Supportive Communication Model

Supportive Communication is the skill most linked with effective management. Discuss briefly the basic communications model and noise, then focus on supportive communications within the context of coaching and counseling. Use specific job situations throughout. How does supportive communications reduce noise?

Supportive communications are linked with empowerment, collaboration, and facilitation. A commonly used communication model is the following: Communicator Encoding Message Medium Decoding-Receiver Feedback Noise

The communicator is the person with ideas, intentions, information, and purpose. Encoding is process of translating the idea into a language that expresses the purpose. Message is the results of the encoding
Supportive communication takes on two roles, which are coaching and counseling. Coaching is when managers pass along advice and information to help subordinates improve their work effectiveness. Counseling is where managers need to help subordinates recognize their own problems. Coaching focuses on abilities, counseling focuses on attitudes.

Coaching is used when subordinates know they have a problem and they want them to correct them and become better. Subordinates must be advised on how to do their job better. This advisement process will build a stronger relationship between the manager and subordinate. It was also motivate the employee to do better when the manager shows that he is willing to be a partner in the coaching process. It is important that the subordinate clearly understand the problem and how to overcome it.

Counseling needs to occur rather then coaching when problem stems from attitudes, personalities conflicts, defensiveness, or any factor that is tied to the emotions. Counseling involves first getting the subordinate to recognize that a problem exists, and then to help the subordinate find ways the problem might be
Using ‘I' acknowledges that ideas are yours and not someone else's. One example the book used was the subordinate saying, "Everyone else says my work is fine." The effective manager may say, "So no one besides me has ever expressed dissatisfaction with your work or suggested how to improve it?" By the manager specifically identifying himself as expressing dissatisfaction, he owns the conversation. By being very direct and showing clearly that he is saying his point of view, noise is reduced because the receiver isn't trying to perceive who may have given is manager information. The receiver will know that the message is clearly from the