Chapter 15 Communication Exploring Management Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Communication

Chapter 15 Kayak.com’s chief technology officer Paul English bought a two-foot-tall elephant toy, Annabelle, for the conference room. This elephant can’t be ignored. “So often at work,” he says, “people have issues that they can’t resolve because they won’t talk about it.” Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Learning Objectives Chapter 15 What is communication and when is it effective? (15.1) What are the major barriers to effective communication? (15.2) How can we improve communication with people at work? (15.3) Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 15.1 Takeaway – answers to come Communication helps people build social capital. Communication is a process of sending and receiving messages with meanings attached. Communication is effective when the receiver understands the sender’s messages. Communication is efficient when it is delivered at low cost to the sender. Communication is persuasive when the receiver acts as the sender intends. Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 15.1 Communication Social capital the capacity to attract support and help from others in order to get things done Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 15.1 Communication Process Process of sending and receiving messages with meanings attached Check Your Communication Skills Use e-mail, voicemail, text messaging Write memos, letters, reports Network with peers and mentors Conduct job interviews Run meetings, contribute to meetings Give persuasive presentations Work well in teams Give and receive feedback Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 15.1 Communication Process Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Figure 15.1

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 15.1 Communication Process Receiver must understand the sender’s message Efficient Communication Communication occurs at minimum cost Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 15.1 Communication Process Persuasive communication Convincing others to accept, support, and act on the message Credible communication Earns trust, respect, and integrity Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 15.1 Study Guide for 15.1 Rapid Review: Communication is the interpersonal process of sending and receiving symbols with messages attached to them. Effective communication occurs when the sender and the receiver of a message both interpret it in the same way. Efficient communication occurs when the sender conveys the message at low cost. Persuasive communication results in the recipient acting as the sender intends. Credibility earned by expertise and good relationships is essential to persuasive communication. Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 15.1 Study Guide for 15.1 Questions for Discussion: Why do recruiters place so much emphasis on the communications skills of job candidates? Can you describe a work situation where it’s okay to accept less communication effectiveness in order to gain communication efficiency? What can a manager do to gain the credibility needed for truly persuasive communication? Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION 15.1 Be Sure You Can…for 15.1 describe the communication process and identify its key components define and give an example of effective communication define and give an example of efficient communication explain why an effective communication is not always efficient explain the role of credibility in persuasive communication Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS 15.2 Takeaway – answers to come Poor use of communication channels makes it hard to communicate effectively Poor written or oral expression makes it hard to communicate effectively Failure to spot nonverbal signals makes it hard to communicate effectively Status differences make it hard to communicate effectively. Physical distractions make it hard to communicate effectively Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS 15.2 Communication Channels Poor use makes effective communication difficult Noise interferes with the communication process Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Figure 15.2

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS 15.2 Communication Channels Medium used to carry message Channel richness Ability of the channel to convey meaning Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS 15.2 Communication Channels Poor written or oral expression makes it hard to communicate effectively Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS 15.2 Communication Channels Essential Ingredients of Successful Presentations Be prepared—Know what you want to say; know how you want to say it; rehearse saying it. Set the right tone—Focus on your audience; make eye contact and act pleasantly and confidently. Sequence your points—State your purpose, make important points, follow with details, and then summarize. Support your points—Give specific reasons for your points; state them in understandable terms. Accent the presentation—Use good visual aids; provide supporting handouts when possible. Add the right amount of polish—Attend to details; have room, materials, and arrangements ready to go. Check the technology—Check everything ahead of time; make sure it works and know how to use it. Don’t bet on the Internet—Beware of plans to make real-time Internet visits; save sites on a disk and use a browser to open the file. Be professional—Be on time; wear appropriate attire; act organized, confident, and enthusiastic. Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Table 15.1

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS 15.2 Communication Channels Nonverbal communication Gestures, expressions, posture and interpersonal space Mixed messages Words and nonverbal signals don’t match Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS 15.2 Communication Channels Information filtering Intentional distortion of information to make it more favorable to the recipient Physical distractions Plan message to minimize distractions and interruptions Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS 15.2 Study Guide for 15.2 Rapid Review: Noise interferes with the effectiveness of communication. Poor choice of channels can reduce communication effectiveness. Poor written or oral expression can reduce communication effectiveness. Failure to accurately read nonverbal signals can reduce communication effectiveness. Filtering caused by status differences can reduce communication effectiveness. Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS 15.2 Study Guide for 15.2 Questions for Discussion: When is texting not an appropriate way to convey a message in a work situation? If someone just isn’t a good writer or speaker, what can he or she do to improve communication skills? How can a higher-level manager avoid the problem of filtering when lower-level staffers pass information upward to her? Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS 15.2 Be Sure You Can…for 15.2 list common sources of noise that can interfere with effective communication. discuss how the choice of channels influences communication effectiveness. give examples of poor language choices in written and oral expression. clarify the notion of mixed messages and how nonverbals affect communication. explain how filtering operates in upward communication. Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION 15.3 Improving Communication Active listening helps people say what they really mean. Constructive feedback is specific, timely, and relevant. Office spaces can be designed to encourage interaction and communication. Transparency and openness ensure that accurate information is shared. Appropriate use of technology can facilitate more and better communication. Sensitivity and etiquette can improve cross-cultural communication. Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION 15.3 Listening Active listening Helps the source of a message say what he or she really means Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION 15.3 Listening Rules for better listening Listen for message content Listen for feelings Respond to feelings Note all cues Paraphrase and restate Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION 15.3 Feedback Process of telling someone else how you feel about something that person did or said Should be At the right time Genuine Specific Stick to the essentials Given in small doses Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION 15.3 Proxemics The study of the way we use space Physical distance between people conveys varying intentions in terms of intimacy, openness, and status. Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION 15.3 Openness Communication transparency Honest, open, accurate, and complete information Open-book management Employees are given essential financial information about their employers Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION 15.3 Physical Setting Work spaces designed to encourage interaction and communication Proxemics Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION 15.3 Technology Appropriate use of technology can facilitate more and better communication E-mail Text Social networking Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION 15.3 Technology Electronic grapevine Transmit information around informal networks inside and outside the organization Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION 15.3 Cross-Cultural Communication Ethnocentrism Consider one’s own culture to be superior Cultural etiquette Appropriate manners and behavior when communicating with people from other cultures Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION 15.3 Study Guide for 15.3 Rapid Review: Active listening, through reflecting back and paraphrasing, can help overcome barriers and improve communication. Organizations can design and use office architecture and physical space to improve communication. Information technology, such as e-mail, instant messaging, and intranets, can improve communication in organizations, but it must be well used. Ethnocentrism, a feeling of cultural superiority, can interfere with cross-cultural communication; with sensitivity and cultural etiquette it can be improved. Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION 15.3 Study Guide for 15.3 Questions for Discussion: Which rules for active listening do you think most people break? Is transparency in communications a sure winner, or could a manager have problems with it? How could you redesign your office space, or that of your instructor or boss, to make it more communication-friendly? Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION 15.3 Be Sure You Can…for 15.3 role play the practice of active listening. list the rules for giving constructive feedback. explain how space design influences communication. identify ways technology utilization influences communication. explain the concept of cultural etiquette. Schermerhorn, Exploring Management, Fourth Edition, © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.