Chapter 2 An Interpersonal Communication Process

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Chapter Summary Two Parties in the Interview Interchanging Roles During Interviews Perceptions of Interviewer and Interviewee Communication Interactions Feedback The Interview Situation Outside Forces Summary

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Two Parties in the Interview The Two Parties in the Interview Each party consists of unique and complex individuals. Although each party consists of unique individuals, both must act together if the interview is to be successful.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Two Parties in the Interview

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Slide 5 Interchanging Roles During Interviews Both parties speak and listen from time to time, are likely to ask and answer questions, and take on the roles of interviewer and interviewee. Two fundamental approaches to interviewing: directive or nondirective.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Interchanging Roles During Interviews

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Interchanging Roles During Interviews Directive Approach A directive approach allows the interviewer to maintain control. Nondirective Approach A nondirective approach enables the interviewee to share control.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Interchanging Roles During Interviews Combination of Approaches Be flexible and adaptable when selecting approaches. The roles we play should guide but not dictate approaches.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Perceptions of Interviewer and Interviewee Four Perceptions Drive Interactions 1. Self-perceptions 2. Perceptions of the other party 3. How the other party perceives us 4. How the other party perceives self

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Perceptions of Interviewer and Interviewee

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Perceptions of Interviewer and Interviewee Perceptions of Self What we perceive ourselves to be may be more important than what we are. We see ourselves differently under different circumstances. Self-esteem is closely related to self-worth.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Perceptions of Interviewer and Interviewee Perceptions of the Other Party Perceptions are a two-way process. Allow interactions to alter or reinforce perceptions.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Communication Interactions Levels of Interactions Level 1 Interactions: Avoid judgments, attitudes, and feelings Are safe and superficial Dominate interactions where there is little relational history, where trust has yet to be established, and the role relationship between superiors and subordinates.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Communication Interactions Levels of Interactions Level 2 Interactions: Require trust and risk-taking More revealing of ideas, feelings, and information Although riskier, can be ended easily

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Communication Interactions Levels of Interactions Level 3 Interactions: Involve full disclosure Deal with intimate and controversial areas of inquiry Requires a positive relationship

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Communication Interactions

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Communication Interactions Sex, Culture, and Interactions Women disclose more freely than men. Culture may dictate what we disclose and to whom. Positive and negative face are universal motives.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Communication Interactions Verbal Interactions Never assume communication is taking place. A word rarely has a single meaning. Words may be so ambiguous that any two parties may assign very different meanings to them. Beware of words that sound alike. Words are rarely neutral.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Communication Interactions Nonverbal Interactions Nonverbal signals send many different messages. Any behavioral act, or its absence, can convey a message. In mixed messages, the how may overcome the what. Verbal and nonverbal messages are intricately intertwined.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Feedback Be perceptive, sensitive, and receptive. It is difficult to listen with your mouth open and your ears closed. Be flexible in selecting listening approaches.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Feedback

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Feedback Listening for Comprehension The intent of listening for comprehension is to understand content. Listening for Empathy The intent of empathic listening is to understand the other party. Listening for Evaluation The intent of evaluative listening is to judge content and actions. Listening for Resolution The intent of dialogic listening is to resolve problems.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. The Interview Situation

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. The Interview Situation Initiating the Interview Who initiates an interview and how may affect control, roles, and atmosphere.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. The Interview Situation Perceptions A party may see the interview as routine or an event. Settings are seldom neutral. Perceptions are critical in moving beyond Level 1 interactions.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. The Interview Situation Time of Date, Week, and Year Each of us has an optimum time for interactions. Take into account events before and after interviews.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. The Interview Situation Place We value and protect our turf. Don’t underestimate the importance of place.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. The Interview Situation Surroundings Surroundings help to create a productive climate. Control noise to focus attention on the interaction. Come to each interview ready to communicate.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. The Interview Situation Territoriality Maintain an arm’s length of distance between parties. Relationship affects territorial comfort zones. Age, sex, and culture influence territorial preferences. Continued…

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. The Interview Situation Territoriality Seating Arrangement Desire for control often determines seating. Seating may equalize control and enhance the interview climate.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. The Interview Situation

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Outside Forces We are not really alone with the other party. Outside forces determine roles in many interviews. Know what advice you must take.

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Outside Forces

© 2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Summary Interviewing is a dynamic, complicated process between two complex parties operating with imperfect verbal and nonverbal symbols guided and controlled by perceptions and the situation. A thorough understanding of the process is a prerequisite for successful interviewing. Interviewer and interviewee must be flexible and adaptable in choosing which approach to take.