1. Chapter 6 Communication
Organizational Behaviour
Dave Ludwick, P.Eng, MBA, PMP

2. Communication
Communication is the transfer of meaning from one person to another
Poor communication is the most frequent cause of interpersonal conflict
If there is any one area where the human race suffers, it is in the area of communication
Interpersonal skills are cited as requirements for most professional and many non-professional jobs.
That’s because, without the ability to communicate (and our interpersonal skills affect how we can communicate) we can not hope to further progress
Organizational Behaviour
Dave Ludwick, P.Eng, MBA, PMP

3. Communication Process Model
Organizational Behaviour
Dave Ludwick, P.Eng, MBA, PMP

4. 4 Factors Affecting Communication
Skills – the specific skills relating to the communication mode in use (the ability to read, write, speak the language)
Attitudes – The attitude of both the sender and receive affects the communication as connotations in the words can affect meaning
Knowledge – the sender and receivers knowledge of the topic of the communication affects how well they can articulate and understand the meaning
Social-cultural system – This background of relatedness affects our assumptions about the communication
Organizational Behaviour
Dave Ludwick, P.Eng, MBA, PMP

5. Barriers to Effective Communication
Filtering – when a sender manipulates info so the receiver views it more favourably
Also known as managing the conversation
Selective Perception – Receivers selectively receive based on motivations, experience, background and they also project their interests onto a conversation
Defensiveness – being sarcastic, judgmental, verbally attacking
Organizational Behaviour
Dave Ludwick, P.Eng, MBA, PMP

6. Networks of Communication
Formal Network
Typically vertical communication and usually limited to tasks or topics related to the business
Grapevine
Is a free flow of information
Authority has no bearing on the communication
Helps to satisfy members’ social needs by making them feel they belong
Is no more and no less accurate than any other network of communication
What about rumors? They have 4 purposes
To structure and reduce anxiety
To make sense of limited info
To serve as an organizing medium
To signal status or power
Organizational Behaviour
Dave Ludwick, P.Eng, MBA, PMP

7. How do we better communication?
Provide a mechanism like what Jim Collins did to ensure ideas are heard
Like suggestion boxes, complaint boxes, idea labs, signalling systems
If you are not being understood, don’t just repeat the same words louder. Explain the point from another angle. Ask your listener for feedback
Note that sometimes successful communication must require education first (Background of Relatedness)
Sometimes the timing of a communication needs to be selected properly
Recognize that a significant portion of communication is beyond just the words used
Organizational Behaviour
Dave Ludwick, P.Eng, MBA, PMP

8. Building Communication
Developing a Background of Relatedness
A background of relatedness is a shared reality, shared understanding of the environment, of the field of action
Stingy Listening vs. Generous Listening (R. Shereck)
People come to every situation already listening in a particular way
Stingy listening is based on the past with evaluation and a focus on “what’s in it for me?”
Generous listening is based on attention to others, listening for a possibility, with no agenda, giving the speaker power
Effective Listening
Make eye contact
Provide physical responses for feedback
Don’t distract or interrupt the speaker or yourself
Always use the simplest word available
Organizational Behaviour
Dave Ludwick, P.Eng, MBA, PMP

9. Non-verbal Communication
Some studies show that as much as 55% of the complete message comes from non-verbal forms of communication
people resort to a variety of verbal and non-verbal behaviour in order to maintain a smooth flow of communication: head-nods, smiles, frowns, bodily contact, eye movements, laughter, body posture
The facial expressions of listeners provide feedback to the sender
Glazed or down turned eyes indicate boredom or disinterest, as does fidgeting
Fully raised eyebrows signal disbelief and half raised indicate puzzlement.
Posture provides a means by which attitude to the sender may be judged
Folded or crossed arms indicate apprehension or closed-mindedness
Kinesics is the study of body motions, gestures, facial configurations and other body movements in the course of communication
Organizational Behaviour
Dave Ludwick, P.Eng, MBA, PMP

10. Non-verbal Communication
Proxemics is a term for the way in which people use space between them in communication
The use of space varies by culture
In a non-contact culture (Canada and US), closeness can mean aggressiveness
Closeness in a non-contact culture is usually only permitted for intimate relations
If a person from a non-contact culture stands far from a person from a contact culture, the person may take the positioning as a sign of disinterest and unhappiness
Organizational Behaviour
Dave Ludwick, P.Eng, MBA, PMP

11. Electronic Communications
The advent of computers has improved the number of tools we have to communicate (but maybe have not improved our ability to communicate?)
Faxes, phones, , cellphones, pagers, modems, VPNs, intranets, extranets, internet
While they can be used to bridge the physical gap between sender and receiver, they also compromise one of the elements in the communication process model
They are also a significant cause for the erosion of personal time
Chapter 7
Organizational Behaviour
Dave Ludwick, P.Eng, MBA, PMP

12. Organizational Behaviour Dave Ludwick, P.Eng, MBA, PMP

13. Organizational Behaviour Dave Ludwick, P.Eng, MBA, PMP