Unit: 3 Understanding Groups in Organisation

3.1 Thresholds of Interpersonal behavior 3.2 Understanding Groups and Teams 3.3 Communication as a behavioral process gautam.donga@gmail.com

Interpersonal relationship is an everyday kind of an expression and something all of us engage in, creating and maintaining highly effective relationships with others can be a challenge for many. Interpersonal situations, relationships and process are those that occur one to one between two persons, not necessarily face to face. It is believed that the levels of our emotional, psychological and physical well-being go as high as allowed by the levels of our interpersonal skills.

An interpersonal behavior can be a source of satisfaction and can be instrumental in fulfilling our objectives. It can also be a source if challenge, frustration and problems. People behave differently in the presence of others as compared to their behavior when they are alone.

The Behavior and Skills Approach to Interpersonal Relationships

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In management, generally, the term Interpersonal refers to relationships and interactions with bosses, leaders, subordinates, peers, suppliers and customers. There are basically two approaches; Behavioral approach Skill approach

Behavioral approach

It suggests the importance of observing, understanding, learning and improving behavior is helpful not only in understanding interpersonal relationships, but also in learning or improving ways in which we and others currently conduct our interpersonal matters. Interpersonally competent people comfortably and naturally use the skills necessary to get competent performance, growth, solidarity among colleague.

The interpersonally competent managers effectively contribute to important organisational process through their well-managed skills of persuasion, negotiation, influence and impression, exchange of support, contribution, and so on. These are called interpersonal skills also known as interactive skills, people skills, social skills or components of social competence

Skills Approach

Skill in behavior science is defined as Intentionally repeatable, goal directed behaviors and behavior sequences. Our capability for action we have, is decided on the basis of the kind of our interpersonal relationship and the way we manage them. Is someone exercises the qualitative aspects of a skill such as effectiveness or appropriateness, we judge that person as competent.

Ability = Capacity for Action Skill = Acting towards Goal(Goal Directed Behavior) Competence = Succeeding at goal, choosing what we effectively judge as appropriate acts

Listening, Questioning and Presenting

Listening involves accurately interpreting what is being said and making meaning out of the others message, including the non-verbal content. Questioning is asking for information in addition to what others are sharing, without seeming to investigate or interrogate the other person, or intruding (interfering) upon or invading (occupy) their private boundaries. Presenting to share information can be crucial for problem solving and collaboration.

Facilitating and Supporting others

It may include helping a person improve his/her performance, making the entry and adjustment of a newly joined colleague to your department more comfortable, or supporting a colleague who is passing through a difficult phase in his/her personal life. Help is not required only when there are problems.

Asserting self

Interpersonal relationships at work often connect people with different positions, status and power. Sometimes people cannot say no, although they want or need to. Assertive skills refer to acting or communicating in ways that are realistic and polite, aimed at maintaining respect for self as well as others and not being either aggressive or submissive.

Negotiating

It is impossible to avoid negotiations in social situations. Negotiation help interdependent parties agree on who will do what, so that their potentially conflicting objectives can be fully or partially be achieved through this exchange. Effective negotiation help support effective, beneficial and sustained relationships.

Working with Groups

The ability to be a leader or a member of a group is a important interpersonal skill. Effective team-working makes organizations effective, it is also considers important for leader in the making. Team-working created conflicts and frustration also.

Interpersonal Relationship and Management of Boundaries.

Creating or perceiving and managing the limits that mark and separate territories, known as boundaries. The effectiveness of an interpersonal relationship is affected by the degree to which these boundaries are managed. Task boundary: helps separate what should be done from what should not to be done. Time boundary: helps decide how much time to devote to what task. Territorial boundary: clarifies who should decides a given matter, including influencing on task and time boundaries. Territory is often isolated by the hierarchy, system and formal authority.

The role of Threat and Trust Formation in Interpersonal Relationships

Threat: when people find themselves to be interdependent on each with others, they generally assess the possible personal loss and gain that can come out of it. Cooperation can help gain success, but there are possibilities of harm and loss also. When the possibility for harm and loss exists, a cooperative project may appear as a threat to the participants goal, concerns, and wellbeing.

Three major sources of risk and harm that are associated with interdependent projects are; Opportunism: opportunism refers to self-interested behavior, understood as taking advantage of others or using others weaknesses for ones own benefit, especially un an ambiguous, non-routine context. This give rise to negative emotions like anxiety, fear and stress and leads to defensive, non-cooperative and avoidant behavior.

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2. Neglect by others of interests and concerns important to self: This can occur when one of the interdependent parties takes important decisions that cause unanticipated harm to one or several of others. 3. Identify damage during Interactions: During interactions, when others question, contradict ridicule or challenge the views favorable to oneself, it can be perceived as a threat of damages to ones identity, or denial of ones preferred image or face;, or damage to ones self esteem.

Trust Formation: A Critical Element Affecting Quality of interpersonal Relationships

Trust is defined as a psychological sate comprising the intention to accept vulnerability (openness) based upon positive expectations of the intension or behavior of another. This means that employees would trust their supervisors when they attach a high probability to their superiors actions being beneficial or at least not detrimental (harmful) to their well being. Interpersonal trust can be defined as a persons willingness to depend on another persons actions, upon the perception that such actions are conducted benevolently (kindly).

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Interpersonal trust is linked with two distinct parts: Cognitive and Affective. The Cognitive part of subordinates trust is formed from cognitively evaluating the integrity, ability and benevolence (kindness) of the other person. Affective (emotional) trust id an emotional response to a perception of care and concern from the party to whom the trust is directed. The following can help build trust: Manage Negative Emotions Facilitate the other Party in trusting us Through threat Regulation

Interpersonal Styles : FIRO-B

Fundamental Interpersonal Relationship Orientation-Behavior is an instrument using which we can understand a persons interpersonal orientation towards several aspects. At the center of the managerial capabilities and motivations are the social needs which form the foundation of the FIRO framework-the basic belief about human nature, People need People.

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The FIRO framework is elaborated into two basic positions: Every individual has three fundamental needs; Inclusion, Control, and affection Inclusion, control and affection can help us predict and explain interpersonal phenomena. Each of the three needs shape behavior, feelings and a persons self concept.

Inclusion: The concern of a person with a high need of inclusion would be: whether a relation has been formed with others, or whether others accept one in their circle or group. This is different from the need for affection because affection concerns an existing relation. Inclusion concerned with whether a relation exists.

Control: Within an existing relation, control is another area that decides who gives the orders and makes the decisions, for whom. This need is different from affection as affection influences how emotionally closed or distant a relation becomes. In the control area, the person who like to control others may not like to be controlled by others.

Affection: This need may be directed at parental, peer or children figures. Sharing of these feelings by two persons creates situations of love, emotional closeness, an intimacy. Negative affection is characterized by hate, hostility and emotional pain.

Wanting and expressing in terms of level Inclusion (Include others, be included by others)

Behavior

Feeling

Self-concept

Interaction and Association

Mutual interest with People

Self is significant and worthwhile.

Control (Control others, be controlled by others)

Affection (love others and be loved by others)

Control and Power

Competence and responsible-ness

Assurance that one is a competent and responsible person

Love and Affection

A feeling of Need to feel that mutual affection self is lovable with others

Wanting inclusion is closely linked with traits like associate, interact, communicate, companion, member, extravert. Absence of wanting inclusion is suggested by terms such as exclusion, isolate, outsider, lonely, detached, withdraw. A need for control uses expressions like power, dominance, influence, rule, leader. The lack of or negative control are suggested by terms like rebellion, follower, submissive, henpecked. Need for affection is expressed by words like love, like emotionally close, personal, friendship. Lack of or negative affection is suggested by words like hate, dislike, distant or cold.

Transactional Styles in Interpersonal Relationships: TA

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It is an analysis of Transactions that go on between human being who are interacting with each other. It explains why people differ from each other and behave the way they do with each other. The basic assumption of the TA framework is that all individuals experience hunger or needs for; Strokes (craving for stimulus) Structure (craving for structure) Meaning (existential hunger)

Strokes as Units of Interpersonal Recognition: Berne explains that strokes can help us feel loved, which is crucial for our health and well being. Physical stroke we receive in early childhood from others through feeding, care and nurturing are replaced by psychological strokes later, which can be an approval or a smile and so on. These strokes can also be negative i.e. criticizing or disapproval.

Transactions: A transaction can be understood as a set of a stimulus and a response when people engage themselves in communication or social exchange. Thus, a transaction can be a unit of measuring behavior.

Ego States: Berne identified three ego states as components of our personality: Parent, Adult and Child These ego states do not refer to people or roles, but to a consistent pattern of felling and experience directly related to a consistent pattern of behavior. Out of the three ego states of an individual, any one governs his/her attitude and behavior at a given point of time.

By observation of thoughts, feelings, pitch of voice, body language, expressions and behavior at any one point of time, it is possible to identify which ego state is currently operating in an individual; Whether it is positive or negative Whether ; 1. The Parent is Nurturing or Controlling 2. The child is free and Natural or an Adapted Child.

Complementary, Crossed and Convert Transactions (Self Study) Games (Self Study) Existential Position (Self Study)

3.2 Understanding Groups and Teames

Two or more persons who interact regularly to accomplish a common purpose or goal. Two or more persons Frequent interaction Common objectives Shared norms Shared perception of membership

Importance of Group for organizations Effective decision Richer perspective, divers cognitive resources and general problem solving capacity Employees and groups can achieve higher levels of productivity, quality and team member satisfaction Importance of Group for Individual Identities To satisfy need for safety, belongingness and esteem.

How are Groups Formed?

Formal groups are created officially and are designated by formal authority to serve a specific purpose. Informal Groups are spontaneously created when the group members are located within close distance with each other, and interact more. A Cohort is a group of people who share a similar background and have a similar perspective on things, i.e. batch mate.

Coalitions are different from interest groups as the members of an interest group share common interest, whereas members of a coalition may have different interest, but those can be protected by collective influence.

How Groups Develop?

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The five stage Model: When group are created by formal decision and effort, we general do not expect them to start delivering the results from day one. The five stage model is one of the models used to describe the process of group development. These five stages are: Form Storm Norm Perform Adjourn

1. Form: Members start with hazy (unclear) ideas about the group goal or objectives, and how they fit in. The group structure also may not have firmed up. The skills and resources of members may not be known and so, there is uncertainty and confusion about how to distribute the tasks or leadership roles.

2. Storm: When the member begin to interact with lack of clarity, there is confrontation and conflict. Often the interactions are charged with emotions, especially anger. Some major sources of differences and conflicts within groups are known to be diversity of age and functional orientation, differences in individual member characteristics.

3. Norm: Eventually, dialogue emerges amid (among) disagreement about roles and activities, leading to cooperation and collaboration. Members develop a collective sense of group identity. They discover and appreciate each others strengths and skills and move beyond their differences to perceive a sense of we and us. During this stage common values and norms evolve.

4. Perform: As there is acceptance of one another and agreement over norms and tasks, the group is now fully functional. Members focus on performance now, assuming the necessary roles and integrating efforts.

5. Adjourn: As the task is accomplished, this stage marks the time to move onto the next task, or repeat performance. Some group created for a specific one-time tasks disperse. Many of these disbanded group members join other groups and take up the next assignment.

Synergies of Group-working: Process Gains and their Contributors

When individuals work in a group, the group output is greater than the sum of outputs of individuals taken together. This is called synergy; which cause process gains. Some common process gains are;

More information : as a group more information than one member More objective evaluation : better at catching errors Stimulation : working as a part of the group may stimulate and encourage individual to perform better Learning : Members may learn from more skilled members

1. Social facilitation Social facilitation is a positive, predictable group phenomenon (event). Social facilitation is an effect that causes individuals to perform better in the presence of others, than they would have in isolation. The underlying assumption is that individuals desire to get the attention of other individuals in groups, and they would get this attention by performing better or working harder.

2. Social Compensation: It occurs when some group members work harder in a group, perhaps in order to cover for the other group members performing insufficiently. The perception of inadequate co-worker contributes may be based in a general lack of trust in the reliability of others to perform well, being told that others have poor skills. Social compensators feel compelled to contribute more to the collective goal in order to make up for the inadequate contributions of their co-workers.

3. Cohesion Cohesiveness refers to the forces that bind members to each other and to their group, giving them a feeling of groupness. Researcher has found that higher the cohesion, higher the team performance, especially in smaller groups. If the group members have greater time for interacting with each other, and work at the same location, interacting face to face, cohesion would be greater compared to offsite work groups.

The general characteristics of cohesive group include; Coordinated behavior, mutual affection, and more attention on other members Members are more likely to stay on in the group and attract other members to join Members are more likely to serve group interest rather than individual interest Members are more productive.

Negative Aspects of Group Working and Group Process Losses

The following can be understood as the most serious causes of group process losses; 1. Social Loafing and Withdrawal 2. Deliberately setting low Standards of performance or Blocking Output 3. Group thinking 4. Groupshift 5. Bystander Effect

1. Social Loafing and Withdrawal In the research it was discovered that the average amount of load carried by individuals in a group of workers decreased as the number of workers increased in a load-carrying group. The underlying principle was understood as : People in a group often do not work as hard as they do when they work on their own in presence of other coworkers.

Social loafing is most likely to occur when; Team members cannot ascertain the level of effort of other members, Where direct observation or evaluation is not possible, and When the goal and rewards are given on the team basis.

The remedies against social loafing would include; Identifying and evaluating individual members contribution Enhancing personal involvement with the task Recognizing the uniqueness of individual contributions Strengthening group cohesiveness

Free riding: Similar to loafing, free riding occurs when less able members believe that their efforts are dispensable (not necessary) and so they leave the others to it. This may trigger a sucker effect where hard working team members gradually discover that they are being taken for a free ride, so they reduce their effort to avoid being taken advantage of.

2. Deliberately setting low Standards of performance or Blocking Output: A group Norm defines what is acceptable or unacceptable for members. Norms also specify rule for how group members should behave and thus reflect the mutual expectations amongst group members. But if for some reasons, members of a group informally and among themselves, decides to adopt counter-productive or lower norms of performance, or turn in lower output in order to show it to the management who has the real power.

3. Groupthink: It is argued that groups can take better decisions and solve problems better than individuals because they can view the problems or opportunities from a variety of perspectives and can think of wide range of options. But sometimes, the norm for group consensus overrides motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action, this is called groupthink.

Janis gave eight symptoms of group think; Invulnerability: In their over optimism, members assume that the groups past success will continue Stereotyping: Members form negative stereotypes discredit sources of any information that disconfirms their assumption about their continuing success. Rationalization: If there is evidence countering their emerging consensus on continuing success, members use rationalizations that explain the evidence away.

Illusion of Morality: Members do not see the moral implications of their policy because they believe that the right is on their side. Pressure: Members who express their doubt are discouraged too forcefully. Self-censorship: Those members who have doubts keep silence and minimize their doubts. Mind guards: Members protect the group from exposure to disturbing ideas. Unanimity: As soon as the most vocal members agree on an issue, the possibility of any further divergence is screened.

4. GroupShift: Group shift indicates a shift towards a more extreme attitude or perception held by an individual when in a group. The risk takers take riskier decisions as a group or conservative individuals become more conservative as a group. As a result, the group develops a more extreme position.

5. Bystander Effect: Contrary to groupshift, in the case of an emergency, if there are multiple witnesses, the majority of the observers tend not to help the victim. Experiments have shown that if the witness is alone, the chances of him or her helping the victim are higher. When there more witness, the sense of responsibility becomes diffused and the person fears negative consequences of standing out of the crowd.

Roles in Groups: Member Dispositional & Functional Roles

For the success of any group, members need to perform certain roles, which are different from a job. A role is the dynamic set of recurring behaviors, both expected and actual, within a particular group context. A role accepted by a person who plays it, shapes his attitudes and behaviors consistent with the role, giving him the Role Identity. Roles can be divided into task-related roles and social roles. Role can be of contributor, challenger, communicator, collaborator.

The eight-role model given by Belbin has become the most popular This model links the members role with their inner dispositions.

Interpersonal Team Roles Based on Belbins Model

Interpersonal Role
Completer-finisher

Behaviour
Conscientious, introvert, Delivers on time Plans so that nothing gets overlooked Good judge of people, Recognises team strength and weakness Coordinate and controls work of team members Calm, self confidence and controlled person

Co-ordinator

Implementer

Turns concepts and plans into practical working procedures Disciplined and systematic in approach Practical, uses common sense Serious minded Prudent Able to stand back and evaluate ideas and suggestions

Monitor Evaluator

Interpersonal Role

Behaviour

Resource Investigator Picks up others ideas and information especially from outside the groups Good at developing ideas and building on them Extrovert, enthusiastic and good communicator Plant Major source of creative and imaginative new ideas Very intelligent and often introverted More interested in basic principles than in practical detail Offers dominant task leadership Outgoing, Galvanises team into action Listen to others and support them Communicates well with others Promotes harmony and spirit between team members

Shaper

Team Worker

Functional Role
Functional Role Description of Behavior Defines a group problem, Point out the immediate objective New ways of solving the problem

Task Roles Initiator

Decision manager Encourages the group to come to a decision Supporter/follower Offers support for a proposal or idea, Signals willingness to go with the idea.

Functional Role Description of Behavior

Communication Role
Opinion Seeker Opinion Giver Information Seeker Information Giver Elaborator Evaluator/critic Coordinator Recorder Asks for opinion and clarifies the value orientation either for the group undertaking or for the suggestion made. States opinions or beliefs Asks for the relevant information and facts, seeks clarifications for suggestions made Offers facts or generalizations based on authoritative sources or own experience. Expands, explores and elaborates suggestions made by others, Predict how the idea would work out if adopted Questions the practicality, logic, facts or procedure of the suggestion made. Links or clarifies links between various ideas, and the efforts made by members. Records the progress of the discussion, records decisions and acts of the group

Functional Role Description of Behavior Maintenance Roles

Encourager
Gatekeeper

Mediator Compromiser

Encourages members to participate more fully, by using praise, agreement and acceptance Maintains channels of communication within the group and regulates the interface with the external context Reconciles disagreements and relieves tension

When own idea is in conflict with some other idea, offers compromise or holds back to avoid escalation of conflict Standard setter Suggests and defends benchmarks for the group

Understanding team

The concept of Teams and Team working are gaining popularity, both in terms of research and practice. The distinguishing feature of teams is that the leadership is essentially shared. Members, having greater interdependence compared to work groups, shape collective or joint work products.

Types of Team

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There are three very popular forms of teams; Cross Functional Teams Self-directed work Teams Virtual Teams

1. Cross Functional Teams: In recent year the Cross Functional Teams have become popular due to the increasing need for coordination and integration of the various specialist disciplines and functions within an organization for; Faster response time Better customer satisfaction To promote the exchange of knowledge and practice across disciplines and functions

CFT is defined as, A group of people who apply different skills, with a high degree of interdependence to ensure the effective delivery of a common organisational objective. The single most widely recognized advantage of CFTs is their heterogeneity in technical background, age and values. The research also shows that group members on CFTs tend to have lower group cohesiveness and job satisfaction, higher turnover, conflict and stress.

2. Self-Directed Work Teams: Many organisation have used SDWTs to cope up with typical cases of downsizing. These teams provide a grater degree of member empowerment where greater degree of authority is shared and decision-making is participative. These members plan and control their own work and solve their management problems at their The leader typically behaves more like a coach than like a controller. Information on quality, productivity and profitability is widely shared within the organisation.

The main advantages of SDWTs are that they solve problems at the lowest possible level. They also accomplish job tasks with little supervision. They are responsible for managing the entire work process, they evaluate and challenge their own work in terms of whether it added value to the department or the organisation

3. Virtual Teams: Virtual teams are a direct result of the increasing use of technology in group processes such as communication and decision-making. When group processes are so integrated by technology that the members can interact and function without always having face to face, then we have a case of a virtual team. This enables team members to function in spite of geographic distance and time differences. It is also observed that in the absence of face-to-face interactions and proximity, member commitment and effective communication become difficult to achieve.

Making Team Effective

When a team meets the three dimensions of performance criteria, it can called effective. These criteria are: 1. How well does the team output meet the user needs. 2. Whether the team members increase their capacity, to work effectively with one another 3. Whether the team working creates member satisfaction

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The following fundamental principles of building effective teams should be; Team creation and performance Expectations Supporting Environment Small Size Complementary skills Common Levels of member Commitment Measurement Criteria for Performance Clear Working Approach Strong Sense of Mutual Accountability and Shared leadership

a). Team Creation and Performance Expectations: The decision to create a team requires cautious analysis to study the level of complexity, interdependence and objectives of the tasks. Whether a team or a group is needed is critical choice that should be made correctly, rather than going by the glamour or popularity of the word teams.

b). Supporting Environment: Team requires various resources and supporting conditions in order to be effective. These resources are; Training for some members Administrative support Access to information Unless the top management is committed to making teams effective, these resources may not be forthcoming when needed or in adequate measure, affecting the team performance.

c). Small Size: The challenge for the team as well as their creators is to sustain commitment and superior performance and yet manage conflicts. Team with these kinds of dynamics take time to form. Once team formed, there should be discipline and hard work, so as to be able to perform among conflict.

d). Complementary Skills: Teams involve a higher degree of interdependence among members. The members therefore, must be highly skilled and experienced in their area of specialization and different members must have expertise in complementary areas. The teams must decide how the unique expertise of the members is going to be utilized.

e). Common Levels of member Commitment: Common levels of member commitment to performance purpose and clear and compelling performance goals, measured against specific and appropriate criteria. Team members must be equally committed to the team goals. The purpose and the expectation of the team need to be aligned with those of the management.

f ). Measurement Criteria for performance The performance must be measure against that are compelling, as well as measurable. The reward system has to be tailored for team performance, too. Creating teams and rewarding individual performance based on appraisal of individual performance can be frustrating.

g). Clear working Approach: The team must be able to plan through discussions, how the team purpose is going to be achieved. Clear communication and healthy conflict must be encouraged.

h). Strong Sense of Mutual Accountability and Shared Leaderships The interdependence of members is much greater in teams than in groups and the members of teams must feel empowered to share leadership roles in their own areas of expertise.

Meaning and Function of Communication

Communication definition the transmission and reception of ideas, feelings and attitudes verbally or non-verbally which produce a response. A process by which we assign and convey meaning in an attempt to create shared understanding. At Work, the process of communication is; 1. Instrumental in Achieving Desired Results 2. Helping Expression of Social and Emotional Matters

1. Instrumental in Achieving Desired Results: These end can be the achievement of some goal such as completing a task, persuading others, informing or entertaining. Goal orientated communication can occur in both, routine and non-routine circumstances. Much of business communication is, in fact, about informing, directing and persuading someone for action.

2. Helping Expression of Social and functional matters: People communicate because communicating allows them to express themselves, their feeling and needs. These needs may be socially, emotionally or aesthetically oriented. For an artist who writes or paints, the expression of self or emotions is a prime concern.

The Elements of Communication

A communication process has the following elements the who, where, when, how and what of communication: 1. At least two Parties 2. Communication Context 3. Message and barriers 4. Feedback

1. At Least Two Parties: At any level of communication requires the sender and the receiver of a message and they are known as the Who of communication. These parties carry their field of experience with them, which represents their values, personalities & orientation, perception and interest.

2. Communication Context: Communication context is created by time, physical setting, as well as the social, situational, environmental and cultural factors. These elements affect one another and also get affected by external forces. The element of; Time refers to hours of the day or period Physical setting is the place where communication occurs. The Social and Cultural provides us the cues on social norms and expectations

3. Message and Barriers: Communication occurs through words, sounds, message structure, gestures, eye contact, posture, voice characteristics and even personal grooming and choice of dress, hairstyle and accessories. There are certain barriers to effective communication. These barriers can be both, physical and psychological. They can arise at the senders side or receivers side. Barriers can also be present in the context, such as a noisy or ill-equipped place.

4. Feedback: When the receiver responds to the message from the sender, it is known as feedback. Feedback can be treated as a communication event in itself, since it is a message sent from the receiver. The sender also can generate feedback for self, as he/she becomes aware, observes self and listens to the self in communication. Feedback may be positive as well as negative.

Measures of Accuracy of Communication

For grater accuracy of communication and the meaning shred, we need to understand and manage the attributes related to; 1. The Sender 2. The Receiver 3. The Channel 4. The Message 5. The Topic These can be act as barriers as well as sources of accuracy for the communication.

1. Sender: The senders level of development affect how the message is encoded. Explicit or implicit rules for coding; every message id conveyed through several channels that are active simultaneously. What is in the senders mind is put in the form of the total message by using an explicit or implicit code or a set of rules. The degree to which the sender differs from the commonly agreed coding rules affects the accuracy of the communication.

The sender's attitude towards the content of the message: Neutral, Negative or Positive. The senders attitude towards the receiver. The rate of information processing attempted by the sender in relation to the capacity available in the channel. Perceived similarity between the senders and their audiences.

2. Receivers Attributes: These are similar to the senders attributes , but encoding is replaced by decoding at the side of the recipient. 3. Channel Attributes No. of channel available for conveying the meaning. Possibility of modification, revision and correction of the message. Possibility of feedback.

4. Message Attributes: The degree to which several components of communication convey the same message. Verbal Non-verbal channels Message structure: this refers to the degree to which the arrangement of message components helps the receiver in predicting what might come next. Degree of objectivity: if the meaning of the message is well defined, it becomes freer of the situation or context in which it happened.

5. Topic Attributes: The degree to which the topic of communication itself is ambiguous (vague). The degree of complexity of the topic, reflected in the number of parts within the message and their interrelationship.

The Johari Framework

This concept is given by Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingram. We sometime hide our inner thoughts and feelings almost completely even from ourselves. We may exaggerate or underestimate the extent to which our feeling and actions are perceived as positive or negative, or the extent to which they are perceived at all. Feedback from others around us offers new information about self, which is necessary for developing alternative perspectives on problems and reappraise experiences.

Things about Self That:

Self Knows
Others Know

Self doesnt Know

Things about Self That:

Open Self

Blind Self

Others dont know

Hidden Self

Unknown self