COMM101 - Week 7, Chapter 7

Interpersonal communication

The sending and receiving of verbal and nonverbal messages between two or more people to share and negotiate meaning

Meaning

The thoughts and feelings intended to be communicated

Encoding

Converting meaning into words and nonverbal signals

Decoding

Interpreting messages from others into meaning

Shared meaning

Both communicators have the same understanding of ideas and feelings

Noise

Anything that distorts or interrupts messages

Physical noise

External sounds or environmental interference preventing reception

Physiological noise

Body-based disruption like illness, fatigue, or hearing issues

Semantic noise

Different interpretations of the same words or phrases

Psychological noise

Emotions or attitudes interfering with communication

Filter of life experiences

Personal background shaping how messages are interpreted

Emotional hijacking

When emotions take over behaviour, overriding rational thought

Oral communication

Immediate feedback, natural tone; but risk of forgotten points and overload

Written communication

Provides record and wide reach; lacks cues and delayed dialogue

Electronic communication

Fast and suits virtual work; tone may be lost and miscommunication possible

Mutuality

Finding common ground with the audience

Nonjudgmentalism

Willingness to consider diverse viewpoints

Honesty

Sharing truth with supporting information

Fairness

Respecting rights and dignity of all audience members

Emotional intelligence (EQ)

Understanding and managing emotions and relationships

Self-awareness

Recognizing emotions as they occur and their effects

Triggers

Events causing strong emotional reactions

Self-management

Using emotion awareness to guide behaviour positively

Mitigating information

Assuming favourable reasons for others’ actions to reduce anger

Optimism

Viewing failures as temporary learning opportunities

Pessimism

Viewing failures as personal inadequacy and dwelling on the past

Empathy

Understanding emotions and perspectives of others

Active listening

Willingness and ability to hear and understand fully

Six active listening skills

Pay attention; Hold judgment; Reflect; Clarify; Summarize; Share

Learner mindset

Open to ideas and perspectives

Judger mindset

Closed off, assumes conclusions before listening

Judger statements

Comments that shut down honest conversation

Non-listening behaviours

Deflecting attention before the speaker fully expresses thoughts

Rapport-building questions

Build comfort and connection

Funnel questions

Broad to specific questions to break down an issue

Probing questions

Analyze root causes of a problem

Solution-oriented questions

Focus on what should be done to overcome problems

Leading questions

Push others toward your thinking; manipulative

Disguised statements

Opinions hidden as questions

Cross-examination questions

Attempt to find contradictions in what others said

Perspective-getting

Accurately understanding the views of others

Sight-reading

Observing nonverbal cues to anticipate intentions

Synchronizing

Mirroring body language to build rapport

Conjugate Lateral Eye Movement (CLEM)

Sideways eye movement indicating careful consideration

Visual cutoff

abruptly looking away to signal disapproval or withdrawal

Motivational value system (MVS)

Motives influencing behaviour

Blue MVS

Motivated by helping and protecting others

Red MVS

Motivated by achieving results and efficiency

Green MVS

Motivated by analysis and logical processes

Hubs

Even balance of blue, red, and green motives

Introverts

Gain energy from internal thoughts and reflection

Extroverts

Gain energy from social interaction

Common incivility behaviours

Ignoring, disrespecting time, effort, privacy, and dignity of others

Gossip

Talking negatively about others behind their back

Confirmation bias

Seeking evidence that supports existing beliefs

Counter-narratives

Alternative, positive explanations for events

CAPTAIN Toolkit (oral delivery)

Clarity, Appropriacy, Pace, Tone, Accuracy, Inclusivity, Nonverbal

CMAPP Model (content)

Context, Message, Audience, Purpose, Product

Context

Situation, timing, relationships around communication

Message

Content being communicated

Audience

Who receives the message and their background

Purpose

Goal of the communication—inform, persuade, or build goodwill

Product

Form/medium — email, memo, slide deck, etc.