MGT 674 Employee Relations Management Ajaya Mishra

Session 8 COMMUNICATIONS …. And Interpersonal Communications

Basic Ideas on Communication … Is there a sound in the forest if a tree crashes down and no one is around to hear it ? One can communicate only in recipient’s language or in his terms. We receive what we expect to perceive, we see what we expect to see and we hear what we expect to hear … Largely The human mind resists vigorously any attempts to make it change in mind .

Importance … Problems Solution Effective Communication Interpersonal conflicts Feeling undervalued Feeling overworked Feeling resentful, angry Trouble maintaining relationships Feeling afraid of losing someone Feeling unable to trust yourself in arguments Effective Communication

What ? Communication is an interaction between two or more people. Listen to the other person Interpret what is being said Respond in an understandable way

Elements in Communication … Encoding Message Transmitted on medium Receiver decodes Sender Receiver creates meaning Noise Source decodes Transmitted on medium Message Encoding

Communication is more than just verbal… Nonverbal communication Words account for only 7% of emotional impact of a message Voice tones- 38% Facial Expressions- 55%

STATISTICAL VIEW OF OMMUNICATION 70% of our communication efforts are: Misunderstood Misinterpreted Rejected (not accepted) Disliked Distracted Not heard at all (in spite of the same language and same culture!) Only 30% is effective!

IMPORTANT SKILLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN ORGANIZATIONS Communication 4.94 Teamwork 4.72 Leadership 4.60 Critical Thinking 4.57 Personal Management 4.52 Creativity 4.08 (On a scale of 1 to 5; 1 being least useful and 5 being most useful)

FREQUENCY OF SKILLS USE IN ORGANIZATIONS Communication 4.91 Teamwork 4.73 Personal Management 4.51 Critical Thinking 4.47 Leadership 4.46 Creativity 3.95 Technical/Scientific 3.91 Social Responsibility 3.89 (On a scale of 1 to 5; 1 being least useful and 5 being most useful)

Forms of Communication … Verbal / Oral : Expressed through words / voice Non Verbal: Expressed through body language, dress and personal grooming Written : Expressed through Letter, Memo, Reports etc. Visuals: Movies, Documentaries …

Barriers to of Effective Communication Personal barriers: Your style and character (rude, polite, shy, etc.) Preparation & presentation Lack of clarity (pronunciation, pitch, etc.) Lack of credibility Timing Jargon and pronunciation Sender’s speed of thought Receiver s not prepared Information overload Not repeating and important point Meeting in the evening Distractions

Organizational barriers: Culture Environment Size Structure Pace of activity Process barriers: Channel/medium Irrelevant information Lack of proper response Absence of feedback Inappropriate questions Information overload

Other Barriers … Physical Barriers: pertain to the physical distance between people communicating Semantic Barriers: relate to the different understanding and interpretations of the words we use to communicate

In order to communicate effectively you must do the following: Identify your communication style Identify problematic situations Given you have some areas that could be improved… Practice changing your communication skills

Different Communication Styles The Aggressive Style. Fighting, accusing, and threatening characterize this style. The Passive Style. Acceptance, unconditional with others’ demands, and being “walked on” by others characterize this style. The Passive Aggressive Style On the surface these individuals appear to be following the passive style. Hidden beneath the surface, however, these people act in an aggressive way.

The Assertive Style. This style is characterized by balance. Balance in the expression of feelings, self-pride, and self-regard, while at the same time being considerate of others. Through direct communication, you demonstrate respect for your rights and the rights of others. The advantage of assertiveness is that you can compromise so that you can get what you need and want.

Communication Nonverbal Behavior Verbal Behavior Style Description Pattern Pattern Good eye contact; Comfortable but firm posture; Strong, steady and audible voice; Facial expressions matched to message; Appropriately serious tone; Selective interruptions to ensure understanding. Direct and unambiguous language; No attributions or evaluations of others’ behavior; Use of “I” statements and cooperative “we” statements. Pushing hard without attacking; permits others to influence outcome; expressive and self-enhancing without intruding on others. Assertive

Communication Nonverbal Behavior Verbal Behavior Style Description Pattern Pattern Glaring eye contact; Moving or leaning too close; Threatening gestures (pointing finger; clenched fist); Loud Voice; Frequent interruptions. Swear words and abusive language; Attributions and evaluations of others’ behavior; Sexist or racists terms; Explicit threats or put-downs. Taking advantage of others; Expressive and self-enhancing at others’ expense. Aggressive

Communication Nonverbal Behavior Verbal Behavior Style Description Pattern Pattern Little eye contact; Downward glances; Slumped postures; Constantly shifting weight; Wringing hands; Weak or whiny voice. Qualifiers (“maybe,” “kind of” ); Fillers (“uh,” “you know,” “well”); Negaters (“it’s really not that important,” “I’m not sure”). Encouraging others to take advantage of us; Inhibited; Self-denying. Nonassertive

Sources of Distortion in Upward Communication Situational Antecedents Patterns of Distortion in Upward Communication Supervisor’s upward influence Low High Increased distortion because employees send more favorable information and withhold useful information. Low High 2. Supervisor’s power Increased distortion because employees screen out information detrimental to their welfare. Low High 3. Subordinate’s aspiration for upward mobility Less accuracy because employees tend to pass along information that helps their cause.

7 Cs of Effective Communication 1. Completeness 2. Conciseness 3. Consideration 4. Concreteness 5. Clarity 6. Courtesy 7. Correctness

COMPLETENESS Ensure that you provide all required information Answer all questions asked as far as possible Always give something extra, where applicable and desirable Examples: Incomplete: Please fax me the departure from New Delhi to Frankfurt on the 6th of this month. Incomplete: Why was my request for additional furniture for my office not responded to?

CONCISENESS Do not use wordy expressions Always use only relevant material Do away with unnecessary repetition Examples: Wordy : At this time Concise: Now Wordy : Due to the fact that Concise: Because Wordy : Have a need for Concise: Need Wordy : In due course Concise: Soon Wordy : Allow me to say how helpful your response was. Concise : Your last response was helpful.

CONSIDERATION - Focus on “you” instead of “I” or “we”. - Demonstrate audience benefit or interest in the receiver. - Ensure that you emphasize positive, pleasant facts while you speak. Examples: Insensitive: You failed to enclose your cheque in the envelope. Consideration: The cheque was not enclosed. (passive voice)

CONCRETENESS - Use specific facts and figures from reliable sources. - Put action into verbs. - Choose vivid, image-building words. Examples: Vague, general, and indefinite: Eastern Europe is making progress in getting investments. Concrete, precise: In 1990, investments in Eastern Europe were about US$30 million; today, that figure has increased by 12%.

CLARITY Use precise, concrete, and familiar words. Construct effective sentences & paragraphs, with right emphasis. Examples: Unfamiliar: After our perusal of pertinent data, the conclusion is that a lucrative market exists for the subject property. Familiar: The data we studied show that your property is profitable and in high demand.

COURTESY - Be sincerely tactful, thoughtful, and appreciative. - Use expressions that show respect. - Choose non-discriminatory expressions. Examples: Tactless, blunt: I rewrote that letter three times; the point was clear. Tactful: I’m, sorry the point was not clear; here is another version. Avoid expressions such as: I do not agree with you; obviously you overlooked; we don’t believe.

Correctness - Use the right level of language. - Always check the accuracy of facts, figures, and words. Examples: Use: Think instead of deem; question instead of interrogate; stolen instead of stoled.

Categories of Non-Verbal Messages Environment Interpersonal Distance Posture Gestures Facial Expressions Voice Quality Personal Appearance

Skills and Best Practices: Advice to Improve Nonverbal Communication Skills Positive Nonverbal Actions Include: Maintain eye contact. Nod your head to convey that you are listening or that you agree. Smile and show interest. Lean forward to show the speaker you are interested. Use a tone of voice that matches your message

Advice to Improve Nonverbal Communication Skills (cont) Negative Nonverbal Actions Include: Avoiding eye contact and looking away from the speaker. Closing your eyes or tensing your facial muscles. Excessive yawning. Using body language that conveys indecisiveness or lack of confidence (e.g., slumped shoulders, head down, flat tones, inaudible voice) Speaking too fast or too slow.

Listening Styles Results-style: Interested in the bottom line or result of a message. Reasons-style: Interested in hearing the rationale behind a message. Process-style: Likes to discuss issues in detail.

The Keys to Effective Listening The Bad Listener The Good Listener 1. Capitalize on thought speed Tends to daydream Stays with the speaker, mentally summarizes the speaker, weighs evidence, and listens between the lines 2. Listen for ideas Listens for facts Listens for central or overall ideas 3. Find an area of interest Tunes out dry speakers or subjects Listens for any useful information 4. Judge content, not delivery Tunes out dry monotone speakers Assesses content by listening to entire message before making judgments 5. Hold your fire Gets too emotional or worked up by something said by the speaker and enters into an argument Withholds judgment until comprehension is complete

The Keys to Effective Listening (cont) The Bad Listener The Good Listener 6. Work at listening Does not expend energy on listening Gives the speaker full attention 7. Resist Distractions Is easily distracted Fights distractions and concentrates on the speaker 8. Hear what is said Shuts our or denies unfavorable information Listens to both favorable and unfavorable information 9. Challenge yourself Resists listening to presentations of difficult subject manner Treats complex presentations as exercises for the mind 10. Use handouts, overheads, or other visual aids Does not take notes or pay attention to visual aids Takes notes as required and uses visual aids to enhance understanding of the presentation

Gender Differences Women Prefer conversation for rapport building Want empathy, not solutions Are more likely to compliment Emphasize politeness More conciliatory

Gender Differences Men Talk as a means to preserve independence and status by displaying knowledge and skill Work out problems on an individualized basis Are more directive in conversation Are more intimidating Call attention to their accomplishments Tend to dominate discussions during meetings

Let’s Summarize… Most of our stress today comes from interpersonal difficulties. Many of these stresses involve failure to communicate effectively. Communication styles that can lead to problems are: the aggressive style, the passive style, and the passive-aggressive style. Assertiveness is the only style that allows both parties to compromise in order to get something each wants. Assertiveness involves regarding your own rights as well as the rights of others, seeking compromise, and clearly communicating your feelings and desires.

WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY DASHAIN AND TIHAR …