1. Organizational and Interpersonal Communication
Police Administration:
Structures, Processes, and Behavior
(Eighth Edition)
Charles R. Swanson, Leonard Territo,
and Robert W. Taylor
Organizational and Interpersonal Communication
Chapter 10

2. The Communication Process
Essential Components for Police Administrators
What it takes for a police administrator to be an effective communicator
Understand the communication process
Ability to examine the numerous barriers in the communication process
Awareness of the multidirectional flow of information in the organization
Importance of interpersonal communication and how managers can become more effective communicators
Differences in the ways that males and females communicate
Variations in cross-cultural communication
Difference in communication styles and needs of different generations
Research has indicated that communication is the number one problem in management and that lack of communication is employees’ primary complaint about their immediate supervisors
There are many components to the communication process
It is essential for police administrators to understand not only what they are, but why there are so important (listed above)

3. Steps in the Communication Process
Sender
Message
Channel
(medium)
Receiver
Feedback
Environment
Noise
Hypothetical example: A midnight shift lieutenant informs a midnight shift patrol sergeant that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of burglaries in the sergeant’s patrol district during the past month and suggests it might be the result of inattention on the part of the sergeant and the sergeant’s subordinates.
Sender: (lieutenant) is attempting to send a spoken message. Because of the authority and rank of the Lt., it is very likely that the Sgt. will not ignore the message
Message: The heart of every communication is the message – a purpose or an idea to be conveyed (“I need to talk to you about last month’s dramatic increase in burglaries in your patrol sector.”
Channel: Several channels are usually available for sending messages (spoken, written, combination)
Receiver: (sergeant) A communication is complete only when another party receives the message
Feedback: Messages sent back from the receiver to the sender
Environment: A full understanding of communication requires knowledge of the environment in which messages are transmitted and received
Noise: Anything that disrupts communication (including attitudes and emotions – stress, fear, negative attitudes, low motivation)

4. The Communication Process

5. Communication Barriers
Sender Hindrances
Receiver Hindrances
Lack of clarity
Incorrect assumptions
Inappropriate communication medium
Ineffective feedback mechanism
Improper language
Sender and receiver have different backgrounds and attitudes
Poor listener or observer
Jumping to conclusions
Only sees/hears part of the message
Rejection of messages that contradict beliefs
Emotional barriers
What is an example of an inappropriate communication medium?
How might the sender and receiver having different backgrounds or attitudes impact communication?
What are some examples of possible emotional barriers?
What are some “neutral” barriers to communication? (environmental distractions – noise, temperature, etc; distance – inability to see or hear message; sender-receiver relationship – power structure, roles, etc.)

6. Organizational Communication
Grapevine
Downward
Upward
Horizontal
Styles of Communication
Organizational systems of communication are usually created by setting up a formal system of responsibility and delegating duties
Allows for routine patterns of communication

7. Downward Communication
Communication used by management to send orders, directives, goals, policies, etc. to employees at lower levels of the organization
Five types of such communication:
Job instruction: communication relating to the performance of a certain task
Job rationale: relating a certain task to organizational tasks
Procedures and practices: organizational policies, procedures, rules, and regulations
Feedback: appraisal of how an individual performs the assigned task
Indoctrination: motivating the employee

8. Most to Least Effective Forms
Oral & Written Combined
Oral Communication Only
Written Communication Only
Bulletin Board
Grapevine

9. Upward Communication Deterrents Police Organizations Superiors
Subordinates
Communication used by lower-level employees
While potentially appreciated, there are inherent barriers to upward communication:
Organizations: distance between superiors and subordinates
Superiors: Attitudes, failure to do anything
Subordinates: does not have freedom to call a superior and talk about a problem at will – discouraged from circumventing the chain of command

10. Horizontal Communication
Communication among peers
Typically informal
Essential for organizations to function efficiently
Can be problematic because it can replace vertical communication
Figure above: (A) message path from one sergeant to another following the usual structured channels; (B) message path from one sergeant to another using a horizontal bridge

11. The Grapevine
A system of informal information that meanders across organizational lines
Best known approach to distribution of informal communication
Pro: gives insight into employee attitudes
Con: can be used to spread rumors, lies, gossip
Can take different forms (figure above)

12. Potential Problems with Electronic Communication
Police managers may unwittingly drop out of the grapevine and miss out on important informal communication that takes place
Makes it more difficult to build organizational strong culture, develop solid working relationships, and create a mutually supportive atmosphere of trust and cooperativeness
Opens up new avenues for dysfunctional employee behavior
What can police administrators do to better ensure that electronic communication is effective?

13. Interpersonal Communication
Speaking & Writing
Nonverbal Communication
Language
Credibility
Gear message to listener
Persuade group members on the benefits of change
Use heavy-impact and emotion-provoking words
Back up conclusions with data
Minimize language errors and vocalized pauses
Crisp, clear, and concise memos
Power-oriented linguistic style
Project confidence
Body position
Gestures
Speak at moderate pace, with loud, confident tone
Smile and appear relaxed
Maintain eye contact
Appearance
Shoes
Fingernails
Hair
Teeth
The process of message transmitting between two people to create a sustained shared meaning
Effective leaders (informal or formal) are persuasive and dynamic communicators

14. Group vs. Interpersonal Communication
Size of group
Phases of group interaction:
vs.
Group
Interpersonal
Group Communication: interaction among 3+ individuals in a face-to-face situation where all parties have a common need that is satisfied by the exchange of information
Interpersonal Communication: message transmitting between two people to create a sustained shared meaning
Orientation: Group members attempt to get to know each other and discover the problems that face the group
Conflict: Disagreement among the members of the group
Emergence: Emphasis on positive statements – allows dissenting members to save face by moving toward the majority’s position
Reinforcement: Group members comment on the positive aspects of the group and its problem-solving ability
Conflict
Emergence
Reinforcement
Orientation

15. Cross-Gender Communication
Men and women communicate and solve problems differently
Women in our society are taught to resolve conflict through different communication styles
Important for supervisors to understand that men and women communicate and solve problems differently
Failure to understand these differences can result in erroneous evaluations of officers’ actions and result in unfair criticism
From your experience, how do men and women communicate differently?
How might the gender of a police officer impact how he/she approaches a dangerous situation?

16. Cross-Cultural Communication
An important and still-evolving area of policing
Increasing Hispanic population
Listening is fundamental
People know when one is being condescending
Illegal aliens
It is important for officers to empathize with peoples’ situations and their perceptions
Individuals may have different cultural understanding of how to approach and communicate with the police
What can police administrators do to prepare for communication with people from different cultures? (maintain a list of qualified interpreters, hire bilingual officers, train existing staff, implement cultural awareness programs)

17. Cross-Generation Communication
Generation X
Generation Y
Computers are not technology
Internet is better than TV
Doing is more important than knowing
Learning more closely resembles Nintendo than logic
Multitasking is a way of life
Typing is preferred to handwriting
Staying connected is essential
There is zero tolerance for delays
Comfortable in multicultural settings
Need for effective mentoring
Great deal of self-confidence
Most technically literate
Good at multitasking
Expect structure
Acknowledge and respect positions and titles
Want a relationship with supervisors
Need mentoring
Generation X and Generation Y make up most employees in police departments today.
There are certain characteristics of each group – it is important to be aware of differences so miscommunications are less likely to occur
There are generational differences in formal and informal styles of communication
Younger officers often engage in informal communication without meaning to be disrespectful
Generational Lingo
Creeping Computerese
What is Said is Not Always Heard