Download Management - Griffin 7e

CHAPTER
8
Managing
Interpersonal
Relations and
Communication
PowerPoint Presentation
by Charlie Cook
Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company.
All rights reserved.
Learning Objectives
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
– Describe the interpersonal nature of organizations.
– Describe the role and importance of communication in the
manager’s job.
– Identify the basic forms of communication in organizations.
– Discuss informal communication, including its various forms
and types.
– Describe how the communication process can be managed
to recognize and overcome barriers.
Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
18–2
Chapter Outline
• The Interpersonal Nature of
Organizations
– Interpersonal Dynamics
– Outcomes of Interpersonal
Behaviors
• Communications and the
Manager’s Job
– A Definition of Communication
– The Role of Communication in
Management
– The Communication Process
• Forms of Communication in
Organizations
– Interpersonal Communication
– Communication in Networks and
Teams
– Organizational Communication
Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
• Forms of Communication in
Organizations (cont’d)
– Electronic Communication
• Informal Communication in
Organizations
– The Grapevine
– Management by Wandering
Around
– Nonverbal Communication
• Managing Organizational
Communication
– Barriers to Communication
– Improving Communication
Effectiveness
18–3
Importance of Good
Communication
• Good Communication allows a firm to
–
–
–
–
Learn new skills and technologies.
Become more responsive to customers.
Improve Quality of their product or service.
Foster innovation
• Effective communication is needed by all
Managers.
The Communication Process
Communication consists of two phases:
1. Transmission phase: information is shared by 2 or more people.
2. Feedback phase: a common understanding is assured.
– Starts with the Sender who wants to share information.
• Sender must decide on a message to share
• Sender also puts the message into symbols or language, a process
called encoding.
Noise: anything harming the communication process.
–
The Communication Process
Figure 15.1
Transmission Phase
Message
Encoding
Medium
Decoding
Receiver
(now sender)
NOISE
Sender
Decoding
Medium
Encoding
Feedback Phase
Message
The Communication Process
–
–
–
Messages are transmitted over a medium to a receiver.
• Medium: pathway the message is transmitted on (phone, letter).
• Receiver: person getting the message.
Receiver next decodes the message.
• Decoding allows the receiver to understand the message.
• This is a critical point, can lead to mis-understanding.
Feedback is started by receiver and states that the message is
understood or that it must be re-sent.
Communication Issues
–
–
Encoding of messages can be done verbally or non-verbally
• Verbal: spoken or written communication.
• Nonverbal: facial gestures, body language, dress.
Sender and receiver communicate based on their
perception.
• Subjective perception can lead to biases and stereotypes that hurt
communication.
• Effective Managers avoid communicating based on a pre-set belief.
Dangers of Ineffective
Communication
–
–
Managers spend most of their time communicating so both
they and the subordinates must be effective communicators.
To be effective:
Select an appropriate medium for each message.
– There is no one “best” medium.
•
Consider information richness: the amount of information a medium
can carry.
– Medium with high richness can carry much information to aid
understanding.
•
Is there a need for a paper/electronic trail to provide documentation?
Information Richness and Media
Type
High
Richness
Face-to-face
communication
Verbal communication
electronically
transmitted
Personally Addressed
Written Communication
Low
Richness
Impersonal written
communication
Communication Media
Face-to-Face: highest information richness.
• Can take advantage of verbal and nonverbal signals.
• Provides for instant feedback.
– Management by wandering around takes advantage of this with
informal talks to workers.
•
Video Conferences: provide much of this richness.
– Reduce travel costs and meeting times.
Verbal Communication electronically transmitted: has next
highest richness.
• Phone conversations, but no visual nonverbal cues.
– Do have tone of voice, sender’s emphasis and quick feedback.
Communication Media
Personally Addressed Written Communication: lower richness
than the verbal forms, but still is directed at a given person.
• Personal addressing helps ensure receiver reads it.
– Letters and e-mail are common forms.
•
Cannot provide instant feedback to sender but can get feedback later.
– Excellent for complex messages needing follow-up.
Impersonal Written Communication: lowest richness.
• Good for messages to many receivers. Little feedback is expected.
– Newsletters, reports are examples.
E-Mail Trends
–
–
E-mail use is growing rapidly in large firms, and there are even
special e-mail etiquette:
• Words in all CAPITALS are seen as “screaming” at the receiver.
• Punctuate your messages for easy reading and don’t ramble (walk) on.
• Pay attention to spelling and treat like a written letter.
E-mail has allowed telecommuting, where workers can work
from home and be in touch with e-mail.
Communication Networks
Networks show information flows in an organization.
• Wheel Network: information flow to and from one central member,
who is probably the group’s leader. In sense, the wheel is the most
centralized network, because one person receives and disseminates all
information.
• Chain Network: members communicate with people next to them in
sequence.
– Wheel and Chain networks provide for little interaction.
– The chin offers a more even flow of information among members ,
although two people (the ones at each end) interact with only one
other person.
•
•
Circle Network: members communicate with others close to them in
terms of expertise, office location, etc.
All-Channel Network: found in teams, with high levels of
communications between each member and all others.
Communic
ation
Networks
in Groups
& Teams
Wheel Network
Circle Network
Chain Network
All Channel Network
Forms of Communication
in Organizations (cont’d)
• Organizational Communication
– Vertical Communication
• Communication that flows up and down the organization, usually
along formal reporting lines.
– Takes place between managers and subordinates and may involve
several levels of the organization.
• Upward communication consists of messages from subordinates to
superiors and is more subject to distortion.
• Downward communication occurs when information flows down the
hierarchy from superiors to subordinates.
– Horizontal Communication
• Communication that flows laterally within the organization; involves
persons at the same level of the organization.
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18–16
Forms of Communication
in Organizations (cont’d)
• Formal Communication in Organizations
– Follows the official reporting relationships and/or prescribed
channels.
Vertical communication
Horizontal communication
Figure 18.3
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18–17
Forms of Communication
in Organizations (cont’d)
• Electronic Communication
– Formal Information Systems
• Accomplished (created) by either:
– A managerial approach involving the creation of a position (e.g.,
chief information officer-CIO) responsible for putting in place
information processing systems that facilitate organizational
communication.
– An operational approach that involves the
creation of formal information systems
linking all relevant managers,
departments, and facilities
in the organization.
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18–18
Forms of Communication
in Organizations (cont’d)
• Electronic Communication
– Personal Electronic Technology
• Technological advances (e.g., fax machines, cellular telephones,
copiers, and personal computers) have created opportunities for
quickly disseminating and contacting others in the organization.
• Corporate intranets and the Internet have made possible
teleconferences and the rapid retrieval of information from all corners
of the globe.
• Telecommuting allows people to work at home and transmit their
work to the company by means of a telephone and a modem.
• Disadvantages are the lack of face-to-face contact, strong personal
relationships, falling behind professionally, and losing out in
organizational politics.
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18–19
Informal Communication
in Organizations
• Informal Communications
– May or may not follow official reporting relationships and/or
prescribed organizational channels and may have nothing to
do with official organizational business.
– Common forms of informal communications are management
by wandering around, the grapevine, and nonverbal
communication.
• Management by Wandering Around
– Managers keep in touch with what’s going on by wandering
around and talking to people on all levels in the organization
Example: employees attending the company picnic, playing on the
company softball team, or taking fishing trips together will almost
always spend part of their time talking about work.
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18–20
Informal Communication
in Organizations (cont’d)
Informal communication
Formal communication
Figure 18.4
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18–21
Informal Communication
in Organizations (cont’d)
• Grapevine
– An informal communication network that can permeate an
organization. Types of grapevines are:
The Gossip Chain
One person tells many
The Cluster Chain
Many people tell a few
Figure 18.5
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18–22
Informal Communication
in Organizations (cont’d)
• Nonverbal Communication
– Any communication exchange that does
not use words, or uses words to carry
Words in
the message
more meaning than the strict
7%
definition of the words themselves.
– Much of the content of a
Facial
Inflection
message may be transmitted
expression
and tone
by facial expression alone;
55%
38%
other message content is
derived from inflection and tone
of the voice. Only a small portion
of the message content is due to the
words in the message.
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18–23
Informal Communication
in Organizations (cont’d)
• Nonverbal Communication (cont’d)
– Kinds of nonverbal communication practiced by managers:
• Images—the kinds of words people elect to use to give emphasis and
effect to what they say.
• Settings—boundaries, familiarity, home turf (e.g., office location,
size, and furnishings) are symbols of power and influence how people
choose to communicate in organizations.
• Body language—how people of different cultures and backgrounds
physically position themselves and react to the stance and body
movements of others has a strong influence on communications
between individuals.
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18–24
Managing Organizational
Communication
• Barriers to Effective Communication
Individual Barriers
Organizational Barriers
Conflicting or inconsistent cues
Semantics
Credibility about the subject
Status or power differences
Reluctance to communicate
Different perceptions
Poor listening skills
Noise
Predisposition about the subject
Overload
Table 18.1
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18–25
Managing Organizational
Communication (cont’d)
• Improving Communication Effectiveness
Individual Skills
Organizational Skills
Develop good listening skills
Follow up
Encourage two-way communication
Regulate information flows
Be aware of language and meaning
Understand the richness of media
Maintain credibility
Be sensitive to receiver’s perspective
Be sensitive to sender’s perspective
Table 18.2
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18–26
More and Less Effective Listening Skills
More Effective Listening
Less Effective Listening
Stays active, focused
Is passive, laid back
Pays attention
Is easily distracted
Asks questions
Asks no questions
Keeps an open mind
Has preconceptions
Assimilates information
Disregards information
Figure 18.6
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18–27
Technological Advances
Internet: global system of computer networks
Many firms use it to communicate with suppliers.
 Intranets: use the same information concepts as the
Internet, but keep the network inside the firm.
 Groupware: software designed to let workers share
information and improve communication.
Best for team oriented support.
 World Wide Web (WWW): provides multimedia
access to the Internet.

Communication Skills for Managers as
Senders






Send clear and complete messages.
Encode messages in symbols the receiver understands.
Select a medium appropriate for the message
Avoid filtering (holding back information) and distortion as the
message passes through other workers.
Ensure a feedback mechanism is included in the message.
Provide accurate information to avoid rumors.
Communication Skills for Managers as
Receivers
•
•
•
•
Pay Attention to what is sent as a message.
Be a good listener: don’t interrupt.
– Ask questions to clarify your understanding.
Be empathetic: try to understand what the sender feels.
Understand linguistic styles: different people speak differently.
– Speed, tone, pausing all impact communication.
– This is particularly true across cultures.
– Managers should expect and plan for this.
End
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18–31