Principle and Practice of Management MGT

1. Communicating
Chapter Fifteen
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2. Learning Objectives
LO 1 Discuss important advantages of two-way communication.
LO 2 Identify communication problems to avoid.
LO 3 Describe when and how to use the various communication
channels.
LO 4 Summarize ways to become a better sender and receiver of
information.
LO 5 Explain how to improve downward, upward, and horizontal
communication
LO 6 Summarize how to work with the company grapevine
LO 7 Describe the boundaryless organization and its advantages
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3. Interpersonal Communication
Communication
 The transmission of information and meaning
from one party to another through the use of
shared symbols
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4. Interpersonal Communication
The sender initiates the process by conveying
information to the receiver—the person for whom
the message is intended.
The sender has a meaning he or she wishes to
communicate and encodes the meaning into
symbols (the words chosen for the message).
Then the sender transmits, or sends, the message
through some channel, such as a verbal or written
medium.
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5. Interpersonal Communication
The receiver decodes the message (e.g., reads
it) and attempts to interpret the sender’s
meaning.
The receiver may provide feedback to the
sender by encoding a message in response to
the sender’s message.
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6. Interpersonal Communication
Noise
 interference in the
system
 blocks perfect
understanding
Examples of Noise
 ringing telephones
 thoughts about other
things
 simple fatigue or
stress
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7. One-Way versus Two-Way
Communication
One-way communication
 A process in which information flows in only one
direction—from the sender to the receiver, with
no feedback loop.
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8. A Model of One-Way Communication
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Figure 15.1

9. One-Way versus Two-Way
Communication
Two-way communication
 A process in which information flows in two
directions—the receiver provides feedback, and
the sender is receptive to the feedback.
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10. Communication Pitfalls
Perception
 The process of
receiving and
interpreting
information
Filtering
 The process of
withholding,
ignoring, or
distorting
information
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11. Oral and Written Channels
Oral communication
 includes face-to-face
discussion, telephone
conversations, and
formal presentations
and speeches
Written
communication
 includes e-mail,
memos, letters,
reports, computer
files, and other
written documents
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12. Oral Communication
Advantages
Questions can be asked
and answered
Feedback is immediate
and direct
More persuasive
Disadvantages
It can lead to
spontaneous, ill-
considered statements
(and regret)
There is no permanent
record of it
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13. Written Communication
Advantages
Message can be revised
several times
Permanent record that
can be saved
Message stays the same
even if relayed through
many people
Receiver has more time
to analyze the message
Disadvantages
Sender has no control
over where, when, or if
the message is read
Sender does not receive
immediate feedback
Receiver may not
understand parts of the
message
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14. Electronic Media
Teleconferencing
 groups of people in different locations interact
over telephone lines and perhaps also see one
another on television monitors as they
participate in group discussions
(videoconferencing)
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15. Advantages of Electronic
Communication
1. The sharing of more information
2. The speed and efficiency in delivering routine
messages to large numbers of people across
vast geographic areas
3. Can save companies untold amounts of
paper, postage, meetings, travel budgets,
conference calls, and the time required to
coordinate it all
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16. Disadvantages of Electronic
Communication
1. Difficulty of solving complex problems that
require more extended, face-to-face interaction
2. Inability to pick up subtle, nonverbal, or
inflectional clues about what the communicator is
thinking or conveying
3. Electronic messages sometimes are seen by those
for whom they are not intended
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17. The Virtual Office
Virtual office
 A mobile office in which people can work
anywhere, as long as they have the tools to
communicate with customers and colleagues.
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18. Media Richness
Media richness
 The degree to which
a communication
channel conveys
information.
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19. Nonverbal Skills
1. Use time appropriately
2. Make your office arrangement conducive to
open communication
3. Remember your body language
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20. Listening
Reflection
 Process by which a
person states what
he or she believes
the other person is
saying
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21. Ten Keys to Effective Listening
1. Find an area of
interest
2. Judge content, not
delivery
3. Hold your fire
4. Listen for ideas
5. Be flexible
6. Resist distraction
7. Exercise your mind.
8. Keep your mind open
9. Capitalize on thought
speed
10.Work at listening
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22. Observing
A vital source of useful observations comes
from personally visiting people, plants, and
other locations to get a firsthand view
You must accurately interpret what you
observe
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23. Organizational Communication
Downward communication
 Information that flows from higher to lower
levels in the organization’s hierarchy
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24. Organizational Communication
Coaching
 Dialogue with a goal of helping another be more
effective and achieve his or her full potential on
the job.
Open-book management
 Practice of sharing with employees at all levels of
the organization vital information previously
meant for management’s eyes only
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25. Organizational Communication
Upward
communication
 Information that
flows from lower to
higher levels in the
organization’s
hierarchy.
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26. Organizational Communication
Horizontal communication
 Information moving between people on the
same hierarchical level
 allows sharing of information, coordination, and
problem solving among units
 helps solve conflicts
 provides social and emotional support to people.
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27. Informal Communication
Grapevine
 the social network of informal communications.
 provides people with information
 helps them solve problems
 teaches them how to do their work successfully
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28. Managing Informal Communication
Don’t allow malicious gossip.
Managers should talk to the key people
involved to get the facts and their
perspectives
Neutralize rumors once they have started
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29. Managing Informal Communication
Suggestions for preventing rumors from starting
include:
Explaining events that are important but have
not been explained
Dispelling uncertainties by providing facts
Working to establish open communications
and trust over time.
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30. Boundarylessness
Boundaryless organization
 organization in which there are no barriers to
information flow
Boundaryless organization
 implies information available as needed moving
quickly and easily enough so that the organization
functions far better as a whole than as separate
parts.
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