OB 321 Supplemental

Pointer versus Associater Worksheet

What feelings, tastes, sounds, sights and smells do the following elicit?:

1. Laundry

2. Wood burning

3. Hot tar

4. Shampoo

5. Paper

6. Thanksgiving

7. The ocean

8. Popcorn

9. National anthem

10. Dirt

11. Boss

12. Mother

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Riddles Worksheet
 
 
   

The beginning of eternity,

the end of time and space.

The beginning of every end,

the end of every race.

This is: ___________________________________________________________________

Thirty white horses on a red hill,

First they champ,

Then they stamp,

Then they stand still

This is: ___________________________________________________________________
 
 
 
 
 
         

Forward I am heavy, backward I'm not. What am I?
 
 
 
 
           

How does a baseball player hold a bat?
 
 
 
 
       

How many successful jumps must a skydiver make before (s)he graduates?
 
 
 
 
       

Make a 5 letter word from these letters:

 H I J K L M N O

How many months have 28 days?
 
 
 
         

This sentense contain three errors. What are they?

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Manifestations of the Syndrome

Fantasy versus Fact

1. The inference-observation (I-O) paradigm

1.1 X makes an assumption

1.2 X forgets that this assumption is an inference, not truth

1.3 X doesn't calculate the associated (emotional, communication, dollar, etc.) risks

1.4 X acts on the assumption as if it were truth

1.5 X takes (emotional, communication, dollar, etc.) risks, with uncertain consequences

2. Activating the I-O paradigm

2.1 Emotionally loaded situation... stress

2.2 Impaired senses... physical limitations

2.3 Physiology... hunger, thirst, fatigue

2.4 Closed-mindedness... attitudes, beliefs, opinions, values

2.5 *Language*

2.51 Use of same words to make inferential and observational statements

2.52 Contributes to confusion over what is inference and what is observation

2.53 Can lead to "talking apples and oranges"  

Internal versus External Frame of Reference

1. Intensional orientation

1.1 Confusion over or forgetting the difference between

1.11 Words as symbols versus the "event" itself

1.12 Maps versus territories

1.13 Fantasy versus reality

1.14 Imagined versus real

1.15 Fiction versus fact

1.2 Concerned over what's going on inside versus what's going on outside

1.21 Feelings, attitudes, assumptions, beliefs, theories, etc at the expense of external (to self) events

1.3 Cultural conditioning

1.31 Traditions, mores, values passed on and maintained

1.32 Can vary from culture to culture and within a culture

1.33 Mores change over time... e.g.,

... job for life versus pay for performance

... planned obsolescence versus conservation and recycling

... Reubenesque versus "supermodelesque" notions of female attractiveness

1.4 Impact of language

1.41 Language merely a tool... to symbolize events

1.42 English a particularly imprecise tool

1.43 Influenced by and influence of cultural values, e.g.,

... sexist language -----> sexist attitudes -----> sexist intensionalism  

Leap Before You Look

1. Making and acting on premature decisions and judgments

1.1 Act first, think later

2. A function of...

2.1 ... culture ----> the American way, e.g., Quickdraw McGraw, fast on the uptake

2.2 ... habit ----> adaptation

2.3 ... fear ----> panic

3. Distinguish between

3.1 Reflex responses... behavior controlled by involuntary nervous system, e.g., eyeblink

3.2 Voluntary responses... behavior controlled by voluntary nervous system, e.g., raise your right hand

3.3 Reflex-like responses... behavior controlled by voluntary nervous system but appearing to be controlled by involuntary nervous system, e.g., learned, routinized tasks such as driving

3.31 Sometimes with positive outcomes, sometimes negative

CORRECTING THE SYNDROME

How to deal in fact vs fantasy

• Separate fact from fiction

• detect the inference

• what's real? what's imagined?

• what do you know? what do you think you know?

• Calculate the risk of making a false assumption(s)... possible impact on

• my communication

• my behavior

• my thoughts, beliefs, opinions

• my feelings, attitudes, values

• Get more information about the situation and the individuals involved

• relationships

• motives

• circumstances

• ambiguity in the situation and language

• your own decision-making process and criteria

• Recalculate the risks

• Own your inferences

• Consciousness and awareness

• think before you act

• consider the options

• Make decisions based on minimal risk

How to have an external frame of reference

• Very few emergencies that require instant action

• Practice waiting

• Take it slow

• See the humor

• Anticipate the emergency... plan alternatives in advance

• Anticipate others' snap decisions

Adapted from Haney, William V. (1992)Communications and Interpersonal Relations(6th ed.). Homewood, Ill.: Richard D. Irwin, Inc.

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Patterns of Miscommunication

I Didn't Mean to Be Speaking

While You Were Interrupting

You Say Kneether, I Say Neyether

1. Sender/receiver miss each other with their meanings

1.1 Same words have different meanings or interpretations, e.g., usually, sometimes, input

1.2 Different words for the same thing, e.g., productivity-output

1.3 Can be deliberate intention of sender/receiver

... to be evasive

... to say nothing

2. Consequences

2.1 Range from humor to wasting time, effort, dollars to conflict

2.2 Apparent agreement

2.21 Act on false assurance of agreement

2.3 Apparent disagreement

2.31 Wasted energy thinking there is disagreement when none actually exists

3. Underlying mechanism... why bypassing occurs

3.1 Assumption X makes that words mean the same thing to Y

3.11 Because we frequently communicate effectively, we become overly confident and complacent in our use of language

3.12 We want and need to feel/be understood and to understand others

3.13 Basic egocentrism of human beings... "Well, that's what I would have meant!"

3.2 Faulty assumption of words have only one meaning or are used only one way (mono-usage, when many words are used in multiple ways, e.g., satisfaction, reward, performance

3.21 Related to neology... how things are named

3.22 Word coinage... creation of new word

... acronyms, e.g., PB, LLNL, ATT, KFC

... combining parts of existing words, e.g., stalkarazzi

... compress existing words, e.g., hi-tech

... make generic word from proper name, e.g., sandwich

... make generic word from fictional character, e.g., Hercules

... make generic word from a trade name, e.g., jello

... borrow from another language, e., paparazzi

... make common words used by specific groups, e.g., bagel

3.23 Usage coinage... create new meanings

... constant piling on of meanings ----> confusion, e.g., heavy

... etymological shifts... changes over time, e.g., gay

... regional variation... within and between cultures, e.g. sack/bag, bonnet /hood

... technical vs common usage, e.g., buzzwords

3.3 Faulty assumption that words have meaning

3.31 Words themselves are only noise

3.32 Words have no inherent meaning... only labels

3.33 People attribute meaning... meaning varies as people vary

... will argue over what they think is truth

... define a word and then act accordingly, from their own frame of reference

Thinking Inside the Box

1. Blindering

1.1 Tendency to restrict one's view of a problem

1.2 Viewing a problem one way excludes other views

1.3 Constraints applied in defining a problem

1.31 Can be our thoughts, beliefs, attitudes about the problem... e.g., who's on first

1.32 Can be the words we use to conceptualize the problem... incorrect or inappropriate label for it... e.g., GRID versus AIDS

1.4 Can lead to delays in solving a problem or to faulty solutions

1.41 (Faulty) assumptions about the problem

... I need more time and resources because the problem is difficult

... I don't have enough information

... it's not worth my time and energy, so I can't be bothered

... it can't be solved

... this isn't the problem, THIS is

1.5 Deadlines frequently become blinders

1.51 Distinguish those that are...

... real... imposed from outside and cannot be delayed

... self imposed

... a result of procrastination

Door #1 vs Door #2

1. Language (words) as tool

1.1 Pointer... to call attention to something

1.2 Associaters... evoke memories (thoughts) and reactions (emotions)

2. Confusion over words as pointers or associaters

2.1 Matrix versus continuum

2.11 Same words, depending on time/place/situation, serve both functions

2.2 Sometimes used to manipulate

2.21 By anyone attempting create an illusion of reality that suits his/her own purpose

... by politicians

... by advertisers

... by business

... by John and Jane Doe

2.22 Works when people are gullible enough to forget to distinguish

2.3 Euphemisms

2.31 Attempt to create positive or inoffensive associations, e.g.,

... re-engineering replaces downsizing, replaces reduction in force, replaces layoffs

... administrative assistant or associate versus secretary

... vintage gelatin silver prints versus old black and white photos

... preowned automobile replaces used car

2.4 Dysphemisms

2.41 Attempt to create negative associations

... Joe Camel symbolizes the "evils" of smoking

2.5 Name calling

2.51 Labeling someone by a characteristic or trait

2.52 Often creates a double burden... the trait and the evaluation of self

2.53 Frequently we live up to or live down the label... can be a positive or negative label

2.54 Remember...

... words are only symbols ----> sticks and stones

... labels help to describe not identify

... look beyond the label, e.g., "beauty is only skin deep"

3. Associative bypassing

3.1 Tendency to miss someone's associative meanings

3.2 Can occur when...

... sender assumes because (s)he is pointing, receiver knows it

... sender assumes because (s)he is associating, receiver will know it

... sender or receiver assume same associative meaning held by the other

3.3 A fact of communication life

... be aware, careful and "thoughtful"

Correcting the Syndrome

How not to kneether/neyether

• Be person-minded vs word-minded

• consider the speaker or the audience

• empathy... listening with the third ear

• Query and paraphrase

• take the time to ask

• allow for rich rather than terse responses

• verify vs assume meaning... restate in your own words

• Be approachable

• Use alternative communication strategies, e.g., written, e-mail, face-to-face

• Consider what you're about to say

• rehearse or pre-test

• Review what you've just said

• get feedback

• what was heard vs what you intended

• Wait a while (especially for emotionally loaded communication)... sleep on it

• Be sensitive to context

• the verbal context... the surrounding words

... use as many words as necessary to convey meaning

... be aware of quoting out of or into context , e.g., movie reviews, endorsements

• the situational context

... the people

... the circumstances

How to think outside the box

• Encourage divergent rather than convergent thinking early on

• Talk with an outsider... clean, unencumbered perspective, e.g., "fresh blood"

• Avoid language that stops thought and creativity , e.g., we've always done it this way, should

• Brainstorming

• Nominal group or Delphi technique

• Alternative thought processes

• circular as well as linear thinking... start where you are

• reverse decisions

• start at the end... work back from where you want to end up

• look at constraints as opportunities

• Start over by redefining (reconceptualizing) the problem

• am I asking the right question

• am I looking at this in a set way or for what it is

• what are the parts as well as the whole

• Recognize you're stuck and behaving like a needle stuck in a groove

Adapted from Haney, William V. (1992)Communications and Interpersonal Relations (6th ed.). Homewood, Ill.: Richard D. Irwin, Inc.

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Patterns of Miscommunication

It's All About Me

Manifestations of the Syndrome

Arrogance

1. Know-it-all attitude... arrogant, overly self-assured (aggressive vs assertive)

1.1 In thought... categorical, absolute, dogmatic

1.2 In communication... closed, curt, terse

1.3 Can be conscious... errors of omission... create the reality you want

2. Based on two fallacious assumptions

2.1 It's possible to know or say everything about something

2.2 I'm saying it... I know what's important, period

3. Contributing factors to making faulty assumptions

3.1 Abstracting

3.11 Attending to some details at the expense of others

3.12 Believing that we are attending to all of them or all that are worth knowing, e.g., target marketing

3.13 The higher one is in the bureaucracy, the greater the abstracting... know less and less about operational details

3.2 Psychology... archetypal

3.21 Need for certainty

3.22 Discomfort with ambiguity

3.23 Internal and external sources of insecurity

3.24 Leads to...

... premature judgment

... dogmatism and/or skepticism

... oversimplification and denial of complexity

4. Manifestations of allness

4.1 When we stress a particular point of view... consider only our own frame of reference

4.11 Assume we've covered it all

4.12 Assume we know the most salient points

4.13 Examples... letters to the editor, departmental in-fighting

4.2 Stereotyping

4.21 Assume experience with few generalizes to all

4.22 Closed to experiencing the whole... stop learning

4.3 Insularity and closed-mindedness

4.31 Assume we know all there is to know

4.32 The "what good will it do me to...." attitude

4.33 Path of least resistance... rely on what's safe, comfortable, familiar

4.34 Closed to anything new or different... resistance to learning, stretch, change

Stereotyping

1. Indiscrimination

1.1 Behavior that fails to recognize variation, nuance between people, events, objects

1.2 Inability or unwillingness to separate or distinguish like or similar people, events, objects from one another

1.3 Overemphasis on or overlooking of similarities at the expense of the differences

1.31 Noting commonalities helps in abstract reasoning and decision making

2. Categorization

2.1 Classifying of people, events, objects

2.2 Problematic when classifications get "set in stone" and prevent further analysis

3. Stereotypes

3.1 Fixed image of a class of people, events, objects

3.2 Every individual assigned characteristics of the class or group

3.3 Failure to discriminate the differences between people, events, objects

3.4 "rule of thumb" at best to "judgmental prejudice" at worst

4. Roots of stereotyping

4.1 Emotional protection

4.11 Fear of unknown

4.12 Fear of differences

4.13 Build self up at expense of other or diminish oneself in comparison to other

4.2 Structure of language

4.21 English stresses similarities as opposed to differences

4.22 Abundance of generic nouns or verbs vs discriminating terms, e.g., labor, management, technology

4.23 Add our own perceptions and definitions to generic words ----> stereotyping

Either-Or

1. Dichotomy

1.1 Presentation of only two alternatives

1.2 Real dichotomy

1.21 Genuine contradiction

1.22 One alternative must occur and the other cannot

1.23 Either-or situation ----> no in-between

... either you had juice this AM or you didn't

... you either read this book or you didn't

1.3 False dichotomy

l.31 Imagined or seeming contradiction

l.32 Many possible in-between states ----> degrees, gradations, nuance

1.33 Usually true with psycho-social phenomena

... life or death

... male or female

... productive or unproductive

... pro-union or anti-union

2. Polarization

2.1 Treating a false dichotomy as a real dichotomy

2.2 Failure to discriminate degrees of difference

3. Consequences and dangers

3.1 Delusional thinking ----> the "there's only one way" syndrome

3.11 Self ----> if I'm not "this" then I'm nothing

3.12 Others ----> "everybody" does it or sees it this way

3.2 Divisiveness

3.21 The "you're either with me or against me" syndrome

3.22 "Two sides to every story" is illusory

3.3 Accusations of "wishy-washy"

3.31 The "take a stand" syndrome

3.4 Cessation of critical thinking and learning

3.41 The "right thinking" syndrome

3.42 Ideas become the victim

3.43 Sacrifice interpretation and judgment----> spirit of the law vs letter of the law

3.5 Going to extremes ---> the vicious pendulum effect

3.51 The "blowing things out of proportion" syndrome

4. Roots of polarization

4.1 Emotional protection ----> same dynamics as stereotyping

4.11 Fear of unknown

4.12 Fear of differences

4.13 Build self up at expense of other or diminish oneself in comparison to other

4.2 Structure of language

4.21 English stresses opposites at expense of intermediate terms, while those that do are vague

Forever

1. Ossification of opinions, attitudes, beliefs, behavior relative to self, others, events, objects

1.1 Failure to take change into account

1.2 Assume the way it was/is is the way it always will be

1.3 The past dictates the future

1.4 Closure distortions

2. Roots of frozen evaluation

2.1 Emotional protection ----> resistance to change

2.11 Fear of unknown

2.12 Keep us inside our comfort zone

2.13 Minimize stress

2.14 Maintain ability to predict

2.2 Language

2.21 Implication of permanence

2.22 Use of words that don't imply movement

2.23 Use of words that are not time-bound

Correcting the Syndrome

How not to stereotype

• Become more aware of differences ----> consciousness

• Internalize the premise of "uniqueness" ----> no two people, events, objects are alike

• Index evaluations ----> practice discrimination, ask "which" question

How not to either-or

• Distinguish between real and false dichotomies ----> consciousness

• Index evaluations ----> practice discrimination, ask "how much" question, be as specific as possible, e.g., in the productive-unproductive false dichotomy

• Use substantive or quantifying intermediate terms when specificity not possible

• good manager ----> competent, thorough, detailed, open, etc

• competent ----> somewhat, frequently, etc

• Separate multiple false dichotomies

• you're either conscientious about work or you show up late every day

• Guard against going to extremes

• most issues are complex

• there is no one reality, only the perception of reality

• distinguish between questions of fact and questions of feeling

• reverse roles

• keep the discussion away from the personal

• keep calm

• own and identify your opinions, feelings, etc

How not to forever

• Be aware that change is the only given ----> consciousness

• attitudes and fashion

• Management theory and practice

• involve people in planning for change

• don't hide the facts

• elicit feedback

• expect and manage resistance

• timing of change

• Index evaluations ----> practice discrimination, ask "when" question

Adapted from Haney, William V. (1992)Communications and Interpersonal Relations (6th ed.). Homewood, Ill.: Richard D. Irwin, Inc.

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