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CHAPTER 17 MANAGING COMMUNICATION CHAPTER OUTLINE Do You You Focus on What Others Say? I. Commun Communica icatio tion n Is Is the the Manager’ Manager’ss Job Job A. What What Is Is Commu Communic nicati ation? on? B. A Model Model of Commun Communica icatio tion n II. Commun Communica icatin ting g Among Among Peopl Peoplee A. Open Open Communi Communicat cation ion Clim Climate ate B. Commun Communica icati tion on Channe Channels ls C. Communicati Communicating ng to Persuad Persuadee and Influe Influence nce Others Others . Commun Communica icati ting ng !ith !ith Candor Candor ". As#ing $uestions %. &istening '. (on)erb (on)erbal al Commu Communic nicati ation on III. Wor#place Communication A. *oci *ocial al Medi Mediaa B. Person Personal al Commun Communica icatio tion n Channels Channels New Manager Self-Test: Self-Test: Are Are You You Builing a !ersonal Networ" C. Crisis Crisis Commun Communica icatio tion n
ANNOTATED LEARNING OBJECTIVES After stud+ing this chapter, students should be able to. #$%lain why co&&unication is essential for effecti'e &anage&ent( Communication is defined as the process b+ !hich information is e/changed and understood und erstood b+ t!o or more people, usuall+ !ith the intent to moti)ate or influence beha)ior. Communication means to share, not 0ust to spea# or o r to !rite. 1his distinction bet!een sharing and proclaiming is crucial for successful management. Managers spend at least 23 percent of e)er+ !or#ing da+ in direct communication !ith others. 1he other 43 percent of a manager’s time is spent doing des#!or#, most of !hich is also communication in the form of reading and !riting.
4. Descri)e the &oel of co&&unication( Communication is usuall+ comple/, !ith man+ opportunities to send or recei)e the !rong message. 1!o 1!o common elements in e)er+ communication are the sender and recei)er. recei)er. 1he sender !ishes to con)e+ an idea or see# information from others, or to e/press an emotion or thought. 435 Cengage &earning. All 6ights 6eser)ed. Ma+ not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicl+ accessible !ebsite, in !hole or in part .
, e/cept foruse as permitted in a license distributed !ith a certain product or ser)ice or other!ise on a pass!ord7protected !ebsite for classroom use. .
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1he recei)er is the person to !hom !ho m the message is sent. 1he communication process consists of four steps1he sender encodes the idea b+ selecting s+mbols to represent the message, !hich is the tangible formulation of the idea that is sent to the recei)er. recei)er. 1he message is sent through a channel, !hich is the communication carrier. 1he recei)er decodes or translates the s+mbols to interpret the meaning of the message. %eedbac# occurs !hen the recei)er responds to the sender’s communication !ith a return message. Without Without feedbac#, the communication is one !a+8 !ith feedbac#, it is t!o !a+. !a+. 9. #$%lain how an o%en co&&unication cli&ate an choice of a co&&unication channel influence the *uality of co&&unication( Open communication means sharing all t+pes of o f information throughout the organi:ation, across functional and hierarchical boundaries. In an open communication en)ironment, people #no! !here the+ stand and !hat rules the+ need to pla+ b+. Open communication helps people accept, understand, and commit to goals. People can see ho! their actions interact !ith and affect others in the organi:ation. And !hen people ha)e access to complete information, the+ are more li#el+ to come up !ith creati)e solutions to problems and ma#e decisions that are good for the compan+. Managers ha)e a choice of man+ channels through !hich to communicate to other managers or emplo+ees. Channels differ in their capacit+ to con)e+ information. One approach of selecting an effecti)e communication channel is to interpret the emotions of the person !ho !ill be recei)ing the message and then select the channel that !ill result in the best outcome. 1he t+pe and amount of information to be communicated also influences the selection of the communication channel. 1he channels a)ailable to managers can be classified into a hierarch+ based on information richness. Channel richness is the amount of information that can be transmitted during a communication episode. 1he richest channel is face7to7face tal# and the leanest channel includes bulletins and standard computer reports. ;. +larify how co&&unicating with canor, canor, as"ing *uestions, listening, an non'er)al co&&unication affect co&&unication )etween a &anager an e&%loyee( 1o influence and persuade, managers also ha)e to be fran# and straightfor!ard about !hat the+ !ant and need from others. Communicating !ith candor means being direct, honest, and clear about !hat emplo+ees need to do to meet ob0ecti)es, !hile also e/pressing e /pressing respect for others and not ma#ing people feel slighted, controlled, and e/ploited. Communicating !ith candor is a confident, positi)e approach that lets others #no! e/actl+ !here +ou stand and !hat +ou are as#ing of them. 1he appropriate use of a candid communication ac#no!ledges the other person’s perspecti)e and opinion, +et is )er+ specific about !hat the manager !ants and !h+.
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1o ha)e successful organi:ational con)ersations, managers need to learn to as# se of email, 1!itter 1!itter,, and %aceboo# has increased dramaticall+ 0ust in the past fe! +ears. 1his significant increase in the use of social media signals a gro!ing appetite among users u sers for instant access and immediate sharing of information. Popular collaboration tools, such as podcasts, blogs, and !i#is, are also opening up opportunities for organi:ations to interact !ith emplo+ees and customers and impro)e collaboration among teams. Managers can use ne! communication technologies in a !ide )ariet+ of !a+s to manage emplo+ees, connect !ith e/isting customers, reach ne! customers, and enhance relationships !ith suppliers. 5.
#$%lain the role of %ersonal co&&unication channels, incluing networ"s an the gra%e'ine, in enhancing organi.ational co&&unication( *mart managers consciousl+ de)elop personal communication net!or#s and encourage others to do so. 1he )alue is that people !ho ha)e more contacts ha)e ha )e greater influence in the organi:ation and get more accomplished.
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, e/cept foruse as permitted in a license distributed !ith a certain product or ser)ice or other!ise on a pass!ord7protected !ebsite for classroom use. .
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*mart managers also understand the compan+’s grape)inethe informal, person7to7person communication net!or# of emplo+ees that is not o fficiall+ fficiall+ sanctioned b+ the organi:ation. 1he grape)ine recogni:es !ho’s connected to !hom and !hich emplo+ees are #e+ pla+ers in the informal spread of information. It lin#s emplo+ees, at all the le)els of a n organi:ation, in all directions. 'rape)ine rumors fill in information gap and clarif+ management d ecision. Its accurac+ and rele)ance to the organi:ation are its #e+ aspects. %inall+, %inall+, !ritten communication s#ills are becoming increasingl+ important in toda+’s collaborati)e !or#place. Managers !ho are unable to communicate in !riting !ill limit their opportunities for ad)ancement. @.
+o&%are an contrast for&al an infor&al organi.ational co&&unications( %ormal communication channels are those that flo! !ithin the chain of command or tas# responsibilit+ defined b+ the organi:ation. Organi:ation7!ide communications t+picall+ flo! in three directions- do!n!ard, up!ard, and hori:ontall+. o!n!ard communication is information sent from top management to subordinates in a do!n!ard direction. 1he ma0or problem !ith do!n!ard communication is the distortion or loss of message content. >p!ard communication includes messages that flo! from the lo!er to the higher le)els in the organi:ation’s organi:ation’s hierarch+. ori:ontal communication is the lateral or diagonal e/change of messages across peers or co7 !or#ers. 1he purpose of hori:ontal communication is not onl+ to inform, but also to re
2.
Su&&ari.e strategies for &anaging co&&unication uring a crisis( A manager’s manager’s s#ill at communicating becomes e)en more crucial during time of rapid change, uncertaint+, uncertaint+, and crisis. 1he manager’s abilit+ to communicate effecti)el+ !ill determine ho! effecti)el+ the organi:ation sur)i)es the uphea)al. %our primar+ s#ills or strategies for managers to follo! !hen communicating in a crisis include*ta+ calm, listen hard. Be )isible. 'et the a!ful truth out. Communicate a )ision for the future.
LECTURE OUTLINE Do You You Focus on What Others Say?
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, e/cept foruse as permitted in a license distributed !ith a certain product or ser)ice or other!ise on a pass!ord7protected !ebsite for classroom use. .
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Managers face man+ distractions, !hich ma#es it hard to pa+ attention !hen someone is spea#ing. &istening attenti)eness pre)ents man+ communication mista#es. In addition, effecti)e managers learn the habit of in
I.
COMM>(ICA1IO( I* 1" MA(A'"6’* JOB
"/hibit @.
Managers spend at least 23 percent p ercent of e)er+ !or#ing da+ in direct communication !ith others. 1he other 43 percent of their time is spent doing des#!or#, most of !hich is communication in the form of reading and !riting. Managers ha)e the crucial role of being communication champions. 1he+ gather information from inside and ou tside the organi:ation and distribute it to others !ho need it. Managers’ communication communication is %ur%ose-irecte is %ur%ose-irecte 8 it directs e)er+one’s attention to!ard the )ision, )alues, and desired goals and influences people to achie)e the goals. Managers facilitate strategic facilitate strategic con'ersations b+ con'ersations b+ using open communication, acti)el+ listening to others, appl+ing the practice of dialogue, and using feedbac# for learning and change. Strategi# #n$er%atin refers to people tal#ing across boundaries and hierarchical le)els about the team or organi:ation’ o rgani:ation’ss )ision, critical strategic themes, and the )alues that h elp achie)e important goals. Managers use man+ communication methods depending on the purposes of the communication and the audience. . A. What What Is Is Commu Communic nicati ation? on? . C!!"ni#atin is defined as the process b+ !hich information is e/changed and understood b+ t!o or more people, usuall+ !ith the intent to moti)ate or influence beha)ior. beha)ior. 4. *ur)e+s *ur)e+s of mangers mangers sho! that the+ the+ consider consider communicati communication on as their most most critical critical s#ill s#ill and one of their top responsibilities. o!e)er, most managers re)ealed the+ need to impro)e their communication effecti)eness. Also, !ithout feedbac#, managers can’t respond ade
"/hibit "/hibit @.4
. Communicati Communication on is usuall+ usuall+ comple/, comple/, !ith !ith man+ opportunit opportunities ies to send send or recei)e recei)e the !rong message. Communication is not 0ust sending information, but sharing information in a planned !a+. !a+. A manager manager !ho has ha s the abilit+ to deli)er rousing speech or !rite brilliant commentar+, commentar+, but !ho does not #no! ho! to listen, is not an effecti)e communicator. communicator. 1!o common elements in e)er+ communication are the sender and recei)er. 1he sender !ishes to con)e+ an idea or see# information from 435 Cengage &earning. All 6ights 6eser)ed. Ma+ not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicl+ accessible !ebsite, in !hole or in part .
, e/cept foruse as permitted in a license distributed !ith a certain product or ser)ice or other!ise on a pass!ord7protected !ebsite for classroom use. .
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others, or to e/press an emotion or thought. 1he recei)er is the person to !hom the message is sent. 1he communication process consists of the follo!ing four steps. a. 1he sender sender encodes encodes the idea idea b+ selectin selecting g s+mbols s+mbols to represen representt the message message,, !hich is the tangible formulation of the idea that is sent to the recei)er. b. 1he message is sent through a channel, !hich is the communication carrier. carrier. c. 1he rec recei)er &e#&e% or translates the s+mbols to interpret the meaning of the message. d. 'ee&(a#) occurs occurs !hen the recei)er responds to the sender’s communication !ith a return message. It enables the sender to determine !hether the recei)er correctl+ interpreted the message. Without feedbac#, the communication is one7!a+8 !ith feedbac#, it becomes beco mes t!o7!a+. iscussion $uestion 4- Descri)e 4- Descri)e the ele&ents of the co&&unication &oel in #$hi)it /0(1( 2i'e an e$a&%le of each %art of the &oel as it e$ists in the classroo& uring co&&unication )etween teacher an stuents( (O1"*
II. COMM>(ICA1I(' AMO(' P"OP&" Communications can brea#do!n if the sender and recei)er do not encode or decode language in the same !a+. Managers must understand ho! factors such as open communication climates, communication channels, the abilit+ to persuade communicating !ith candor, as#ing
"/hibit "/hibit @.9
. Open #!!"ni#atin means sharing all t+pes of information throughout the organi:ation, across functional and hierarchical boundaries. In an o pen communication en)ironment, people #no! !here the+ stand and !hat rules the+ need to pla+ b+. Open communication helps people accept, understand, and commit to goals. People can see ho! their actions interact !ith and affect others in the organi:ation. And !hen people ha)e access to complete information, the+ are more li#el+ to come up !ith creati)e solutions to problems and ma#e decisions that are good for the compan+. 4. Managers Managers can build build an open open communicat communication ion climate climate b+ brea#ing brea#ing do!n do!n con)entio con)entional nal hierarchical and department boundaries that ma+ be barriers to communication. Also, the+ can ta#e care to communicate honestl+ !ith subordinates8 #eep people posted 435 Cengage &earning. All 6ights 6eser)ed. Ma+ not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicl+ accessible !ebsite, in !hole or in part .
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!hen things change in either a positi)e or negati)e direction8 and help people see the financial impact of their decisions and actions. 9. 1o achie)e the the ad)antages ad)antages of open open communicati communication, on, managers managers should should use the t+pe t+pe of communication net!or# that ma/imi:es emplo+ee performance and 0ob satisfaction. Centrali:ed and decentrali:ed net!or#s are t!o t+pes that managers can ma#e use of. a. In a #entra*i+e& net,r) , team members must communicate through one indi)idual to sol)e problems or ma#e decisions. d ecisions. 1his t+pe of net!or# can be effecti)e for large teams because it limits the number of people in)ol)ed in decision ma#ing. 1he result is a faster decision in)ol)ing fe!er people. b. In a &e#entra*i+e& net,r) , indi)iduals can communicate freel+ !ith other team members. Members process information e
"/hibit @.;
. The Hierarchy of Channel Richness. Managers ha)e a choice of man+ channels through !hich to communicate. 6esearch sho!s that channels differ in their capacit+ to con)e+ information. Channels can be classified in a hierarch+ based on information richness. Channe* ri#hne%% is the amount of information that can be transmitted during a communication episode. Channel richness is influenced b+ the follo!ing three characteristicsc. 1he abilit+ abilit+ of the the channel channel to handle multiple multiple cues cues simultane simultaneousl+ ousl+ d. 1he abilit+ abilit+ of the the channel channel to facilitate facilitate rapid, rapid, t!o7!a+ t!o7!a+ feedbac# feedbac# e. 1he abilit+ abilit+ of the the channel to to establish establish a personal personal focus focus for the the communicatio communication. n. 4. %ace7to7fac %ace7to7facee communication communication is is the richest richest medium medium because because it permit permitss direct e/perience, multiple information cues, immediate feedbac#, and personal focus. 1elephone con)ersations are ne/t in the richness hierarch+, hierarch+, and standard computer reports are the lo!est in richness. 9. "lectronic "lectronic messaging messaging,, such as e7mail e7mail,, instant instant messaging, messaging, and te/t te/t messaging messaging,, is increasingl+ used for messages once handled ) ia telephone. Because e7mail messages lac# both )isual and )erbal cues c ues and don’t allo! for interaction and feedbac#, messages can sometimes be misunderstood. Managers often use this medium to a)oid the emotional discomfort of a real7time con)ersation, hiding behind their computers to send rebu#es or criticisms that the+ !ould ne)er deli)er in person. It is ad)isable for managers to ne)er use e7mail in the follo!ing circumstancesa. When you are angry( angry( 435 Cengage &earning. All 6ights 6eser)ed. Ma+ not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicl+ accessible !ebsite, in !hole or in part .
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b. When your &essage &ay )e &isunerstoo( c. When you are cancelling or a%ologi.ing( d. When you are re)u"ing re)u"ing or critici.ing(
iscussion $uestion - What are the characteristics of an o%en co&&unication cli&ate? Descri)e the organi.ational organi.ational )enefits of &anagers culti'ating an o%en co&&unication cli&ate( (O1"* ;. Selecting the Appropriate Channel . It is important for managers to understand that each communication channel has ad)antages and disad)antages, and that each can be used to communicate effecti)el+ effecti)el+ if used appropriatel+. appropriatel+. Channel selection depends upon the message being routine or nonroutine. a. Nonroutine messages Nonroutine messages t+picall+ are ambiguous, concern no)el e)ents, and ha)e great potential for misunderstanding. 1he+ are often characteri:ed b+ time pressure and surprise. Channels high in richness should be used for transmission transmission of nonroutine messages. b. 3outine messages 3outine messages con)e+ information managers alread+ agree on and understand, such as data or statistics. 1he+ simple and straight for!ard. 1he+ can be communicated through a channel lo! in richness. =. 1he #e+ is to to select select a channel to to fit the messag message. e. 1he choice choice of a communica communication tion channel can also con)e+ a s+mbolic meaning to the recei)er. In a sense, the medium becomes the message. %or e/ample, face7to7face communication can signal that managers care about their emplo+ees. iscussion $uestion ;- One ;- One s&all )usiness owner sai that he ha to teach his young e&%loyees what a 4ial tone5 was( Do you ha'e %hone a'ersion? Do you thin" it is %ossi)le to )uil a soli )usiness relationshi% with custo&ers using only te$t &essaging, e-&ail, an social &eia? (O1"* (O1"* C. Communicating to Persuade and Influence Influence Others . Communicati Communication on is used not not onl+ to con)e+ con)e+ informat information, ion, but also also to persuade persuade and influence people. %or managers toda+ the abilit+ to persuade and influence others is e)en more critical than communication s#ills, although it is important. De+ points for practicing the art of persuasion include the follo!ing435 Cengage &earning. All 6ights 6eser)ed. Ma+ not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicl+ accessible !ebsite, in !hole or in part .
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"sta "stabl blis ish h credi credibi bili lit+ t+.. Build goals on common ground. Conne Connect ct emot emotio iona nall ll+ +. >se multi multiple ple media media to send send importa important nt messag messages. es.
4. 1o persuade and influen influence, ce, managers managers must communica communicate te frese >se FI FI sta state teme ment ntsG sG f. *tic# *tic# to to fact factss rath rather er than than 0udgme 0udgments nts g. Be clear, s%ecific, s%ecific, and direct in +our re
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(O1"* (O1"* " As#ing $uestions . 1he traditio traditional nal top7do!n, top7do!n, command7a command7and7con nd7control trol approach approach to organi:a organi:ational tional communication is gi)ing !a+ to a more d+namic form of communication that is characteri:ed b+ organi.ational con'ersations in)ol)ing con'ersations in)ol)ing a gi)e7and7ta#e e/change of information. 1o 1o ha)e successful organi:ational con)ersations, managers need to learn to as#
"/hibit @.=
"/hibit 5.; . Li%tening in)ol)es the s#ill of grasping both facts and feelings to interpret a message’s message’s genuine meaning. &istening re
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4. (on)erbal (on)erbal communicat communication ion occurs occurs mostl+ mostl+ face to face. face. One research researcher er found three three sources of communication cues during face7to7face communication- the 'er)al , !hich are the actual spo#en !ords8 the 'ocal the 'ocal , !hich include the pitch, tone, and timbre of a person’s person’s )oice8 and facial and facial e$%ressions e$%ressions.. 9. When )erbal )erbal and non)erbal non)erbal message messagess conflict, conflict, the the recei)er recei)er !ill be be confused confused and more apt to belie)e the non)erbal. (on)erbal messages and bod+ langue often con)e+ our real thoughts and feelings !ith greater force than do our most carefull+ selected !ords. Managers can learn to coordinate their )erbal and non)erbal messages and be sensiti)e to !hat peers, subordinates, and super)isors are sa+ing non)erball+. non)erball+. iscussion $uestion 9- 8ana 9- 8ana 8owery, a regional regional &anager for a /99-%erson insie sales staff, notices that the tea&s tea&s )est %erfor&er is struggling( er sales are own 19 %ercent fro& fro& a year ago, an she fre*uently arri'es late for wor", loo"ing u%set( 8owery nees to fin out why her %erfor&ance is suffering( What a'ice woul you gi'e 8owery for co&&unicating with this e&%loyee? Which co&&unication channel channe l shoul she use? What woul )e the relati'e i&%ortance of canor, canor, listening, an as"ing *uestions? #$%lain( (O1"* (O1"* III. WO6DP&AC" COMM>(ICA1IO( COMM>(ICA1IO( Another aspect of management communication concerns co ncerns the organi:ation as a !hole. %our elements of !or#place communication for managers to master are using social media to impro)e internal and e/ternal communication8 4 using informal, personal communication channels8 9 establishing formal communication channels8 and ; de)eloping strategies for crisis communication. . A. *oci *ocial al Medi Mediaa . S#ia* !e&ia is a group of Internet7based applications that allo! the creation and e/change of user7generated content. It co)ers a broad number of applications including !i#is, blogs, micro7blogs e.g., 1!itter, content communication e.g., Eou1ube, social net!or#ing sites e.g., %aceb oo#, and )irtual social net!or#s. It is rein)enting ho! people in organi:ations communicate. 4. *ocial media media has been been used for onl+ t!o or or three +ears +ears for most most companies companies,, largel+ largel+ for listening to customers, communicating !ith customers, and engaging emplo+ees. iscussion $uestion 3- Descri)e 3- Descri)e s%ecific ways that you &ight incor%orate Twitter Twitter into an organi.ation organi.ationss crisis co&&unication %lan for custo&ers( ow a)out for e&%loyees?
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(O1"* (O1"*
B. Personal Communication Channels
"/hibit @.5
. Per%na* #!!"ni#atin #hanne*% e/ist outside the formall+ authori:ed channels. 1he+ coe/ist !ith formal channels but ma+ s#ip hierarchical le)els, cutting across )ertical chains of command to connect )irtuall+ an+one in the organi:ation. 1hree t+pes of informal channels used in man+ organi:ations are %ersonal are %ersonal networ"s, networ"s, the gra%e'ine, gra%e'ine, and written co&&unication 4. e)elo e)elopin ping g Person Personal al Communi Communicat cation ion (et!or# (et!or#ss- Per%na* net,r)ing refers to the ac
Buil it )efore )efore you nee it . Managers should not !ait until the+ need something to start building a net!or# of personal relations. Ne'er eat lunch alone. alone. 1hose !ho e/cel at net!or#ing are )isible and connect !ith as man+ people as possible. Ma"e it win-win( *uccessful net!or#ing isn’t 0ust about getting !hat you !hat you !ant8 it’s also about ma#ing sure other people in the net!or# get !hat they !hat they !ant. Focus on i'ersity. i'ersity. 1he broader +our base of contacts, the broader +our range of influence.
9. 1he 'rape)ine a. 1he grape$ine is an informal, person7to7person communication net!or# of emplo+ees that is not officiall+ sanctioned b+ the organi:ation. 1he grape)ine lin#s emplo+ees, at all le)els, in all directions. 1he grape)ine !ill al!a+s e/ist in an organi:ation and tends to be more acti)e during times of change, e/citement, an/iet+, an/iet+, or sagging economic conditions. b. About 23 percent of grape)ine communications pertain to organi:ation7related topics, and @3 to H3 percent of the messages in the grape)ine are accurate. *mart managers understand the compan+’s grape)ine. 1he+ recogni:e !ho’s connected to !hom and !hich emplo+ees are #e+ pla+ers in the informal spread of information. 435 Cengage &earning. All 6ights 6eser)ed. Ma+ not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicl+ accessible !ebsite, in !hole or in part .
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N#W MANA2#3 S#8F-T#ST: S#8F-T#ST: A3# YO6 B678D7N2 A !#3SONA8 !#3SONA8 N#TWO3; Personal net!or#s ma+ help a ne! manager in the !or#place. 1his e/ercise !ill help students learn something about their net!or#ing s#ills. iscussion $uestion 5- During 5- During ti&es of significant organi.ational organi.ational change, such as ownsi.ing an layoffs, the gra%e'ine )eco&es &ore acti'e as an$ious e&%loyees share organi.ational organi.ational news an ru&ors( As a &anager, &anager, what co&&unication strategies woul you e&%loy uring a ti&e of uncertainty in the wor"%lace? What are the a'antages an isa'antages of gossi% uring a ti&e of uncertainty? (O1"* (O1"* ;. Writt ritten en Comm Commun unic icat atio ion n a. Writte Written n communication communication s#ills s#ills are becoming becoming increasi increasingl+ ngl+ important important in toda+’ toda+’ss collaborati)e !or#place. Managers !ho are unable to communicate in !riting !ill limit their opportunities for ad)ancement. b. Managers can impro)e their !riting s#ills b+ follo!ing the the four guidelines belo!. belo!. ●
3es%ect 3es%ec t the reaer( reaer( 1he reader’s time is )aluable8 don’t !aste it !ith a rambling, confusing memo or email that has to be read se)eral time to tr+ to ma#e sense of it. Pa+ attention to grammar and spellingslopp+ !riting indicates that +ou thin# +our time is more important than that of +our readers. ;now your %oint an get to it( 1o !rite effecti)el+, #no! !hat +our central point is and !rite to support it. Write clearly rather than i&%ressi'ely( 1he goal of good !riting for business is to be understood the first time time through. *tate +our message as simpl+ and as clearl+ as possible. 2et a secon o%inion( As# someone +ou consider to be a good !riter to read formal communications before +ou send them. In all cases, read and re)ise memos and e7mails a second and third time before +ou send them.
. iscussion $uestion =- So&e senior &anagers )elie'e they shoul rely on written infor&ation an co&%uter re%orts )ecause these yiel &ore accurate ata than o face-to-face co&&unications( Do you agree? Why or why n ot? (O1"* 435 Cengage &earning. All 6ights 6eser)ed. Ma+ not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicl+ accessible !ebsite, in !hole or in part .
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C. %ormal Communicati Communication on Channels Channels
"/hibit "/hibit @.@
. 'r!a* #!!"ni#atin #hanne*% are those that flo! !ithin the chain of command or tas# responsibilit+ defined b+ the organi:ation. Within Within organi:ations, communications flo! mainl+ do!n!ard and up!ard8 ho!e)er, man+ organi:ations emphasi:e hori:ontal communication. 4. "lectronic "lectronic communica communication tion such such as e7mail e7mail and instant instant messaging messaging ha)e ha)e made it easier easier than e)er for information to flo! in all directions. a. D,n,ar& #!!"ni#atin refers to messages and information sent from top managers to subordinates in a do!n!ard direction. Common methods of do!n!ard communication include speeches, )ideos, blogs, podcasts, and compan+ intranets. 1he ma0or problem !ith do!n!ard communication is information ro%-off , the distortion or loss of message content. Information drop7 off can be reduced b+ using the right communication channel, consistenc+ bet!een )erbal and non)erbal messages, and acti)e listening. o!n!ard communication encompasses these topics'oals and strategies Job instructions and rationale Procedures and practices Performance feedbac# Indoctrination
b. Up,ar& #!!"ni#atin includes messages that flo! from the lo!er le)els to the higher le)els in the organi:ation. "mplo+ees n eed to air grie)ances, report progress, and pro)ide feedbac# to management. Mechanisms for up!ard communication include suggestion bo/es, emplo+ee sur)e+s, open7door policies, MI* reports, and face7to7face con)ersations bet!een !or#ers and managers. Barriers to accurate up!ard communication e/ist. Managers ma+ resist hearing about emplo+ee problems, or emplo+ees might not trust managers to push information up!ard. Inno)ati)e companies loo# for !a+ s to ensure that information gets to top managers !ithout distortion. Information communicated up!ard includesProblems and e/ceptions *uggestions for impro)ement Performance reports 'rie)ances and disputes %inancial and accounting information
c. Hri+nta* #!!"ni#atin is the lateral or diagonal e/change of messages across peers or co7!or#ers. 1he purposes of hori:ontal communication are to inform, to re
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continuousl+ sol)ing problems and searching for ne! !a+s of doing things. ori:ontal communication includesIntradepartmental problem sol)ing Interdepartmental coordination Change initiati)es and impro)ements
. Crisis Crisis Commun Communica icatio tion n . 6ecentl+ 6ecentl+,, the sheer number number and scope scope of crises crises has has made communica communication tion a more more demanding 0ob for managers. Organi:ations face small crises e)er+ da+ such as charges of racial discrimination, a factor+ fire, or a flu epidemic. Acts of intention e)il such as bombings and #idnappings continue to increase in fre
iscussion $uestion @- Assu&e @- Assu&e you &anage a s&all online )usiness that sells her)al su%%le&ents( Without Without your "nowlege, a isgruntle e&%loyee has %oste a&aging infor&ation a)out your co&%any in the co&%anys co&%anys )log, incluing false infor&ation a)out angerous ingreients in your )est-selling su%%le&ent( What s%ecific ste%s woul you ta"e to &ini&i.e the i&%act of this crisis? (O1"*
An%,er% t En&-.-Chapter En&-.-Chapter Di%#"%%in /"e%tin% . What are the characteristics of an o%en co&&unication cli&ate? Descri)e the organi.ational )enefits of &anagers culti'ating an o%en co&&unication cli&ate(
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Open communication means sharing all t+pes of information throughout the organi:ation, across functional and hierarchical boundaries. In an open communication en)ironment, people #no! !here the+ stand and !hat rules the+ need to pla+ b+. Open communication helps people accept, understand, and commit to goals. People can see ho! their actions interact !ith and affect others in the organi:ation. And !hen people ha)e access to complete information, the+ are more li#el+ to come up !ith creati)e solutions to problems and ma#e decisions that are good for the compan+. compan+. Managers can build an open communication climate b+ brea#ing do!n con)entional hierarchical and department boundaries that ma+ be barriers to communication. Also, the+ can ta#e care to communicate honestl+ !ith subordinates8 #eep people posted !hen things change in either a positi)e or negati)e direction8 and help people see the financial impact of their decisions and actions. Centrali:ed and decentrali:ed net!or#s are t!o characteristics of an open communication that can ma#e effecti)e open communication climate. In a centrali:ed net!or#, team members must communicate through one indi)idual to sol)e problems or ma#e decisions. 1his t+pe of net!or# can be beneficial for large large teams because it limits the number of people in)ol)ed in decision ma#ing. 1he result is a faster decision in)ol)ing fe!er people. In a decentrali:ed net!or#, indi)iduals can communicate freel+ !ith other team members. Members process information e
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%erfor&ance is suffering( What a'ice woul you gi'e 8owery for co&&unicating with this e&%loyee? Which co&&unication channel cha nnel shoul she use? What woul )e the relati'e i&%ortance of canor, canor, listening, an as"ing *uestions? #$%lain( A face7to7face con)ersation seems to be the most ideal channel for &o!er+ to use to communicate !ith her subordinate. Personal, indi)idual feedbac#, !hether positi)e or negati)e, should al!a+s be communicated co mmunicated face to face if possible. 1his information7rich channel allo!s for dialogue and non)erbal communication, both of !hich are essential for successful feedbac# in an+ case, but especiall+ !hen performance7correcti)e information is being con)e+ed. *tudies also sho! that face7to7face and telephonic are the t!o channels of communications that are most commonl+ preferred !hen communicating difficult ne!s, gi)ing ad)ice, or e/pressing affection !hich is applicable in the gi)en case. Candor, listening, and as#ing
;. One s&all )usiness owner sai that he ha to teach his young e&%loyees what a 4ial tone5 was( Do you ha'e %hone a'ersion? Do you thin" it is %ossi)le to )uil a soli )usiness relationshi% relationshi% with custo&ers using only te$t &essaging, e-&ail, an social &eia? *tudents can offer their opinions about te/ting )ersus telephoning. More and more people a)oid using the telephone8 ho!e)er, ho! e)er, there is also an increase in options in communication. Man+ business !ebsites offer customers the opportunit+ to complete the entire transaction online or call a toll7free number to spea# to a customer representati)e. *ome businesses offer a chat capabilit+. It is ad)antageous for a business to offer personali:ed customer ser)ice o)er the telephone for those !ho prefer to spea# to a person. Also, there are customers !ho ob0ect to entering credit card information online for fear of identit+ theft and prefer to gi)e the information o)er the phone. =. So&e senior &anagers )elie'e they shoul rely on written infor&ation an co&%uter re%orts )ecause these yiel &ore accurate ata than o face-to-face co&&unications( Do you agree? Why or why not? %ace7to7face communication is the richest medium. 1elephone con)ersations are ne/t in the richness hierarch+, hierarch+, and standard computer reports are the lo!est in richness. Ideall+, Ideall+, 435 Cengage &earning. All 6ights 6eser)ed. Ma+ not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicl+ accessible !ebsite, in !hole or in part .
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managers !ill use both face7to7face communication and computer reports to de)elop the most complete and useful information. 1his can be done in a couple of !a+s. Managers can gather accurate but impersonal data from computer reports and then meet face to face !ith emplo+ees to learn about the Fbac# stor+Gthe histor+ and nuances of the situation or problem. Alternati)el+ Alternati)el+,, the+ can meet !ith emplo+ees in person first to get !hate)er information the+ can from them about the situation and then use the data to )erif+ the factual aspects of that information. 5. During ti&es of significant organi.ational organi.ational change, such as ownsi.ing an layoffs, the gra%e'ine )eco&es &ore acti'e as an$ious e&%loyees share share organi.ational news an ru&ors( As a &anager, &anager, what co&&unication strategies woul you e&%loy uring a ti&e of uncertainty in the wor"%lace? What are the a'antages an isa'antages of gossi% uring a ti&e of uncertainty? uring times of uncertaint+, managers should use e)er+ communication channel the+ can to help emplo+ees understand the facts and to ease their an/iet+. Because the grape)ine is alread+ highl+ acti)e during these times, managers can ta#e ad)antage of the grape)ine b+ feeding the information the+ !ant emplo+ees to hear into the grape)ine. o!e)er, o!e) er, because information passed through the grape)ine is particularl+ )ulnerable to distortion, managers must also use more formal communication channels to ensure that emplo+ees ha)e accurate, truthful information to counter the distortions that occur in the g rape)ine. 'ossip information mo)es throughout the organi:ation incredibl+
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2. 7f you were as"e to esign a training %rogra& %rogra& to hel% &anagers )eco&e )etter co&&unicators, what woul you inclue in the %rogra&? 1his se of 1!itter has increased dramaticall+. dramaticall+. 1his significant increase signals a gro!ing appetite among users for instant access and immediate sharing of information. 1!itter opens up opportunities for organi:ations to interact !ith e mplo+ees and customers especiall+ in a time of crisis. uring a crisis, a manager should sta+ calm and listen carefull+, reassure emplo+ees and the public, tell the truth, and communicate a )ision for the future. 1his can be done through 1!eets.
App*0 "r S)i**%2 E3perientia* E3er#i%e Per%na* A%%e%%!ent . C!!"ni#atin Apprehen%in
If students are honest !ith themsel)es as the+ respond to this
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App*0 "r S)i**%2 S!a** Gr"p Brea)"t Li%ten Li)e a Pr
*tudents are as#ed to form groups and, !ithin their groups, form pairs of t!o. 1he+ then sit face to face and each ga:es into his or her partner’ partner ’s left e+e. Once the+’re comfortable co mfortable !ith e+e contact, one should describe an anno+ing e/perience to the other, !hile the first maintains e+e contact but does not respond )erball+. )erball+. 1hen, students s!itch roles, and finall+ discuss their feelings during that part of the e/ercise. *tudents select a nother partner and repeat the e/ercise, e /ercise, e/cept that the+ no! p araphrase the spea#er’s stor+ of anno+ance. %inall+, the+ select a third partner and repeat the e/ercise, this time as#ing fi)e
App*0 "r S)i**%2 Ethi#a* Di*e!!a On Tria*
. Agree with +athy !utna&( Des%ite your %ersonal feelings, feelings, acce%t that Firo. Bah&ani is not ca%a)le of carrying out the accountant assistants assistants res%onsi)ilities( Ma"e the )rea" now, now, an gi'e hi& his notice on the grouns that he cannot carry out one of the "ey state
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contact wor"( Ma"e it clear that he will ha'e little chance of future %ro&otion unless his #nglish i&%ro'es &ar"ely( &ar"ely( *tic#ing %iro: in a dead7end dead 7end 0ob that does not in)ol)e customer contact is a !aste of his potential, and Werner Werner has alread+ assured him of his opportunities for ad)ancement.
App*0 "r S)i**%2 Ca%e .r Criti#a* Ana*0%i% E-!ai* A&$ent"re
. What is the unerlying co&&unication &ista"e in this case? Why o you thin" owar Tannen)au& sent those e-&ails? 1he underl+ing communication mista#e in the case is the fact that o!ard sent those e7mails !hile he !as bursting !ith anger, something that one should al!a+s a)o id !hen using e7mail as a communication channel. e should ha)e probabl+ !aited !a ited till he cooled off his anger, because increased anger can disable one’s abilit+ abilit+ to communicate effecti)el+. effecti)el+. 1hen, he !ould ha)e been more able to choose the most constructi)e !a+ to con)e+ his emotions, the fact that he !as upset. o!ard 1annenbaum sent those e7mails !hen he !as angr+ and upset because of the breach of product design information in the compan+ co mpan+.. 1annenbaum 1annenbaum !as )er+ passionate about this product a ne! line of to+s8 so, he !as emotionall+ charged !hen the information about it !as lea#ed !a+ before its completion, and suspected e)er+one in the compan+. compan+. *ending the angr+ e7mails !as his !a+ of )enting out o ut his emotions. 4. ow o you thin" Tannen)au& Tannen)au& shoul ha'e co&&unicate his concerns a)out the infor&ation lin"? Why? o!ard should not ha)e sent those e7mails !hile he !as bursting !ith anger. One should al!a+s a)oid using e7mail as a communication c ommunication channel !hen heKshe is angr+. e should ha)e probabl+ !aited till he cooled off his anger, anger, because increased anger can disable one’s abilit+ abilit+ to communicate effecti)el+. effecti)el+. 1hen, he !ould ha)e ha) e been more able to choose the most constructi)e !a+ to con)e+ his emotions, the fact that he !as upset. A better communication channel should ha)e been selected. &i#e, in this case, as the message in the e7mail contains nonroutine messages, it in)ol)es g reat potential for misunderstanding. 1herefore, a rich communication channel, li#e, face to face should ha)e been a better choice. 1his !ill ensure that the emplo+ees hear the message in the most positi)e !a+. 1he )isual and )erbal cues !ill allo! for interaction and feedbac#, ma#ing the communication more effecti)e. 9. What shoul Tannen)au& o now to try to reco'er fro& the negati'e i&%act of his e-&ails? Suggest s%ecific ste%s( 435 Cengage &earning. All 6ights 6eser)ed. Ma+ not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicl+ accessible !ebsite, in !hole or in part .
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1o reco)er from the negati)e impact of his e7mails 1annenbaum can probabl+ arrange for a face7to7face communication and meet all his subordinates in person in order to clear out the misunderstandings, and apologi:e for it. Lisual and )erbal cues !ill allo! for interaction and feedbac# ma#ing the communication co mmunication more effecti)e. 1his might help him in restoring the damaged relationship !ith them.
On the J( Vi&e Ca%e An%,er% Inter!"ntain Hea*th#are2 Managing C!!"ni#atin
. Intermountain ealthcare is a )er+ )er+ large organi:ation organi:ation !ith thousands of emplo+ees. &ist &ist at least four methods it uses to communicate !ith emplo+ees. Wh+ do +ou thin# this organi:ation feels the need to use so man+ different methods to communicate?
&ocal representati)es pro)ide face7to7face communication !ith emplo+ees. %l+ers and tal#ing points pro)ide !ritten communication for emplo+ees (et!or#ing !ith peers pro)ides information sharing among ph+sicians. Website information pro)ides core process documents that share goals !ith emplo+ees
1his organi:ation is so large that the managers feel the need to repeat messages frese this situation a nurse discharging a patient from the hospital after a surger+ surger+ or illness to describe the communication model, and e/plain !here the communication brea#s b rea#s do!n and !h+. o! do Intermountain’s Intermountain’s emplo+ees o)ercome this problem to successfull+ complete the communication process !ith patients? As illustrated in the communication model, effecti)e communication is c+clical- a sender and recei)er e/change messages se)eral times to achie)e a mutual understanding. "ncoding and decoding sometimes can cause communication errors. A nurse encodes instructions message !hen discharging a patient, but the patient does not al!a+s understand decode the instructions correctl+.. Indi)idual differences, #no!ledge, )alues, attitudes, and bac#ground act as filters and ma+ create FnoiseG. 1his results in a communication brea#do!n because patients can misinterpret a message. Patients ha)e so much on their minds that the+ cannot absorb all the discharge instructions. Intermountain’s emplo+ees o)ercome this problem !ith feedbac#. 1he+ reinforce the discharge instructions. instructions. 1he+ are reassuring. 1he+ encourage the patients to to as#
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conferencing. 1here is also a home7health ser)ice that allo!s mothers to see their babies in (eonatal Intensi)e Care >nit (IC> from home. 1his 1his alle)iates concern !hen premature babies are re
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