1. Managing Interpersonal Relations and Communication
CHAPTER 18
Managing Interpersonal Relations and Communication
PowerPoint Presentation by Charlie Cook
Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

2. Learning Objectives
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
Describe the interpersonal nature of organizations.
Describe the role and importance of communication in the manager’s job.
Identify the basic forms of communication in organizations.
Discuss informal communication, including its various forms and types.
Describe how the communication process can be managed to recognize and overcome barriers.

3. Chapter Outline The Interpersonal Nature of Organizations
Interpersonal Dynamics
Outcomes of Interpersonal Behaviors
Communications and the Manager’s Job
A Definition of Communication
The Role of Communication in Management
The Communication Process
Forms of Communication in Organizations
Interpersonal Communication
Communication in Networks and Teams
Organizational Communication
Forms of Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Electronic Communication
Informal Communication in Organizations
The Grapevine
Management by Wandering Around
Nonverbal Communication
Managing Organizational Communication
Barriers to Communication
Improving Communication Effectiveness

4. The Interpersonal Nature of Organizations
Interpersonal Dynamics
Positive—when two parties know each other, have mutual respect and affection, and enjoy interacting with one another.
Negative—when two parties dislike one another, do not have mutual respect, and do not enjoy interacting with one another.
Outcomes of Interpersonal Behaviors
Satisfaction of social needs
Social support
Source of organizational synergy
Source of conflict

5. Communication and the Manager’s Job
The process of transmitting information from one person to another.
Effective Communication
The process of sending a message in such a way that the message received is as close in meaning as possible to the message intended.

6. The Role of Communication in Management
Communication Roles
INTERPERSONAL
Figurehead
Leader
Liaison
INFORMATIONAL
DECISIONAL
Spokesperson
Monitor
Disseminator
Entrepreneur
Disturbance- handler
Negotiator

7. The Communication Process
Steps in the Communication Process
Deciding to transmit a fact, idea, opinion, or other information to the receiver.
Encoding the meaning into a form appropriate to the situation.
Transmission through the appropriate channel or medium.
Decoding the message back into a form that has meaning to the receiver.
“Noise” is anything disrupting the communication process.

8. The Communication Process (cont’d)
Start
Noise 2
Encoding
Sender
Receiver 3
Transmission
through channels 7 1
Meaning 8
Decoding 4 5 6
The numbers indicate the sequence in which steps take place.
Figure 18.1

9. Forms of Communication in Organizations
Interpersonal Communication
Oral Communication
Face-to-face conversations, group discussions, telephone calls, and other situations in which the spoken work is used to express meaning.
Advantages of oral communication
Promotes prompt feedback and interchange in the form of verbal questions and responses.
Is easy to use and can be done with little preparation.
Disadvantages of oral communication
Suffers from problems with inaccuracy in meaning and details.
Leaves no time for thought and consideration and no permanent record of what was said.

10. Forms of Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Interpersonal Communication
Written Communication
Memos, letters, reports, notes, and other methods in which the written word is used to transmit meaning.
Advantages of written communication
Is accurate and leaves a permanent record of the exchange.
Leaves for thought and consideration, can be referenced.
Is easy to use and can be done with little preparation.
Disadvantages of written communication
Inhibits feedback and interchange due to burden of the process of preparing a physical document.
Considerable delay can occur in clarifying message meanings.

11. Forms of Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Communication in Networks and Work Teams
Communication network—the pattern through which the members of a group or team communicate.
Research suggests:
When the group’s task is simple and routine, centralized networks perform with the greatest efficiency and accuracy.
When the group’s task is complex and nonroutine, decentralized networks with open communications that foster interaction and exchange of relevant information tend to be most effective.

12. Forms of Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Types of Communication Networks 2 1 3 4 5
Circle 2 1 5 3 4
Wheel 3 4 5 1 2 Y 2 1 3 4 5
All channel 3 2 4 5 1
Chain
Figure 18.2

13. Forms of Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Organizational Communication
Vertical Communication
Communication that flows up and down the organization, usually along formal reporting lines.
Takes place between managers and subordinates and may involve several levels of the organization.
Upward communication consists of messages from subordinates to superiors and is more subject to distortion.
Downward communication occurs when information flows down the hierarchy from superiors to subordinates.
Horizontal Communication
Communication that flows laterally within the organization; involves persons at the same level of the organization.

14. Forms of Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Formal Communication in Organizations
Follows the official reporting relationships and/or prescribed channels.
Vertical communication
Horizontal communication
Figure 18.3

15. Forms of Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Electronic Communication
Formal Information Systems
Accomplished (created) by either:
A managerial approach involving the creation of a position (e.g., chief information officer-CIO) responsible for putting in place information processing systems that facilitate organizational communication.
An operational approach that involves the creation of formal information systems linking all relevant managers, departments, and facilities in the organization.

16. Forms of Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Electronic Communication
Personal Electronic Technology
Technological advances (e.g., fax machines, cellular telephones, copiers, and personal computers) have created opportunities for quickly disseminating and contacting others in the organization.
Corporate intranets and the Internet have made possible teleconferences and the rapid retrieval of information from all corners of the globe.
Telecommuting allows people to work at home and transmit their work to the company by means of a telephone and a modem.
Disadvantages are the lack of face-to-face contact, strong personal relationships, falling behind professionally, and losing out in organizational politics.

17. Informal Communication in Organizations
Informal Communications
May or may not follow official reporting relationships and/or prescribed organizational channels and may have nothing to do with official organizational business.
Common forms of informal communications are management by wandering around, the grapevine, and nonverbal communication.
Management by Wandering Around
Managers keep in touch with what’s going on by wandering around and talking to people on all levels in the organization

18. Informal Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Figure 18.4

19. Informal Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Grapevine
An informal communication network that can permeate an organization. Types of grapevines are:
The Gossip Chain
One person tells many
The Cluster Chain
Many people tell a few
Figure 18.5

20. Informal Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Nonverbal Communication
Any communication exchange that does not use words, or uses words to carry more meaning than the strict definition of the words themselves.
Much of the content of a message may be transmitted by facial expression alone; other message content is derived from inflection and tone of the voice. Only a small portion of the message content is due to the words in the message.
Facial expression 55%
Inflection and tone 38%
Words in the message 7%

21. Informal Communication in Organizations (cont’d)
Nonverbal Communication (cont’d)
Kinds of nonverbal communication practiced by managers:
Images—the kinds of words people elect to use to give emphasis and effect to what they say.
Settings—boundaries, familiarity, home turf (e.g., office location, size, and furnishings) are symbols of power and influence how people choose to communicate in organizations.
Body language—how people of different cultures and backgrounds physically position themselves and react to the stance and body movements of others has a strong influence on communications between individuals.

22. Managing Organizational Communication
Barriers to Effective Communication
Table 18.1

23. Managing Organizational Communication (cont’d)
Improving Communication Effectiveness
Table 18.2

24. More and Less Effective Listening Skills
Stays active, focused
Pays attention
Is passive, laid back
More Effective Listening
Less Effective Listening
Is easily distracted
Asks questions
Keeps an open mind
Asks no questions
Has preconceptions
Assimilates information
Disregards information
Figure 18.6