BCOM Chapter 2 - Interpersonal Communication and Emotional Intelligence

interpersonal communication process

process of sending and receiving verbal and nonverbal messages between two or more people.

Meaning

refers to the thoughts and feelings that people intend to communicate to one another.

Encoding

process of converting meaning into meanings composed of words and nonverbal signals

Decoding

process of interpreting messages from others into meaning

shared meaning

goal of interpersonal communication; where people get the same understanding of ideas, thoughts, and feelings

Noise

causes distortion to/interruption of messages

physical noise

makes it difficult to hear a message

physiological noise

refers to biological factors that affect communication, such as hearing impairments or illnesses that may disrupt the transmission of messages.

semantic noise

when 2 people apply different meanings to the same words/phrases

psychological noise

interference due to attitudes, ideas, and emotions experienced during interpersonal interaction

filter of lifetime experiences

accumulation of knowledge, values, expectations, and attitudes based on prior personal experiences

emotional intelligence

the ability to understand and manage emotions and empathize and effectively handle relationships with others

emotional hijacking

situation in which emotions control our behavior, causing us to react without thinking

self-awareness

the ability to accurately understand your emotions as they occur and how they affect y

triggers

events that cause strong emotional reactions

empathy

ability to accurately pick up on emotions in other people and understand what is really going with them; desire to help others

active listening

a person’s willingness and ability to hear and understand

active listening includes 6 elements:

paying attention, holding judgement, reflecting, clarifying, summarizing, and sharing

learner mind-set

shows eagerness to hear others’ ideas and listen with an open mind

judger mind-set

people have their minds made up before listening to others’ ideas

paying attention

giving someone your whole attention while listening

holding judgement

hearing the entire version of others’ ideas and experiences

reflecting

paraphrasing what the speaker is saying

clarifying

making sure you have a clear understanding of what others mean

summarizing

restating major themes so you can make sense of the big issues from the other person’s perspective

sharing

expressing your own perspectives and feelings

barriers to effective listening:

lack of time, lack of patience/attention span, image of leadership, communication technology, fear of bad news or uncomfortable information, defending, “me too” statements, giving advice, judging

nonlistening behaviors

actions that prematurely deflect attention from speakers or prevent them from completely expressing their ideas/feelings

rapport-building questions

provide opportunity for asker and listener to bond

funnel questions

break down problems into manageable pieces; start with large open-ended questions then move towards specific questions

probing questions

questions that help identify root causes and best solutions to problems

solution-oriented questions

questions that form the basis for identifying options about how to move forward

leading questions

intended to guide people to your way of thinking

disguised statements

opinions presented in question form

cross-examination questions

intended to find contradictions in what others have said or done

perspective-getting

accurately understanding the views of others

sight-reading

intelligent observation of nonverbal communications

synchronizing body language

adopting some of your peer’s body language to make the conversation more natural

visual cutoff

abruptly looking away to indicate disapproval or disinterest

relationship management

ability to use your awareness of emotions and those others to manage interactions successfully

motivational value system (MVS)

blend of nurturing, directing, and autonomizing motives and refers to the frequency with which these values guide their actions

blue MVS

guided by motives to protect, help, and act in the best interest of others; 30% of managers

red MVS

guided by concerns about organizing people, time, and money to accomplish results; 46% of managers

green MVS

concerned about making sure business activities have been thought out carefully and that the right processes are put into place to accomplish things; 16% of managers

Hubs

people who are guided equally by all three MVSs; 43% of managers

civility

show of respect for the dignity and importance of others

incivility

rudeness and disregard for others in a manner that violates norms for respect

gossip

talking about others behind their backs

confirmation bias

the tendency to look for support for our beliefs and opinions from others

counter-narratives

alternative and generally positive explanations for events