What is communication? What are the issues in interpersonal communication? What is the nature of communication in organizations? How can we build more

What is communication?

What are the issues in interpersonal

communication?

What is the nature of communication in

organizations?

How can we build more collaborative work

environments?

Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 11-2

Communication

A process of sending and receiving

messages with attached meanings.



Source

Encodes an intended meaning into a message.

Receiver Decodes the message into a perceived meaning.

Noise

Any disturbance that disrupts communication

effectiveness and interferes with the transference

of messages within the communication process.


Communication channels

Face-to-face meetings

Email

Online discussions

Written letters

Telephone

Voice mail


Feedback

The process through which the receiver

communicates with the sender by

returning another message.


Potential barriers to feedback in the

workplace

Concern that feedback will be received or raise

emotions that individuals are not prepared to handle.

Words intended to be polite and helpful can easily end

up being perceived as unpleasant and even hostile.

Performance appraisal process – finding a way to

communicate both praise and criticism.


Nonverbal communication

Takes place through facial expressions,

body position, eye contact, and other

physical gestures.

Presence - the act of speaking without using

words.



Interpersonal barriers Occur when individuals are not able to objectively listen

to the sender due to things such as lack of trust,

personality clashes, a bad reputation, or

stereotypes/prejudices.

Selective listening – Individuals block out information

or only hear things that match preconceived notions.

Filter – Convey only parts of the information (e.g.,

not to tell the “whole” truth).11-11Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Physical distractions

Another barrier that can interfere the

effectiveness of the communication

process.


Semantic barriers

Involves a poor choice or use of words and

mixed messages.

Use the KISS principle of communication.

“Keep it short and simple.”


Active listening

The ability to help the source of a message

say what he or she really means.

Everyone in the new workplace needs to

develop good skills in active listening.


Guidelines for active listening

Listen for content

Listen for feelings

Respond to feelings

Note all cues

Reflect back


Ethnocentrism

The tendency to believe that one’s culture and its

values are superior to those of others.

Cross-cultural communication challenges:

Language differences

Use of gestures

Parochialism

The ways of your culture are the only ways of doing things.


Low-context cultures Members are very explicit in using the spoken

and written word.

High-context cultures Use words to convey only a limited part of the

message.

The rest must be inferred or interpreted from

the context.


Formal channels

Follow the chain of command established

by an organization’s hierarchy of authority.

Informal channels

Do not adhere to the organization’s

hierarchy of authority.

Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

11-18

Grapevine

A network of friendships and

acquaintances through which rumors and

other unofficial information get passed

from person to person.


Channel richness

The capacity of a communication channel

to convey information.




Organizational communication

Information flows:

Through formal and informal

structures.

Downward, upward, and laterally.


Downward communication

Follows the chain of command from top to bottom.

Upward communication

The flow of messages from lower to higher

organizational levels.

Lateral communication

The flow of messages at the same levels across

organizations.

11-24Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Advances in information technologies enable

organizations to: Distribute information much faster.

Make more information available.

Allow broader and more immediate access to

information.

Encourage participation in the sharing and use of

information.

Integrate systems and functions, and use information to

link with the environment.


Potential disadvantages of electronic

communications Technologies are impersonal.

Nonverbal communication is removed from

situation.

May create difficulties with understanding the

emotional aspects of communication.

Information overload.


Status differences

Status differences create potential

communication barriers between persons of

higher and lower ranks.

Mum effect

tendency to keep “mum” from a desire to be

polite and a reluctance to transmit bad news.


Collaborative environments are

characterized

by boundaryless information flows, more

open

and transparent communications , and more

supportive communication dynamics.


Interactional transparency

The ability for both leaders and followers to be

open accountable, and honest with one another.

Transparent communication involves:

o Sharing relevant information.

o Being forthcoming regarding motives and the

reasoning behind decisions.

o Proactively seeking and giving feedback.


Supportive communication principles

Principles focus on joint problem solving with the

intent of addressing communication breakdowns

and changing problematic behaviors before they

get to be big problems.

The primary emphasis of supportive communication

is to avoid defensiveness and disconfirmation.


Reduce defensiveness and

disconfirmation by:

Focusing on the problem, not the person.

Being specific and descriptive, not global or

evaluative.

Owning the communication.

Being congruent.


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What is communication? What are the issues in interpersonal communication? What is the nature of communication in organizations? How can we build more