1. Chapter 10 – Organizational Communications communication – the sharing of information where the receiver understands the meaning of the message in the way the sender intended; sharing ideas beliefs, and opinions

2. Two–way process – senders must put information into clear words and the receiver must try to understand the message as the sender intended Feedback – receiver’s response to a sender’s message; poor communication can lead to disagreements, faulty work, delayed performance, or industrial accidents

3. Communication Barriers Distractions Distortions

4. Distractions Distractions – anything that interferes with the sender’s creating and delivering a message and the receiver’s getting and interpreting a message For example, two people whisper to each other during a meeting; ringing phones or loud noises are other examples.

6. Distortions Distortions – how people consciously or unconsciously change messages For example: Deliberately “sugar-coating” the message. Unintentionally leaving out details in the message. “Hearing” what you want to hear.

7. 3 Major Channels of Communication channel of communication – means by which a message is conveyed Oral (verbal) communication Written communication Non-verbal communication

8. Oral Communication A manager’s success depends heavily on their ability to speak with employees, attend meetings, receive and make phone calls, formally or informally interview others.

9. Written Communication Managers need to be able to write short memos, emails, formal reports and letters. Managers need to be able to write procedures, invoices, telephone message reminders, and general notes. Well-written messages are concise with unambiguous word choice and proper grammar.

10. Written Communication (cont’d) Psychology is often used in written communication. When sending a message, it is better to state good news first before you give unfavorable news.

11. Non-verbal communication – delivering messages through means other than speaking or writing Examples include:  Flashing lights, traffic lights, sirens  Charts, diagrams, pictures  Body language by eye contact, smiles, frowns, posture, body gestures

12. Email predominantly replaces what would otherwise be paper correspondence: Increases productivity Decreases paper handling Lowers communication costs Allows for quicker decision-making

13. Email (cont’d) At work, use email only for job-related matters. Businesses can track all inbound and outbound email messages and read them if they want to. flame – email containing abusive, threatening, or offensive content that may violate company policy or public law. spam – unsolicited advertising directed into email boxes emoticons – facial expressions expressing a feeling in emails

14. John working under you does good work. He gets along with other coworkers. However, he has had a problem with showing up to work late frequently. What would you as his manager say to him by email to try to get him back on track? John, we very much value the work you do and we love the way you get along with our people. However, we have noticed that you recently have been making a habit of arriving to work late. Your presence here is very important because many people rely on you being here when they need you. Are there any issues going on with you that maybe we can help you with? We would like to help in any we can to avoid any further action or consequences. Once again, we think you are an asset to our team and appreciate all you do.

15. Susan working underneath you has had a problem getting along with other coworkers. She always feels as if other coworkers are criticizing her. She gets very defensive and gets very emotional about it. She does work hard and tries the best she can. She just feels as if everyone is out to get her. What would you as her manager say to her by email to make it a better work environment for her and her coworkers? Susan, we appreciate the hard work and effort you put forth on a daily basis. However, it appears that you are having issues with other coworkers. It is important that we all feel like a team and boost morale within the company. If you do not agree with opinions or criticism of others, feel free to come see me or another manager. We want our staff the freedom to work in a comfortable environment. Your colleagues do value the work that you do. Please come see me if you need any help. Once again, we appreciate all you do here.

16. Michael is very dependable sometimes working extra hours and gets along well with other coworkers. However, he does not prioritize his tasks/assignments very well and works on only what he wants to work on at times. He does not stick to his schedule of tasks and things get done out of order. Therefore, this has been affecting his overall job performance. What would you say as his manager by email to help improve Michael’s performance? Michael, we are amazed and proud of your work ethic and how well you are respected by your coworkers. However, we notice that you have not been organizing yourself very well. Is there anything we can do to help you develop better time management with your job tasks? We need to make sure you are meeting deadlines with appropriate work. We do not want to lose you as a team member. Therefore, please come and see me to help improve your overall performance. Once again, thank you for all that you do here.

17. Corporate Culture Closed culture: Formal, top-down decision-making, numerous rules, strict discipline Authoritarian leadership Employee distrust and secrecy may occur Closed communication system

18. Open culture: Encourages creativity and problem-solving at all levels of support Open communication and information sharing Employees trust and confidence occurs Employees receive downward-flowing info and feedback is encouraged.

19. Closed or Open? Gearbox Company  50,000 employees  Workers have few meetings and supervisors  Completed tasks are thoroughly checked  Incorrect work given to someone else to complete  Numerous work rules in the employee manual

20. Closed or Open? 1. “We meet frequently with fellow workers and supervisors to discuss and solve problems.” 2. “We keep our mouths shut, do our work as told, and steer clear of our supervisors.”

21. Communication Networks Formal Informal

22. Formal communication networks Official channels carry organizationally approved messages. Flows upward, downward, and across the organization. Upward flow includes oral and written reports, downward flow includes memos, emails, manuals, horizontal flow includes lateral communication.

23. Informal communication networks Unofficial ways employees share information. Rely heavily on interpersonal communication and email. Managers need to encourage employees to use informal communication channels. Managers often work closely with informal group leaders to obtain support and to test new ideas. Small informal groups where members support one another. Grapevine – informal transmission of info among workers; may lead to accurate messages or distortion

24. Conducting Effective Meetings Meetings: Common way for employees to share info, discuss problems, and make decisions through open communication. Disadvantages include the excessive time they may take. Also, it is undesirable to have quiet employees as well as employees who talk too much.

25. nominal group technique (NGT) – a group problem-solving method where group members write down and evaluate ideas to be shared with the group; employees vote to choose the best solutions rather than spend time defending their own suggestions

26. Brainstorming:  Group discussion technique  Generate as many ideas as possible to solve a problem  Wild and imaginative ideas are encouraged

27. Communication Problems Conflict – interference by one person with the achievement of another person’s goals

28. Desirable Conflict Challenges employees and stimulates ideas Can lead to healthy discussions Can lead to achievement of goals Benefit only if conflicting goals are resolved Long-term problems often result if conflict is not resolved

29. Undesirable Conflict Too much conflict can be harmful Results when actions of any person or group interfere with the goals of the organization Should be resolved as soon as possible before employees who dislike each other may carry grudges

30. 3 Strategies to Best Resolve Conflict Avoidance strategy Compromise strategy Win/lose strategy

31. Avoidance Strategy Taking a neutral position or agreeing with another’s position even if it goes against your own personal beliefs Not beneficial if disagreement involves important issues

32. Compromise Strategy Everyone involved agrees to a mutually accepted solution Beneficial because it usually leads to a workable solution since everyone personally contributes to the decision

33. Win/Lose Strategy Most dangerous approach to resolve conflict No compromises leads to one person winning and one person losing Interferes with the achievement of organizational goals because they take too much time, delay decision-making, leads to anger amongst worker relationships, and causes personal resentment among workers

34. The Communication Model

35. Listen Actively Two-way communication assures feedback. Effective listening results in feedback. Hearing and listening are not the same thing. Listening involves hearing and paying attention to the message.