15
The fictional doctor Temperance Brennan on the television show
Bones believes in communicating clearly, without nuance, sarcasm, or self-censorship. Her commitment to absolute scientific objectivity means that she will describe a sexual encounter with the same precision that she might describe a body she is examining and with the same detached language that someone else might use to describe a block of wood. Her communication, though clear, is largely inappropriate. It is also ineffective because, although meant to inform her colleagues with as little ambiguity as possible, it tends to amuse or embarrass them instead.
If you’ve ever laughed or cringed at an inappropriate outburst coming from someone else, you already understand that for communication to be competent it needs to be both effective and appropriate. You would not speak to your grandmother the same way you talk to your friends; nor would a lawyer ask her husband to complete a task the same way she would ask her office receptionist. Competent, successful communicators adjust their behavior to suit particular individuals and situations.