How does gut-level communication benefit a workplace?
When people communicate on the gut level, human relationships grow, people understand
themselves better, and conflict is reduced. In work environments, such benefits translate
into greater efficiency and productivity throughout the organization.
According to John Powell’s levels of self-disclosure, briefly describe the highest level of
self-disclosure.
Level 1 is based on the peak experience concept developed by Abraham Maslow, the first
social scientist to study peak experiences. Maslow stated that the spiritual, emotional, and
aesthetic high points in people’s lives do not happen very often, but when they do, they
create memories that help sustain them during ordinary nonpeak times. Powell translates
this idea into communication. Like Maslow’s peak experience, a peak communication
experience does not occur very often. When it does, though, as Powell suggests, “The two
persons will feel an almost perfect and mutual empathy.” The more often Level 1 self-
disclosure takes place, the more you invite close relationships that can lead to enhanced
opportunities for peak communication. Nobody should expect peak communication to
happen regularly. Such experiences can be triggered by unexpected events. For instance, a
death in the family, winning the lottery, or experiencing an automobile accident could all
create similar responses in how you communicate with others. In cases like these, self–
disclosure is often not a choice, but an automatic response.