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McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Copyright © 2009 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Managing Communication Processes
Organizations: Behavior, Structure, Processes
Chapter 15
Learning Objectives
Define the term communication
 Describe the major elements in the
process of communication
 Discuss how nonverbal cues influence
communication effectiveness
 Compare the different types of
interpersonal communication
 Identify the major barriers to effect

15-3
Communication
The process by
which things
get done in
organizations
15-4
Global Virtual Team Communication

Global virtual teams are cross-functional
They operate across time, space,
organizational boundaries, and cultures
 Members communicate mainly through
electronic technologies


Internationally savvy companies provide
virtual teams with intercultural training
15-5
Intercultural Communication Training

Part one of this training focuses on helping
team members understand his/her own:




Cultural beliefs
Verbal and nonverbal communication styles
Attitudes toward time, space, work ethic, etc.
Part two of this training focuses on:



Learning to work with teammates from diverse
cultures
Interpreting the communication styles and cultural
backgrounds of teammates
Responding effectively to these unique cues
15-6
The Importance of Communication

Communication is vital
Person-to-person
 Nation-to-nation
 In organizations
 In groups


Nearly all aspects of a manager’s job
involve communication

The most important aspect of
communication is the effect it produces
15-7
The Importance of Communication

Communication does not depend on
technology; it depends on
Forces within people
 Their surroundings


Nearly all aspects of a manager’s job
involve communication

The most important aspect of
communication is the effect it produces
15-8
The Communication Process
Who...
Communicator
says what...
in what way...
Message
Medium
to whom...
Receiver
Feedback
...with what effect
15-9
Classic Communication Model
••••
Communicator
••••
••••
••••
Encoding
Message &
Medium
Decoding
••••
Receiver
Feedback
••••
= Noise
15-10
Classic Communication Model








Communicator: Someone with ideas, intentions,
information, and a purpose for communicating
Encoding: Converting a message into groups
of symbols that represent ideas or concepts
Message: An idea or experience that a sender
wants to communicate
Medium: Means by which a message is sent
Decoding: The message’s target
Receiver: Converts symbols into concepts and
ideas
Noise: Factors that distort the intended message
Feedback: Receiver’s response to sender’s
message
15-11
Nonverbal Communication
Messages sent with body posture, facial
expressions, and hand/eye movements
It is as important as verbal communication
15-12
Nonverbal Messages

People cannot refrain from behaving
nonverbally
A person trying to act passively is likely to
be perceived as inexpressive, inhibited,
withdrawn, uptight
 Speakers with greater vocal and facial
pleasantness and facial expressiveness
were judged by audiences to have greater
competence
 Vocal inflection refers to how a message
is transmitted

15-13
Body Language

Body language is classified into five
types of expression
Emblems
 Illustrators
 Regulators
 Adaptors
 Affect displays

15-14
Communicating Across Cultures
Words
Space
Time
Behavior
15-15
Directions of Communication

Downward communication



Flows from higher to lower levels in an
organization
Includes management policies, instructions, and
official memos
Upward communication


Flows from lower to higher levels in an
organization
Includes suggestion boxes, group meetings,
grievance procedures, anonymous emails,
unauthorized websites, airing grievances in
chat rooms.
15-16
Communication and Technology
Internet and World
Wide Web
Intranet
Voicemail
Conferencing
Mobile phone,
pager, PDA
Email, Instant
Messaging
15-17
The Grapevine

An informal communication channel that cuts
across all other channels of communication

Many employees listen to the facts, opinions,
suspicions, and rumors the grapevine provides

An organization has multiple grapevine systems

Grapevines, rumors, and gossip are deeply
ingrained in organizational life

Managers must be tuned into what is being said
and must seek to keep employees informed
15-18
Rumors

There are four categories of rumors

A pipe dream or wish fulfillment expresses the
wishes and hopes of those who spread the
rumors

Bogie rumors come from employees’ fears and
anxieties and cause general uneasiness

Wedge drivers are motivated by aggression or
hatred and are the most damaging type of rumor

Home-stretchers are anticipatory rumors; they
occur after waiting for an announcement
15-19
Interpersonal Communication

Flows between individuals in face-to-face
and group situations



A primary means of managerial
communication
Three-fourths of a manager’s communications
occur in face-to-face interactions
Problems that arise when attempting to
communicate with other people are traced to


Perceptual differences
Interpersonal style differences
15-20
Interpersonal Communication Style
How an individual
prefers to relate to others
15-21
Interpersonal Communication Style

The Johari Window: four combinations of
information known by self and others




The arena: the communicator and receiver(s)
know the information necessary to have effective
communication
The blind spot: relevant information is known to
self, but not to others
The façade: superficial communication, used
when information is known to self but not others
The unknown: relevant information known by
neither party
15-22
The Johari Window
Feedback
Less
Known
Exposur
e
Less
More
Known
Unknown
More
Unknown
Arena
Blind spot
Known
by others
Facade
Unknown
Unknown
by others
Known by self
Unknown by self
15-23
Interpersonal Strategies

Interpersonal communication can be
improved with…
Exposure
 Feedback

15-24
Managerial Styles

All managers
Provide information
 Give commands and instructions
 Make efforts to persuade and influence


How managers communicate, both as
senders and receivers, is crucial to
effective performance
15-25
Managerial Styles
Type A managers use neither exposure
nor feedback; they appear aloof and cold
and are poor communicators
 Type B managers seek good relationships
with their subordinates, but are unable to
express feelings
 Type C managers value their own ideas
and opinions, but not those of others
 Type D, the most effective style, balances
exposure and feedback. Managers can
express their own feelings and have
others express theirs

15-26
Barriers to Effective Communication
Communication
Gap
Communicator’s Field
of Experience
Encoding
Communicator
The
Message
Receiver’s Field
of Experience
Decoding
Receiver
15-27
Barriers Created by Senders
Semantic problems
 Filtering
 In-group language
 Status differences
 Time pressures

15-28
Barriers Created by Receivers
Selective listening
 Value judgments
 Source credibility

15-29
Barriers Created by
Sender and/or Receiver
Frame of reference
 Proxemic behavior
 Communication overload

15-30
Improving Organizational
Communication

Managers striving to become better
communicators must do two things
Improve the messages they transmit
 Improve their understanding of what other
people are trying to communicate

15-31
Ways to Improve Communication

To narrow the communication gap
Follow up
 Ensure an optimum flow of information
 Utilize feedback
 Employ empathy
 Use repetition
 Encourage mutual trust
 Use effective timing
 Use simple language
 Listen closely

15-32