Mastering Effective Conversations: Engaging in Ethical Dialogue

1. 8: Inter-Act, 13th Edition Conversations

2. Conversations • Interactive, locally managed, sequentially organized, and extemporaneous interchange of thoughts and feelings between two or more people Microsoft Photo

3. Types of Conversations 29 different distinct types of conversation common in friendships and romantic relationships • Small talk:exchanging messages about inconsequential (small) topics to meet social needs of participants with low risk • Gossip:exchanging messages about other people who are not present

4. The Structure of Conversations Beginning (opening) Middle (body) Ending (conclusion)

5. Characteristics of Conversations • Purpose:what the conversation is intended to do • Sequence: • Turn-Taking:alternating between speaking and listening • Scriptedness:using routine conversational phrases or preplanned conversations • Tone: emotional, relational quality and degree of formality • Participants: intended or unintended audience • Setting: physical and emotional environment

6. Guidelines for Effective Conversationalists • Develop an other-centered focus. • Engage in appropriate turn-taking. • Maintain conversational coherence. • Practice politeness and face-saving. • Protect privacy. • Engage in ethical dialogue.

7. Ethical Dialogue • Authenticity:direct, honest, straightforward information and feelings • Empathy: understanding another’s point of view • Confirmation:affirming others as unique individuals (not necessarily approving of views) • Presentness:taking time, avoiding distraction, being responsive, risking attachment • Equality: treating others as peers, regardless of status • Supportiveness:encouraging participation by praising efforts

8. Beginning a Conversation Five ways to open a conversation: • Introduce yourself. • Refer to the physical context. • Ask a ritual question. • Refer to another person. • Use humor or a light-hearted remark.

9. Sustaining a Conversation • Use free information:information volunteered during the conversation • Askquestions • Closed-ended: “yes” or “no” answers • Open-ended: more elaboration, explanation • Seek out topics of interest to the other person • Self-disclose appropriately • Actively listen

10. Closing a Conversation • Notice and use leave-taking cues (nonverbal behaviors that indicate someone wants to end the conversation). • Verbalize your desire to end the conversation. • Ask to see the person again if appropriate. • Close with a brief stock message.

11. Digital Conversation Skills • Awareness of audience • Degree of conversational spontaneity • Abruptness of disengagement • Multiplicity of conversations • Acceptance of interruptions • Notions of privacy

12. Low-Context Cultures Include categorical words such as certainly, absolutely Relevant comments that are directly to the point Speaking one’s mind Silence is uncomfortable High-Context Cultures Include qualifiers such as maybe, perhaps Indirect, ambiguous, and less relevant comments Creating harmony Silence indicates truthfulness, embarrassment, disagreement Cultural Variations