Download Chapter 10

Supervision in Organizations
Chapter 10
Communicating Effectively
10–1
Learning Outcomes
After reading this chapter, I will be able to:
1. Define communication and the communication
process.
2. Contrast formal and informal communication.
3. Explain how electronic communication affects the
supervisor’s job.
4. List the barriers to effective communication.
5. Describe techniques for overcoming communication
barriers
6. List the requirements for active listening.
7. Explain the behaviors necessary for providing
effective feedback.
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Communication defined…
• Communication is the process by which people
send and receive information:
 It involves the transfer of meaning which must be
understood to be successful
70 % or all our communication efforts are:
misunderstood, misinterpreted, rejected,
disliked, distorted, or not heard (in the
same language, same culture)!
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What are the most common ways
we communicate?
Written Word
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The Goals of Communications:
To change behavior
To get and give
Information
To persuade
To get action
To ensure understanding
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Message Channels
The five message channels
1. Face-to-Face
2. Face-to-group
3. Telephone
4. Written
5. Third Party
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The Communication Process
• Communication process
 The transferring and understanding of meaning
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Communication Process Terms
• Encoding
 Selecting words and their
order for a message by a
sender
• Message
 A purpose to be conveyed
• Channel
 The medium by which a
message travels
• Feedback
 A verbal or nonverbal
response by a receiver to
the sender’s message
• Noise
 literally, or figuratively,
anything that interferes
with a message
• Decoding
 The translation of a
message by a receiver
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Formal vs. Informal Communication
• Formal communication
 Communication that addresses task-related issues
and tends to follow the organization’s authority chain
 Examples:
 Speech
 Written
documents
 Electronic behavior
• Informal communication (grapevine)
 Communication moving in any direction, skips
authority levels, and is likely to satisfy social needs
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Written Versus Verbal Communications
• Written
 Tangible
 Verifiable
 More permanent
 More precise
 More care is taken
with the written
word
• Verbal
 Less secure
 Known receipt
 Quicker response
 Consumes less time
 Quicker feedback
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Nonverbal Communications
• Body language
 Nonverbal communication cues such as facial
expressions, gestures, and other body movements
• Verbal intonation
 An emphasis given to word or phrases that
conveys meaning
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The Grapevine
“The grapevine motto: Good
information passes among people
fairly rapidly—bad information,
even faster!”
•Grapevine
 An unofficial channel of
communication that is neither
authorized nor supported
by the organization.
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Grapevine: Rumors
• Why Rumors Emerge
 Ambiguity being present
 As a response to situations that are important to us
 Under conditions that arouse anxiety
• Four purposes of Rumors
 Reduce anxiety
 Make sense of fragmented information
 Serve as a vehicle to organize groups
 To signal sender’s status (power)
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Barriers to
Effective
Communication
Overcoming Barriers
to Effective
Communication
• Lack of Honesty (lying)
• Credibility gap
• Language
• Emotions
• Listening Habits
• Lack of Feedback
• Perception
• Information Medium
• Thinking First
• Use Feedback
• Taylor Language to
the receiver
• Listen actively
• Constrain Emotions
• Watch Nonverbal
Cues
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How to Improve Your Communication
Effectiveness
Steps for effective Communication:
1. Think First
2. Constrain Emotions
3. Learn to Listen
4. Taylor Language to the Listener
5. Match Words & Actions
6. Use Feedback
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Improving Your Communication
Effectiveness
Step #1: Think First (Focus your message)
 Plan before you speak
 Clarify your intent/goals of the communication
 Inform,
persuade, direct, decide…
 Be specific
 Be courteous and objective
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Focus Your Message: Example
Unfocused Message



I need it soon.
Focused Message

I need it by 3 p.m. today.

I noticed you came to work
10 minutes late everyday this
week.

I expect you to complete all
assigned tasks by the end of
the day today.
Why are you always
late?
You need to improve
your productivity.
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Improving Your Communication
Effectiveness
• Step #2: Constrain Emotions
 Emotions can cloud and distort transference of
meaning
 Tip:
 If
emotional, discontinue communication until you have
regained composure
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Improving Your Communication
Effectiveness
Step #3: Learn to Listen Actively

RECEIVE – concentrate on what is being said (verbally and nonverbally)

PERCEIVE – paraphrase your understanding

DECODE – analyze and explore the situation to gain further
understanding

RESPOND - Last – not first! Plan before you speak!
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Improving Your Communication
Effectiveness
Step #4: Tailor Language to the Receiver
Consider the person/audience to whom the
message is directed
Simplify language
Be specific, use concrete terms
Use positive language
Use analogies
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Improving Your Communication
Effectiveness
• Step #5: Match Words & Action
 Do what you say you’re going to do
 Ensure that nonverbal cues match words
 Nonverbal
–
–
–
–
Eyes
Gestures
Posture
Face indicators
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Improving Your Communication
Effectiveness
• Step #6: Use Feedback
 Ask questions to prevent misunderstanding
 Example:
 When
you thing that something is missing, ask simple,
direct questions to get necessary information
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Suggestions for Effective Feedback
• Focus on specific behavior
• Keep feedback impersonal
• Keep feedback goal oriented
• Make feedback well-timed
• Ensure understanding
• Direct negative feedback towards behavior that
the receiver can control
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