8.4 Summary
Key Takeaways
- Effective communication is the process of conveying information between people, encompassing both verbal and non-verbal cues.
- The communication process involves four steps that can be disrupted by barriers (e.g., noise, jargon, biases).
- Influencing others constructively involves empathy, active listening, sincere praise, and aligning mutual interests.
- Conversations become “crucial” when they involve high stakes, differing opinions, and strong emotions, often triggering silence or violent responses.
- Discerning facts from interpretations is vital for reducing misunderstandings and escalating conflict.
- Apologies, mutual purpose, and contrasting statements can help resolve tension and create a safer environment for open, honest communication.
Key Terms
- Communication: The process of conveying information between two or more people.
- Verbal communication: Involves the use of words or language. Such words can be spoken, written, or symbolically represented in two ways – oral or written.
- Oral communication: The spoken conveyance of a message using patterns of sound or language.
- Written communication: Conveying a message through written words, symbols, or drawings.
- Non-verbal communication: Involves conveying information through non-linguistic representations. It can be subtle yet powerful, often shaping how verbal messages are interpreted.
- Crucial conversation: This occurs when high stakes are on the line, opinions differ, and participants feel passionate about the topic or perceive a threat.
- Silence: When an individual withdraws from active participation in a crucial conversation to protect themselves from a perceived threat (the “flight” response).
- Violence: When an individual seeks to regain control of the conversation using forceful or controlling tactics that disrupt open dialogue and erode mutual respect (“fight” response).
- Facts: These are objective, verifiable, and supported by evidence (e.g., direct quotes, scientific research, documented dates and events).
- Interpretations: Reflect personal opinions, beliefs, biases, or assumptions. They may include an emotional response or assumption about someone’s intent.
