From the book: chapter 8, p. 1-2
"Participating in a conversation extends far beyond the actual conversation itself. The conversational environment begins to be created long before the words are spoken, written, or read. The physical or virtual spaces where conversations occur, preceding events and nonevents, the expectations, fears, biases, cultural backgrounds of the participants, group norms, and on and on all have an effect on any given conversation. Previous conversations—or those that did not occur—influence the sense that people make of their experiences in subsequent conversations.
Because of these complex interactive influences, it is as if a conversation is suspended in an elaborate spider web within a dense forest. It is no wonder that there are such pervasive organizational communication challenges."
© Ann Baker
© 2010 by M. E. Sharp Inc.