Download MAN 103 CHAPTER 5 Interpersonal communication The

MAN 103 CHAPTER 5
Interpersonal communication
The communication process
The communication process consists of a sender who encodes a message and transmits it through a
channel to a receiver who decodes it and gives feedback. The process can be explained in details
as follows;
1) The sender encodes the message and selects the transmission channel:
The sender of the message is the person who initiates the communication and meaninn that are
to be communicated. Encoding is the sender’s process of putting the message into a form
that the receiver will understand.
Selecting the transmission channel: The message is the physical form of the encoded
information. The message is transmitted through a channel. The 3 primary communication
channels that one can use are oral, nonverbal and written.
2) The sender transmits the message through a channel
3) The receiver decodes the message and decides if feedback is needed: Decoding is the
receiver’s process of translating the message into a meaningful form.
-The receiver combines the message with other ideas and interprets the meaning of the
message.
-The receiver decides if feedback, a response or a new message is needed.
-With oral communication, feedback is given immediately, however, with written communication
it may not be necessary to reply.
4) The receiver provides feedback: In here, giving positive feedback increases performance.
Barriers to communication
1-Perception communication barriers: As messages are transmitted, receivers use their
perceptions to translate the messages so that they make sense to them.
-Semantics and Jargon can be communication barriers because the same word often means
different things to different people.
Overcoming perception barriers: To minimize the information overload communication barriers
that we will mention in the next section, one needs to consider how the other person will
most likely perceive the message and try to encode and transmit it appropriately
-Thus the choice of words important. Also be careful not to use Jargon with people who are not
familiar with the terminology, especially people from countries with different cultures.
2-Information overload barriers: People have a limit on the amount of information they can
understand at any given time.
-Information overload commonly occurs with new employees during the first few days, because they
are often presented with too much information to understand in that period of time.
Overcoming information overload barriers: To minimize information overload, send messages in a
quantity that the receiver can understand.
-When sending a message, do not talk for too long without checking that the receiver understand
the message as you are intended.
-If you are talk too long, the receiver can become bored or lose the thread of the message
3-Channel selection communication barriers: Use of inappropriate channel can result in missed
communication.
E.g. If a manager catches an employee in the act of breaking a rule, the manager should use one-toone face-to-face communication. Another channel will not be effective.
Overcoming channel selection barriers: Before sending a message, give careful thoughts to selecting
the most effective channel for the situation.
4-Noise communication barriers: Noise factors during the transmission of a message can disturb or
confuse the receiver.
-Noise is anything that interferes with message transmission.
e.g. A machine or people may make noise that makes difficult to hear or the sender may not speak
loud enough for the receiver to hear well etc.
Overcoming noise barriers: In order to do that, you need to consider the physical surroundings before
transmitting the message. Try to keep the noise in the minimum.
5-Trust and Credibility Communication Barriers: During communication, receivers take into account
the trust they have to the senders as well as their credibility.
-Managers who lack credibility and fail to create a climate of trust and openness aren’t believed, no
matter how hard they try to communicate.
Overcoming trust and credibility barriers: To improve your trust level, be open and honest with
people.
-If people catch you in a lie, they may never trust you again.
6-Not listening barrier to communication: Not listening is sometimes the result of not paying
attention.
Overcoming listening barriers: One method to make the people listen messages you provide is to
question them and having them paraphrase the message back to you.
7-Emotional barriers to communication: Everyone has emotions (anger, hurt, fear, sorrow and
happiness) When you are emotional it is difficult to be objective and listen.
Overcoming emotional barriers: You should remain calm when communicating and be careful not to
make others emotional by your behavior.
8-Filtering communication barriers:
Filtering is the process of altering or distorting information to project a more favorable image.
E.g. When people are asked to report progress towards objectives, they may stress the positive and
de-emphasize the negative side.
Overcoming filtering barriers: You should treat errors as a learning experience rather than as an
opportunity to blame and criticize employees. You can also apply an open-door policy in this case.
Cross-Cultural Conversation Differences
-The process of encoding and decoding is based on an individual’s culture therefore the message
meaning is different for people of diverse cultures.
-The greater the difference in culture between the sender and receiver, the greater is the chances of
encountering communication barriers.
High and Low context cultures
High context cultures: These cultures rely heavily on nonverbal communication and subtle situational
cues during the communication process.
-What is not said is often more important than what is actually said. People include official status,
place in society and reputation as important factors in communication
Low context cultures: These cultures rely heavily on the actual words used, nonverbal
communication and subtle situational cues are not important as what is actually said. Status, place in
society, and reputation are given secondary importance to the actual words.
Other factors that affect cross-cultural conversations are;
*Social conversations
*Language, etiquette and politeness
*Nonverbal communication
Overcoming global barriers: Followings can be applied
*Believe that there are differences until similarity is proved.
*Delay judgment of a person’s behavior until you are sure you are being culturally sensitive.
*Put yourself in a receiver’s position
*When in doubt, ask
*Follow the other person’s lead and watch his/her behavior
Sending Messages
-It is the second step in the communication process. Before you sending the message, you should
carefully select the channel and plan the message
Planning the message
You should be planning the followings;
-What is the goal of the message?
-What do you want as the end result of the communication?
-Who should receive the message?
Sending the message face-to-face
Following steps are required
S1: Develop rapport
S2: State the communication objective
S3: Transmit the message
S4: Check understanding
S5: Get a commitment and follow-up
Receiving Messages
To be a successful communicator, you need to be an effective listener. There are 3 levels of listening:
1-Marginal: The receiver does not listen carefully; the message is not heard or understood with
mutual agreement
2-Evaluative: The receiver listens carefully until hearing something that is not accepted. Listening
ends and the response to the incomplete message is developed
3-Projective: The receiver listens without evaluation to the full message, attempting to understand
the sender’s viewpoint
Active Projective Listening Tips
The key to effective human relations is listening. People want to be listening and understood, and if
you don’t listen and to understand others, they will avoid you.
Listening
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
Pay attention
Avoid distractions
Stay tuned on
Do not assume and interrupt
Watch for nonverbal cues
Ask questions
Take notes
Convey meaning
Analyzing
9) Think
10) Evaluate after listening
11) Evaluate facts presented
Speaking
12) Paraphrase first
13) Watch for nonverbal cues
Responding to messages
Feedback: It is the process of verifying messages. Questioning, paraphrasing and allowing comments
and suggestions are all forms of feedback.
-Feedback when giving and receiving messages facilitates job performance.
360 Degree Feedback: The performance method known as 360 Degree feedback provides
performance feedback in 4 directions;
-Downward from the supervisor
-Laterally from peers coworkers
-Upward from subordinates
-Inwardly from the person getting feedback
How to get feedback on Messages
4 guidelines can be considered
1-Be open to feedback
2-Be aware of nonverbal communication
3-Ask questions
4-Paraphrasing
Response Styles
1-Advising: Advising responses provide evaluation, personal opinion, direction or instructions.
Employees often come to the manager for advice on how to do something or for the manager to
make the decision. Advising tends to close, limit, or direction away from the sender to the receiver
Appropriate use of advising responses: Giving advice is appropriate when you are directly asked for
it. However, quickly giving advice tends to build dependence. You need to develop others’ ability to
think things through and make decisions.
2-Diverting: Diverting responses switch the focus of the communication to a message of the receiver.
The receiver becomes the sender of the message. This type of response is often changing the subject.
3-Probing: A probing response asks the sender to give more information about some aspect of the
message. It is useful to get a better understanding of the situation.
Appropriate use of probing: It is better in the earlier stages of the message.
4-Reassuring: A reassuring response is given to be supportive and reduce the intensity of the
emotions associated with the message
Appropriate use of reassuring messages: It is more appropriate when the other person lacks
confidence. Encouraging responses can help employee responses develop
5-Reflecting: Such messages paraphrase the message back to sender to convey understanding and
acceptance. The reflecting response is used by the empathic projective listener. Most messages have
2 components, feedbacks and content. A reflecting response paraphrases the message back to the
sender and to show him or her that the receiver understands and values and accepts him/her.
Appropriate use of reflecting: Reflecting responses should be empathetic. The empathic responder
deals with content, feelings, and the underlying meaning being expressed in the message.