5/9/19

OBJECTIVES

ORGANIZ ATIO N AL • To describe the types of organizational communication.

COMMUNI CAT IO N • To explain why interpersonal communication often is not effective.

• To improve one’s listening and communication skills.

OUTLINE

• Types of Organizational Communication

TY P ES O F
• Interpersonal Communication O R G A N I Z ATI O N A L
• Improving Employee Communication Skills
C O M M U N I C ATI O N

1
 5/9/19

UPWARD COMMUNIC AT IO N DOWNWARD COMMUNIC AT IO N

• Communication of subordinates to superiors or of employees to managers.

• Serial communication – communication passed consecutively from one • Communication from superior to subordinate or management to
person to another. employees
– L message con ten t & ton e ch an ges as it moves from p erson to p erson
– L b ad n ews an d comp lain ts are seldom relayed (mimimize un p leasan t messages or MUM
effect) • Includes bulletin boards, policy manuals, newsletters, intranets
– L less effective th e farth er away two p eop le are from on e an oth er

• Organizations may also use several other methods of upward communication:

attitude surveys, focus group & exit interviews, suggestion/complaint boxes,
third-party facilitators (e.g., liaison or ombudsperson)

BUSINES S COMMUNIC AT IO N INFORM AL COMMUNIC AT IO N

• Communication in among employees in an organization that is not directly
• Transmission of business-related information among employees, management, related to the completion of an organizational task, often transmitted through
and customers. unofficial/informal communication network (the grapevine)

• Includes memos, telephone calls, email and voice mail, business meetings • Grapevine patterns:
– Single-strand grapevine: message is p assed in a ch ain -like fash ion from on e p erson to th e
n ex t u n til th e ch ain is b roken
• Many organizations have adopted an open or landscaped office design (aka – Gossip grapevine: message is p assed to on ly a select grou p of in dividu als
cube farm) to facilitate employee communication. – Probability grapevine: message is p assed ran domly amon g all emp loyees
– Cluster grapevine: message is p assed to a select grou p of p eop le wh o each in tu rn p ass it to
a few select oth ers

2
 5/9/19

INFORM AL COMMUNIC AT IO N
• Research shows that employees may be classified either as isolates, liaisons, or
dead-enders.

• Grapevine contains two types of information:

– Gossip: p oorly su b stan tiated an d in sign ifican t in formation that is p rimarily ab ou t
in dividu als I N TER P ER SO N A L
– Rumor: p oorly su b stan tiated in formation th at is sign ifican t to the lives of th ose
commu n icatin g an d can b e ab ou t in dividuals or oth er topics.
C O M M U N I C ATI O N
- th e ex ch an ge of message across a commu n ication ch an n el from on e p erson to an other
• Rumors help to make sense of ambiguous information and help manage
potential threats, while gossip serves to entertain and supply social
information.

PROBLEM AREA 1: INTENDED PROBLEM AREA 2: MESSAGE SENT VS.

MESSAG E VS. MESSAGE SENT MESSAG E RECEIVED
• To solve this problem,
– Think about what you want to communicate
– Practice what you want to communicate Actual Commu
words nication Nonver Paralang Amount
Noise bal cues uage Artifacts of info
– Learn better communication skills used channel

Factors affecting the message sent vs. message received

3
 5/9/19

FACTORS AFFECTING THE MESSAGE FACTORS AFFECTING THE MESSAGE

SENT VS. MESSAGE RECEIVED SENT VS. MESSAGE RECEIVED
• The Actual Words Used
• Communication Channel
– Words may mean differently across situations and across persons
– Was the message sent orally, nonverbally, through a second party, through a
– Vague words/phrases are usually problematic; thus, be as concrete as
written medium, etc.?
possible.
– Why are we often vague in our communication? – Often, the communication channel is the message itself.
• To avoid con fron tation
• To “test th e water” an d see wh at th e p erson ’s in itial reaction migh t b e b efore we say
wh at we really wan t
– Gender differences in communication

FACTORS AFFECTING THE MESSAGE FACTORS AFFECTING THE MESSAGE

SENT VS. MESSAGE RECEIVED SENT VS. MESSAGE RECEIVED
• Noise • Nonverbal cues
– Any interference that affects – Body language
proper reception of a message – Use of space
– Ex: auditory noise, – Use of time
appropriateness of the channel,
– Paralanguage
reputation of the message
sender, other information being – Artifacts
received at the same time

4
 5/9/19

FACTORS AFFECTING THE MESSAGE FACTORS AFFECTING THE MESSAGE

SENT VS. MESSAGE RECEIVED SENT VS. MESSAGE RECEIVED
• Paralanguage Inflec ted Sentenc es Meaning
I did n ot say Trish a stole you r b oyfrien d. Someone else said Trish a stole you r b oyfrien d.
– Communication inferred from
I did not say Trish a stole you r b oyfrien d. I deny I said Trish a stole you r b oyfrien d.
the tone, tempo, volume, and
I did n ot say Trish a stole you r b oyfrien d. I implied th at Trish a stole you r b oyfrien d.
rate of speech
I did n ot say Trisha stole you r b oyfrien d. Someone else stole you r b oyfrien d.
– Think about your “hmmms,”
I did n ot say Trish a stole you r b oyfrien d. Trish a borrowed you r b oyfrien d.
“uh-hums,” “ers,” “ahs,” etc.
I did n ot say Trish a stole your b oyfrien d. Trish a stole someone else’s b oyfrien d.
I did n ot say Trish a stole you r boyfriend. Trish a stole something else of you rs.

Inflection Changes and Meaning

FACTORS AFFECTING THE MESSAGE FACTORS AFFECTING THE MESSAGE

SENT VS. MESSAGE RECEIVED SENT VS. MESSAGE RECEIVED
• Artifacts • Amount of Information
– Things people surround themselves with (clothes, jewelry, office, – When message contains more info than we can hold in memory, the info
decorations, cars, etc.) that communicate information about the person. becomes:
– Leveled: unimportant informational details are removed before message is
passed from one person to another
– Research example: perceptions of visitors to offices that used either open
– Sharpened: interesting & unusual info is kept in the message when it is
or closed desk arrangements
passed from one person to another
– Assimilated: info has been modified to fit existing beliefs and knowledge of
the sender before it is passed on to another person

5
 5/9/19

FACTORS AFFECTING THE MESSAGE PROBLEM AREA 3: MESSAGE RECEIVED

SENT VS. MESSAGE RECEIVED VS. MESSAGE INTERPRETED
• Reactions to Communication Overload
– Omission: a conscious decision not to process certain types of information
– Error: processing all info but unintentionally processing some of it incorrectly
– Queuing: organizing work info in which it will be handled Listening Listening Emotional Cognitive
skills styles State Ability Bias
– Escape: employee resorts to absenteeism or leaves the organization due to
stress
– Use of a Gatekeeper: a person who screens potential communication &
allows only the most important to go through
– Use of Multiple Channels: organization reduces amount of communication Factors affecting the message received vs. the message interpreted
going to one person by directing some of it to another

FACTORS AFFECTING THE MESSAGE FACTORS AFFECTING THE MESSAGE

RECEIVED VS. MESSAGE INTERPRET ED RECEIVED VS. MESSAGE INTERPRET ED
• Listening Styles
• Listening Skills
– The Attitudinal Listening Profile (Geier & Downey, 1980) postulates 6
– Listening is probably the most important communication skill that a
main styles of listening:
supervisor should master, but formal education does not prepare us
– Leisure
for managerial communication.
– Listening effectiveness is poor. – Inclusive
– Stylistic
– Technical
– Empathic
– Nonconforming

6
 5/9/19

FACTORS AFFECTING THE MESSAGE FACTORS AFFECTING THE MESSAGE

RECEIVED VS. MESSAGE INTERPRET ED RECEIVED VS. MESSAGE INTERPRET ED
Listening Style Meaning • Emotional State
Leisure listening Cares about only interesting information – “The more you feel, the less you think.”
Inclusive listening Cares about only the main points of a communication
Stylistic listening Pays attention mainly to the way in which words are
spoken • Cognitive Ability
Technical listening Cares about only facts and details – Some people may not be bright enough to understand your message.
Empathic listening Cares primarily about the feelings of the speaker
Nonconforming listening Cares about only information consistent with his/her
way of thinking • Bias
– We usually process information consistent with our opinion.

• Interpersonal communication can be improved with

I M P R O VI N G – More effective listening skills

– Understanding the six styles of listening (LISTEN)

EM P L O Y EE – Considering the emotional state, cognitive ability, and biases of the sender
and receiver.

C O M M U N I C ATI O N
SK I L L S • Written communication can be improved by
– Learning better writing skills
– Writing organizational documents at a level that matches the reading level
of most employees