CHAPTER 9

Communication Climate
 Chapter Outline
• What Is Communication Climate?
• How Communication Climates Develop
• Creating Supportive Climates
• Invitational Communication
 Learning Outcomes
You should be able to:
• explain the nature of communication climates;
• analyze the development of communication climates;
• distinguish the factors that create defensive
communication climates versus supportive
communication climates; and
• identify the communication skills that create invitational
climates.
 What Is Communication Climate?
• Communication climate: The social tone of a
relationship.​
• Not specific activities, but the way people feel
about each other as they carry out those activities.​
• Every relationship has a unique climate.
• Climates are shared by everyone within them, and
they can change over time.
 How Communication Climates
Develop
• Communication climates are determined by the
degree to which people see themselves as valued. ​
• Confirming: Messages that convey valuing.​
• Disconfirming: Messages that signal a lack of regard.
 How Communication Climates
Develop, cont’d
Confirming messages
• Recognition
– Indicating awareness of the other person.
• Acknowledgment
– Paying attention to the ideas and feelings of others.
• Endorsement
– Agreeing with or supporting the other person.
 How Communication Climates
Develop, cont’d
Disagreeing messages​
• Messages that say, “you’re wrong.”
• Argumentativeness
– Presenting and defending positions on issues while opposing
positions taken by others.
– Better to deliver argument in supportive, affirming manner
and not to attack people, only issues.
• Complaining​(unprepared for argument)
– Registering dissatisfaction.​
– Better to make behavioural complaints than personal ones.
 How Communication Climates
Develop, cont’d
Disconfirming messages​
• Messages that say, “you don’t exist/are not valued.”
• Can be communicated in small ways (e.g. ignoring,
interrupting, going on an irrelevant tangent, giving an
impersonal response) or can be more intentional.
• Aggressiveness
– The tendency to attack another person’s character, background,
or identity.
• Ostracism
– Excluding others from interaction.
 How Communication Climates
Develop, cont’d
Causes and effects of defensiveness
• Presenting self: the physical traits, personality
characteristics, attitudes, aptitudes, and all the other
parts of the image you want to present to the world.
• Face-threatening acts: messages that seem to challenge
the image we want to project.
• Defensiveness: the process of protecting our presenting
self (our face).
– Erodes relationship stability over time.
– All communicators contribute to a defensive climate.
 How Communication Climates
Develop, cont’d
Climate patterns
• Communication climates take on patterns, positive or
negative.
• We tend to match the communication style of our
partners during social interactions.
– Confirming messages lead to more confirming messages, and
disconfirming messages lead to more disconfirming messages.
• This reciprocal pattern can be represented as a spiral.
– Spirals rarely go on indefinitely.
 Creating Supportive Climates
• Gibb Categories
– Six types of defence-arousing communication and six
contrasting supportive behaviours that reduce the level of
threat and resulting defensiveness.
 Creating Supportive Climates,
cont’d
Evaluation versus description​
• Evaluation: Judging the other person, usually in
a negative way.​
• Description: Making documented observations that are
specific and concrete.​
– Comment on behaviour that can be changed instead of personal
characteristics that can’t.​
– Use “I” language instead of “you” language.​
– “You’re not making any sense.” vs. “I don’t understand the point
you’re trying to make.”
 Evaluative vs. Description

• You're not making any • I don't understand the

sense point you're trying to
make
• you're inconsiderate • I would appreciate it if
you’d let me know
when you’re running
late- I was worried
• That's an ugly
• I'm not crazy about Big
tableclothe
Blue stripes I'd like
something subtler
15
 Creating Supportive Climates,
cont’d
Controlling communication versus problem orientation
• Controlling communication: Imposing a solution on the
receiver with little regard for the receiver’s needs or
interests.​
• Problem orientation: Focusing on finding a solution that
satisfies both the communicator’s own needs and those
of others involved.​
– Often typified by "we" language.​
– “There’s only one way to handle this.” vs. “Looks like we have a
problem. Let’s work out a solution we can both live with.”
 Controlling vs problem orientation
• You didn't book this room in
advance, and I have a client
waiting! Please get out!
• There's only one way to
handle this problem…
• Either you start working
harder or you're fired!
• It appears there’s been a
misunderstanding with the room
booking. I have a client I’m
meeting with in a few minutes,
you can have the room back
when I’m done
• Looks like we have a problem.
Let’s find a solution we can both
live with
• The production in your
department hasn’t been as high
as I’d hope. Any ideas on what
we can do?
17
 Creating Supportive Climates,
cont’d
Strategy versus spontaneity
• Strategy: Defense-arousing messages that hide
the speaker’s ulterior motives.​
• Spontaneity: Being honest instead of trying
to manipulate others.​
– “Tom and Judy go out to dinner every week.” vs. “I’d like to go
out for dinner more often.”
 Strategy Vs. Spontaneity

• What are you doing • I have a piano I need to

Friday after work? move on Friday, are you
• Have you ever able to help out?
considered another line • I’m concerned about
of work? your job performance
• Trevor and Alicia go out over the last year, lets
to dinner every week set up a time to discuss
• I’d like to go out to
dinner more often

19
 Creating Supportive Climates,
cont’d
Neutrality versus empathy
• Neutrality: Indifference.​
• Empathy: Accepting another’s feelings, putting yourself
in another’s place.​
– “Sometimes things just don’t work out. That’s the way it goes.”’
vs. “I know you put a lot of time and effort into this project.”
 Neutrality vs. Empathy

• This is what happens • Ouch- looks like this

when you don't plan didn’t turn out as
properly expected
• Sometimes things just • I know you put a lot of
don't work out. that's time and effort into the
the way it goes project
• Don’t get too excited- • I’ll be your pretty
everyone gets excited about the
promoted sooner or promotion!
later
21
 Creating Supportive Climates,
cont’d
Superiority versus equality
• Superiority: Sending patronizing messages either
explicitly or implicitly.
• Equality: Conveying our respect for the inherent worth of
others.
– “No, that’s not the right way! Let me show you how to do it.” vs.
”What if you tried it this way?”
 Superiority vs. Equality

• When you get to be in • I’d like to hear how the

my position someday, issue looks to you. Then
then you’ll understand I can share how it looks
• You really believe that? to me
• No, that’s not the right • Here’s another way to
way! Let me show you think about it…
how to do it! • What if you tried it this
way?

23
 Creating Supportive Climates,
cont’d
Certainty versus provisionalism
• Certainty: Dogmatically regarding one’s own opinions
with certainty while disregarding the ideas of others.
• Provisionalism: Expressing openness to others’ ideas and
opinions.
– “That will never work!” vs. “My guess is that you’ll run into
problems with that approach.”
 Certainty vs. Provisionalism

• That will never work! • My guess is you’ll run

• You’ll hate that class, into problems with that
stay away from it! approach
• You wont get anywhere • I didn’t like that class
without a college very much; I’m not sure
education, mark my you would either
words! • I think its important to
get an education, I
found it hard to land an
interview without one.
25
 Invitational Communication
• Invitational communication: An approach that
welcomes others to see your point of view and to
freely share their own.
– Endeavours to create a supportive climate based on value,
safety, and freedom, thereby leading to greater civility in
communication.
– Includes skills such as perception checking, responsible
language, and responsive listening.
Invitational Communication, cont’d
The language of choice
• Describes choices and decisions made (“will,” “going to,”
“want to”) instead of obligations (“should,” “have to”).
– Plays a significant role in motivation.
– Turning “have to” into “want to” facilitates goal achievement.
• Invitational communication offers this choice and
freedom to others with whom you communicate.
– “You have to…” vs. “You’re welcome to…”
– “Here is something I feel strongly about” (and it’s okay if you
don’t).
Invitational Communication, cont’d
Responding non-defensively to criticism
• Two methods for responding non-defensively when
faced with criticism:
– Seeking more information
– Agreeing with the critic
Invitational Communication, cont’d
Seek more information
• You can listen open-mindedly to a speaker’s
comments without accepting them.
• Ask for specifics.
– “What do I do that’s unfair?”
– Use a tone of voice that suggests you genuinely want to
learn more.
Invitational Communication, cont’d
Seek more information, cont’d​
• Guess about specifics​.
– Conveys to critic that you are truly interested in finding out
what is the matter.​
– “You object to the language I used in writing the paper.
Was it too informal?”
Invitational Communication, cont’d
Seek more information, cont’d​
• Paraphrase the speaker’s thoughts and feelings.
– By clarifying or amplifying what you understand critics are
saying, you’ll likely learn more about their objections.
Invitational Communication, cont’d
Agree with the critic
• Agree with the truth​
– Agree with the indisputable facts. ​
• Agree in principle
– Criticism often comes in the form of abstract ideals against
which you’re unfavourably compared.
– You can accept the principle that the criticism is based on
and still behave as before.
Invitational Communication, cont’d
Agree with the critic, cont’d
• Agree with the critic’s perception
– You can acknowledge the existence of their perceptions
even though you don’t agree or wish to change your
behaviour.
 Invitational Responses
• Invitational responses in and of themselves don’t
solve problems
• Counterattacking is not useful
• They make constructive dialogue possible, setting the
stage for productive solutions