MANAGING

COMMUNICATIONS
 Managing Communications
Communication Fundamentals
The importance of Communication
The two-way Communication Process Other Forms of Communication
Potential Problems Lateral Communication
Communication Barriers Social Networking and Electronics
Communication Symbols Communication
Pictures Informal Communication
The Impact of Barriers on the Features of the Grapevine
Communication Process Rumor
Downward Communication
Prerequisites and Problems
Communication Needs
Job Instruction
Upward Communication
Difficulties
Upward Communications Practices
COMMUNICATIONS
Communication is the transfer of information and understanding from one person to another.

Communication always involves at least two people – sender and the receiver.

It is a way of reaching others by transmitting ideas, facts, thoughts, feelings and values.

It’s goal is to have the receiver understand the message as it was intended in (often) to up upon that
information.
 Communication Fundamentals
• The importance of Communication
Organizations cannot exist without communication.

If there is no communication, employees cannot know what their coworkers are doing, management cannot
receive information inputs, and supervisors in team leaders cannot give instruction.

Every act of communication influences the organization in some way.

When communication is effective it tends to facilitate better performance and improved job satisfaction

Open and candid communication is generally better than restricted communication. In effect if employees
know the problems an organization is facing in here what managers are trying to do, they will usually respond
favorably.
Communication Fundamentals
 Communication Fundamentals
• The two-way Communication Process
Is the method by which is center reaches a receiver with a message
Step 1
Develop an idea - Is to develop an idea that the sander wishes to transmit
Step 2
Encode - is to encode (convert) the idea in the suitable words, charts, or other symbols for transformation
Framing uses rich, colorful, carefully selected language to shape the perceptions of recipients. The
center of a communication attempts to frame an issue by placing it in a particular contacts or background to
manage the meaning in the way it was intended.
Step 3
Transmit - is to transmit it by the method chosen, such as by memo, phone call, or personal visit. The sender
also tries to keep the communication channel free of barriers, or interference.
transmission allows another person to receive a message
(Barriers free communication is encouraged in interviews and appraisals)
Step 4
Received – the initiative trasfers to the receiver, who tunes in receive the message.
if its oral, the receiver needs to be good listener.
ifn the receiver does not function, the message is lost.
 Communication Fundamentals
• The two-way Communication Process
Step 5
Decode - The decode the message so it can be understood. Understanding can only occur in receivers mind.

Step 6
Accept - once is the receiver has obtained and decoded the message, that person has the opportunity to accept or reject
it. Acceptance is a matter of choice and degree
Some factors affecting the acceptance decision revolve around perceptions of the message’s accuracy, the authority and
credibility of the sender, the senders persuasive skills.

Step 7
Use - The receiver to use the information

Step 8
Provide feedback - when the receiver acknowledges the message in response to the sender, feedback has occurred

To make communication, made possible by feedback, has a back-and-forth pattern

Communication Fundamentals
 Communication Fundamentals
• Potential Problems
Two way communication can also cause difficulties

 Two people may strongly disagree about some of them but not realized it until they established the way
communication, they may take even more extreme positions

 Defensive reasoning is designed to avoid risk and the appearance of incompetence.

 Cognitive dissonance - internal conflict in anxiety that occurs when two people receive information
incompatible with their value systems, prior decisions, and other information they may have.

 Senders always need to communicate with care, because communication is a potent form of self revelation to
others as well as resource source of possible evaluation.

 Face saving an attempt to preserve or even enhance our valued self-concept (face) when it is attacked.
Sometimes regret having said something that challenges our self-concept, personal image, or social honor.
 Communication Fundamentals
• Communication Barriers
Obstacles act as noise or barriers to communication and may emerge in either the physical surroundings or
with in an individuals emotions.

Personal barriers - Argument communication interferences that arise from human emotions, values, and
poor listening habits. May also stem from. Differences in education, race, sex, socioeconomic status, and other
factors.

Psychological distance - A feeling of being emotionally separated - between people that is similar to actual
physical distance How are emotion at as perpetual filter in nearly all our communications. We see and hear what
we are emotionally tune to see and hear. Communication is guided by our expectations.
 Communication Fundamentals
• Communication Barriers
Physical barriers are communication and differences that occur in the environment in which the
communication takes place

Semantic barriers communication limitation caused by the variety of meanings in the symbols used (words
pictures and actions)

Jargon - specialized language of a group, often incorporating acronyms or slang. Jargon is

beneficial within a group but is often create problems across different groups. Inference interpretation of
symbols that is based on assumptions, not facts Communication symbols
 Communication Fundamentals
• Communication Symbols
 Words,
 Pictures
 Actions ( nonverbal communication)
 Communication Fundamentals
• Communication Symbols
 Words,
A major difficulty occurs, however, since nearly every common word
has several meanings.

Context provides meaning to words partially through the cues people

receive from their social environment, such as friends and coworkers

Social cues are positive or negative bits of information that influence

how people react to a communication
 Communication Fundamentals
• Communication Symbols
 Words,
Our susceptibility to being influenced by these cues varies, depending on the credibility of the
source, our past exposure to the item, The ambiguity of the cues, , and the individual differences such
as diverse cultural background.

If symbols of the type that receivers prefer are used, the receivers will be more receptive.

This assumption is behind the idea of readability, which is the process of making writing in
speech more understandable.

(Much of organizational literature sent to employees and customers is more difficult than standard
levels of readability. Employee handbooks code of conduct annual reports to stockholders product
assembly manuals strategic plans in union contracts are consistently rated difficult and very difficult)
 Communication Fundamentals
• Communication Symbols
 Pictures
Pictures used to clarify with communication

Pictures can provide powerful visual images, suggested by the

proverb “a picture is worth 1000 words”

To be most effective, however, pictures should be combined with well

chosen words and actions to tell a complete story.
 Communication Fundamentals
• Communication Symbols
 Actions ( nonverbal communication)
Two significant points about action or sometimes overlook.

One point is that failure to act is an important way of communicating.

Second point is that action speak louder than words

The manager’s behavior is the stronger social cue.

When there is difference between what someone sees and does a
credibility gap exists
 Communication Fundamentals
• Communication Symbols
 Actions ( nonverbal communication)
Communication credibility is based on three factors: trustworthiness, expertise and
dynamism.

These three factors suggest that managers must act with integrity, speak from a
strong base of knowledge, and delivered her message with confidence, enthusiasm, and
passion.
 Communication Fundamentals
• Communication Symbols
 Actions ( nonverbal communication)
The managers credibility can take years to develop, only a few months are
required to destroy the trust that employees have.

Despite the wealth of data available from nonverbal cues, their interpretation
is highly subjective and loaded with the potential for error.

Caution is in order.
 Communication Fundamentals
• The Impact of Barriers on the Communication Process
 Downward Communication
- in an organization is the flow of information from higher to lower levels of authority

• Prerequisites and Problems

A solid foundation has four cornerstones that act as prerequisite for an effective approach.
 First managers need to develop a positive communication attitude
 Second, managers must continually work to get informed.
 Third, managers need to consciously plan for communication
 Fourth managers must develop trust

Communication overload
Communication overload - they give employees enormous amount of information until employees find they
are overwhelmed with data, but their understanding is not improved.

In which employees receive more communication input than they can process or more than they need
 Downward Communication
Acceptance of communication

Several conditions encourage acceptance of a communication:

1. Acknowledge legitimacy of the sender to send a message
2. Perceived competence of the sender relative to the issue
3. Trust in the sender as a leader in as a person
4. Perceived credibility of the message received
5. Acceptance of the task in goals that communication is trying to accomplish
6. Power of the sender to enforce sanction (either directly or indirectly) on the reciever
 Downward Communication
• Communication Needs
- Employees at lower levels have a number of communication needs.

• Job Instruction
- managers secure better results if they state their instructions in terms of the objective requirements of the job as
well as the opportunities and potential problem areas

- Performance feedback
Performance feedback employees also need feedback about their performance
Feedback helps them know what to do and how well they are meeting their own goals
Performance feedback leads to both improved performance and improved attitude

- Feedback seeking behavior in which they search for information about their prior
performance in possible areas of improvement
- Feedback seeking individuals get actively monitor cues regarding their own performance
inquire about progress towards their goals

-
 Downward Communication
News – downward messages should reach employees as fresh and timely news rather than as a stale confirmation of
what already has been learned from other sources

Social support which is the perception that they are cared for esteemed and valued,
When interpersonal violence interest are displayed by manager, they may be positive impacts
on psychological and physical health, as well as job satisfaction in performance
presence (and caring delivery) of communication, not the topic itself, that is most important for
satisfying this particular need
 Upward Communication
Upward Communication

is the process of information flowing from the lower levels of a hierarchy to the upper levels.

This type of communication is becoming more popular in organizations as traditional forms

of communication are becoming less popular.

•
 Upward Communication
• Difficulties
Delay - which is the unnecessarily slow movement of information up to the higher levels

Filtering - Partial screening out of information occurs because of the natural tendency for an
employee to tell you superior only want the employer things the superior wants to hear

Organizational silence - conscious or unconscious withholding of information about potential

problems or issues on the part of employees

Caused by two compelling factors fear of negative repercussions for speaking

up (a managers intolerance of dissent,) or an assumption that once voice
would not be heard anyway I’ll (sometimes based on valid prior experience)

Legitimate reasons for filtering

The total message may be very lengthy, technically overwhelming, or the
information may be speculative and require additional confirmation

In an effort to avoid filtering, people bypassed there’s a barrier, which means that they
skip one or more steps in the communication hierarchy.
 Upward Communication
• Difficulties
In an effort to avoid filtering, people bypassed there’s a barrier, which means that
they skip one or more steps in the communication hierarchy.

positive side - reduce filtering and delays

Negative side - they upset those who are bypassed employers usually discourage it

Distortion - Willful modification of a message intended to Achieve once personal objectives.

 Upward Communication
• Upward Communications Practices

Questioning
Open questions - road topic gives others and opportunity to respond in many ways.
Close questions - Focus on the narrower topic and invite the receiver to provide a specific
response.
Both open and close questions can be useful for initiating upward communication, especially if
they invite dialogue and reflective thoughts

Listening
Effective listening works on two levels - it helps receiver understand both the factual idea
and the emotional message the sender intended
Good listener not only hear what the person is saying but also learned about the feelings
and emotions of that person

Employee meeting
Employee meeting one useful method of building upward communications is to meet small groups
of employees.
 Upward Communication
• Upward Communications Practices

An open door policy

open door policy is a statement that encourages employees to come to their supervisor or to
higher management with any matter that concerns them

The goal is to remove blocks to upward communication

Though Managers door is physically open, psychological and social barriers exist that make
employees reluctant to enter

Others are afraid they will incurred dear managers disfavor if there is disruptive issues

An open door is even more effective with managers just work out through their own doors
and interact directly with employees

Open door policy powerful social cue

 Upward Communication
• Upward Communications Practices

Participation in social group

Informal casual recreational events burnish superb opportunities for unplanned upward
communication

Information gain on a spontaneous basis reverse through conditions better than most formal
communications
 Other Forms of Communication
• Lateral Communication
Lateral communication
Lateral communication, or cross communication, which is communication across chains of
command.

Necessary for a job coordination with people in different departments

People prepare informality of lateral communication rather than the up and down
process of official chain of command

Employees who plays a major role in other communication are referred to as boundary
spanners

Boundaries spanning employees have strong communication links with their department,
with people in other units, and often with external community.

This gives them a source of status and potential power

 Other Forms of Communication
• Social Networking and Electronics
Social networking
wikis are web pages that enable thier user to add or modify contempt the most beautiful
example of this is Wikipedia

Electronic-mail

Blogs – web logs or Blogs

Twitter (microbloggng )

Telecommuting
telecommuters accomplish all or part of their work at home, or at a satelite location

Virtual offices
 Informal Communication
• Grapevine is an informal communication system
company information that is communicated informally between employees and people
in the community.

• Features of the Grapevine

the pattern that grapevine information usually follows is called a cluster chain, because each
link in the chain tends to inform a cluster of other people instead of only on person

Active communicators are called liaison individuals

This means that given the proper situation and motivation, anyone would tend to become active
on the grapevine.
• Rumor
 Informal Communication
• Rumor
the major problem with the grapevine – and the one that gives the grapevine its poor reputation is Rumor

rumor is grapevine information is communicated without secure standards of evidence being presented.

rumor is primarily a result of both interest and ambiguity in a stuation

Types of Rumors
• historical and explanatory; they attempt to make meaning out of incomplete prior events
• spontaneous and action oriented; they arise without forethought and represent attempts to change a current
situation.
 Informal Communication
Control of Rumor
rumor should be dealt with firmly and consistently, but how and what to attact must be known.
• Guidelines for control of rumor
remove its causes in order to prevent it
Apply efforts primarily to serious rumors
Refute rumors with facts
Deal with rumors as soon as possible
Emphasize the face-to-face supply of facts, confirmed in writting if nescessary
provide facts from reliable sources
refrain from repeating rumor while refuting it
encourage assistance of informal and union leaders if they are cooperative
Listen to all rumors in order to understand what they may mean
THANK
YOU