Supportive Communication

Please respond to the following statements by typing a number from the rating scale below in the box. Your answers should reflect your attitudes and behaviour as they are now, not as you would like them to be. Be honest - this instrument is designed to help you discover your level of competency in communicating supportively.

6 Strongly agree
5 Agree
4 Slightly agree
3 Slightly disagree
2 Disagree
1 Strongly disagree

In situations where I have to provide negative feedback or offer corrective advice:
1.
I understand clearly when it is appropriate to offer advice and direction to others and when it is not.
 
2. I help others recognise and define their own problems when I counsel them.
 
3. I am completely honest in the feedback that I give to others, even when it is negative.
     
4. I always give feedback that is focused on problems and solutions, not on personal characteristics.
     
5. I always link negative feedback to a standard or expectation that has been violated.
     
6. When I correct someone’s behaviour, our relationship is almost always strengthened.
     
7. I am descriptive in giving negative feedback to others.
That is, I objectively describe events, their consequences, and my feelings about them.
     
8. I always suggest specific alternatives to those whose behaviour I’m trying to correct.
     
9. I reinforce other people’s sense of self-worth and self-esteem in my communication with them.
     
10. I convey genuine interest in the other person’s point of view, even when I disagree with it.
     
11. I don’t talk down to those who have less power or less information than I.
     
12. I convey a sense of flexibility and openness to new information when presenting my point of view, even when I feel strongly about it.
     
13. I strive to identify some area of agreement in a discussion with someone who has a different point of view.
     
14. My feedback is always specific and to the point, rather than general or vague.
     
15. I don’t dominate conversations with others.
     
16. I take responsibility for my statements and point of view by saying, “I think” instead of “they think.”
     
17. When discussing someone’s problem, I usually respond with a reply that indicates understanding rather than advice.
     
18. When asking questions of others in order to understand their viewpoints better, I generally ask “what” questions instead of “why” questions.
     
19. I hold regular, private meetings with people I work with and/or live with.
     
20. I am clear about when I should coach someone and when I should provide counseling instead.
     
 
Source: “Developing Management Skills,” by David A Whetten and Kim S Cameron.
 
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