training farmers for sustainable succession processes

Communication

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.Project Nº: 2015-1-DE02-KA202-002390

Supported bythe Erasmus+ programmeof the European Union

1. The basic communication model

2. The main structure of communication

3. The four basic styles of communication

4. Communication in the family

5. Conflict issues in family farm business

6. The four aspects of a message

7. Positive phrasing

8. Non-verbal communication

9. Intelligibility

10. Conversation atmosphere/climate

11. For the famili farm, communication is key

Bibliography

Index

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1.The basic communication model“Most conversations are simply monologues delivered in the presence of a witness.” Margaret Miller

“Communication” is a Latin-originated word (Latin root “communis”) the meaning of which is “sharing” (or “common”). Communication means sharing or exchanging information, news, ideas, etc. with someone.

The most common medium of communication is language. Besides, there are several other means of communication available to us. We use non-linguistic symbols such as traffic lights, road signs, railway signals to convey information relating to the movement of vehicles and trains. We also use telegraph codes for quick transmission of messages and secret codes for communication in defence and other highly confidential information. Communication is established not only between human beings but also between non-human beings. Today, we find the most advanced and civilized way of communication, but it was available even during the primitive age of civilization, even if definitely in some other from.

Communication is two-way street!

BA

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2.The main structure of communicationAdler and Towne describe communication as a process between at least two people that begins when one person wants to communicate with another. Communication originates as mental images within a person who wants to convey those images to another person. Mental images can include ideas, thoughts, pictures and emotions. The person who wants to communicate is called the sender (see figure). In order to transfer an image to another person, the sender first must transpose or translate the images into symbols which the receivers can understand. Symbols often are words but they can also be pictures, sounds, or sensory information (e.g., touch or smell). Only through symbols can the mental images of a sender have meaning for others. The process of translating images into symbols is called encoding.

(© Adler, R., & Towne, N. (1978)).

SENDER RECEIVERENCODES ENCODESMESSAGEChannel Channel

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Once a message has been encoded, the next level in the communication process is transmitting or communicating the message to a receiver.

This can be done in many ways: in face-to-face verbal interaction, over the telephone, through printed materials (letters, newspapers, etc.), or through visual media (television, photographs). Verbal, written, and vis-ual media are three examples of possible communication channels used to transmit messages between senders and receivers. Other transmission channels include touch, gestures, clothing, and the physical distance be-tween sender and receiver (proxemics).

When a message is received by another person, the decoding process oc-curs. Just as a sender must encode messages in preparation for transmis-sion through communication channels, receivers must sense and interpret the symbols and then decode the information back into images, emotions and thoughts that make sense to them. When messages are decoded ex-actly as the sender has intended, the images of the sender and the images of the receiver match, and effective communication occurs.

(© http://home.snu.edu/~jsmith/library/body/v25.pdf).

2. The main structure of communication

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3.The four basic styles of communicationEvery individual has his or her own way of communicating based on personality, history and situation.

1. Passive

3. PassiveAggressive

2. Aggressive

4. Assertive

Emotionally dishonest,indirect,

inhibited,self-denying,

blaming,apologetic.

Emotionally dishonest,indirect.

Self-denying at first. Selfenhancing at the

expense of others later.

Inappropriately honest, direct,

expressive,attacking,blaming,

controlling,self-enhancing at the

expense of others.

Appropriately honest, direct,

self-enhancing,expressive,

self-confident,empathic to emotions

of all involved.

1. PASSIVE COMMUNICATION is a style in which individuals have developed a pattern of avoiding expressing their opinions or feelings, protecting their rights and identifying and meeting their needs. As a result, passive individuals do not respond overtly to hurtful or anger-inducing situations. Instead, they allow grievances and annoyances to mount, usually unaware of the build-up. But once they have reached their high tolerance threshold for unacceptable behaviour, they are prone to explosive outbursts, which are usually out of proportion to the triggering incident. After the outburst, however, they may feel shame, guilt and confusion, so they return to being passive.

2. AGGRESSIVE COMMUNICATION is a style in whichindividuals express their feelings and opinions and advocate fortheir needs in a way that violates the rights of others. Thus,aggressive communicators are verbally and/or physicallyabusive.

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3.The four basic styles of communicationEvery individual has his or her own way of communicating based on personality, history and situation.

1. Passive

3. PassiveAggressive

2. Aggressive

4. Assertive

Emotionally dishonest,indirect,

inhibited,self-denying,

blaming,apologetic.

Emotionally dishonest,indirect.

Self-denying at first. Selfenhancing at the

expense of others later.

Inappropriately honest, direct,

expressive,attacking,blaming,

controlling,self-enhancing at the

expense of others.

Appropriately honest, direct,

self-enhancing,expressive,

self-confident,empathic to emotions

of all involved.

3. PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE COMMUNICATION is a style in which individuals appear passive on the surface but are really acting out anger in a subtle, indirect, or behind-the-scenes way. People who develop a pattern of passive-aggressive communication usually feel powerless, stuck and resentful – in other words, they feel incapable of dealing directly with the object of their resentments. Instead, they express their anger by subtly undermining the object (real or imagined) of their resentments.

4. ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION is a style in which individuals clearly state their opinions and feelings and firmly advocate for their rights and needs without violating the rights of others. These individuals value themselves, their time and their emotional, spiritual, and physical needs and are strong advocates for themselves while being very respectful of the rights of others. In order to be effective communicators, we need to understand our own default communication style and evaluate its effectiveness and appropriateness so that we can draw on our strengths and learn to compensate for our weaknesses.

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4.Communication in the familyCommunication, although essential, is not always easy. Individual differences in personality, communication styles, skills and expectations all play a part in how well your family communicates. Sometimes a farmer will find it is best to let issues rest before trying to communicate. Other times, however, issues cannot be allowed to rest, because lack of communication can interfere with daily living. After all, every family is a team and this is particularly true of families with family farms. They must communicate effectively in order to manage their farms effectively.

The farmer must communicate and negotiate with employees, suppliers, processors/merchandisers, lenders, landlords and providers of money or land in any given day, he/she must communicate with those family members directly or indirectly affected by farm-family issues and decisions. Successful families operate systematically, much as do successful farms.

Each family member plays different roles in the family and in the management of the family farm. Each of these roles carries with it different responsibilities and expectations. But sometimes one person sees his or her roles and responsibilities in one way, while others see them very differently. Different perceptions and expectations can lead to a great deal of confusion and frustration.

Communication allows for discussion and clarification of roles, responsibilities and expectations that can lead to more effective, collaborative and supportive relationships within the family. And when the farm family is functioning effectively, the family-farm business functions more effectively.

(© https://ag.purdue.edu/agecon/PIFF/Documents/communication_in_the_family.pdf).

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So, what is effective communication? The best way to answer that question is to break the concept down. Effective communication involves interpersonal skills, rapport with others and active listening.

• Interpersonal Skills enable us to interact with others. Effective interpersonal communication involves putting people at ease, respecting others’ opinions and capabilities and encouraging the sharing of feelings and perceptions.

• Rapport: To develop rapport with others is to develop a connection, a relationship, or an understanding with them. To do this, you should signal that you are open to the thoughts and opinions of others. You should express an interest in what others have to say in a friendly and open manner.

• Active Listening encourages others to continue interacting. As an active listener, you can demonstrate your interest in what is being said using both verbal and non-verbal communication techniques.

(©https://ag.purdue.edu/agecon/PIFF/Documents/communication_in_the_family.pdf)

4.Communication in the family4.1 EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

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5.Conflict issues in family farm businessesFailure to communicate effectively often leads to conflict, which can harm. Poor communication can create conflict in a number of ways.

Conflict can arise in family farm businesses particularly because we expect everyone to have the same values, goals and understand their roles when quite frequently it is unspoken and no one knows the “rules”. Go over these items that cause conflict and why:

• Values/Personalities – what is important? This varies among family members and some habits of others can be annoying/frustrating.

• Goals - long & short term – ideas for the future can be different.• Siblings and different generations in same family have different personalities – shy, assertive, aggressive,

doormat, open, guarded, friendly, hostile, bossy.• What is each job? Who is responsible for what?• Organization about who reports to who – do all family members rank above staff? What about in-laws,

stepchildren, etc.• Struggle between farm and family for resources – does the new tractor come before home repairs?

(© https://prodairy.cals.cornell.edu/sites/prodairy.cals.cornell.edu/files/shared/documents/3Csspeaker.ppt)

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6.The four aspects of a messageThe communication square is the most familiar, and by now the most widespread, model by Friedemann Schulz von Thun. This model also became known as the ‘four-ear-model’. The four levels of communication are not just significant for private companionship but especially for the vocational domain - where the professional and the human are constantly interlocking.

When I, as a human, make a statement, it has four different effects. Each of my statements contains, whether I want it or not, four messages simultaneously.– Factual information (which I am informing about) – blue,– A self statement (what I show of myself) – green,– A relationship indicator (what I think of you and how I relate to you) – yellow,– An appeal (what I want you to do) – red.

(© https://laofutze.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/schulzvonthun.pdf)

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Therefore, Schulz von Thun represented the four sides of a statement as a square and attributed four beaks to the sender and four ears to the receiver.

From a psychological perspective, when we communicate 4 beaks and 4 ears are participating on both sides; the quality of the conversation depends on the manner in which these interact.

On the factual level of the conversation the factual information stands in the foreground, here the focus is on dates, facts, and factual content. For the factual level there are three applicable criteria: the truth criteria of true or false (correct/not correct), the criteria of relevance (are the listed facts relevant/not relevant for the present issue?), and the criteria of sufficiency (are the listed factual indicators sufficient for the issue or do many other things also need to be considered?).

For the sender it is therefore important to clearly and coherently communicate the factual content. The receiver, who has opened his factual ear, listens to the dates, facts, and circumstances and has many opportunities to follow up according to the three criteria mentioned above.

(© https://laofutze.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/schulzvonthun.pdf)

6.The four aspects of a message

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7.Positive phrasingWhen we examine the Human Tendency for Communication we see that communication is much more than spoken language. For humans, words are only one part of communication: body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice – all shape the message contained in our words.Even more elusive – the intention behind our words is also being communicated. All together, body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, and intentionality create the emotional context for what we are communicating.Positive Phrasing is about aligning the emotional and verbal content of communication in positive respectful and productive ways. More specifically – positive phrasing is the art of saying what is rather than what is not.Why is positive phrasing effective? Because it is clear, it is unambiguous, and it invites cooperation.Positive Phrasing is always delivered as a statement. This is why it is clear and unambiguous.Positive Phrasing also requires our commitment to say what we mean and mean what we say; this commitment must be tempered, however, so that the message is honest, respectful and compassionate.

©https://static1.squarespace.com/static/519e5c43e4b036d1b98629c5/t/524f0227e4b0057eb1d237c1/1380909607969 Positive+Phrasing+C37.pdf

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8.Non-verbal communicationNon-verbal communication is usually defined as the kind of communication achieved through any code, medium, or channel other than verbal language.

Non-verbal communication is presented in narrow definitions as communication achieved by non-linguistic mechanisms which participate in human interaction in connection with verbal language. In this view non-verbal communication could be defined as a series of intentional processes – or a procedural ensemble – based on multimodal interchanges of signs which provoke the reciprocal modification of the behaviour of interlocutors in a social context.

However the frontier between language and non-language is situated in different zones by different specialists, and misconception about the exact meaning of terms like (non-)verbal or (non-)vocal language are very old. Some attempts to clarify them were made more then thirty years ago, where it was assertedthat a precise distinction between language and non-language is impracticable in the long run, because there is no way of establishing sharp separations between linguistic and non-linguistic components in human interaction

(© Payrató L. (2009)).

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Communication consists of 7% words, of 55% non-verbal communication and of 38% vocal elements. The 7-55-38 rule refers to communicating attitudes, feelings and beliefs. It is most visible when the message is incoherent (the body says something different than the language).

(© Information from http://www.presentwithease.com/the-mehrabian-myth.html; created by APF CR)

8.Non-verbal communication8.1 MEHRABIAN MYTH

Vocal (pitch,tone,

rate, intonation,volume,rhythm);

38%

Non-verbal(gestures, postures, facial expressions);

55%

Wordscontent; 7%

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Non-verbal messages allow people to:

• Reinforce or modify what is said in words. For example, people may nod their heads vigorously when saying “Yes” to emphasize that they agree with the other person, but a shrug of the shoulders and a sad expression when saying “I am fine thanks,” may imply that things are not really fine at all!

• Convey information about their emotional state,• Define or reinforce the relationship between people,• Provide feedback to the other person,• Regulate the flow of communication, for example by signalling to others that they have finished speaking

or wish to say something.

Types of non-verbal communication:

• Body Movements (Kinesics), for example, hand gestures or nodding or shaking one’s head;• Posture, or how you stand or sit, whether your arms are crossed or open;• Eye Contact, where the amount of eye contact often determines the level of trust and trustworthiness;• Para-language, or aspects of the voice apart from speech, such as pitch, tone, and speed of speaking;• Proxemics, or closeness or personal space (physical distance), which determines the level of intimacy;• Facial Expressions, including smiling, frowning and even blinking;• Physiological changes - sweating or blinking more when nervous.

(© Payrató L. (2009))

8.Non-verbal communication

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9.IntelligibilityIntelligibility is the technical term for understandability of speech sounds and words. This is the term used in the field of speech science and speech therapy to quantitatively describe pronunciation accuracy. Wholeword and speech-sound intelligibility tell how easy it is for people to understand your pronunciation.Intelligibility is a measure of how comprehendible speech is, or the degree to which speech can be understood.

Intelligibility is affected by spoken clarity, explicitness, lucidity, comprehensibility, perspicuity, and precision.In fact, accuracy in pronunciation is the foundation skill for people to understand your spoken communication. Of course, listeners also use context, grammar, and vocabulary to help them understand the verbal information you give them.

(© http://www.cleartalkmastery.com/what-wedo/intelligibility/)

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10.Conversation atmosphere/climateA communication climate refers to the tone of the relationship as expressed by the verbal and non-verbal messages between people. The communication climate is created by the way people feel about each other.

A positive communication climate is created when people feel they are valued. In a positive communication climate people interact confidently and courteously. Their relationships are built on openness, honesty and trust which comes from the goodwill they feel towards one another. People are willing to speak withothers, to listen carefully, ask questions and offer feedback.

A negative communication climate is created when the contribution of individuals is not appreciated. A negative climate makes it difficult for people to get and give information and to take action, because it is hard to communicate. People feel uncomfortable and unwilling to interact. Consequently, they are less willing to ask questions, or offer ideas and feedback, and are more inclined to wait and see what happens.

(© https://smartamarketing.wordpress.com/2011/01/22/creatingan-effective-communication-climate/)

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11. For the family farm, communication is keyWhen it comes to personal lives, the majority of the population can easily separate what happens at work from what happens at home. However, the family farm brings together both family and business which creates its own challenges. In many cases, this desired line between work and family becomes blurred and can lead to some strained relationships if not nurtured properly.

Other factors such as stress can affect the dynamics of a family and farm business. Financial issues, heavy workload, undefined farm future and differences in personalities can all lead to undo stress on the farm business and family relationship.

Below you can find some tips how to communicate or how to improve your communication within the family:

Understanding your farm business structureTake the time to map out your business structure. Larger farms will have a different structure than small farms. If possible, try to redefine the line between work and family. Remember, your farm is a business and should be treated as a business. Try to base all farm decisions on facts not emotions.

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Identify strengths and define rolesEach and every member of the farm team has strengths in one or more areas of the business. By defining roles, you will strengthen your business structure and have a better understanding of who is responsible for the various tasks that must be completed on the farm. At times, some farm duties will require additional help to complete. Increase in communication is the key for farm partners to be able to ask for help when needed.

Establish weekly team meetingsTeam meetings are essential to keep the farm progressing forward. The agenda can include a variety of topics such as the establishment of farm goals, evaluating different products or processes to implement, succession planning and even week-to-week duties that need to be done. Team meetings create an opportunity to share thoughts, express worries, and identify areas of need.

Express appreciationOften times, we can get caught up with busy schedules and heavy workloads. Simple things such as saying how much you need each other as family and for the business can go a long way for job satisfaction and family relationships. Remember, employees and part-time help are an extension of your family business and deserve appreciation as well!

(© http://www.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/dairy/farm-life/communicationkey-for-family-farm/index.html)

11. For the family farm, communication is key

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BibliographyInternet Links• Top 10 Communication Skills for Workplace Success; https://www.thebalance.com/communicationskills-list-2063779• What is Communication? | Meaning of Communication; http://bizcommunicationcoach.com/what-iscommunication-

meaning-of-communication/• Creating an Effective Communication Climate; https://smartamarketing.wordpress.com/2011/01/22/creating-an-

effective-communication-climate/• For the family farm, communication is key http://www.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/dairy/farmlife/communication-

key-for-family-farm/index.html• Farm and Family Connections https://ag.purdue.edu/agecon/PIFF/Documents/communication_in_the_family.pdf• All pictures are from the website: https://pixabay.com/ Free for use.

Books• Adler, R., & Towne, N. (1978). Looking out/looking in (2nd ed.). New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston;• Maslow, A. (1970). Motivation and personality. New York: Harper & Row;• Payrató L. (2009), Non-verbal communication, Key Notions for Pragmatics, books.google.com;