What is Communication

Competence?
•
 “Effective communication
involves achieving one’s goals in
a manner that, ideally maintains
or enhances the relationship in
which it occurs”
Ron Adler
Looking Out: Looking In
 CHARACTERISTICS OF
COMPETENT COMMUNICATORS
ABILITY TO
CHOOSE THE WIDE RANGE
IMMEDIACY MOST
OF BEHAVIORS EMPATHY
APPROPRIATE
BEHAVIOR

CULTURE SELF-
COMPETENCE MONITORING
WIDE RANGE
OF BEHAVIORS

We all have some very effective

communication behaviors, but the most
competent communicators have the ability
to vary their listening responses, use of
language, nonverbal behaviors, and
approaches to conflict based on the other
party
 ABILITY TO COMPETENT COMMUNICATORS CONSIDER
CHOOSE THE THREE
MOST
APPROPRIATE MAIN FACTORS WHEN DECIDING WHICH
BEHAVIOR BEHAVIORS THEY ARE GOING TO USE:

Context (What is the time and place?

What is preferred in this workplace?)

Goal ( What are you trying to accomplish?

How does this fit in the workplace’s mission?)

Knowledge of the other person (what

has/has not worked in the past?)
 Immediacy refers to the language
and nonverbal cues that
IMMEDIACY communicate positive feelings
towards others.
Immediacy is highly related to
workplace success. In order to
communicate immediacy you have to:
• monitor your nonverbal
• cues be mindful of social
rules
• communicate a positive
attitude
 Empathy is the ability to
experience another person’s point of
EMPATHY view and requires the individual to
look at the world from multiple
perspectives.

Empathy involves understanding

the other person’s thoughts and
feelings and is different from
sympathy. However, it is positive to
experience empathy and sympathy at
the same time.

Empathy does not require

agreement. You may experience
empathy at the height of conflict
 CULTURE
• Culture is includes a number of
COMPETENCE
factors (Race, Class, Gender, and
Ethnicity)

Understanding cultural
difference helps you choose the
most appropriate behavior when
interacting with someone from
another culture.
 SELF- Self-monitoring occurs when
MONITORING individuals assess and adapt their
own communication.

They determine how their

communication is similar and
different to others. They focus on
the reaction they receive from
others and change the way they
communicate based on their
observed effectiveness.