Communicating: The Essence of Organizational Success Dr. Craig Nathanson 1 What is Communication? The exchange of messages between persons for the purpose of constructing common meaning The most critical skill for managers and for self-leadership Personal power Motivation Resolving conflict Delegation and/or empowerment Facilitation Collaboration 2 2 The Challenge – Poor communications at work Poor communication and interpersonal relationships 3 Abrasive, insensitive, unskillful message delivery Distant, distrustful, uncaring interpersonal relationships Restricted, inaccurate information, and defective communication flow 3 Traditional model of Business Communications Focus on Accuracy and Efficiency Conduit Model transmitter, receiver, noise However… 4 Recent research confirms that interpersonal problems are responsible for a significant proportion of communication problems 4 Communications is a complex process Example Terry: I won’t make it to work again tomorrow; this pregnancy keeps me nauseous and my doctor says I should probably be reduced to part time. Boss: Terry, this is the third day you have missed and your appointments keep backing up; we have to cover for you and this is messing all of us up! Message- encode- decode by receiver- message received Margin for error is high at each step! Some social psychologists estimate there is a usual loss of 40-60% of the meaning in a message from sender to receiver! 5 5 Barriers to effective communications Language: how we say it Defensiveness or distorted perceptions Misreading of body language Self-fulfilling assumptions Managers hesitation to be candid Distrusted source Perceptual biases 6 6 Reading non-verbal cues Visual Body language, facial expression Tactile The use of touch Vocal The meaning changes through use of voice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOkrS1v7Ywk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvEci5Bjgd4 7 7 Reading non-verbal cues Physical space North American culture safe zones The intimate zone - our closest friends – 2 feet The personal zone- family and friends- 2-4 feet The social zone- where most business transactions take place 4-12 feet The public zone- used for presentations- over 12 feet 8 8 It all starts with good listening skills Listen openly and with empathy Judge the content not the person Use many methods to comprehend Fight off distractions Use questions to gather data Respond with interest 9 9 Common fears around giving feedback Fear of the other person’s reaction Only subjective data available Information may be flawed May be based on personal bias 10 10 Characteristics of effective feedback Descriptive (not evaluative) Focused on the behavior, not the person Given to help not hurt Better when solicited than imposed Timely (given when the person is ready and can use the data) Doesn’t overload the receiver The use of checking (asking the receiver to repe ...

1. Communicating: The Essence of Organizational Success
Dr. Craig Nathanson
1
What is Communication?
The exchange of messages between persons for the purpose of
constructing common meaning
The most critical skill for managers and for self-leadership
Personal power
Motivation
Resolving conflict
Delegation and/or empowerment
Facilitation
Collaboration
2

2. 2
The Challenge – Poor communications at work
Poor communication and interpersonal relationships
3
Abrasive, insensitive, unskillful message delivery
Distant, distrustful, uncaring interpersonal relationships
Restricted, inaccurate information, and defective
communication flow
3
Traditional model of Business Communications
Focus on Accuracy and Efficiency
Conduit Model
transmitter, receiver, noise
However…
4

3. Recent research confirms that interpersonal problems are
responsible for a significant proportion of communication
problems
4
Communications is a complex process
Example
Terry: I won’t make it to work again tomorrow; this pregnancy
keeps me nauseous and my doctor says I should probably be
reduced to part time.
Boss: Terry, this is the third day you have missed and your
appointments keep backing up; we have to cover for you and
this is messing all of us up!
Message- encode- decode by receiver- message received
Margin for error is high at each step!
Some social psychologists estimate there is a usual loss of 40-
60% of the meaning in a message from sender to receiver!
5
5

4. Barriers to effective communications
Language: how we say it
Defensiveness or distorted perceptions
Misreading of body language
Self-fulfilling assumptions
Managers hesitation to be candid
Distrusted source
Perceptual biases
6
6
Reading non-verbal cues
Visual
Body language, facial expression
Tactile
The use of touch
Vocal
The meaning changes through use of voice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOkrS1v7Ywk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvEci5Bjgd4
7

5. 7
Reading non-verbal cues
Physical space
North American culture safe zones
The intimate zone - our closest friends – 2 feet
The personal zone- family and friends- 2-4 feet
The social zone- where most business transactions take place 4-
12 feet
The public zone- used for presentations- over 12 feet
8
8
It all starts with good listening skills
Listen openly and with empathy
Judge the content not the person
Use many methods to comprehend
Fight off distractions
Use questions to gather data
Respond with interest
9

6. 9
Common fears around giving feedback
Fear of the other person’s reaction
Only subjective data available
Information may be flawed
May be based on personal bias
10
10
Characteristics of effective feedback
Descriptive (not evaluative)
Focused on the behavior, not the person
Given to help not hurt
Better when solicited than imposed
Timely (given when the person is ready and can use the data)
Doesn’t overload the receiver
The use of checking (asking the receiver to repeat what was
heard)

7. 11
11
Good and poor examples of giving feedback
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW2dKhqY4yU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSVJCCOCOxc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BeDd537piE
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12
Information richness
Low
Impersonal communication
Conveyed through documents, technology
Formal written or numeric
E-mails, faxes, reports

8. Limited or absent context
Delayed and limited feedback
Limited visual, audio information
Audio information
High
Personal communication
Face to face, spoken language
Body and natural language
Immediate feedback
Verbal and non-verbal
Rich visual and audio information
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13
Communications at work
Where is the most time spent?
Meetings
Presentations
E-mail
Phone conversations
14

9. 14
Phone communications
DO
Speak clearly
Identify yourself when calling
Ask “Is this a good time to talk?”
Leave message with details, and the best time to call back
Let the person know what you want them to do
Don’t
Hang up if you reach the wrong number
Type on the keyboard while on the phone
Answer the phone while speaking to a person face to face
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15
Peer and bi-directional communications
Practice effective communications and be a role model
Open (professional) doors for others

10. Encourage new ideas
Walk around a lot
Encourage open dialog
Be open yourself
Display integrity
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16
Cascading communications and goals
Use a system
highlights
lowlights
issues
plans
Distribute routine progress (weekly/monthly reports)
department
division
company
Create an open system — not a closed system
17

11. 17
Develop open and candid feedback
Be self-aware
biases
assumptions
Display integrity
Be a role model for integrity
Encourage others to display
openness
risk-taking and courage in communications
Encourage and establish balanced work relationships
18
18
Summary
Quality in = Quality out
Adults are like kids. They need to be:
listened to
cared about
given enjoyable things to do
given opportunities to learn and grow
19

12. 19
Summary - continued
Role-model integrity in all communications
Take positive risks in all communications
Always over-communicate
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20