Because learning changes everything.

Chapter 15
Communicating

© 2023 McGraw Hill, LLC. All rights reserved. Authorized only for instructor use in the classroom. No reproduction or further distribution permitted without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill, LLC.
 Learning Objectives
15-1 Discuss important advantages of two-way
communication.
15-2 Identify communication problems to avoid.
15-3 Describe when and how to use the various
communication channels.
15-4 Summarize ways to become a better sender and
receiver of information.
15-5 Explain how to improve downward, upward, and
horizontal communication.
15-6 Summarize how to work with the company grapevine.
15-7 Understand transparency and what it means to be
“boundaryless.”
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 Management in Action Communication During
Difficult Times

Effective communication is never a bad thing but is a sign of

managerial competence during turbulent times. This was
particularly the case during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Slack’s CEO Stewart Butterfield wanted his employees to
know that he understood and empathized with the fear and
upheaval they were experiencing. He sent an internal memo
expressing just that: “We got this. Take care of yourselves,
take care of your families, be a good partner. It is fine to work
irregular or reduced hours. It is fine to take time out when
you need it.” His prevailing message to this workforce: “Don’t
stress about work.”

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 Exhibit 15.1 A General Model of Communication

Access the text alternative for slide image

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 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.

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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 Communication Pitfalls
Perception:
• The process of receiving and interpreting information.

Filtering:
• The process of withholding, ignoring, or distorting
information.

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 Verbal and Written Channels
Verbal communication:
• Includes face-to-face discussion, phone conversations,
meetings, and formal presentations and speeches.

Written communication:
• Includes email, memos, letters, reports, spreadsheets,
product brochures, and other documents.

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 Verbal Communications
Advantages:
• Questions can be asked and answered.
• Feedback is immediate and direct.
• Receiver senses sender’s sincerity.
• Oral communication is more persuasive.

Disadvantages:
• Can lead to spontaneous, ill-considered statements (and
regret).
• There is no permanent record of it.

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 Written Communication
Advantages:
• A message can be revised.
• It provides for a permanent record.
• The message is unchanged, even if relayed.
• The 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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 Digital Communication and Social Media

Employers are making strides and catching up with consumers in their

use of social media.
Advantages:
• More information is shared.
• There is speed and efficiency in delivering routine messages to large
numbers of people.
• It saves paper, postage, meetings, travel budgets, and conference calls.

Disadvantages:
• It may not be able to solve complex problems.
• There is an inability to pick up subtle, nonverbal, or inflectional clues.
• It invites misinterpretations and improper messages.

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 The Virtual Office
A mobile office in which people can work anywhere, as long
as they have the tools to communicate with customers and
colleagues
• There are numerous benefits associated with virtual
offices.
• The longer-term impact on productivity and morale is still in
question.
• The virtual office requires changes in how human beings
work and interact and presents technical challenges.

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 Exhibit 15.2 Differences in Media Richness

More rich
Face-to-face conversation,
videoconference, and phone call

Less rich
Email, text, blog post,
and memo

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 Management in Action Communicating,
SoundCloud Style
SoundCloud has grown to be the largest music and audio
platform, but this growth came with significant growing pains.

• What is your intuitive assessment analysis of the

cost/benefit ratio for SoundCloud's multiple different
communication channels?
• What communication content is missing? What would you
most want to make sure the company isn't overlooking or
neglecting?

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 Writing Skills
Requires clear, logical thinking
Strive for clarity, organization, readability, brevity
Email:
• Specific subject lines.
• Put main point at beginning of message.
• Limit paragraph length.
• Avoid sarcasm or caustic humor.

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 Language Skills
Things to consider:
• Word choice, such as avoiding jargon.
• Receiver’s cultural and technical background.
• Meaning of chosen words.
• Learn host country’s language and customs.

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 Nonverbal Skills
1. Use time appropriately.
2. Make your office arrangement conducive to open
communication.
3. Remember your body language.

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 SPOTLIGHT ON… Communicating to Create
Change
Entrepreneurs use story telling when making pitches.
• Compelling stories improve on facts, analyses, and data by
personalizing the experience for both speaker and audience,
making entrepreneurs more relatable and their visions more
vivid and impactful.
Stories of success also help inform stakeholders about the work of
the organization, build its commitment and advocacy, spread the
word about the organization’s impact, and help secure funding.
1. How can stories offer a more powerful communication tool than
a presentation of data and facts? What examples come to
mind?
2. What does a social enterprise need to know about its audience
to communicate stories of the organization’s success?
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 Listening
Reflection:
• Process by which a person states what he or she believes
the other person says or means.
• Places a greater emphasis on listening rather than talking.

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 Exhibit 15.3 Ten Keys to Effective Listening

Exhibit 15.3 Ten Keys to Effective Listening

1. Find an area of interest.
2. Judge content, not delivery.
4. 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.

SOURCE: Ralph G. Nichols, “Listening Is a 10-Part Skill,” in Readings in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication
ed. R.C. Huseman, C.M. Logue, and D.L. Freshley (Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 19 77).

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 Reading
Illiteracy is a significant problem in the United States and
other countries.
Reading mistakes are common and costly.
Ways to improve:
• Read messages as soon as possible.
• Read important documents and messages slowly and
carefully.
• Note important points for later referral.
• Consider courses to improve speed and comprehension.
• Don’t limit your reading.

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 Observing
People decode nonverbal signals to determine meaning.
• 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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 Downward Communication
Information that flows from higher to lower levels in the
organization’s hierarchy

Often a lack of adequate information:

1. A lack of openness.
2. Message distortion.

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 Exhibit 15.4 Information Loss in Downward
Communication

Access the text alternative for slide image

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 Coaching and Open-Book Management

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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 Upward Communication
Information that flows from lower to higher levels in the
organization’s hierarchy
• The information may be facilitated by techniques such as
management by wandering around (MBWA).
• Management must not hold a grudge if they receive
negative information.
• Voice: when people speak up with good intentions about
work-related issues, rather than remaining silent.

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 Horizontal Communication
Information shared among people on the same hierarchical
level
• Allows sharing of information, coordination, and problem
solving among units.
• Helps to solve conflicts.
• Provides social and emotional support to people.

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 Informal Communication
More unofficial than formal
• Provides people with information.
• Helps them solve problems.
• Teaches them how to do their work successfully.
• Grapevine: informal communication network.

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 Managing Informal Communication
How to manage the grapevine:
1. Don’t allow malicious gossip.
2. Prevent rumors from starting by providing facts.
3. Neutralize rumors once they have started.

Transparency:
• People’s beliefs that the information their employer and
others send them is of high quality, as defined by accuracy,
timeliness, and full disclosure of relevant information.

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 Boundaryless Organization
An organization in which there are few major obstacles to
information flow
Information is available as needed, moving quickly and easily
enough so that the organization functions far better as a
whole than as separate parts.
Transparency strengthens people’s trust in an organization
and in one another.

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 Management in Action What Does Bumble
Communicate? Ladies First!
Bumble, the dating app that puts women in the lead, is
completely transparent about what it wants to communicate
both inside the workplace and to the world at large: Ladies
should in fact (and at long last!) come first.

• What do you think of Bumble’s central message of “Ladies

first"? What are its advantages? What are some potential
drawbacks?
• Bumble is trying to create a more collaborative
environment for female employees. How can two-way
communication be used to realize this goal?

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 In Review
1. Discuss important advantages of two-way communication.
2. Identify communication problems to avoid.
3. Describe when and how to use the various
communication channels.
4. Summarize ways to become a better sender and receiver
of information.
5. Explain how to improve downward, upward, and
horizontal communication.
6. Summarize how to work with the company grapevine.
7. Understand transparency and what it means to be
“boundaryless.”

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 End of Main Content

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© 2023 McGraw Hill, LLC. All rights reserved. Authorized only for instructor use in the classroom. No reproduction or further distribution permitted without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill, LLC.