Page 14 - Today’s Business Communication; A How-to Guide for the Modern Professional

WhY MUST I READ ThIS BOOk AND FOLLOW YOUR ADvICE 3

This approach allows us to avoid dehumanizing our audiences, acknowl-
edge the important role of relationships in our professional lives, and
understand the interdependence and mutual influence that truly char-
acterize our dealings with others. When you think about the great com-
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municators in your life, do you admire their ability to overcome audience
members’ psychological distractions or their ability to manage their
relationships effectively?

Each Communication Carries Both Content
and Relational Meanings

In their landmark book on communication and system principles, Paul
Watzlawick, Janet Beavin, and Don Jackson presented five basic rules
about communication. Although all five rules are worthy of your under-
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standing, the second has practical usefulness for great business communi-
cators: You communicate both content and relationship information in every
message� What this rule is telling you is that not only are you giving a
greeting when you say “good morning” to a customer, you are also send-
ing information about the relationship between you and the customer.
For example, the barista at Starbucks is greeting you, and at the same time
letting you know that you are a needed, valued, welcome presence in the
store. Part of the relational information the barista is communicating to
you at Starbucks is that you have the power in the relationship. After all,
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the customer is always right, right?

Watzlawick, Beavin, and Jackson’s Five Communication
Rules Paraphrased

1. You can’t communicate by yourself.
2. You communicate both content and relationship information in
every message.
3. You and your communication partners organize messages with
verbal “punctuation” that is similar to punctuation in written
messages.
4. You communicate verbally and nonverbally.
5. Your communication with others is influenced by the nature of
the relationship you have with those people.