1. Communication, Conflict and Negotiation
MRK360 Chapter 6
Communication, Conflict and Negotiation

2. What’s the problem?
Show the Whose on first video from – to illustrate problems with communication – use to access the video

3. Communication Questions
Describe an example of communication breakdown. What led to the breakdown?
What types of difficulties have you experienced when communicating with someone from a different culture than yours?
How do you let the other person know you have heard what they are saying? How often do you do this?
I have used these questions as a way to generate class discussion on communication difficulties.

4. Communication Problems
People spend nearly 70 percent of their waking hours communicating—writing, reading, speaking, listening
WorkCanada survey of 2039 Canadians in six industrial and service categories found
61 percent of senior executives believed that they did a good job of communicating with employees.
only 33 percent of the managers and department heads believed that senior executives were effective communicators.
Only 22 percent of hourly workers, 27 percent of clerical employees, and 22 percent of professional staff reported that senior executives did a good job of communicating with them.
Canadians reported less favourable perceptions about their company’s communications than did Americans
Material pertinent to this discussion is found on page 173.

5. Communication Terms Communication Sender Receiver
The transfer of meaning among people
Sender
Establishes a message, encodes the message, and chooses the channel to send it
Receiver
Decodes the message and provides feedback to the sender
Material pertinent to this discussion is found on page 174.

6. Exhibit 6-1 The Communication Process Modelv r 3 . C h o s t a n l 5 P d f b k 1 m g 2 E 4 D S
Material pertinent to this illustration is found on page 174.
The Communication Process includes the steps between a source and a receiver that result in the transference and understanding of meaning.
A Communication Model
The model is made up of seven parts: (1) source, (2) encoding, (3) the message, (4) the channel, (5) decoding, (6) the receiver, and (7) feedback.

7. Communication Terms Message Encoding Channel Decoding
What is communicated.
Encoding
Converting a message to symbolic form.
Channel
The medium through which a message travels
Decoding
Retranslating a sender’s message.
Material pertinent to this discussion is found on pages
The message is the physical product from the source encoding – when we speak the speech is the message, when we write the writing is the message, when we paint the picture is the message.

8. Choosing Channels
Channels differ in their capacity to convey information.
Rich channels have the ability to
Handle multiple cues simultaneously
Facilitate rapid feedback
Be very personal
Material pertinent to this discussion is found on pages
Channels – memo, voice mail, , meetings
Some people suffer from communication apprehension, which is undue tension and anxiety in oral or written communication or both. For these 5 to 20 percent of the population, the choice of communication channel reflects their anxiety.
Rich channels – face to face conversation, videoconference
Channels that are not rich – memo, report,
For others, however, a model of media richness has been developed to explain channel selection among managers. Some are rich in that they have the ability to handle multiple cues simultaneously, facilitate rapid feedback, and be very personal. Others are lean in that they score low on these three factors. An instructor might ask students where voice mail and television fit along these dimensions.

9. Exhibit 6-1 The Communication Process Modelv r 3 . C h o s t a n l 5 P d f b k 1 m g 2 E 4 D S
Material pertinent to this illustration is found on page 174.
The Communication Process includes the steps between a source and a receiver that result in the transference and understanding of meaning.
A Communication Model
The model is made up of seven parts: (1) source, (2) encoding, (3) the message, (4) the channel, (5) decoding, (6) the receiver, and (7) feedback.

10. Barriers to Effective Communication
Filtering
Refers to a sender manipulating information so that it will be seen more favorably by the receiver.
Selective Perception
Receivers in the communication process selectively see and hear based on their needs, motivations, experience, background, and other personal characteristics.
Filtering – as information goes up the organization – employees have to condense it, ,filter it --- it’s not only what you say it’s what you don’t say
Selective perception – we listen and receive communication based on our past experience

11. Barriers to Effective Communication
Defensiveness
When individuals interpret another’s message as threatening, they often respond in ways that retard effective communication.
Language
Words mean different things to different people.
Defensiveness – when people feel threatened – they act in ways that reduces communication - verbally attacking others, making sarcastic remarks

12. Barriers to Effective Communication
Think of an example of each barrier that you have experienced
Filtering
Selective Perception
Defensiveness
Language

13. Nonverbal Communication
Messages conveyed through body movements, facial expressions, and the physical distance between the sender and the receiver
Kinesics
The study of body motions, such as gestures, facial configurations, and other movements of the body
Proxemics
The study of physical space in interpersonal relationships
Material pertinent to this discussion is found on pages
Nonverbal communication includes messages conveyed through body movements, the intonations or emphasis we give to words, facial expressions (formally known in academe as kinesics), and the physical distance between the sender and receiver.
Discussing this is a great opportunity for the instructor to have some fun with asking students to express ideas nonverbally.
Ask students to express to you nonverbally ideas like
“I really agree!”
“I don’t buy that”
“What a great person”
“What a jerk!”
This exercise will be entertaining, and will illustrate quite well the persuasiveness of nonverbal communication.

14. Communication Barriers Between Men and Women
Men use talk to emphasize status, women use it to create connection
Women and men tend to approach points of conflict differently
Material pertinent to this discussion is found on pages
Example
When a woman talks to a man about a problem – she is trying to get closer, create a bond --- he thinks that she is complaining. Man wants to solve the problem – to prove his superiority – Woman doesn’t want man’s opinion, wants him to listen

15. Communication Barriers Between Men and Women
Men and women view directness and indirectness differently
Women interpret male directness as an assertion of status and one-upmanship
Men interpret female indirectness as covert, sneaky, and weak
Men criticize women for apologizing, but women say “I’m sorry” to express empathy
Material pertinent to this discussion is found on pages

16. Conflict
A process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect something that the first party cares about.
Functional
Supports the goals of the group and improves its performance
Dysfunctional
Hinders group performance
Material pertinent to this discussion is found on page 187.

17. Group Exercise - Conflict
In groups
Think of a conflict situation during a group project (real or imaginary)
Describe the conflict to the class
Think of ways that you could resolve the conflict

18. Three Main Sources of Conflict
Communication – we already discussed this
Structure
Personal Variables

19. How Structure Can Lead to Conflict
Sources of conflict:
Size, specialization, and composition of the group
Too much reliance on participation
Diversity of goals among groups
Ambiguity in precisely defining where responsibility for actions lies
Reward systems where one member’s gain is at another’s expense
Material pertinent to this discussion is found on pages
Composition: The larger the group and the more specialized its activities, the greater the likelihood of conflict. The potential for conflict tends to be greatest where group members are younger and where turnover is high.
Jurisdictional ambiguities increase intergroup fighting for control of resources and territory.
If a group is dependent on another group (in contrast to the two being mutually independent), or if interdependence allows one group to gain at another’s expense, opposing forces are stimulated.
Participation encourages the promotion of differences

20. How can personal variables lead to conflict?

21. How can Personal Variables Lead to Conflict?
Different personalities
Different values

22. Exhibit 6-4 How Conflict Builds
Conflict-handling
Outcomes
Intentions •
Competing •
Functional: •
Collaborating
increased •
Compromising
performance
Behaviour •
Avoiding •
Dysfunctional:
In a potential conflict situation one goes through stages
First a person perceives and evaluates the situation
Then the person forms intentions – decision to act in a certain way in a certain situation – ie if someone has offended me in a group situation – I may intend to confront the person the next time I see t hem
Conflict often occurs because one person misunderstand the intentions of another person •
Accommodating
decreased group
performance

23. Specific Intentions Competing Collaborating Avoiding Accommodating
A desire to satisfy one’s interests, regardless of the impact on the other parties.
Collaborating
A situation where the parties to a conflict each desire to satisfy fully the concerns of all parties
Avoiding
The desire to withdraw from or suppress a conflict.
Accommodating
The willingness of one party in a conflict to place the opponent’s interests above his or her own
Compromising
A situation in which each party to a conflict is willing to give up something
Material pertinent to this discussion is found on pages

24. Exhibit 6-4 How Conflict Builds
Conflict-handling
Outcomes
Intentions •
Competing •
Functional: •
Collaborating
increased •
Compromising
performance
Behaviour •
Avoiding •
Dysfunctional:
In a potential conflict situation one goes through stages
First a person perceives and evaluates the situation
Then the person forms intentions – decision to act in a certain way in a certain situation – ie if someone has offended me in a group situation – I may intend to confront the person the next time I see t hem
Conflict often occurs because one person misunderstand the intentions of another person •
Accommodating
decreased group
performance

25. Conflict Outcomes
Functional (supports the goals of the group and improves performance)
Desired outcomes
Agreement
Stronger relationships
Learning
Dysfunctional (hinders group performance)
Material pertinent to this illustration is found on pages