Communication papers

Communication Climate Change: Writing Prompt 3

Chapters 11 & 12

Assignment Directions Spring 2019

Imagine the following scenario: You have been waiting for over an hour to have a prescription filled at your

local pharmacy. You need to pick up your medication and then return back to work. There are several other

customers waiting for their prescriptions as well. You approach the front desk. There is a young woman

answering the phones. She is not a pharmacist. The phones have been ringing nonstop. You patiently wait for

her to finish her last phone conversation and then ask her two questions. After the communication interaction

you walk back to the waiting area and find yourself feeling very defensive.

Based on the example above, write a 3-4 page paper in which you analyze the conflict management strategy

chosen, the communication climate, and the defensive behavior exhibited. Also discuss which supportive

communication climate behavior would be best implemented in this example as a replacement and explain

why. Finally, re-write the script and consider diverse perspectives on the situation. Remember to utilize in-

text citations and a works cited at the end to support your work.

1. Identify the Conflict Management strategy chosen by the receptionist. Name, define and explain the

conflict management strategy (avoiding, accommodating, compromising, competing or collaborating)

the receptionist used. These strategies are explained in Chapter 12 in the text.

Explain the conflict management strategy Unmet (0 %)

Needs Improvement

(50-69%)

Fair (70-79%) Good (80-89%) Excellent (100%)

The paper does not address the

conflict management strategy

employed in the example.

The conflict management

strategy used is not explained,

only listed.

The conflict management

strategy used is identified and

explained. The strategy chosen

is correctly applied to the

example.

The conflict management

strategy employed is identified,

explained AND correctly

applied to the example. The

student provides some

evidence to support his or her

The conflict management

strategy used is identified,

explained AND correctly

applied to the example. The

student provides excellent

evidence and analysis to

You: “Hello. I have been waiting to pick up my prescription for over an hour. I was told my prescription

would be filled in less than 20 minutes. Can you please let me know when my prescription will be

ready?”

Front Desk Receptionist: “As you can see, we are very busy and there are a lot of prescriptions that need to

be filled.”

You: “I understand that the pharmacists are busy and that you have a lot of prescriptions to fill today. I

would just like to know an estimate on when my prescription will be ready. I need to let my work know

when I plan to return.”

Front Desk Receptionist: “I am not the pharmacist. There is no way I can give you any kind of estimate.

This is what happens when you try to fill a prescription during our busiest time of the day.”

evaluation of the strategy

used.

support his or her evaluation

of the strategy that was used.

Points Earned:__________/ 15 Possible Points

2. Gibb’s supportive and defensive climate behaviors are addressed in Chapter 11 as well as in the online

resources for that chapter. After reading about them and watching the video, analyze the script.

Which of Gibb’s six defensive climate behaviors is exhibited by the receptionist? Define the defensive

behavior and explain what the receptionist did or did not do that indicates the use of that behavior.

Also explain how the receptionist’s behavior promoted defensiveness.

Explain the Defensive Behavior Used Unmet (0 %) Needs Improvement (5069%) Fair (70-79%) Good (80-89%) Excellent (100%)

The paper does not address

the defensive behavior

employed in the example.

The defensive behavior is

identified but not explained,

only listed.

The defensive behavior is

identified and explained. The

correct defensive behavior is

applied to the example.

The defensive behavior is

identified, explained and

correctly applied to the

example. The student provides

evidence to support his or her

evaluation of the behavior that

was employed.

The defensive behavior is

identified, explained and

correctly applied to the

example. The student provides

excellent evidence and

excellent depth of analysis to

support his or her evaluation

of the behavior employed.

Points Earned:__________/ 15 Possible Points

3. Which of Gibb’s six types of supportive behaviors would be best employed in this scenario? Define the

supportive behavior and explain why this would be an option that would most likely result in reducing

levels of threat and defensiveness.

Evaluate and Identify an Alternative Supportive Climate Behavior Unmet (0 %) Needs Improvement

(5069%)

Fair (70-79%) Good (80-89%) Excellent (100%)

The student

does not

identify an

alternative

supportive

behavior.

The student identifies an alternative supportive behavior but does not define or explain the behavior and/or does not evaluate why the behavior is likely to

reduce defensiveness.

The student identifies an

alternative supportive behavior

and includes an explanation of

that behavior BUT does not

evaluate the behavior and

provide evidence to support his

or her reasons for selecting the

supportive behavior.

The student identifies an alternative

supportive behavior and includes a clear

definition of that behavior. The student

provides evidence to support his or her

reasons for selecting the supportive

behavior and addresses why the

behavior is likely to reduce

defensiveness.

The student identifies an alternative supportive behavior and Includes a clear definition of that

behavior. The student provides

excellent evidence and compelling

analysis to support his or her reasons

for selecting the supportive behavior

and clearly and completely explains

why the behavior is likely to reduce

defensiveness.

Points Earned:__________/ 15 Possible Points

4. Re-write the script and be specific here. Identify what the receptionist could have said to you instead.

Then discuss what interpersonal communication behaviors both verbally and nonverbally could have

been enacted by the receptionist to ensure a more positive and supportive climate. What nonverbal

channels would be important for the receptionist to utilize in conveying a supportive climate? What

language choices are important to convey a supportive climate? Refer to Chapters 5 and 6; choose

specific skills, define them and apply them to the situation.

Re-Written Script with Explanation Unmet (0 %) Needs Improvement (5069%) Fair (70-79%) Good (80-89%) Excellent (100%)

The student does not

address alternative

communication.

The student has either written

a new script OR discusses

interpersonal communication

behaviors BUT does not

include both elements in the

paper.

The student has written a new

script and addresses some

verbal and nonverbal

behaviors in the script BUT

does not provide evidence to

support his or her reasons for

suggesting the interpersonal

communication behaviors.

The student has written a new

script and described some

verbal and nonverbal behaviors

in the script. The student

provides evidence to support his

or her reasons for suggesting

the interpersonal

communication behaviors.

The student has written a

compelling new script and

analyzed and described some

verbal and nonverbal behaviors in

the script. The student provides

excellent evidence and

compelling analysis to support his

or her reasons for suggesting the

interpersonal communication

behaviors.

Points Earned:__________/ 15 Possible Points

5. Now imagine that you are the receptionist in this situation. What is your experience in this situation and

how would it differ from the experience of the customer? In the receptionist’s view, how important is

it to pay attention to using supportive behaviors to manage conflict? Clearly explain how the

perspectives of the customer and receptionist would create diverse opinions about the situation and

the management of the conflict.

Diverse opinions and conflict management

Overall Expectations

• Your paper should be typed, approximately 3-4 pages long, and double spaced. • The paper should also be proofread, and mistakes in grammar, spelling, sentence structure, formatting and other

areas of paper mechanics should be kept to a minimum.

• Be sure to include a complete introduction to the paper that includes a thesis statement introducing the main

ideas of the paper.

• Organize the body of the paper into main ideas that fit with your thesis statement. • Include a definitive conclusion that summarizes the key themes in the paper.

Include proper in-text citations in either APA (see https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/02/ ) or

MLA (see https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/02/ ) format.

• Be certain that you include the textbook definitions of the concepts you use and that you cite these definitions

correctly. A reference list (see https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/05/ ) or works cited (see

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/05/ ) should be included at the end of your paper.

Unmet (0%) Needs Improvement (5069%) Fair (70-79%) Good (80-89%) Excellent (90-100%)

The paper fails to

demonstrate any diverse

opinions and/or language

consistent with

demonstrating an

understanding of diverse

opinions.

Demonstrates difficulty with

recognizing and/or respecting

diverse opinions.

Recognizes diverse opinions

and uses language and tone

to demonstrate respect

and/or understanding of

multiple viewpoints but may

lack sufficient evidence.

Recognizes diverse opinions

and uses language and tone

to demonstrate respect and

understanding of conflicting

opinions and multiple

viewpoints with some

supporting evidence.

Recognizes diverse opinions

and uses language and tone

to consistently demonstrate

respect for, and facilitate

understanding of, conflicting

opinions and multiple

viewpoints with excellent

supporting evidence.

Points Earned:__________/ 10 Possible Points

Message Delivery Unmet (0%) Needs Improvement (5069%) Fair (70-79%) Good (80-89%) Excellent (90-100%)

The paper does not meet the minimum standards of effectively communicating the central message or was not completed.

The message delivery

incorporates ungrammatical,

inarticulate language that

ineffectively communicates

the central message.

The message delivery incorporates minimal errors in grammar and includes language that is understandable and is able to communicate the central message.

The message delivery incorporates grammatically correct and consistently thoughtful language that is understandable and effectively communicates the central message.

The message delivery

incorporates grammatically

correct, articulate,

imaginative language that is

easily understandable and

effectively communicates the

central message in a

compelling manner.

Points Earned: / 10 Points Possible

Message Composition Unmet (0%) Needs Improvement (5069%) Fair (70-79%) Good (80-89%) Excellent (90-100%)

The paper does not include an

introduction and conclusion.

The body of the paper is either

not complete or lacks clarity

and logical sequence.

Composition of the message

(theme, introduction, and

conclusion, and a sequence of

points with transitions) is

unclear, not included in their

entirety or is only

intermittently observable in

the paper.

Composition of the message

(central theme, introduction,

and conclusion, and a logical

sequence of points with

transitions) is observable

throughout the paper.

Composition of the message (clear central theme, introduction, and conclusion, and a logical sequence of Points with smooth

transitions) is adequate and

consistently observable

throughout the paper.

Composition of the message (clear central theme, introduction, and conclusion, and a logical sequence of Points with smooth

transitions) is superior and

observable throughout the

paper.

Points Earned: / 10 Points Possible

Citation Unmet (0%) Needs Improvement (50-69%) Fair (70-79%) Good (80-89%) Excellent (90-100%)

The paper includes no

citation of any sort.

There is some attempt at

citation, BUT: the citation is

not in a recognizable format,

such as MLA or APA; OR a

significant number of concepts

are not cited; OR there is no

in-text citation; OR

paraphrases are not cited.

Some attempt at citation is

included for most concepts

used in the paper that are

originally explained in a

printed source AND most of

these ideas are cited, whether

they are paraphrased or

directly quoted AND the

citation is in a recognizable

style and the style is used

correctly in most cases AND

in-Text citation is used but a

Works Cited is not included.

In-text citation is included for

most concepts used in the

paper that are originally

explained in a printed source

AND these ideas are cited,

whether they are paraphrased

or directly quoted AND the

citation is in MLA or APA style,

though there are some format

errors AND a Works Cited is

included at the end of the

paper, though there are some

format errors.

In-text citation is included for

all concepts used in the paper

that are originally explained in

a printed source AND all of

these ideas are cited using

correct in-text citation,

whether they are paraphrased

or directly quoted AND the

citation is in MLA or APA style

and the style is used

consistently AND a Works

Cited is included at the end of

the paper and the Works Cited

is free of errors.

Points Earned: / 10 Points Possible