Creating a climate for teamwork

It is noted that professional communicators frequently create a defensive climate for one-on-one communication. A defensive climate stifles the communication process; team members tend to withdraw rather than risk sharing their ideas. On the other hand, a supportive climate encourages openness and the exchange of ideas with a feeling of trust. It is pointed out that according to J. Gibb (1961), the communication climate appears as a continuum from defensive to supportive. Understanding the six dichotomies that make up this continuum, the communicator can develop a climate for effective teamwork, whether among members of a writing group or between writers and subject experts. It is concluded that, although the professional communicator does not have complete control over the communication process, understanding how to build supportive climates can improve the potential for effective teamwork