Communication Climate : Foundation of Interpersonal Relationships

Prof.T.Latha Chakravarthi

Communication climate

Communication climate is the environment in which communication either thrives or languishes.

Very often we communicators spend most of our time and energy on crafting messages and packaging them in the right media. We become focused on individual communication programs and forget to consider the environmental context within which our audiences will be receiving them.

4 Elements of Satisfying Personal Relationships

Investment Commitment Trust Comfort with relational dialectics

Relational Dialectics

Autonomy/ Connection:I want to be close/I need my own space

Novelty/ Predictability:I like the familiar rhythms/We need to do something new & different

Openness/ Closedness:I like sharing with you/Don’t want to share this with you

Continuum of Interpersonal Climates

Confirming Climate- recognition (hello)- acknowledgment (eye-contact, nod, yes, etc.)- endorsement (accepting others’ feelings as valid and

important

Mixed Climate/Cycling Climate

Disconfirming Climate–    don’t acknowledge others’ existence–    don’t speak to another when you enter a room

Communication and Climate

Supportive–   description–   provisionalism–   spontaneity–   problem orientation–   empathy–   equality

Defensive–   evaluation–   certainty–   strategy–   control –   neutrality–   superiority

Evaluation vs. Description

Evaluation–    You judge the situation rather than describe it.–    “This is wrong, you did…”

Description–    You describe what is going on rather than evaluate…–    I have noticed that ...

Certainty vs. Provisionalism

Certainty–    Things are the way they are, that’s it!–    Things work on one way.

Provisionalism–    Tends to promote a “let’s see what

happens” attitude.–    Open to many different ways for things

to “work out”

Strategy vs. Spontaneity

Strategy–    You plan to get things done a

certain way. You strategize to win, to solve, to facilitate a certain result.

Spontaneity–    You are able to take the

situation as it unfolds, in a more open way.

Control vs. Problem Orientation

Control–    Focus is on the outcome,

on the power to “fix” or “have you way” or “finish this.”

Problem Orientation–    Focus is upon the issue at

hand, not the solution…not the winning or losing.

Neutrality vs. Empathy

Neutrality–    You do not get involved. You tend to

take the attitude of “whatever” rather than emotionally and physically involve yourself.

–    Tends to be an unhealthy “detachment.”

Empathy–    You do get involved in the situation.

You try to feel the other person’s feelings, see the other person’s vision.

–    Healthy “detachment.” You do not go into the pit with them, yet still care.

Superiority vs. Equality

Superiority–    I am more important than you or the

relationship. –    Power positions are used to accomplish

tasks or other desired interpersonal outcomes.

Equality–    Each person is worthy and decisions

are made based upon this regardless of status, power or other external positions.

6 Guidelines for Healthy Climates

actively shape climates•      accept & confirm others•      affirm & assert yourself•      appropriate self-disclosure•      respect diversity•      respond to criticism

constructively