Communicating

1
Communicating

• Chapter 15
• Bateman and Snell

2
Learning Objectives

• After studying Chapter 15, you will know
• important advantages of two-way communication
• communication problems to avoid
• when and how to use the various communication
  channels
• ways to become a better sender and receiver of
  information
• how to improve downward, upward, and horizontal
  communications
• how to work with the company grapevine

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Interpersonal Communication

• Communication
• the transmission of information and meaning from
  one party to another through the use of shared
  symbols
• sender - initiates the process by conveying
  information
• has a meaning s/he wishes to communicate
• encodes the meaning into symbols
• transmits the message through some channel
• receiver - person for whom the message is
  intended
• decodes the messages
• attempts to interpret the senders meaning
• may provide feedback by encoding a message in
  response
• noise- interference in the system that blocks
  understanding

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A Model Of The Communication Process
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Interpersonal Communication (cont.)

• One-way communication
• process in which information flows in only one
  direction
• no feedback from the receiver
• faster and easier for sender
• Two-way communication
• process in which information flows in two
  directions
• receiver provides feedback
• basis for constructive exchanges
• more difficult and time consuming
• more accurate

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Interpersonal Communication (cont.)

• Communication pitfalls
• errors can occur in all stages of the
  communication process
• perceptual and filtering processes create
  misinterpretation
• perception - process of receiving and
  interpreting information
• filtering - process of withholding, ignoring, or
  distorting information
• cannot assume the other person means what you
  think s/he means or understands the intended
  meanings
• e.g., problems arise because of differemces in
  communication style

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Interpersonal Communication (cont.)

• Mixed signals and misperception
• people do not attend to everything going on
  around them
• people inadvertently send mixed signals
• can avoid these problems by taking the time to
• ensure that the receiver attends to the message
• consider the receivers frame of reference and
  convey the message from that perceptual viewpoint
• take concrete steps to minimize perceptual errors
  and improper signals
• send consistent messages

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Interpersonal Communication (cont.)

• Oral channel
• advantages - questions can be asked and answered
• feedback is immediate and direct
• receiver can sense the senders sincerity
• more persuasive
• disadvantages
• can lead to spontaneous, ill-considered
  statements
• there is no permanent record of the communication

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Interpersonal Communication (cont.)

• Written channel
• advantages
• message can be revised
• provides a permanent record
• message stays the same when sent to several
  receivers
• receiver has more time to analyze the message
• disadvantages
• sender has no control over where, when, or if
  the message is read
• sender does not receive immediate feedback
• receiver may not understand parts of the message
• message must be longer to answer anticipated
  questions

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Interpersonal Communication (cont.)

• Electronic media
• computers talk with others electronically
• teleconferencing - groups of people in different
  locations interact
• audioconferencing - using telephone lines
• videoconferencing - see one another on television
  monitors
• advantages - sharing of more information
• speed and efficiency in delivering routine
  messages
• inexpensive
• disadvantages - difficulty in solving complex
  problems
• e-mail most appropriate for routine messages
• unsuitable for confidential information

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Interpersonal Communication (cont.)

• Virtual office
• a mobile office in which people can work
  anywhere, as long as they have the tools to
  communicate with customers and colleagues
• many benefits in the short run
• questions remain about long-term effect on
  productivity and morale
• Managing the electronic load - sheer volume of
  communication can be overwhelming
• reliance on teams promotes increased
  communication
• must separate important messages from the routine
• discourage people from sending too many e-mail
  messages

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Interpersonal Communication (cont.)

• Media richness
• degree to which a communication channel conveys
  information
• the richest media
• are more personal than technological
• provide quick feedback
• allow lots of descriptive language
• send different types of cues
• Efficiency and effectiveness
• rely on multiple channels when necessary
• people must know how to use each channel properly

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Improving Communication Skills

• Improving sender skills
• Presentation and persuasion skills
• redundancy - state your viewpoint in a variety of
  ways
• powerful messages are simple and informative
• Writing skills - require clear, logical thinking
• strive for clarity, organization, readability,
  and brevity
• first draft rarely is as good as it could be
• be critical of your own writing
• Language - word choice can enhance or interfere
  with communications
• consider the receivers background and adjust
  your language
• learn something about foreign language for
  overseas business

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Improving Communication Skills (cont.)

• Nonverbal skills
• signals other than those that are spoken or
  written
• can support or undermine the stated message
• nonverbal cues may make a greater impact than
  other signals
• can send a positive message with nonverbal
  signals by
• using time wisely
• arranging the office to foster open communication
• body language
• facial expression and tone of voice
• Nonverbal signals in different countries
• need to correctly interpret the nonverbal signals
  of others

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Improving Communication Skills (cont.)

• Improving receiver skills
• Listening - good listening is difficult and not
  nearly as common as needed
• reflection - process by which a person states
  what s/he believes the other person is saying
• listening begins with personal contact
• good listening leads to development of trust
• Reading - reading mistakes are common and costly
• read memos as soon as possible
• note important points for later referral
• read materials outside of your immediate concerns

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Improving Communication Skills (cont.)

• Improving receiver skills (cont.)
• Observing
• effective communicators able to observe and
  interpret nonverbal signals
• personally visiting plants and other locations to
  get a first-hand view of operations
• must accurately interpret what is observed
• Effective supervision
• communicate more information
• prefer asking and persuading to telling and
  demanding
• are sensitive to peoples feelings and needs
• are willing, empathic listeners

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Organizational Communication

• Downward communication
• information that flows from higher to lower
  levels in the organizations hierarchy
• problems
• information overload
• lack of openness - withhold information even if
  sharing is important
• filtering - some information is left out
• message can be distorted by adding personal
  interpretation
• the fewer the number of authority levels through
  which communication must pass, the less
  information will be lost or distorted

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Organizational Communication (cont.)

• Downward communication (cont.)
• Coaching - important form of downward
  communication
• dialogue with a goal of helping another be more
  effective and achieve her/his full potential on
  the job
• used to deal with performance problems or to help
  person change behavior
• coaches for executives sometimes hired from
  outside the firm
• often incumbent on managers to coach themselves
• Downward communication in difficult times
• communication important during mergers and
  acquisitions
• full communication helps employees deal with
  anxiety
• signals care and concern for employees

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Organizational Communication (cont.)

• Downward communication (cont.)
• Open-book management
• practice of sharing with employees at all levels
  of the organization vital information previously
  meant for managements eyes only
• practice is controversial
• done properly, complete communications system
  makes sense to people on the shop floor just as
  it does to the top executives
• potentially impacts motivation and care for
  business results

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Organizational Communication (cont.)

• Upward communication
• information that flows from lower to higher
  levels in the organization hierarchy
• important for several reasons
• managers learn whats going on
• employees gain from the opportunity to
  communicate upward
• facilitates downward communication
• problems similar to those for downward
  communication
• Managing upward communication
• managers should facilitate upward communication
• managers must motivate people to provide valid
  information
• upward communication can use informal channels

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Organizational Communication (cont.)

• Horizontal communication
• information sharing among people on the same
  hierarchical level
• has several important functions
• Managing horizontal communication
• direct contact among managers
• integrative roles, task forces, and project teams
• management information systems
• create a culture of openness, honesty, trust, and
  mutual obligation

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Organizational Communication (cont.)

• Formal and informal communication
• formal communication - official,
  organization-sanctioned episodes of information
  transmission
• informal communication - more unofficial
• grapevine - the social network of informal
  communications
• helps people to interpret the organization
• conveys information that the formal system leaves
  unsaid
• Managing informal communication
• managers need to work with the grapevine
• talk to the key people
• prevent rumors from starting
• neutralize rumors once they have started