11

Communicating in hierarchiesLecture 2.2

University of Alberta

ALES 204

Nancy Bray

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2

Lecture Outline

1.Organizations and hierarchy

2.Communicating in hierarchies

3.Hierarchies and the digital age

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1. Organizations and hierarchy

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What is a hierarchy?

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5Source: Wikipedia

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777

Why hierarchies?

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Disadvantages

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2. Communicating in hierarchies

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Structure of communication

YouYouCo-worker 1Co-worker 1 Co-worker 2Co-worker 2

BossBoss

Subordinate 1Subordinate 1 Subordinate 2Subordinate 2

1111

Upward communication

YouYou

BossBoss

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Lateral communication

YouYouCo-worker 1Co-worker 1 Co-worker 2Co-worker 2

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Downward communication

YouYou

Subordinate 1Subordinate 1 Subordinate 2Subordinate 2

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Overall tone

Upward

Lateral

Downward

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Forms of address

Upward

Lateral

Downward

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Requests

Upward

Lateral

Downward

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From the outside in

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3. Hierarchies and the digital age

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Other forms of organization

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Matrix

Flat

Network

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Matrix

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Flat

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NetworksThe Internet hates hierarchy

2323

Powershop

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John Maeda: How art, technology and design inform creative leaders

Maeda is President of Rhode Island School of Design

From 13:23

http://www.ted.com/talks/john_maeda_how_art_technology_and_design_inform_creative_leaders.html

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Take away

Types of communication in a hierarchy

Change your communication style to suit the hierarchy

Beware of networks vs. hierarchy

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Photo Credits

President Obama by Intel Photos on flickr flow by IcK9s [M. H. Stephens] on flickr looking in window by Pink Sherbet Photography on flickr map of the internet by opte project on flickr networks by sjcockell on flickr silos by Michele Massetani on flickr