Managing Communication

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Chapter 18

• Managing Communication

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What Would You Do? Communication at Mutuals.com

• Start-up stock brokerage firm charging flat rate
  rather than commission
• Spending is wildly out of control
• As firm has grown larger, personal touch of
  owner, and some valuable employees are leaving
• How can you get employees tell you what is wrong?

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Learning ObjectivesCommunication
After discussing this section, you should be able
to

• explain the role that perception plays in
  communication and communication problems.
• describe the communication process and the
  various kinds of communication in organizations.

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Perception and Communication Problems
Basic Perception Process
Perception Problems
Perceptions of Others
Self-Perception
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Been There, Done That
Deborah Tannen Communicating with Women Men

• There are gender and power differences in
  communication
• but not all men nor all women communicate in the
  same way
• Different styles to fit different people and
  situations

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Perception Basics

• Perception is the process by which individuals
  make sense of their world
• Perceptual filters
• how people experience stimuli
• personality-, psychology-, or experience-based
  differences

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Basic Perception Process
Adapted From Exhibit 18.1
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Perception Problems

• Selective perception
• notice and accept stimuli which are consistent
  with our values and beliefs
• ignore inconsistent stimuli
• Closure
• tendency to fill in the gaps when information is
  missing
• we assume that what we dont know is consistent
  with what we do know

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Perceptions of Others

• Attribution theory
• we have a need to understand others behavior
• we want to know the causes of others behavior
• Causes can be internal or external attributions
• the behavior was voluntary or under their control
• the behavior was involuntary and beyond their
  control

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Attribution Bias and Error
Defensive Bias
Fundamental Attribution Error
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Self-Perception

• We also evaluate ourselves and our environment
• Self-serving bias
• attribute successes to ourselves - internal
• attribute failures to the environment - external

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Kinds of Communication
The Communication Process
Formal Communication Channels
Informal Communication Channels
Coaching Counseling
Nonverbal Communication
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The Interpersonal Communication Process
Adapted From Exhibit 18.3
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Noise occurs if

• The sender is unsure what message to communicate
• The message is not clearly encoded
• The wrong channel is chosen
• The message is improperly decoded
• The receiver lacks experience or time
• Conduit Metaphor

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Formal Communication Channels

• The system of official channels
• Downward communication
• top down
• Upward communication
• bottom up
• Horizontal
• within a level

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Common Problems with Downward, Upward, and
Horizontal Communication
Common Problems
Downward

• Sending too many messages
• Issuing contradictory messages
• Hurriedly communicating vague, unclear messages
• Issuing messages indicating managements low
  regard for lower-level workers

Upward

• Risk of telling upper management about problems
• Managers acting angrily and defensively to
  problems
• Few opportunities for workers to contact upper
  levels of management

Horizontal

• Management discouraging or punishing horizontal
  communication
• Managers and workers not given time or
  opportunity for horizontal communication
• Not enough opportunities or channels for
  lower-level workers to engage in horizontal
  communication

Adapted from Exhibit 18.5
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Improving Formal Communication

• Decrease reliance on downward communication
• Increase chances for upward communication
• Encourage much greater use of horizontal
  communication
• Be aware of communication problems

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Informal Communication Channels

• Transmitting messages outside the formal
  communication channels
• The grapevine
• Highly accurate
• information is timely
• senders seek feedback
• accuracy can be verified

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Grapevine Communication Networks
Gossip Chain
Cluster Chain
Adapted from Exhibit 18.7
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Managing the Grapevine

• Dont withhold information from it
• Dont punish those who use it
• Feed information to it
• Use if as a source of information

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Dealing With Internet Gripe Sites

• Correct information, put an end to false rumors,
  dont be defensive
• Dont take angry comments personally
• Give your name and contact number to show
  employees that youre concerned
• Hold a town meeting to discuss issues raised on
  the gripe site
• Set up anonymous internal discussion forums on
  company server (discouraging use of the Web site)

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Coaching and Counseling One-on-One Communication

• Coaching
• communicating with someone for the direct purpose
  of improving the persons performance
• Counseling
• communicating with someone about non-job related
  issues
• issues may be affecting a persons performance

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Services Provided by EAPS
Counseling
Child Care
Financial Information
Employee Assistance Programs
Senior Care
Pet Care
Legal Services
Health Lifestyles
Adapted from Exhibit 18.9
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Nonverbal Communication

• Any communication that doesnt involve words
• Kinesics
• body and face movements
• Paralanguage
• the pitch, tone, rate, volume, and speaking
  pattern of a persons voice

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Learning ObjectivesHow to Improve Communication
After discussing this section, you should be able
to

• explain how managers can manage effective
  one-on-one communication.
• describe how managers can manage effective
  organization-wide communication.

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Managing One-on-One Communication
Choosing the Right Communication Medium
Listening
Giving Feedback
Improving Cross- Cultural Communication
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Choosing the Right Communication Medium

• The method used to deliver a message
• Oral communication
• from face-to-face to video conferencing
• a rich, popular medium
• Written communication
• from letters to email
• good for conveying information

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Listening
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Becoming an Active Listener

• Clarify responses
• ask questions to clear up ambiguities
• Paraphrase responses
• restating speakers comments in your own words
• Summarize responses
• review the speakers main points

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Becoming an Emphatic Listener

• Show your desire to understand
• listen first
• talk about whats important to the other
• Reflecting feelings
• focus on the emotional part of the message
• more than just restating words

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Clarifying, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
Responses
Responses
Clarifying

• Could you explain that again?
• I dont understand what you mean
• Im confused. Would yourun throught that again?
• Im not sure how .

Paraphrasing

• What youre really saying is .
• If I understand you correctly .
• So your Perspective is that .
• In other words .
• Tell me if Im wrong, but what youre saying is .

Summarizing

• Let me summarize .
• Okay, your main concerns are .
• Thus far, youve discussed .
• To recap what youve said .

Adapted from Exhibit 18.10
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Giving Feedback
Destructive Feedback
Constructive Feedback
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Making Feedback Effective

• Give immediate feedback
• dont delay feedback
• discuss performance while the memory is vivid
• Make feedback specific
• focus on definite behavior and time-frame
• make sure behavior was controllable
• Make feedback problem-oriented
• focus on behavior not personality

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Improving Cross-Cultural Communication
1. Familiarize yourself with cultural work norms
2. Know the address terms
3. Understand cultural attitudes toward time
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French v. American Views of Work
Perceptions Agreeing
U.S.
France

• It is important for a manager to have at hand
  precise answers to most questions subordinates
  may raise about their work.
• Most organizations would be better off if
  conflict could be eliminated forever.
• Most managers have a clear notion of what we call
  an organizational structure.
• Most managers seem to be more motivated by
  obtaining power than by achieving objectives.

18 53
18 53
18 53
18 53
Adapted from Exhibit 18.11
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Affective and Neutral Cultures
In Affective Cultures
Thoughts and feelings are revealed through verbal
and nonverbal communication Feelings of tension
are expressed and shown Emotions flow easily,
intensely, and without inhibition Heated,
animated, and intense expressions of emotion are
admired People are used to touching, gesturing,
and showing strong facial expressions of
emotions People make statements with emotion
Adapted from Exhibit 18.12
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Affective and Neutral Cultures
In Neutral Cultures
Thoughts and feelings are not revealed Feelings
of tension are hidden and shown only accidentally
in person or face-to-face Emotions are
suppressed, leading to occasional
explosions Remaining cool, calm, and relaxed is
admired Physical contact such as touching,
gesturing, and strong facial expressions are
considered taboo People often make statements in
an unexpressive manner
Adapted from Exhibit 18.12
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Monochronic versus Polychronic Cultures

• People in Monochronic Cultures
• Do one thing at a time
• Concentrate on the job
• Take time commitments seriously
• Are committed to the job
• Adhere religiously to plans
• Respect privacy and private property
• Are accustomed to short-term relationships
• Emphasize promptness

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Monochronic versus Polychronic Cultures

• People in Polychronic Cultures
• Do many things at once
• Are highly distractible and subject to
  interruptions
• Are committed to people
• Change plans easily and often
• Are more concerned with relationships than with
  privacy
• Frequently borrow and lend things
• Vary promptness by the relationship
• Tend to build lifetime relationships

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Cross-Cultural Temporal Concepts

• Appointment time
• how punctual you must be
• Schedule time
• time when projects should be completed
• Discussion time
• how much time should be spent in discussions
• Acquaintance time
• how much small-talk is required

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Managing Organization-Wide Communication
Improving Transmission Getting the Message Out
Improving Reception Hearing What Others Feel
Think
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Improving Transmission Getting the Message Out
e-mail
Online discussion forums
Corporate talk shows
Televised/videotaped speeches and conferences
Broadcast voice mail
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Establishing Online Discussion Forums
Adapted from Exhibit 18.14
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Improving Reception Hearing What Others Feel
Think

• Company hotlines
• call and leave anonymous comments
• Survey feedback
• information gathered from questionnaires
• Informal meetings with top executives
• directly hear employees

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What Really Happened? Communication at
Mutuals.com

• Problems and frustrations can be put in an e-mail
  and sent to a hassles folder
• CEO reserves one hour each week to actively
  listen to employee problems
• Cost and revenue information updated daily and
  available to employees and manager for control
  purposes