Better Manners = Better Communication

Video Case Teaching Note

Better Manners = Better Communication

Teaching Objective: To explain how people benefit professionally and personally by practicing manners and communication skills

Summary: Susan Fitter, a consultant on manners and communication, advises people to work on three areas: improving communication skills, being kind, and presenting a confident self in interactions. Fitter emphasizes effective listening. Her comments on various communication media illustrate their information richness.

Questions:

1. Why does Susan Fitter emphasize the receiver’s role in face-to-face communication?

The receiver’s responsibility is a difficult task that requires attention, patience, and good manners. Many people are thinking of what they will say next instead of truly listening. The receiver needs to pay attention and listen carefully, avoid interrupting, use nonverbal cues like nods and smiles, and reflect back what the sender is saying through statements like, “I am hearing what you say” and “so, you’re saying that” to show understanding or empathy.

2. What does Susan Fitter’s advice illustrate about the richness of various media?

Fitter’s comments aptly illustrate the range of information richness. She is a proponent of using e-mail and text messaging. Her comment that “it’s still communication” indicates that those media are adequate but impersonal, low in information richness. She advises sending a handwritten note at times. Such personal written communication, higher in information richness, demonstrates kindness and good manners. Lastly, Fitter advises viewers to call friends and family regularly. She points out that phone conversations, which are higher in information richness than are impersonal media, make both caller and recipient feel good.

3. Why does a communication expert like Susan Fitter instruct people in how to shake hands?

A handshake is a common form of nonverbal communication in business and social...