COMMUNICATION

Session Interpersonal Communication

Nimruji Prasad J
 INTERPERSONAL DEFINITION
SKILLS • Interpersonal communication involves

• Transfer of a thought/ belief/

• Understanding and managing
relationships
• Interpersonal communication
• Influencing skills
• Managing conflicts/ negotiations
• Managing teams
information/ feeling from one person to
another
• Understanding of the message by the
recipient
• Therefore interpersonal communication
is always a two way loop

SENDER RECEIVER
COMMUNICATION ENCODING/
PROCESS DECODING

• Depends on repertoire/ vocabulary in a

USE A CHANNEL particular language

ENCODES OF DECODES
COMMUNICATION MESSAGE
MESSAGE • Knowledge about the issue being discussed

• Information processing and organizing skills

• Psychological state of communicator

SENDER RECEIVER • Relationship between the two communicators

 CHANNELS OF
COMMUNICATION CHANNEL RICHNESS
• Channel refers to the medium of • Channels in order of most to least channel rich

communication eg. face to face, via telephone, 1. Face to face dialogue

through an email or letter etc.
2. Videoconference
• Concept of “channel richness” or “media
richness” refers to capacity of a particular 3. Telephone conversation
communication approach transmit cues and
4. E-mail
provide feedback. Richness of medium is
measured by: 5. Inter Office Memos

1. Ability to provide a variety of cues 6. Letters

2. Speed of feedback 7. Notice Board
BARRIERS TO HIGH/ LOW CONTEXT
COMMUNICATION CULTURES
• SEMANTIC BARRIERS: relating to use of • HIGH CONTEXT: Communication that relies
language/ meaning ascribed to a symbol more on non verbal and subtle situational cues.

• PSYCHOLOGICAL BARRIERS: relating to the Also where status, relationship and “how”

emotional state and feelings and perceptions of the things are said is given more importance than

communicator “what” is said.

• ENVIRONMENTAL / ORGANIZATIONAL • LOW CONTEXT: A culture where directness is

BARRIERS: relating to the design of office space/ valued in communication. Managers are

opportunity for interaction etc. expected to be explicit and precise in conveying

intended meaning. Body language or formal
• CULTURAL BARRIERS: relating to differences
positions are secondary to the spoken or written
among cultures in their understanding and
word.
interpretation of cues.

Communication climate:
• is the emotional tone of a
relationship between people who
are interacting.
• affects how people feel and interact
with one another
• Because, communication is not
simply a language process but a
people process
What are Communication
Climates?
• Jack Gibb’s
• Supportive and Defensive Climates
• Groups can be identified by observing
behaviors characteristic of
supportiveness or of defensiveness
• eliminate or reduce defensive ones &
enhance
supportive behaviors
Supportive Communication
Climate
• Sender’s goal:
• to actively hear and understand the other’s
opinions, thoughts or feelings
• Description: focus on what and how
• Problem Orientation: task focus
• Spontaneity: openness, self-disclosure
• Empathy: concern for others, perspective
taking
• Equality: little status differences
• Provisionalism: tentative, flexible
Supportive Communication
Climate
Defensive Communication Clima
• Sender’s goal:
• to persuade the receiver to agree with his
or her opinions, ideas, facts or
information
• Control: manipulation of others to do my
work
• Strategy: withholding information, cautious
wording
• Superiority: us vs. them competition
• Neutrality: impersonal “whatever” attitude
• Certainty: dogmatism, my way or highway
• Evaluation: blaming, finding fault,
Defensive Communication Climate
(Jack Gibb)
Self and Social interaction: JOHARI window
Managing Self
• Include
• Respect for others
• Conflict management skills
• Leadership
• Ability to nurture relationships and keep friends
• Ability to resolve conflicts
• Skill at social analysis- who likes whom, relates to whom etc. –
recognise presence of networks, groups etc
• Emotional entrainment: heart of influence
GIVING FEEDBACK

• BE DESCRIPTIVE, NOT EVALUATIVE

• FEEDBACK SHOULD BE SPECIFIC

• FOCUS ON THE BEHAVIOUR NOT THE PERSON

• FEEDBACK SHOULD BE TIMELY

• FEEDBACK MUST BE ONGOING

• FEEDBACK MUST BE INTENDED TO HELP

RECEIVING FEEDBACK

• AVOID QUICK ACCEPTANCE OR DENIAL/ USE OF HUMOUR

• BE OPEN TO FEEDBACK

• DO NOT BE DEFENSIVE/ TRUST INTENT

• GET AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE

• GIVE FEEDBACK SERIOUS CONSIDERATION