, quiet and dispassionate way. Here his behaviour is like an adult solving problem or making decisions in a rational way. Child: In the child ego state, the person acts in impulsive and emotional way. His behaviour may be expression of joy, excitement, anger or rebellion (the natural Child); intuitive or creative (the little professor), or in compliance with the demands of the authority (the adopted child).
All of us evoke behaviour from these ego states at different times. A healthy individual maintains a balance among the three, whereas unhealthy people seem to have been dominated at times by one or the other. These unhealthy people create problems of interpersonal relations. The Ego States Parent Controlling Standard Setting Nurturing
Adult
Information Processing
Child
Transactional Analysis can be used to explain individual behaviour in specific situation. Transaction is a unit of social intercourse e.g. when people encounter each other and speak and listen, etc. Every transaction has two parts Stimulus and Response. Stimulus is conveying something through speech, written message, body gesture, etc. Response is its feedback. According to Berne transaction may be complementary or crossed. What is complementary transaction? When stimulus and response on the P-A-C (Parent Adult Child) transactional diagram make parallel lines the transaction is complementary and can go indefinitely, Thomas A.Haris remarks. Whereas, when stimulus and response cross on the P-A-C (Parent Adult Child) transactional diagram, communication stops, (Thomas A.Haris)
Complementary Transactions:
In complementary transactions, communication can go on for indefinite period. This type of transaction can assume any vector Parent-Parent, Adult-Adult, Child- Child, Parent- Child etc.
(Stimulus)
(Response)
C
BOSS SUBORDINATE
P
(Parent-Child complementary transaction)
P
A C
A C
BOSS
SUBORDINATE
P
(Parent-Parent complementary transaction)
A C
A
C
Crossed Transactions:
The crossed transactions are less stable than complementary one. Here communication stops and the parties either withdraw quickly or shift to complementary situation. Examples of Crossed Transactions.
Boss: Is the daily report ready?. Subordinate: Why do you always ask me?
BOSS SUBORDINATE
P A
P A
2. Boss: You should come within time. Subordinate: This should also be applicable on you.
BOSS SUBORDINATE
P A C
P A C
3. Boss: I am applying for three days leave so that I can go home. Subordinate: You should pay more attention to work than to home.
BOSS SUBORDINATE
P A
P A
The implication of transaction analysis is that a person should avoid indulging in crossed transactions. The best will be to bring the other person from parent or child state to adult, so that he can talk in logic, cool and dispassionate way. Thus by understanding transactional analysis, interpersonal communication can be improved.