Interpersonal Communication and Effective Relationships

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1 Interpersonal Communication and Effective Relationships Students' Name Institution Instructor Course Date
2 Introduction In the television sitcom "The Office," Dwight Schrute and Michael Scott have an intriguing chemistry. Michael and Dwight's interaction is typically one of Michael being highly judgemental and cruel toward Dwight, and Dwight frequently reacting by being reluctant and unresponsive (Daniels, 2013). The notion of transactional analysis might be utilized to explain this phenomenon. Michael's critical behavior represents a "Critical Parent" perspective, while Dwight's passive behavior represents an attempt on Dwight's behalf to maintain a "Parent-Child" relationship dynamic with Michael. Dwight and Michael both work at the firm (Daniels, 2013). This dynamic is strengthened by the notion of complementarity, which states that persons in partnerships want to take on duties that balance one another out. It implies that individuals prefer to take on roles that complement one another. Dwight and Michael are able to maintain a relationship despite the fact that they interact in very different ways, despite the fact that Dwight is more passive and Michael is more assertive. Relationship Situation from Each Person's Point of View. Even when Michael is being rude or critical, Dwight is constantly striving to satisfy Michael since, in Dwight's opinion, Michael is the most important person in the world. This is because he has been conditioned to keep a "Parent-Kid" relationship with Michael, in which Michael plays the parent figure and Dwight plays the kid character (Daniels, 2013). This is an attempt on Dwight's behalf to gain Michael's approval, both of which Dwight has desired in the past. Even though Michael does not always notice his efforts, he continuously goes above and beyond to show him that he is valued and capable of carrying out the obligations allocated to him.
3 Dwight is an annoyance to Michael, as he often fails to recognize the beneficial contributions Dwight gives to the group. Because he is accustomed to being the "leader" and having others follow him, his critical behavior is an attempt to maintain control and power over Dwight. He is accustomed to people responding to him. This behavior, which may be classified as "Criticizing Parent," demonstrates how often he takes Dwight's contributions for granted (Daniels, 2013). He is ignorant to how his actions affect Dwight and is unable to comprehend how he contributes to the dysfunctional character of their relationship. Relationship's Stage and How this Stage has Affected the Relationship Situation Michael and Dwight's relationship is now in a contentious phase. This stage is characterized by conflict and tension as the two persons in the relationship attempt to understand each other and discover a way to communicate effectively with one another. This period might extend several weeks to many months. Since Michael and Dwight have struggled to discover an effective way to communicate with one another, this predicament has resulted in Michael's aggressive behavior and Dwight's passive replies. Because they are still in the storming stage of their relationship, the pair is unable to fully communicate their wants and desires to one another, resulting in a further breakdown in their relationship. Furthermore, since they are in the storming period of their relationship, they have taken on duties that are not necessarily advantageous to their partnership. Michael has taken on the role of a "Criticizing Parent," which is detrimental to effective communication and should be avoided. Dwight has started behaving in a "Parent-Child" role, which is typically seen as a sign of weakness in love relationships.
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