Relational Tensions and Optimal Listening in the Communication Relationships of American and Finnish Legal Professionals

Ala-Kortesmaa, Sanna; Isotalus, Pekka

doi:10.1080/17475759.2014.916227

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…This present result is consistent with the results of a previous study (Ala-Kortesmaa & Isotalus, 2014) which found that listening is a contextual process and particularly in legal context the features of it are related to the profession and the national communication culture. For instance, in this current study the U.S.-American respondents emphasized the relationship aspect in the communication relationship whereas the Finns' self-perceptions were more influenced by the requirements of their profession: they approached themselves as listeners more from the practical, task-oriented standpoint.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 96%

“…In both the key elements of courtroom communication involve eliciting the facts and forming a well-functioning communication relationship with others and treating them respectfully (Ala-Kortesmaa & Isotalus, 2014). In this current study, a cultural comparison regarding the results of the research questions is an ongoing phenomenon.…”

Section: National and Organizational Communication Contextsmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…According to Ala-Kortesmaa and Isotalus (2014), in the legal context situationally optimal listening is related to the values of both the national and the organizational communication culture: In the Finnish legal context the optimal listener is patient and sifts facts from irrelevant information, whereas U.S.-American legal professionals value people-oriented listening. In general, listening is considered extremely important when accomplishing professional tasks.…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

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Professional Listening Competence Promoting Well-Being at Work in the Legal Context

Ala-Kortesmaa

Isotalus

2014

International Journal of Listening

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This qualitative cross-cultural study sought to contribute to the understanding of listening competence, dialogic listening, and the use of human agency in promoting well-being at work. The participant groups (N = 103) consisted of n = 76 U.S.-American and n = 27 Finnish attorneys. Results suggest that in order to examine listening and well-being at work, a term professional listening competence had to be constructed. The results further suggest that a sense of a strong professional listening competence leads to positive experiences of self-efficacy and personal agency regarding the management of professional interaction by listening. These empowering experiences serve to alleviate work-related stress and have a positive effect on well-being at work.Attorneys' well-being is important for their clients because the common goal is to resolve the matter in the best possible way. The better people feel about their jobs, the more they tend to invest in them (Shanafelt et al., 2005). A key component in maintaining and enhancing this well-being is communication. Although researchers have examined the connection between communication, including listening to others, and well-being at work, particularly in business (Juholinless attention has been paid to this connection in the legal context. While the results of these studies support the notion that well-functioning communication relations are closely linked to increased job satisfaction, no conclusive results have been presented on how professionals' listening competence may affect their well-being at work. The gap between research focusing on improving the well-being of others at work through listening and research focusing on the enhancement of one's own well-being at work through listening requires more attention, especially given the scarcity of research focusing on listening in the legal context.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 96%

Section: National and Organizational Communication Contextsmentioning

confidence: 94%

mentioning

confidence: 98%

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Professional Listening Competence Promoting Well-Being at Work in the Legal Context

Ala-Kortesmaa

Isotalus

2014

International Journal of Listening

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“…In individualistic and masculine cultures, people strive for individual success and achievements, and the ability to dominate and influence others are perceived favorably (Hofstede, 2001). Conversely, in feminine cultures such as Finland, aggressiveness is perceived as unproductive (Ala-Kortesmaa & Isotalus, 2014;Carbaugh, 1995;Carbaugh, Berry, & Nurmikari-Berry, 2006;Wilkins & Isotalus, 2009) and people value the development and maintenance of supportive and friendly relationships (Hofstede, 2001). Thus, it is not surprising that American students reported higher levels of VA and Machiavellianism than the Finish students did.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One reason why the Finnish students are more argumentative than American students may be that, in Finland, a solution-oriented form of communication is seen as the most appropriate way to communicate (Ala-Kortesmaa & Isotalus, 2014;Carbaugh, 1995;Lehtonen, 1993;Sajavaara & Lehtonen, 2011;Second Author et al, 2016;Wilkins & Isotalus, 2009). Thus, it is possible Finnish students are not by nature more argumentative than American students, but that their need to resolve disagreements in a productive manner contributed to their comparatively high levels of argumentativeness.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

American and Finnish College Students’ Traits and Interactions with Their Instructors

Mansson,

Croucher

2017

J. inc. comm

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This cross-cultural investigation sought to compare American and Finnish university students’ communication and personality traits (i.e., argumentativeness, assertiveness, Machiavellianism, and verbal aggressiveness) as well as out-of-class communication with their instructors. American (N = 286) and Finnish (N = 113) university students completed several self-report measures. The results of a MANOVA, an independent samples t-test, Pearson correlational analyses, and Fisher’s z tests revealed significant cultural differences, although the relationships between students’ traits and their out-of-class communication with instructors remained relatively similar in both samples.

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Business Communication

Violanti¹

2017

The International Encyclopedia of Organizational Communication

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Business and professional communication, one aspect of organizational communication, involves intentional messages voluntarily exchanged between two or more people in for‐profit companies. Business and professional communication instruction addresses written communication (résumés, cover letters, proposals, reports, formal performance feedback, and electronic messages such as email and material posted online), oral communication (interpersonal, small group or team, and public speaking), and listening. In practice, business and professional communication includes leadership and followership, group decision making processes, and feedback. Constructivism, expectancy violation theory, and social presence theory represent three ways to explain and predict business and professional communication. The multigenerational, co‐cultural workplace with its increasingly diverse options for creating and delivering messages requires lifelong learning for all employees.

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Relational Tensions and Optimal Listening in the Communication Relationships of American and Finnish Legal Professionals

Cited by 6 publications

References 28 publications

Professional Listening Competence Promoting Well-Being at Work in the Legal Context

Professional Listening Competence Promoting Well-Being at Work in the Legal Context

American and Finnish College Students’ Traits and Interactions with Their Instructors

Business Communication

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