Chapter 15
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Chapter 15Managing Communication
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Chuck Williams
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What Is Communication?
After reading these sections, you should be able to:
1. explain the role that perception plays in communication and communication problems.
2. describe the communication process and the various kinds of communication in organizations.
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Basic PerceptionProcess
Basic PerceptionProcess
PerceptionProblems
PerceptionProblems
Perceptionsof Others
Perceptionsof Others
Self-PerceptionSelf-Perception
Perception and Communication Problems
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Basic Perception Process
Perception
The process by which individuals attend to, organize, interpret, and retain information from their environments.
Perception Filters
The personality-, psychology-, or experience-based differences that influence people to ignore or pay attention to particular stimuli.
1.11.1
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Basic Perception ProcessStimulusStimulus Stimulus
AttentionPerceptual Filter
OrganizationPerceptual Filter
InterpretationPerceptual Filter
RetentionPerceptual Filter1.11.1
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Perception Problems
� Selective perception• notice and accept objects which are consistent
with our values and beliefs
• ignore inconsistent information
� Closure• tendency to fill in the gaps when information is
missing
• we assume that what we don’t know is consistent with what we do know
1.21.2
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Perception of Others
• Attribution Theory– we have a need to understand and explain the
causes of other people’s behavior
• General reasons to explain behavior– Internal attribution
• the behavior was voluntary or under their control
– External attribution• the behavior was involuntary and beyond their control
1.31.3
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Attribution Bias and Error
DefensiveBiasDefensiveBias
FundamentalAttributionError
FundamentalAttributionError
The tendency for people to perceive themselves as personally and situationally similar to someone who ishaving difficulty or trouble.
The tendency for people to perceive themselves as personally and situationally similar to someone who ishaving difficulty or trouble.
The tendency to ignore external causesof behavior and to attribute other people’s actions to internal causes.
The tendency to ignore external causesof behavior and to attribute other people’s actions to internal causes.
1.31.3
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Attribution Bias and Error
1.31.3
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Self-Perception
Self-Serving Bias
The tendency to overestimate our value by attributing successes to ourselves (internal causes) and attributing failures to others or the environment (external causes).
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Kinds of Communication
CommunicationProcess
CommunicationProcess
FormalCommunication
Channels
FormalCommunication
Channels
InformalCommunication
Channels
InformalCommunication
Channels
Coaching and Counseling
Coaching and Counseling
NonverbalCommunication
NonverbalCommunication
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The Interpersonal Communication Process
2.12.1© Burke/Triolo Productions/Brand X Pictures/Jupiterimages / © TongRo Image Stock/Jupiterimages
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The Communication Process
1. The sender is unsure what message to communicate
2. The message is not clearly encoded
3. The wrong channel is chosen
4. The message is improperly decoded
5. The receiver lacks experience or time
Noise occurs if:
2.12.1
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The Communication Process
1. Penalty
2. Excellence
3. Tight
4. Small
5. Pure
6. Flimsy
7. Okay
Meanings of the Word Fine
2.12.1
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Formal Communication Channels
• Downward communication
– top down• Upward communication
– bottom up• Horizontal
– within a level
2.22.2
The system of formal communication channels includes :
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Beyond the Book
Improving Communication at Goldman SachsIn the midst of increasing market turmoil and intense scrutiny from the government and the press, Lloyd C. Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs, made it a priority to keep communication flowing throughout the firm. At times when things seemed uncertain or particularly stressful, Blankfein would send out company-wide emails, sometimes every day, to help fill everyone in. He also made himself available, walking throughout the offices to get a feel for what was happening and to answer questions that people might have. Blankfein doesn’t just rely on pep-talks either; he makes a point of being honest about challenging situations and taking the time to determine and communicate strategy.
Source: L. C. Blankfein, “Corner Office: Lessons Learned at Goldman”, interview by A. Bryant, The New York Times, 12 September 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/business/13corner.html?pagewanted=1 (accessed 10/23/2009).
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Improving Formal Communication
1. Decrease reliance on downward communication
2. Increase chances for upward communication
3. Encourage much greater use of horizontal communication
4. Be aware of communication problems
2.22.2
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Common Problems with Downward, Upward, and Horizontal Communication
Downward
• Sending too many messages• Issuing contradictory messages• Hurriedly communicating vague, unclear messages• Issuing messages indicating management’s low regard
for lower-level workers
Upward• Risk of telling upper management about problems• Managers reacting 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
2.22.2
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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
2.32.3
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Informal Communication Channels
2.32.3
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Managing Organizational Grapevines
• Don’t withhold information from it
• Don’t punish those who use it
• Embrace the grapevine and keep employees informed
• Use it as a source of information
2.32.3
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Informal Communication Channels
1. Correct misinformation1. Correct misinformation
2. Don’t take angry comments personally2. Don’t take angry comments personally
3. Give your name and contact number3. Give your name and contact number
4. Hold a town meeting to discuss issues4. Hold a town meeting to discuss issues
5. Set up anonymous discussion forums5. Set up anonymous discussion forums
Dealing with Internet Gripe SitesDealing with Internet Gripe Sites
2.32.3
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Coaching and Counseling
• Coaching– communicating with someone for the direct
purpose of improving the person’s on-the-job performance or behavior
• Counseling– communicating with someone about non-job
related issues that may be affecting or interfering with a person’s performance
2.42.4
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Employee Assistance Programs
CounselingCounseling
Child CareChild Care
Senior CareSenior Care
LegalLegalServicesServices
HealthHealthLifestylesLifestyles
Pet CarePet Care
FinancialFinancialServicesServices
EmployeeEmployeeAssistanceAssistanceProgramsPrograms
2.42.4
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Nonverbal Communication
• Any communication that doesn’t involve words
• Kinesics– movements of the body and face
• Paralanguage– the pitch, tone, rate, volume, and speaking
pattern of a person’s voice
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Beyond the BookSending the Right MessageDeborah Dunsire, president and CEO of Millenium: The Takeda Oncology Company, knows that nonverbal communication can be especially important to executives. Employees will take a lot away from people in senior leadership; if managers aren’t careful, however, they might end up unconsciously sending the wrong signals. Dunsire has learned to be more verbal and proactive with the messages she is sending, so that employees don’t draw incorrect conclusions about the business and make decisions based on those assumptions.
Source: D. Dunsire, “Corner Office: Stepping Out of the Sandbox”, interview by A. Bryant, The New York Times, 29 August 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/business/30corner.html (accessed 10/30/2009).
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How to Improve Communication
After reading these sections, you should be able to:
3. explain how managers can manage one-on-one communication effectively.
4. describe how managers can manage organization-wide communication effectively.
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How to Improve Communication
Choosing the Right Communication Medium Choosing the Right Communication Medium
Being a good listenerBeing a good listener
Giving effective feedback Giving effective feedback
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Choosing the Right Communication Medium
Communication Medium
The method used to deliver an oral orwritten message.
• Oral communication
• Written communication
3.13.1
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Listening
HearingHearingversusversus
ListeningListening
ActiveActiveListeningListening
EmpatheticEmpatheticListeningListening
3.23.2
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Becoming an Active Listener
1. Clarify responses• Ask questions to clear up ambiguities
2. Paraphrase responses• Restate the speaker’s comments
in your own words
3. Summarize responses• Review the speaker’s main points
3.23.2
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Becoming an Empathetic Listener
1. Show your desire to understand• Listen first
• Talk about what’s important to the other
2. Reflect feelings• Focus on the emotional part of the message
• More than just restating words
3.23.2
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Clarifying, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
Responses
Clarifying • Could you explain that again?• I don’t understand what you mean.• I’m confused. Would you run through that again?• I’m not sure how ….
Paraphrasing • If I understand you correctly ….• So your perspective is that ….• In other words ….• Tell me if I’m wrong, but what you’re saying is ….
Summarizing • Let me summarize ….• Okay, your main concerns are ….• Thus far, you’ve discussed ….• To recap what you’ve said ….
3.23.2
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Giving Feedback
3.33.3
Two types of feedback:
Constructive Destructive
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Making Feedback Constructive
• Give immediate feedback– Don’t 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
3.33.3
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Beyond the BookAnnual Reviews Six Months too Late
One of the difficulties with annual reviews, says Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz, is that the feedback often is not immediate. Bartzsays, “I have the puppy theory. When the puppy pees on the carpet, you say something right then because you don’t say six months later, ‘Remember that say, January 12, when you peed on the carpet?’That doesn’t make any sense.”
Source: C. Bartz, “Corner Office: Imagining a World Without Annual Reviews”, interview by A. Bryant, The New York Times, 17 October 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/business/18corner.html?ref=business (accessed 10/23/2009).
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Improving Cross-Cultural Communication
1. Familiarize yourself with a culture’s work norm s1. Familiarize yourself with a culture’s work norm s
2. Know whether a culture is emotionally affective or neutral
2. Know whether a culture is emotionally affective or neutral
3. Understand terms and attitudes toward time3. Understand terms and attitudes toward time
Beyond the Book
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A Comparison of French and American Views of Work
Beyond the Book
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Affective and Neutral Cultures
In Affective Cultures, People…In Affective Cultures, PeopleIn Affective Cultures, People ……
1. Reveal thoughts and feelings through verbal and nonverbal communication
2. Express and show feelings of tension
3. Let their emotions flow easily, intensely, and without inhibition
4. Admire heated, animated, and intense expressions of emotion
5. Are used to touching, gesturing, and showing strong emotions through facial expressions
6. Make statements with emotion
Beyond the Book
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Affective and Neutral Cultures
In Neutral Cultures, People…In Neutral Cultures, PeopleIn Neutral Cultures, People ……
1. Don’t reveal what they are thinking or feeling
2. Hide tension and only show it accidentally in face or posture
3. Suppress emotions, leading to occasional “explosions”
4. Admire remaining cool, calm, and relaxed
5. Resist touching, gesturing, and strong emotions through facial expressions
6. Often make statements in an unexpressive manner
Beyond the Book
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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
• Show respect for private property
• Emphasize promptness
• Are accustomed to short-term relationships
People in Monochronic Cultures…People in Monochronic CulturesPeople in Monochronic Cultures ……
Beyond the Book
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Polychronic Cultures
• Do many things at once• Are highly distractible and subject to interruptions• Meet time commitments only if possible without extreme
measures• 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
People in Polychronic Cultures…People in Polychronic CulturesPeople in Polychronic Cultures ……
Beyond the Book
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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
Beyond the Book
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Managing Organization-Wide Communication
ImprovingTransmission:
Getting theMessage Out
ImprovingTransmission:
Getting theMessage Out
Improving Reception
Improving Reception
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emailemail
collaborative discussion sitescollaborative discussion sites
televised / videotapedspeeches and conferences
televised / videotapedspeeches and conferences
voice mailvoice mail
broadcast voice mailbroadcast voice mail
Improving Transmission
Getting the Message OutGetting the Message Out
4.14.1
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Email Ettiquette
• E-mail is the vehicle for any number of communication faux pas: being abusive, “cc”ing the wrong people, discussing sensitive topics.
• How to use it well? (1) Think about tone and don’t respond when you’re angry. (2) Send only to the appropriate people. (3) Assume anyone can read what you write. (4) Review what you wrote before you send.
Source: G. A. Olson, “E-Mails are Forever,”The Chronicle of Higher Education, 15 December 2008.
Beyond the Book
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Establishing Collaborative Discussion Sites
KnowledgeAudit
KnowledgeAudit
OnlineDirectoryOnline
Directory
DiscussionGroups on
Internet
DiscussionGroups on
Internet
RewardInformation
Sharing
RewardInformation
Sharing
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4
4.14.1
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Improving Reception
• Company hotlines
• Survey feedback
• Informal meetings
• Surprise visits
• Blogs4.24.2
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