CONVERSATION

Conversation in five stages

i. ii. iii. iv. v. Opening Feedforward Business Feedback Closing

i. Opening Greeting verbal and nonverbal - Verbal initiation of the topic, making reference to the other, personal inquiries - Nonverbal waving, shaking hands, winking - Usually use both (verbal and nonverbal) - Normal conversation greeting is formality or informality and in intensify - Email - opening is header and the announcement from ISP. eg: Youve got mail

ii. Feedforward o Give other person a general idea of what the conversation will focus on o To preview future messages o Memos and email feedforward function is served in part by the header that indicates the subjects your message
iii. Business o The substance or focus of the conversation o The longest part, and it is the reason for both opening and feedforward o Fulfill interpersonal communication: to learn, relate, influence, play or help

iv. Feedback o Reflect back on the conversation o Feedback does not have to be either critical or supportive, it can be both
v. o o o o Closing The goodbye (the last step for conversation) Also use verbal and nonverbal Intention to end access Usually signals some degrees of supportiveness o Offer more conclusion to the conversation

CONVERSATIONAL MANAGEMENT
Speakers and listeners have to work together to make conversation an effective and satisfying experience. Include initiating, maintaining and closing conversation.

i. Initiating Conversation
Several approaches to open a conversation can be derived from elements of interpersonal communication: a. Self- references say something about yourself. b. Other references say something about the other person and ask question

c. Relational references say something about the two of you. d. Context references say something about the physical, social- psychological, cultural or temporal context.

 Another way of looking at the process of initiating conversation is to examine infamous opening line designed to begin a romantic relationship (developed by Kleinke, 1986). There are three types of opening line : a. Cute flipper b. Innocuous opener c. Direct opener

a. Cute flippant humorous, indirect and ambiguous as whether the person opening the conversation actually wants an extended encounter. b. Innocuous highly ambiguous c. Direct demonstrate the speakers interest in meeting the other person.

ii. Maintaining Conversation

In maintaining conversation, there are several principles and rules that should be followed : a. The Principle of Cooperation b. The Principle of Dialogue c. The Principe of Turn-taking

a. The Principle of Cooperation

Implicitly agreeing with the other person to cooperate in trying to understand what each other is saying (Lindblom, 2001) Cooperate by using four conversational maxims.

The Maxim of Quantity

Be as informative as necessary to communicate the intended meaning. Include information that make the meaning clear but omit what does not. People violate this maxim when they try to give unnecessary information.

The Maxim of Quality

Say what you know or assume to be true and do not say what you know to be false. People violates this principle by lying, exaggerating, or minimizing major problems.

The Maxim of Relation

Talk about what is relevant to the conversation. Violated by speaker who digress widely or frequently interject irrelevant comment and listener wonder how these comment are related to the discussion.

The Maxim Manner

Be clear, avoid ambiguities, and organize your thoughts into a meaningful sequence. Use the terms that the listener understands and clarify terms that you suspect the listener will mot understand.

b. The Principle of Dialogue

Dialogue two way communication Each person is both speaker, listener, sender and receiver. Objective : mutual understanding and empathy.

c. Principle of Turn Taking

Speaker and listener exchange roles throughout the interaction. Accomplish through a wide variety of verbal and non verbal cues that signal conversation turns.

Speaker cues
i) Turn maintaining designed to help maintaining the speakers role. Eg: continuing a gestures ii) Turn yielding tell the listener that youre finished and listener should take over the role of speaker. Eg: asking questions

Listener Cues
i) Turn requesting cues- let the speaker know that youd like to take turn as speaker Eg: Id like to say something. ii) Turn denying cues reluctant to assume the role of speaker Eg: Avoid eye contact

 iii) Back channeling cues- Communicate various types of information back to the speaker without assuming the role of speaker. acknowledgement tokens Eg: mm-hm, nod head.

iii. Closing Conversation

Reflect back on the conversation and briefly summarize it so as to bring it to a close. Directly state the desire to end the conversation.

Exercise