Author: Robert Bacal
Why and how is email communication different from any other medium? And some communication theory to boot.
To understand how electronic mail is different than ANY other medium we need to look at a little bit of painless communication theory. Before we do, a comment on some models of communication you may have come across in the…
Why is most communication training misleading?
Unfortunately, much of what is taught in common communication training and seminars is based on an out-moded and out of date understanding about how human communication actually works. Many seminars teach that communication involves a sender and a receiver, and…
What is the difference between advocacy communication and inquiry communication?
When you communicate, you function differently when you are in advocacy mode, and when you are in inquiry mode. Advocacy communication puts you in a position of “standing for”, or advocating a particular action, position or set of principles. In…
What is The Abilene Paradox, Communicationwise?
The Abilene Paradox, Communication and GroupThink What is The Abilene Paradox? The Abilene Paradox was presented to the world by Jerry Harvey, in his book of management essays of the same name. In the first essay in the book, Harvey…
What are communication channels and why are they important?
Communication can be split into two parts — the message or content, and the channel it’s transmitted on. For example, you may want to communicate something about your emotional state — let’s say that you are angry. You can communicate…
Why do the same words mean different things to different people?
People get perplexed because they may say something (a word, phrase or sentence) to one person and get one reaction and say the exact same thing to anther person, and get a completely different, or even opposite reaction. Don’t words…
What is cooperative communication?
Cooperative communication is a term coined by Robert Bacal in the 1990’s to describe communication techniques that tend to encourage people to work together, or cooperate (hence the name). The opposite of cooperative communication, he called confrontational communication. After working…
What is confrontational communication?
Confrontational communication is communication (the way we interact) that tends to anger, create unnecessary conflict, and damage relationships at home and at work. It was defined by Robert Bacal, along with it’s opposite, cooperative communication Confrontational communication involves a wide…
Why is it important that all parties in communication have the “same type of conversation?
Different Communication Purposes Breeds Misunderstanding People communicate for different reasons and in different ways. There are different kinds of conversations. When two people are communicating for different purposes, or having “different conversations”, there’s a good possibility that conflict and misunderstanding…
What You Don’t Say Counts: “You Don’t Say?” Good!
What You Don’t Say Determines The Relationship We know that “good” talk smooths and builds relationships, whether with family, or friends or in the workplace. Supportive listening and compliments are important in building a good foundation of trust and mutual…
Can you provide practical tips and suggestions to improve email communication?
The following is an excerpt from Conflict Prevention in the Workplace — Using Cooperative Communication When sending e-mail always reread what you have written before sending it on. Read it twice (at least) — once for content (does it say…
