Our communication with others can support their identity (the face the persons wants to present). This behavior is known as face support or face saving. Our communication can also attack someone's identiy or threaten their face (face threatening behavior). Defensive and disconfirming communication are face threatening vecause they callenge another's needs for individual respect as well as connection.

We impinge on others' needs for respect and connection when we do the following:

• Micromanage (tell others exactly what to do and how to do it.
• Directly challenge (question others' ideas or knowledge in public)
• Devalue another's role or knowledge (suggest that another does not have the necessary title, experience or expertise.