COMMUNICATION FOR CHANGE

Lorie Richards, PhD, OTR/L

Chair and Associate Professor, Division of Occupational Therapy, University of Utah

Presented at the UOTA annual conference 10/03/2013

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

According to Albert Mehrabian (renowned expert in

human communication):• 7% Words - Literal• 38% Tone of Voice – Subject to Interpretation• 55% Context, Body Language – Subject to Interpretation• In other words…

Communication is 7% about WHAT you say and 93%

about WHO you say it to!

WHAT IS A “FRAME”

“A frame is a mental model-a set of ideas and

assumptions-that you carry in your head to help you

understand and negotiate a particular “territory.” A good

frame makes it easier to know what you are up against

and, ultimately, what you can do about it.”

(Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T.E. (2008). Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice and Leadership. San Francisco:

Jossey-Bass, p. 11)

WHY REFRAME?

Gain clarity

Generate new options

Widen scope

Find viable strategies

Consider multiple viewpoints/voices

Demonstrate flexibility and inclusion

Create new opportunities

4 MAJOR FRAMES

• Structural

• Human Resource

• Political

Symbolic

STRUCTURAL

Depicts a rational world

Emphasis: organizational architecture, organizational charts,

Clear goals, structure, specialized roles

Rules, policies, procedures

Hierarchies or formal relationships to coordinate

activities

Metaphor: Factory, bureaucracy

HUMAN RESOURCES

Individuals find meaningful and satisfying work and

organizations get the talent and energy they need to succeed

Invest in people

Empower employees

Provide information and support

Quality problems are cross-functional

Metaphor: Extended Family

POLITICAL

Coalitions

Decisions involve allocating scarce resources-who gets what – competition

&

parochial interests

Conflict at the center of day-to-day dynamics; power becomes the most

important asset

Bargaining, negotiations and compromise

Solutions arrive from political skills and acumen

Metaphor: Networking; Jungle

SYMBOLIC

Emphasis on culture, symbols, spirit as keys to organizational

success

Emphasis on rituals, ceremonies, stories, heroes and myths rather

than rules, policies and managerial authority

Culture forms the superglue that bonds an organization, unites

people, and helps an enterprise accomplish desired ends

Metaphor: temple, theater, tribe

OVERVIEW OF ALL 4 FRAMES

Aspect Structural Human Relations

Political Symbolic

Metaphor for organization

Factory or machine

Family Jungle Carnival, Temple, Theater

Central concepts

Rules, roles, goals, policies, technology, environment

Needs, skills, relationships

Power, conflict, competition, organizational politics

Culture, meaning, metaphor, ritual, ceremony, stories, heroes

Image of leadership

Social architecture

Empowerment Advocacy, political savvy

inspiration

Basic leadership challenge

Attune structure to task, technology, environment

Align organizational and human needs

Develop agenda and power base

Create faith, beauty, and meaning

WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT ALL 4 FRAMES?Frame: Some

Strengths:Barriers:

Structural Formal patterns and policies; analyze and design

Rigid, lack of flexibility, need to know who is in charge

Human Resource Train to build new skills; participation and involvement; team building

Multiple group meetings that produce little

Political Create arenas for negotiating issues, forming new coalitions

Conflict between winners and losers

Symbolic Transition rituals, mourn pass, celebrate future, build a culture

Loss of meaning and purpose; clinging to the past

NEGOTIATION

NEGOTIATION is a COMMUNICATION PROCESS

we use when we want something from someone or

someone wants something from us.

NEGOTIATION STYLES

Competing

Collaborating

Compromising

Avoiding

Accommodating

COMPETING

Description:

Knows how to work the power part in any negotiation

Let’s make a decision

Focus on the money, outcome

Behavior:

Will do and say anything that can grant the person the capability of

winning at all cost, even if it means defeating others

Know how to open, position, leverage,

COLLABORATING

Description:• Facilitate the process• The question asker• Looks at different alternatives• Out of the box thinker

Behavior:

Very engaged and highly interactive during a negotiation

They gain pleasure from solving the problems facing a

committee, group, etc

COMPROMISING

Description:

Operates in the “you take a turn” approach

Splits the difference to gain an agreement

Always looking for ways to close the gap

Behavior:

Engaged and very aware of their surroundings and others in

order to figure out the answer on how to close the deal

AVOIDING

Description:

Don’t like to talk about it

Use technology to their benefit (emails, voice mails)

Behavior:

Has figured out how to defer or miss any type of

discussion that may be controversial

ACCOMMODATING

Description:

Team player

Helping others

Focus on interaction

Behavior:

Very sensitive to others’ emotions, actions, etc

Excellent listener; but lacking the courage to speak up

MANAGING THE STYLES

Competing• You

• List ~ Develop a list of the needs and wants of the OTHER party. Refer to this list when you have your conversation

• Help ~ Identify 3 ways you can help the other person

• Others• Listen ~ Don’t act competitive • Caucus ~ Try to work with the other party off line to

determine what are their fears and help them identify what is a must and what is not

MANAGING THE STYLES

Collaborating• You

• List ~ Write down and refer back to your needs and wants. COMMUNICATE them to others.

• Questioning ~ Don’t just ask questions for the sake of asking questions

• Others• Keep it Simple ~ Re-state the questions into a more

simplistic approach in order to peel back any unnecessary complexities.

• Summarize ~ What has been decided?

MANAGING THE STYLES

Compromising• You

• List ~ Develop a list of questions to ask during the conversation. (Ask 25+%)

• Identify ~ Figure out what are the items you will not give into. Refer to them during the meeting.

• Others• Question ~ Ask the necessary questions that will help

the party not just give in on the first option identified

MANAGING THE STYLES

Avoiding• You

• List ~ Develop a list of questions to ask during the conversation

• Script ~ Write out the script you will use to begin the talk. Read it, if necessary!

• Others• Face-to-Face ~ Don’t engage into a technology driven

discussion. Go in person for discussion.

MANAGING THE STYLES

Accommodating• You

• List ~ Write down and refer back to your 1 to 3 expectations you would like to communicate about your work/responsibilities

• Others• Engage ~ Ask the person to share with all how they

would benefit from the discussion/negotiation

STYLES TO USE WHEN OTHERS ARE….

Competing: collaborating, avoiding

Accommodating: collaborating

Avoiding: collaborating, competing

STYLES TO USE WHEN OTHERS ARE….

Collaborating: Competing

Compromising: Collaborating,

accommodating

PERSONALITY STYLES( I N S I G H T S D I S C O V E R Y S Y S T E M )

Understanding yourself

Understanding others

Learning to adapt to better connect with others• In Order To….

• Build stronger interpersonal relationships• Value and integrate our differences• Increase leadership, team and influence effectiveness

http://www.inside-inspiration.com.au/index.html#.Uk39WNKshcZ

JUNGIAN PREFERENCES

Three pairs of preferences:• Introversion and Extraversion:

• The way we react to outer and inner experiences

• Thinking and Feeling (Judging):• The way we make decisions

• Sensing and Intuition (Perceiving):• The way we take-in and process information

HOW WE EXPRESS OUR ENERGY

Introvert ExtrovertQuiet Talkative

Observant Involved

Inwardly focused Outwardly focused

Depth focused Breadth focused

Intimate Gregarious

Reserved Flamboyant

Reflective Action oriented

Thoughtful Outspoken

Cautious Bold

HOW WE MAKE DECISIONS

Thinking FeelingFormal Informal

Impersonal Personal

Analytical Illogical

Detached Involved

Objective Subjective

Strong-minded Flexible

Competitive Accommodating

Particular Ambivalent

Task-focused Relationship focused

HOW WE SEE THE WORLD

Sensation IntuitionSpecific Global

Present-oriented Future-oriented

Realistic Imaginative

Consistent Unpredictable

Down-to-earth Blue-sky

Practical Conceptual

Precise General

Factual Abstract

Step-by-step Spontaneous

“BLUE” ENERGY“ D O I T R I G H T ”

Approach to life: High standards and correct

Goals: Understanding

Seen by others: Analytical and distant

Strengths: Knowledgeable & detailed; Air of competence;

Asks probing questions; Thorough follow-up

Liabilities: Initial interaction may be difficult or stuffy;

Questions may be seen as critical & insensitive; May overlook

others’ feelings; May focus on inconsequential details

“RED” ENERGY“ D O I T N O W / G E T I T D O N E ”

Approach to life: Inner certainty; Focus on action

Goals: Personal achievement and meeting challenges

Seen by others: Impatient

Strengths: Confident, determined; Loves challenges;

Focused; Influencing others

Liabilities: Poor listener; Can be seen as arrogant;

May push too hard; Doesn’t wait for feedback

“GREEN” ENERGY“ C A R I N G & S U P P O R T I V E ”

Approach to life: Focus on stability, values & supporting others

Goals: Harmony

Seen by others: Mild & docile

Strengths: Builds deep, long-term relationships; Natural listener;

Sincere & warm; Persistent

Liabilities: Slow to adapt; May lack enthusiasm in asking for a

decision; Avoids rejection; Takes difficulties

personally

“YELLOW” ENERGY“ F U N & C R E AT I V E ”

Approach to life: Fun & interaction

Goals: Big picture; Creativity

Seen by others: Disorganized

Strengths: Quick to build relationships; Friendly & sociable;

Adaptable, imaginative; Skillful presenter

Liabilities: May lack focus; Too casual for some; Poor planning and

follow-up

Can lose interest

4 INSIGHTS ENERGIES

We have ALL four ALL the time

Which we use depends on who we’re working with

and what we’re working on • Less conscious persona – at home, the instinctive

you• Conscious persona – how you see yourself and way

present at work

HOW TO INTERACT WITH A…

Blue• Do

• Be well prepared and thorough; Put things in writing; Give them time to consider all the details

• Don’t• Be flippant on important issues; Change

routine without notice; Call a meeting without an agenda

HOW TO INTERACT WITH A…

Red• Do

• Be direct and to the point; Focus on the results and objectives; Be confident and assertive

• Don’t• Hesitate or dilly-dally; Try to take

over; Say it can’t be done

HOW TO INTERACT WITH A…

Green• Do

• Be patient and supportive; Slow down and work at their pace; Ask their opinion, give them time to answer

• Don’t• Take advantage of their good nature; Push

them to make quick decisions; Spring last minute surprises

HOW TO INTERACT WITH A…

Yellow• Do

• Be friendly and sociable; Be entertaining and stimulating; Be open and flexible

• Don’t• Bore them with details; Tie them down

with routine; Be gloomy or pessimistic; Ask them to work alone

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

When you want to persuade a person to buy in to a

change, think about:• What frame (s) to use to make your argument• What negotiation style (s) will be most effective for

the person in this situation• What personality style is the person mostly likely to

be with whom you’ll be communicating.

THANK YOU!