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Statement Format Summary
1. Overt messages:
Reporting what you "hear" the other person consciously saying
2. Covert messages:
Making observations about anything [tone, body language] you "see" in the person's message that contradicts what you heard them say
3. Interpreting cause or motive:
Offering what you believe to be the "cause" or motivation that underlies the person's statement or makes it contradictory
4. Your own reactions:
Describing "your experience" (thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and behavior) to the other person and/or situation
Effective Prediction Characteristics
• The consequences are as small as possible
• The other person has as much opportunity as possible to control the duration of any negative consequences
• The consequences are self-contained
• The prediction has no foreseeable ramifications we cannot tolerate