CHAPTER 12 Communication in Families and at Work, continued… Interplay, Eleventh Edition, Adler/Rosenfeld/Proctor Copyright © 2010 by Oxford University

CHAPTER 12Communication in Families and at Work, continued…

Interplay, Eleventh Edition, Adler/Rosenfeld/ProctorCopyright © 2010 by Oxford University Press, Inc.

Section 5INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION AT WORK

Interplay


How important is communication at work?

400 HR Managers: Interpersonal/human

relations at the top of the list.

Communication skills ranked higher than GPA, specific degree held and technical skills.

Public Forum Institute: “Participants responded that soft skills, such as interpersonal relations, critical thinking, and problem solving, were more sought after in candidates than were hard skills, such as computer literacy, writing, and technical skills.”


Advancing Your Career: Networking

Interpersonal communication skills help you network. Networking: Process of

deliberately meeting people and maintaining contacts to get career information, advice, and leads.

Identifying your networks Face to face or mediated

i.e., Facebook, MySpace. Consider immediate and

distant contacts Join networks of strangers

to seek job leads through career networking or community. Interplay, Eleventh Edition, Adler/Rosenfeld/Proctor

Copyright © 2010 by Oxford University Press, Inc.

Interviewing for Employment

Interviews are a conversation, but without social chats

Interviews are: Purposeful Structured Controlled Balanced in

participation


Before the Interview

Clarify the interviewer’s goals Education and training

most important? Initiative? Experience?

Discover hidden goals Come prepared

Extra resumes Take notes Copies of past work References Advance research of the

organizationInterplay, Eleventh Edition, Adler/Rosenfeld/Proctor


During the Interview

Make a good first impression Arrive 10-15 minutes early Consider clothing Research: First exchange can

shape success or failure: First four minutes!

Get off to a good start Greeting Informal conversation Establish common ground

Give clear, detailed answers Think: “General theme, then

specifics.” Come with brief stories,

illustrations, examples that highlight your abilities and skills.


During the Interview

Keep your answers focused Beware of rattling on; employ turn-taking. Answers shouldn’t run over a minute or two. First four minutes!

Follow the interviewer’s lead Interviewer sets the emotional tone Tone doesn’t fit? Job may not fit.

Come prepared to answer the interviewer’s questions.

Come prepared to ask the interviewer questions Interview the company as much as they are interviewing

you. Good questions show you’ve done your homework, but

avoid salary/ benefit questions.


After the Interview

Note of thanks—be one of the few!

Express appreciation

Identify specific information learned during the interview

Show how what you learned makes you a good match for the job

Confirm the next steps.


Section 6COMMUNICATING IN ORGANIZATIONS

Interplay


Formal and Informal Relationships

Formal communication: Interaction that follows officially established channels.

Upward communication: Subordinates communicate with their bosses—sometimes in a way that distorts negative information and puts it in a positive light. What subordinates are

doing Unsolved work problems Suggestions for

improvement How subordinates are

feelingInterplay, Eleventh Edition, Adler/Rosenfeld/Proctor



Downward communication: Managers address message to subordinates Job instructions Job rationale Feedback

Horizontal communication: Occurs between people who don’t have direct supervisor-subordinate relationships. Task coordination Sharing information Conflict resolution



Informal communication: Friendships, shared personal or career interests, proximity.

Informal messages supplement formal messages: Confirmation Often more efficient

and accurate


Face-to-Face and Mediated Relationships

Virtual teams Groups that operate

electronically can communicate in ways that otherwise wouldn’t be possible.

Communication medium has advantages and drawbacks.


Section 7RELATIONSHIPS IN WORK GROUPS

Interplay


Personal Skills in Work Groups

Relational skills as important as task-related skills Relational roles (Benne & Sheats)

Encouraging participation Harmonizing Relieving tension Evaluating the group’s emotional climate Giving praise Listening thoughtfully to the concerns of others

Best teams struggle on the path to consensus Orientation: harmony/politeness Conflict Emergence: members enthusiastically or reluctantly

accept team’s decision. Reinforcement


Group Cultures

Organizational cultures Relatively stable, shared

rules about how to behave and set of values about what is important

“The way things are around here.”

Dimensions of communication Sociability Distribution of power Tolerance for new ideas Ways of managing conflict Emotional support


Leadership, Power, and Influence in Working Groups

Designated leader Person (people) with official

titles that indicate authority. Every member of a working

team has at least one resource of power that affects the group. Expert power: Designated

leaders aren’t always the best or only experts.

Reward power: Members can bestow their own rewards.

Coercive power: Anyone can “punish.”

Referent power: Influence that comes from members’ mutual liking and respect.


END OF SECTIONInterplay


Documents

CHAPTER 12 Communication in Families and at Work, continued… Interplay, Eleventh Edition, Adler/Rosenfeld/Proctor Copyright © 2010 by Oxford University