Business Report

p INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION PROJECT

2007

The present work is only the planning stage and we all members are to join together at a particular place for a fixed period of time

PROCESS

Communication is the basis of performance in which the team is involved Such a conversation in performance is congenial , which may help the team to be in a receptive mood . It is important that communication is greatly influenced by how problems and issues arc perceived by two persons involved in the conversation . It may get distorted if team members

arc not empathic to each other and do not try to understand each other 's point of view . Members speak more through their gestures and postures than through words . LISTENING : Listening is the first effective step in building confidence . All members are properly listened which means paying attention to the various messages being sent by the other members . The obvious message is the ideas being communicated . But there may be hidden feelings and concerns which the other person may not be able to put clearly in words . Listening to feelings and concerns is very important for effective goal achievement

ASKING QUESTIONS AND RESPONDING : Questions can facilitate or hinder the process of communication . They serve several purposes : they help in getting more information , establishing mutuality , clarifying matters stimulating thinking . Questions play a very important role in team building . Some questions can shut off the member , or make him dependent on the team leader . while some others can build the autonomy of the employee . The following types of questions are not only unhelpful but they also hinder the process of effective success

A ) CRITICAL QUESTIONS : Questions which arc used to criticize , reprimand or doubt , it creates a gap between him and the member . The way the question is asked i .e , skeptical or sarcastic tone may indicate that the question is a critical one . The choice of words may also indicate the critical nature of the question . Why did you fail to achieve your targets ' communicates criticism , whereas Why could you not attain your targets ' would normally communicate an invitation to examine hindering factors . How did you again fall short of your target ' is a reprimanding question . `How can you achieve this target since you failed last time ? indicates doubt in the ability of the employee

B ) TESTING QUESTIONS : Questions that are asked to find out whether a person is right or wrong . or how much he knows , are evaluating or testing questions . Such questions may tend to put the other person on the defensive . In a testing question , the team leader asking the question takes a superior attitude , while the other member is put in a kind of witness box . Such questions takes the form of a cross examination . Again , the tone of my interviewing may determine whether the question is a testing question

C ) RESENTING QUESTIONS : A person may ask questions to indicate his resentment of the behavior of the other person . When an employee in a situation asks : How should I attain a higher target ' it may indicate his resentment depending on the tone in which such a question is asked

D ) LEADING QUESTIONS : For example , I say to member You could not attain the target because other members did not cooperate . Is that true ' or it may be put in the question form : Were you not able to attain the target because the other members did not cooperate ' Both are leading questions . A leading question almost seduces the member to go along the line of thinking of the team leader . This tends to stop further exploration and is not helpful

The following types of questions may be of help in development

A ) TRUSTING QUESTIONS : Questions which are asked to that the questioner is seeking help or suggestions may indicate the trust he has in the team . The question How do you think I can deal with the problem I am facing ' is seeking help from the other person . Such questions may be asked both by me and team member

B ) CLARIFYING QUESTIONS : Questions may be asked to collect information more facts and figures . Such questions are very helpful . If I ask members several questions to get more information about various aspects the member , in turn , would provide with relevant information to understand his problems . For example , the question , `Are you worried about your lack of knowledge of the new project ' is a clarifying question

C ) EMPATHIC QUESTIONS : Questions about the feelings of a person , his concern , his problem , not so much for finding solutions as to indicate and express concern . is classified as empathic questions . When I ask the member ' How are you feeling now , I am not merely seeking information , but in fact indicating his personal concern about the health and thereby expressing sympathy with the member Such questions help to generate more trust , and the necessary rapport . Empathic questions create a climate of mutual trust and human understanding

D ) OPEN QUESTIONS : The most useful questions are those which stimulate reflection and thinking in the employee . Why do you think we have not achieved the target still now ' is an open question inviting the other members to explore the various possible dimensions , and to share them with the team leader who is asking such a question . Open questions encourage creativity , and a tendency to explore several directions which might have been neglected so far . Such questions are very useful

SKILLS USED

Interpersonal feedback is an important input for increasing self awareness . It helps in reducing the blind area of a member helping him to become more aware about his strengths and weaknesses . If properly used , it results in a higher mutuality between two persons

Influencing would mean making an impact on the member in relationship Such impact need not necessarily be of a restrictive type . Influencing in helping would involve the following three aspects

A ) INCREASING AUTONOMY OF THE MEMBER : Usually , influencing is understood only in the sense of restricting the autonomy of the person and directing him into channels which are predetermined by the person exerting influence

B )POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT : Change in behavior cannot be brought about in members through punishment or negative reinforcement , but only through positive reinforcement . Influencing would involve providing encouragement and reinforcing success so that the member takes more initiative and is able to experiment with new ideas

C ) IDENTIFICATION : One major influence which helps a member to develop is the opportunity for him to identify himself with individuals having more experience , skill and influence . This legitimate need should be fulfilled

D ) BUILD EMPLOYEE COMMUNITIES : It should build high quality internal talent communities through segmentation . This enables employers to cultivate relationships with employees on the employee 's terms and to consistently demonstrate value to the employee through opportunities for internal mobility . This increases job satisfaction and leads to higher retention rates . Any recruitment opportunity in the organization should be viewed as a career growth opportunity for the existing employees without compromising efficiency requirements . This always is very cost effective in all respects and will go a long way in boosting the morale of existing employees . The direct correlation of morale and higher productivity could be sufficient for any justification required for these moves

EVALUATION

The skills have been applied and the project is proceeding as per the programme made

Members are responsible , and capable of making their own choices and decisions . They are able to do their work in the environment . They have choices and freedom , along with responsibility , even if they have restricted options due to environmental variables . Behaviors are purposive and goal directed . Members are continuously striving towards meeting what they have been asked to do . Coaching should not be regarded as merely giving help . It is also receiving help on various aspects Unless such a relationship is established - i .e . both persons involved in the relationship feeling free to ask for and provide help to each other - goal achievement cannot be effective . Mutuality is based on trust and the genuine perception that each member has enough to contribute

The main purpose of skill application is to identify the development needs of members which can be met through various ways . It is necessary that guidance results in clear and systematic identification and in subsequent , plans as to how these needs will be fulfilled . The central issue in a helping process relates to the values . The helping behavior and strategies flow out of the basic stand one takes in relation to the client . The helper should ask himself /herself what values he / she holds , and with what consequences

.Members personal problems may arise from unfinished business stemming from the past and , although some exploration of causation may be beneficial in some cases , most problems can be worked through by focusing on the here and now , on what choices the person has now

Reference

Sperry ,L .and Hess ,L .R (1996 ) Contact Counselling , Addison-Wesley

Garvin , D .A Roberto , M .A (2005 . Change through persuasion . Harvard Business Review , 83 (2 , 114

Fiedler , F .E . 1967 . A Theory of Communication , McGraw Hill : New York

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BUSINESS REPORT

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