COMM 200 Final Paper – Letter of Advice – Outline

Letter of Advice

COMM 200 – Interpersonal Communication

Letter of Advice

Effective communication is a shared understanding. There are key principles to effective communication. These principles include the ideas that: communication in unavoidable, communication is irreversible, communication is complicated, communication can be taken in context, and timing, location and misconceptions can make communication challenging. The principles of effective communications may be simple to understand but can take a lifetime to master to avoid misconceptions and conflicts.

• Introduction
  • Body Paragraph # 1 – Topic Sentence #1

  References

  • Supporting Evidence
  • Communication is unavoidable
  • According to King, “The very attempt not to communicate communicates something” (King, 2000). According to a self-help website, we are also constantly being communicated to through words and signals from others. (Principles, n.d.) “An important principle of communication is people are not mind readers… people judge you by your behavior not your intent” (King, 2000).
  • Once your communication is sent it cannot be taken back.
  • According to the Skills We Need Self-help website, “We naturally communicate in a way that we think is most appropriate for the person we are talking to. Our preconceptions of others can often be incorrect” (Principles, n.d.).
  • Communication is not simple.
  • There are many reasons why communication is taking place, how it is taking place and how messages are being sent and received. King says, “Because of the variables involved, even simple requests are extremely complex” (King, 2000).
  • The context of communication can make communication challenging. There is a psychological context, relational context, situational context, environmental context, and cultural context. (King, 2000) When we communicate verbally we exchange words, these words can have different meanings to different people. When we communicate nonverbally, the signals can be taken out of context from what is meant to be sent. (Principles, n.d.)
  • A few other things like timing, location and misconceptions also play into effective communication.
  • A good thing to remember is that the context of communication is governed by our own feelings about it. (Principles, n.d.)
  • Body Paragraph #2 – Topic Sentence #2
  • Once you understand the principles of effective communication and actively try to avoid ineffective communication you can be more aware of the barriers to effective communication that exist. There are many reasons that interpersonal communications fail. Typical barriers to effective interpersonal interactions can be reduced to three main types and include: assumptions, judgments, and mixed messages. (Oregon, n.d.)
  • Defensiveness or premature assumptions
  • A defensive listener or someone who is making assumptions prematurely will be less likely to be able to hear what is being said. (Oregon, n.d.)
  • Judgments based on cultural differences or interpersonal relationships
  • This barrier is very similar to making assumptions. In this case, it involves making assumptions based on cultural differences or personal associations. (Oregon, n.d.) The use of cultural jargon or slang can create confusion. (Barriers, n.d)
  • Mixed messages
  • Mixed messages are that that are contradictory or confuses the intended message with unimportant issues that can cause confusion, concern, or resentment. (Oregon, n.d.) Mixed messages can also include barriers like: difficulty in expressing emotions, or not being able to see the non-verbal clues. (Barriers, n.d.)
  • Body Paragraph #3 – Topic Sentence #3
  • Relationships pose an added challenge to maintaining effective communication. Understanding how perceptions, emotions, and nonverbal expression can affect interpersonal relationships is the key to effective communication within a relationship.
  • Supporting Evidence
  • According to Health Daily News, “spouses sometimes communicate with each other no better than strangers do” (Close, 2011). “When we interact with others, we continuously give and receive wordless signals. All of our nonverbal behaviors—the gestures we make, the way we sit, how fast or how loud we talk, how close we stand, how much eye contact we make—send strong messages. These messages don’t stop when you stop speaking either. Even when you’re silent, you’re still communicating nonverbally” (Segal, 2013).
  • Explanation
  • “The way you listen, look, move, and react tells the other person whether or not you care, if you’re being truthful, and how well you’re listening. When your nonverbal signals match up with the words you’re saying, they increase trust, clarity, and rapport. When they don’t, they generate tension, mistrust, and confusion” (Segal, 2013).
  • So What?
  • Being aware of the nonverbal skills that can be sent allows for nonverbal skills to match verbal skills. Paying attention to these nonverbal skills can reduce the chances of sending nonverbal messages and avoid conflict that these nonverbal messages can send.
  • Body Paragraph #4 – Topic Sentence #4
  • Not only do nonverbal messages have an impact on communication; the choice of words chosen can impact the direction of communication. Words have the power to create and affect attitudes, behavior, and perception. When choosing words it is imperative to know the meaning and the impact that word choice will have on the receiver.
  • Body Paragraph #5 – Topic Sentence #5
  • Hearing the words that are being used and understanding the meaning is only half the battle for effective communication. Hearing is only receiving the sounds being said. “Listening is the active process of receiving, paying attention to, assigning meaning to, and responding to sounds” (Nelson, 2008). Developing strategies for active, critical, and empathic listening is critical for the success in personal relationships.
  • “Listening is generally divided into active, empathic, critical, and enjoyment listening. Active listening, which is listening with a purpose, includes both empathic and critical listening. Empathic listening is when you are attempting to understand another person” (Nelson, 2008).
  • Using our tools for effective communication will help ensure you are listening with active critical empathy. “Asking questions, inviting additional comments, using descriptive responses, and providing affirming statements are all examples of effective verbal strategies… Being nonverbally responsive, using positive facial expressions, making direct eye contact, and providing positive vocal utterances are effective nonverbal strategies” (Nelson, 2008).
  • Body Paragraph #6 – Topic Sentence #6
  • Even though there are many ways to use communication to avoid conflict; conflict cannot be completely avoided. The potential for conflict exists whenever and wherever people have contact. Learning strategies for handling conflicts before they arise is the best way to be prepared for a conflict when they arise. There are many strategies for managing interpersonal conflicts. Strategies to choose from when conflict arises are: forcing the issue, accommodating the other party, avoiding details, compromising, and collaborating.
  • Human behavior studies indicate that some conflict is inevitable in human relationships. (Williams, n.d.)
  • Research on conflict management styles has found that each of us tends to use one or two of the above five strategies more than the others. (Williams, n.d.)
  • Conclusion

  Close relationships sometimes mask poor communication. (2011, January). U.S. News & World Report, 1. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Global. Document ID: 2270370591

  Feather, J. (2011). The power of our words. Aging Today, 32(1), 16. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/857657828?accountid=32521

  King, Donnell. (2000). Four Principles of Interpersonal Communication. Retrieved from: http://www.pstcc.edu/facstaff/dking/interpr.htm on September 22, 2013.

  Nelson Titsworth Harter, Pearson. (2008). Human Communication Third Addition. Chapter 5 summary. Retrieved from: http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073385018/ student_view0/chapter5/chapter_summary.html on September 22, 2013.

  Oregon Health and Science University. (n.d.) Barrieers To Effective Communication. Retrieved from: http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/education/schools/school-of-medicine/faculty/mentoring/mentoring-best-practices/communication/communication-barriers.cfm on September 22, 2013.

  Schoenberg, N. (2011, January 17). Can we talk? Researcher talks about the role of communication in happy marriages. McClatchy-Tribune News Service. Retrieved from ProQuest Newsstand. Document ID: 2240370261

  Segal, Jeanne Ph.D., et all. (May 2013). Nonverbal Communication. Retrieved from: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/eq6_nonverbal_communication.htm on September 22, 2013.

  Skills You Need. (n.d.) Barriers to Effective Communication. Retrieved from: http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/barriers-communication.html on September 22, 2013.

  Skills You Need. (n.d.). Principles of Interpersonal Communication. Retrieved from: http:/www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/principles-communication.html on Spetember 22, 2013.

  Sole, K. (2011). Making connections: Understanding interpersonal communication. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

  Taflinger, Richard F. (May 29, 1996). Taking ADvantage The Power of Words: Advertising Tricks of the Trade Part One of a Two Part Series. Retrieved from: http://public.wsu.edu/~taflinge/words.html on September 22, 2013.

  Williams MD, Scott. (n.d.) Conflict Management–Style and Strategy. Retrieved from: http://www.wright.edu/~scott.williams/LeaderLetter/conflict.htm on September 22, 2013.