CHAPTER 2

Improving Personal and

Organizational Communications

“The important thing in communication

is to hear what isn’t being said.”
-Peter Drucker, Author of numerous management books

© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Communicating Effectively
in a High-Tech World

The information age is characterized by

• Rapid advances in tech-based communication
• Faster and more frequent communication
• Information glut

How do these dynamics affect us mentally?

How do they affect us relationally?

© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 The Communication Process

One-way process Two-way process

Limited opportunity to clarify Feedback necessary
Ex: Memos, voice mail, Ex: Meetings, phone
message boards calls, classes
When is it most appropriate to communicate:
Impersonally? Interpersonally?
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Simplified Communication Process

© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Complex Communication Process

© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Communication Filters

Semantics
• Study of the relationship between
words and their meanings
• Abstract terms are subject to more
interpretation of meaning
• Job satisfaction has more possible
interpretations than envelope

Think of an instance when assumptions about word

meaning created confusion. How could the thought have
been communicated more clearly?
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Communication Filters

Language and Cultural Barriers

• Globalization & workplace diversity
require us to be thoughtful when
communicating with multi-lingual people

• Values, expressions, & beliefs influence

the way we interpret verbal & nonverbal
messages
• Ex: Some cultures value direct
communication while others value tact,
subtlety and harmony over brevity
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Communication Filters
Emotions
• People often fail to understand
messages when their thoughts are
influenced by emotion
Attitudes
• Negative or positive attitudes about
another’s voice, accent, topic,
delivery, gestures, or appearance
can create resistance to or bias
toward a message
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Communication Filters

Role Expectations
• People may be more or less
receptive to a message based on
the speaker’s role
Gender-Specific Focus
• Gender roles learned throughout
childhood influence men and
women to communicate and value
conversation differently
What role expectations affect the messages you communicate?
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Communication Filters

Nonverbal Messages
• Messages communicated without words
through posture, facial expressions,
gestures, eye contact, personal space,
and voice tone
• Research shows that when two people
communicate, nonverbal messages have
much more impact than verbal messages
What are the consequences of communicating with
consistent verbal and nonverbal messages?
With inconsistent messages?
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Nonverbal Messages
Cultural Influences
• Eye contact:
– A direct stare is considered impolite in many
cultures
– Avoiding eye contact is often perceived as
indifferent or dishonest in the US, but avoiding
eye contact is considered a sign of respect in
some East Asian and African culturesRef
– As a general rule in North America, when you
are communicating in a business setting, your
eyes should meet the other person’s about 60
to 70 percent of the time

© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Nonverbal Messages
Cultural Influences
• Facial Expressions:
– Facial expressions often help us identify the
inner feelings of others
– However, many people attempt to intentionally
manipulate their facial expressions
– Some facial expressions are considered
“culturally universal” because, across the globe,
humans use the same muscles to produce them
Ref Ekman

– Thus, most people can detect the difference

between genuine and faked expressions Ref
Ekman et al
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Nonverbal Messages

Cultural Influences
• Gestures
– Give information to others about how you are
reacting to them and to situations
– Some cultures value gesturing more than
others
– Be careful: Gestures are not culturally
universal!

© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Nonverbal Messages

Gestures
• Insert Figure 2.3

© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Nonverbal Messages

Cultural Influences
• Personal Space
– How closely we stand to others influences
how comfortable they are with us
– Consider these zones:
• Intimate distance
• Personal distance
• Social distance
• Public distance

© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 The Responsibilities of
Effective Communication
The message sender and receiver share equal
responsibility in good communication

What are the What are the

sender’s receiver’s
responsibilities? responsibilities?

© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Steps to Improve Personal
Communication
1) Send Clear Messages
• Use clear, concise language: Avoid slang, jargon
or industry-specific language a receiver might
not understand
• Use repetition: Send an email and call via phone
• Use appropriate timing: Be aware of others’
schedules and workload
• Consider the receiver’s preferences: Some
prefer email, others prefer face-to-face or phone
calls
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Steps to Improve Personal
Communication
2) Develop Effective Listening Skills
• Active Listening: Using intense involvement &
concentration on what one is hearing & seeing
• Critical Listening: Listening while using critical
thinking to analyze message content & source
• Empathic Listening: Listening with the intent of
understanding how the other person feels

© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Communication in
Organizations
Formal Channels of Communication

Official info
travels up and
Official info travels down through
between people of all levels of
the same level of authority
authority

© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Communication in
Organizations
Informal Channel:
The Grapevine
Carries unofficial
information in many
directions

How is the grapevine positive?

How is it negative?
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Improving Organizational
Communication
• Encourage upward communication of feelings
and ideas from employees to managers

• Remove barriers that prevent open

communication

What barriers may exist in an

organization that prevent open
communication?
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Communicating Via Technology

• Increased use of teleconferencing, email,

voice mail, and other forms of technology
create advantages and challenges in
communicating with and relating to others

Brainstorm the Brainstorm the

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGE
S
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Communicating Via Technology

Voice Mail Etiquette/Tips to Minimize Phone

Tag
•For your voicemail:
•Update recorded message
•Explain how to reach ‘live’ person for urgent calls
•When leaving voicemail:
•State best time to reach you
•State brief purpose of call
•Give first and last name
•Leave contact number
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Communicating Via Technology
Email Etiquette & Tips
• Know your company’s policy on email
• Create an appropriate address
– Not: [email protected]
• Use the Subject: line appropriately
• Proofread and edit messages clearly
• Avoid unprofessional language and abbreviations
• Don’t send messages when angry
• Don’t substitute email for face-to-face meetings –
when appropriate
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.