03 Intrapersonal Variables for Communication

Intrapersonal Variables For Communication

Three interpersonal variables motivation, perception and emotion operate within the individual and strongly influence interpersonal communicationLack of Awareness of how motivation, perception and emotion operate in ourselves and others accounts for a large percentage of breakdowns in communicationIntrapersonal Variables For Communication1Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of ManagementManagers are largely unaware of the interpersonal variablesManagers need to try to understand the subordinates present motives rather than to change their motivesThe integration of the individual and the organizational objectives is one of the primary issues facing managers in todays worldManaging Motivation to Influence Interpersonal Communication2Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of ManagementLack of Awareness of ones i.p. motives leads to a confused way of expressing them and thus to communication breakdownsPeople who are either unaware of or refuse to acknowledge their i.p. motives are acting defensively by protecting their self-imageResearch evidence shows that everyone has i.p. motives and that all communication acts attempts are attempts to satisfy these motives

The Effects of I.P. Motivation upon I.P. Communication3Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of ManagementSchutz has suggested that there are three basic i.p. needs which underlie all behavior:They are:The Need for InclusionThe Need for ControlThe Need for AffectionSchutz suggests that our methods of dealing with these needs are shaped by childhood experiences and that some methods lead to more healthy individuals than othersSchutz - 19674Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of ManagementThe need for inclusion is concerned with having people to interact with who pay attention to you and what you to say

The need is manifested each time you enter a new group of peopleThe Need for Inclusion5Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of ManagementPeople learn to deal with their need for inclusion in one of three basic ways:The Undersocial TypeThe Oversocial TypeThe Adaptable Social TypeThe Need for Inclusion6Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of ManagementThey may deny their need for inclusion by remaining aloof from others.They maintain distance between themselves and others and tend to be social isolatesCreate a world of their own in which they feel secureIn this they need not risk the pain of rejection but instead endure the pain of being lonelyThis is an extreme example of people who express their need for inclusion in a very confused way they are denying their need for inclusion altogether!The Undersocial Type7Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of ManagementA manager who maintains such aloofness is likely to experience poor i.p. communication

Others are likely interpret the managers aloofness to be snobbishness or arroganceThe Undersocial Type8Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of ManagementThis type of person learns to deal with inclusion needs by constantly interacting with othersAttempt to focus attention on themselves by exhibitionist-type behaviorAttempt to acquire some special statusOversocial managers are likely to spend so much time demanding attention that they neglect other things.Are over friendlyThus the need for inclusion is expressed unclearly, resulting in low task orientationThe Oversocial Type9Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of ManagementThis type can be a high participator or a low participator in a group depending on the situationSuch managers are comfortable being with people and are also comfortable being aloneThey have resolved the need for inclusion in a constructive way so that they can maintain identity and individualityThey are not afraid of interaction and showing their identity, as are the undersocial managers; nor are they compelled to submerge their identity by constantly pleasing others, as are the oversocial managersThe Adaptable-Social Type10Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of ManagementThe i.p. need for control can also be discussed in terms of 3 types of people:People who have learned to avoid i.p. situations in which they have control of others. These managers do not like to make decisions which affect other people. Are happiest when others control them by making decisions for them. They feel incompetent and seek to avoid situations in which they have to face these feelings of incompetenceThe Need to Control11Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of ManagementPeople who are comfortable only when they are controlling others. These managers seek to dominate other people as a way of proving to themselves that they are competentPeople who are comfortable both in situations where they control others and in situations where others have control over themThe Need to Control12Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of ManagementPeople who deny their need for affection. These managers may be openly antagonistic or may remain emotionally distant from others. They feel unconsciously that they are not worthy of being loved and thus are determined to avoid situations where people may express their feelings toward them.The Need for Affection13Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of ManagementThese people also fear that they are not worthy of being loved. They react to this by trying to please everyone. Unfortunately, the more they seek the approval and love of others, the less likely they are to receive it. Ideal Type people who are comfortable being close to other people but who also are able to understand that they are worthy persons even if some people do not like them.The Need for Affection14Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of ManagementWhen people are unaware of their motives, they interact with others in ways which often lead to communication breakdownsPeople guess from inferences about others motivesIf these motives are expressed in a confused way, they are likely to be misinterpretedThis is happens for the following reasons:

Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of Management15I.P. Perception Upon CommunicationThe same i.p. act may be motivated by one of several different motives. The impact of the i.p. act depends on how one perceives the motivation underlying the act. Ex: Joe inviting Fred, his boss, to dinnerThe way the i.p. act is perceived depends on the perceiver as well as the act. Ex: if Fred feels uncomfortable being close to other people, he is more likely to treat the invitation as an attempt to influence him. We tend to interpret other people's actions in terms of our own motivesAshok Karri, GITAM Institute of Management16I.P. Perception Upon CommunicationWe tend to interpret i.p. actions in terms of our image or stereotype of the person with whom we are interactingPerceptual errors have strong effects on the nature of subsequent interactions.Often people are unaware that they are forming impressions of others; they often are unaware of how they form these impressionsThe best way of increasing the accuracy of i.p. perception is by noting what observations lead to a particular conclusion and then checking the conclusion for accuracyAshok Karri, GITAM Institute of Management17I.P. Perception Upon CommunicationLack of awareness of emotion can lead to breakdowns in communicationThis is because feelings influence i.p. perception and i.p. motivesIn fact, the expression of any i.p. communication reflects the individuals feelingIf people are unaware of their feelings, they are unaware of a significant aspect of what they are communicatingAshok Karri, GITAM Institute of Management18The Role of Emotions in I.P. CommunicationMany people are aware of only their strong feelings; this does not mean that feelings do not existThe individual has repressed his feelings because of strong social conditioning When emotion is suppressed or repressed, it acts in accumulative fashion thus producing more intense feeling finally the emotion may become so strong that the person explodesThe straw that broke the camels backAshok Karri, GITAM Institute of Management19The Role of Emotions in I.P. CommunicationExpression of feelings leads to greater self-awareness and the possibility of more straightforward i.p. communicationLets now look at specific emotions: 1. Fear 2.AngerAshok Karri, GITAM Institute of Management20The Role of Emotions in I.P. CommunicationFear is the anticipation of physical or psychological painIf you are paying attention to what might happen rather than to what is presently happening your ability to respond to the situation is impaired

Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of Management21Fear in I.P. CommunicationA manager may be afraid of making presentations to committees/boards. If the fear is great, the manager is likely to perform poorly, and concludes that he is a poor speaker and avoids speaking in front of groups. The avoidance of a fear-producing situation relieves the fear and thus is rewarding. The individual forms a habit of avoiding public-speaking and this habit becomes stronger each time he manages to avoid the situation!The only way of reducing the fear is by speaking to a group and performing well.Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of Management22Example of How Fear Inhibits Performance and DevelopmentThe cultural norm is to avoid the expression of anger or control ones angerWhen a person cannot express anger directly, it is likely to be expressed indirectly Displaced Aggression to take it out on a innocent victim (spouse, subordinate or even themselves)The failure to express anger increases tension to a point where it affects performance adverselyWe have to learn constructive ways of expressing anger basically, create a positive relationship strong enough to survive the expression of negative emotion

Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of Management23Anger in I.P. CommunicationInclusionControlAffectionStereotypesInterpersonal TrustRepression of FeelingsDisplaced AggressionAshok Karri, GITAM Institute of Management24Key Terms & ConceptsFor a two-day period maintain a log of your feelings: when it occurred, what the emotion was, how it showed up in your body, what the circumstances were, and how you showed or concealed the feelings from othersPair up with two other classmates. Discuss your logs Are you normally aware of your feelings?Ashok Karri, GITAM Institute of Management25Exercise: Log of Feelings