Transcript Road Map - University of Michigan

Communication II:
Creating effective communication
Relationships 2D Space
Natural
(spontaneous)
Self presentation
Manipulative
(Objectives not
Shared)
Not a lot
Authentic
(Full exchange)
Social influence
Motivation
If you want it,
have to design it
Deliberate
(planned,
thought-out)
Communication Tools
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T-group model
Argyris: Model II communication
Military model -- Cypress Semiconductor
Precision Questioning -- Microsoft
Constructive Engagement -- Intel
How to move up?
Experimenting
Opening
3,600
Owning
Not experimenting
Not opening
Not owning
34,000
Carl Rogers’ Client Centered
Approach
• Began in psychotherapy
• Goal: Maximize individual potential
Assumptions:
– Individual has latent resources for authenticity
– Others facilitate through listening, empathy,
and unconditional positive regard
• Not skill oriented, more attitude-oriented
T-groups in organizations
• Recreate Rogerian conditions
• Key processes
– Unfreezing habitual routines: silent leader
– Self generated change
• Experiment with new behaviors
• Practice description not evaluation
– Refreezing (reinforce new behaviors in groups)
Applications to organizations
• Is unconditional positive regard possible?
• Even if individual has potential, does she
have knowledge and skill to change?
• Evidence for effectiveness unclear:
– Individual changed but organization has not
– Learning cannot be exported
– Creating T-group situation is not enough
Model II Skills
Ladder of inferences
Theories
Personal meaning
Cultural meaning
Observable data
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Advocate: State inferences clearly
Illustrate: provide data
Inquire: check meanings
Test: allow refutation
Communication at
Cypress Semiconductor
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Are you on schedule?
No.
How far off schedule are you?
10 weeks.
What is the primary reason for your slip?
Design complications.
What have you changed in your routine or
spec so that this won’t happen again?
Cypress Semiconductor
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Question-driven communication
Puts power in hands of questioner
Relies on hierarchical structure
Value on honesty, integrity, commitment
Information is potentially lost
Uncomfortable for many organization members
Microsoft
• Precision Questioning
• Students at the University of Michigan are
becoming better writers.
• Test assumptions and causal reasoning
• Demands “ego strength”
• Relies on assessment of credibility
• Breaks basic rules of conversation and
politeness
Intel
• Constructive Engagement
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Don’t come to meeting without an opinion
Be prepared to argue for your opinion
Be prepared to change your mind
Be prepared to change the minds of others
May the strongest idea win
• Counters emphasis on personality or status
Summary
• Tools attempt to maximize authentic
exchange of information
• Emphasize individual reflection,
responsibility and accountability
• Difficult to learn because violate many
conversational rules
• Practice helps counter defensive routines
with new communication skills