Page 432 - Effective Communication Soft Skills Strategies For Success by Nitin Bhatnagar, Mamta Bhatnagar

420 | Model Question Papers

Moralizing Bolton describes this behaviour as people putting ‘… a halo around
their solutions for others’. (1987). Moralizing creates many problems
including resentment, increased anxiety and it often creates pretence in the
communication.
Excessive or Questions are unavoidable and valuable tools of communication but when used
inappropriate to excess, create boredom and unnecessary distance between people. There are
questioning often better, more direct, ways of communicating.
Advising Advise is sometimes valuable but when used inappropriately (which is often)
it may damage the other’s confidence or fail to enhance his or her own
problem-solving abilities. It often prevents a full exploration of the issues.
Diverting Diverting is used often to avoid the unpleasant, unpalatable or the
uncomfortable. It creates much tension.
Logical Logic is necessary but using logical argument when emotions are running high
Argument may be inappropriate because it creates distance.
Reassuring Sometimes reassurance is a way of avoiding the issues whilst having the
appearance of providing comfort. It can, in some cases, be very frustrating
for the person.

10. A pedagogue has to be careful in showing his or her supportive intention, because such
intentions can implicitly convey negative evaluation of the pupil and impose on his or
her autonomy. Supportive intentions may imply that the pupil needs help, and is unable
or is incompetent to solve his or her problem, or acted unwisely in creating (or failing to
avoid) a problematic situation. At times, supportive communication can be threatening.
Asking questions can challenge privacy, offering advice may undermine autonomy, and
making suggestions can imply criticism.
To offset this possibility, the pedagogue has to use certain devices. Face work or polite-
ness strategies are communicative devices for redressing the face threats inherent in sup-
portive messages. Positive face work aims to protect the pupil’s desire to be evaluated
positively; it includes verbal devices that express positive regard for the pupil, admira-
tion for the courage or effort shown by the pupil, respect for the pupil’s understanding
of difficulty and confidence in the pupil’s capacities and qualities to overcome prob-
lems. Positive face work when used by the pedagogue, results in the following favourable
outcomes: (a) increase in the pupil’s willingness to consider the substance of the help-
ers message, (b) interest in interacting with the helper, revealing potentially sensitive
thoughts and feelings, and (c) liking for the pedagogue. Face work achieves these and
related outcomes through the mechanism of conveying the pedagogues positive regard
and respect for the pupil. Expressions of positive regard and respect by the pedagogue
can heighten the pupil’s feelings of acceptance and trust, which in turn, enhance the
pupil’s willingness to discuss sensitive concerns.

Supportive intentions, along with sensitive face work help cultivate ‘supportive con-
versational environment’—an arena in which upsetting and potentially face-threatening
matters can be explored openly. Moreover, these message features should contribute to

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