Q 1. Describe any situation that you experienced where the communication went wrong because the listening was faulty. Analyze the situation by explaining the type of li stening barrier. . How could this barrier be overcome Describe any situation in your experience where the communication went wrong Analyze the situation by pointing out the type of barrier to communication and suggest how to overcome this barrier?
Ans. Situation where Communication Communication was a failure
to me: As an Associate Manager, I was a sender for a
communication communication and intended to be received by my executives. I have sent the following communication communication to my executives through a notice and displayed on the notice board: "Coming Second Sunday to complete our targets for the month a review meeting is arranged and all should attend. If any executive is not able to attend should find out the contents of the meeting from their peers without fail". But my communication went wrong and out of 15 executives, only six executives have attended at 5.00 PM who checked-in with me the time of the meeting. Following were the barriers of communication which stood in the way of my communication: The "Channel" I have chosen communication by "Receivers" did not ensure the receipt of the The communication communication lacked the "Chronological context" The second Saturday being a non working day. The communication has created a "Psychological noise" by not mentioning correct time of the meeting and confusion has been created. The "social context" context" also is one of the cause for the failure of the communication communication as I have not taken all my executives into confident by giving any advance information or a intention of the meeting earlier. Lessons learnt in order to overcome these barriers of communication: My communication communication was unclear by not giving exact time of meeting. The media I have used is the placing the notice on the notice board, instead had I circulated to all the receivers and obtained their signatures by asking their availability or feedback my communication would not have failed. I have chosen a wrong day a holiday though the task was a routine one. I could have maintained good relations with my executives for success of my communication. Overcome the communication barriers
When you send a message, you intend to communicate meaning, but the message itself doesn't contain meaning. The meaning exists in your mind and in the mind of your receiver. To understand one another, you and your receiver must share similar meanings for words, gestures, tone of voice, and other symbols. 1. Differences in perception The world constantly bombards us with information: sights, sounds, scents, and so on. Our minds organize this stream of sensation into a mental map that represents our perception or reality. In no case is the perception of a certain person the same as the world itself, and no two maps are identical. As you view the world, your mind absorbs your experiences in a unique and personal way. Because your perceptions perceptions are unique, the i deas you want to express differ from other people's Even when two people have experienced the same event, their mental images of that event will not be identical. As senders, we choose the details that seem important and focus our attention on the most relevant and general, a process known as selective perception. As receivers, we try to fit new details into our existing pattern. If a detail doesn't quite fit, we are inclined to distort the information i nformation rather rather than rearrange the pattern.
2.
Incorrect filtering
Filtering is screening out before a message is passed on to someone else. In business, the filters between you and your receiver are many; secretaries, assistants, receptionists, answering machines, etc. Those same gatekeepers may also 'translate' your receiver's ideas and responses before passing them on to you. To overcome filtering barriers, try to establish more than one communication channel, eliminate as many intermediaries as possible, and decrease distortion by condensing message information to the bare essentials. 3. Language problems When you choose the words for your message, you signal that you are a member of a particular culture or subculture and that you know the code. The nature of your code imposes its own barriers on your message. Barriers also exist because words can be interpreted in more than one way. Language is an arbitrary code that depends on shared definitions, but there's a limit to how completely any of us share the same meaning for a given word. To overcome language barriers, use the most specific and accurate words possible. Always try to use words your audience will understand. Increase the accuracy of your messages by using language that describes rather than evaluates and by presenting observable facts, events, and circumstances. 4. Poor listening Perhaps the most common barrier to reception is simply a lack of attention on the receiver's part. We all let our minds wander now and then, regardless of how hard we try to concentrate. People are essentially likely to drift off when they are forced to listen to information that is difficult to understand or that has little direct bearing on their own lives. Too few of us simply do not listen well! To overcome barriers, paraphrase what you have understood, try to view the situation through the eyes of other speakers and resist jumping to conclusions. Clarify meaning by asking non-threatening questions, and listen without interrupting. 5. Differing emotional states Every message contains both a content meaning, which deals with the subject of the message, and a relationship meaning, which suggests the nature of the interaction between sender and receiver. Communication can break down when the receiver reacts negatively to either of these meanings. You may have to deal with people when they are upset or when you are. An upset person tends to ignore or distort what the other person is saying and is often unable to present feelings and ideas effectively. This is not to say that you should avoid all communication when you are emotionally involved, but you should be alert to the greater potential for misunderstanding that accompanies aroused emotions. To overcome emotional barriers, be aware of the feelings that arise in your self and in others as you communicate, and attempt to control them. Most important, be alert to the greater potential for misunderstanding that accompanies emotional messages. 6. Differing backgrounds Differences in background can be one of the hardest communication barriers to overcome. Age, education, gender, social status, economic position, cultural background, temperament, health, beauty, popularity, religion, political belief, even a passing mood can all separate one person from another and make understanding difficult. To overcome the barriers associated with differing backgrounds, avoid projecting your own background or culture onto others. Clarify your own and understand the
background of others, spheres of knowledge, personalities and perceptions and don't assume that certain behaviors mean the same thing to everyone.
Q 2. Select a business article from any business publication. Evaluate it in terms of : a) Appropriate level of readability b) Use of jargon, slang and metaphors c) Use of simple vs. complex words. Is it well or poorly written, in your opinion? Attach a copy of the article with your response
Q.3 Select a business article from any business publication of approximately 500 words in length. Evaluate it in terms of : a) Appropriate level of readability b) Use of jargon, slang and metaphors c) Common errors in English. Is it well or poorly written, in your opinion? Ans.
Companies Are People, Too By: Anna Muoio Forget all the talk about corporate culture. It's time to analyze your company's personality. This diagnostic will help. Plenty of business gurus -- especially New Age thinkers such as Arie de Geus, Peter Senge, and Margaret Wheatley -- have argued for years that companies aren't just boxes and bubbles on org charts. Instead, they've argued, companies are more like biological organisms -- living things that learn, evolve, and eventually die. Are you ready to take this biological worldview to the next level? According to marketing consultant Sandy Fekete, companies can best be understood when thought of as people -- as unique creatures with their own values, their own personalities, and sometimes, if her clients really get into the spirit, their own names. "Most people assume that a company's personality matches its CEO's personality," says Fekete, 43, founder of Fekete + Company, a marketing-communications firm based in Columbus, Ohio. "But that's not true. An organization has its own ways of being." Fekete's job is to help her clients understand their company's personality -- its strengths and its weaknesses. Her main tool is a diagnostic called, appropriately, "Companies Are People, Too." The 74-question test draws on several bodies of work: the legendary Myers-Briggs Type Indicator instrument; the principles of psychoanalyst Carl Jung; and insights from William Bridges's book "The Character of Organizations" (Consulting Psychologists Press, 1993). So far, people in 63 organizations ranging from museums to construction firms to medical practices have put pen to paper to scrutinize their companies' personalities. Actually, make that 64: Fast Company couldn't resist the chance to take the test It may sound like psychobabble, but the idea behind the tool is fairly simple: An organization, like a person, has preferred ways of focusing energy, gathering information, making decisions, and structuring work. Once people inside an organization understand
those preferences, argues Fekete, they can do a better job of articulating their company's identity and values, and they can figure out better ways to work and to communicate. Some of her clients even elect "keepers of the personality" -- volunteers who make sure that their organization is clear about the attributes that it prizes. "Change comes from awareness," Fekete says. "Once you figure out who you are, you can begin to differentiate yourself from your competitors." Elford Inc., a family-owned commercial-construction company, used the tool several years ago -- and created a fictitious character, Pop, with eating habits, clothes, and favorite TV shows that are meant to capture the company's personality. What are some of Pop's best traits? He's a "superdependable leader" who "always follows through on commitments." What does he need to work on? He "may use energies anticipating dire events that do not occur." Dixon Schwabl Advertising Inc., a fast-growing agency based in upstate New York, has actually undergone a personality change as a result of using the tool. After taking the test for the first time, the agency created a character, named Samm, to embody the company's strengths and weaknesses. But a year later, after the agency worked on its weaknesses, Samm gave way to Jaz. "Samm was too deadline-focused," muses Lauren Dixon, 45, founder and president of Dixon Schwabl. "We're still driven to meet our deadlines, but not at the risk of compromising the creative. We needed a different character to personify who we had become." A:- Appropriate level of readability:- The above article is very simple in reading and do not have any complex terms. B:- Use of jargon, slang and metaphors: - There is frequent use of jargon, slang and metaphors like:- We're, It's, Inc etc. C:- Common errors in English:- There is no error in the article regarding verbs, spelling mistakes etc. According to my opinion this article is perfectly written. Q 3 List out and briefly explain five ³do´s and ³don¶t¶s´ for each of participants and chairperson of a meeting
Ans:According to Deborah Tannen, ³A meeting is any focused conversation that has a specific agenda, especially but not only if it ha s been set up in advance.´ This definition implies that meetings are not aimless discussions, require careful planning and revolve around a specific topic that is decided in advance. Therefore, while meetings may be more or less formal in the way they are conducted, they need to be planned, irrespective of the nature o f the meeting. Meetings need to be planned in advance, so that they are successful. Before any planning can be done however, a basic question to be asked is whether to hold a meeting at al l.The
answers to the following questions would help to decide whether a meeting is necessary in the first place ± I Can the matter be decided or discussed over the telephone? I Can the matter be expressed in writing, in the form of a memo, or an email message? I Are key people available to attend the meeting and are they prepared? I Is the time allotted for the meeting sufficient? If the answers to the first two questions are yes and the answers to the other two questions are no,there is no purpose in calling a meeting. Once the need for a meeting has been determined, the next step is to start planning the meeting. First of all, the type and number of participants should be decided. A problem solving meeting should include representatives from all departments, since the decision would otherwise be incomplete. Shareholders, who are the owners of the company, should also be included. In terms of numbers, the size of the group could be anywhere between seven and eleven members. An exception to this is an information sharing meeting, where the numbers could be larger, so that a maximum number of people benefit from the information. The second and most important step in planning a meeting is to indicate the purpose or agenda of the meeting to the participants in advance. An agenda is essentially a list of topics that will bediscussed during a meeting. In the words of Ad ler and Elmhorst, ³ A meeting without an agenda is like a ship at sea without a destination or compass: no one aboard knows where it is or where it is headed.´ An agenda is prepared by the Chairperson of the meeting, or the person who calls the meeting. A comprehensive agenda should also include the following ± 1. The Time, Venue and Duration of the Meeting ± The starting time and length o f the meetingneeds to be indicated, so that participants know how much to prepare and can plan their otheractivities and meetings accordingly. 2. A List of Participants ± It is important to let all members know who will be attending the meeting,so that they know whom to expect. 3. Background Information ± This could be in the form of new information, repetition of facts as a reminder, or a brief explanation of the importance of the meeting. 4. A Clear List of Items and Goals ± These should be included in order to en sure that the meetinghas an outcome. Participants need to have a clear idea of their role in the meeting. Goals should be stated so that they sound specific, result oriented and re alistic. 5. Advance Preparation by Participants ± A go od agenda tells participants how to come prepared for the meeting ± for example, by reading an article, bringing important documents, collecting facts, or jotting down their ideas on a particular issue. In case certain members have to prepare in a specific way, this can be mentioned on their individual copy of the agenda.In general, the items to be discussed are listed in the descending order of priority in the agenda ± i.e., from the most important to the least important item. Sometimes, the simple issues may be listed first and then the more complicated issues.
The task of conducting and moderating the meeting rests with the chairperson. He or she must bewell versed with the procedures for opening the meeting, encouraging balanced participation, solving problems creatively, concluding the meeting and managing time efficiently. We shall discuss each of these pro cedures in detail. 1.Opening the Meeting ± The manner in which the meeting is opened is important, since a good opening will ensure that the rest of the meeting will proceed smoothly. There are different ways of opening a meeting. Generally, it is best to sum up what has been stated in the agenda including the goals, background information and expectations of the participants. It is also a good idea to provide an outline of how the meeting will proceed, as well as a time budget. Example ± We will begin the meeting with a ten minute presentation by Pat on new office equipment, followed by a fifteen minute presentation by Chris on office decoration. The last twenty minutes will be reserved for brainstorming among the group for creative ideas for the advertising campaign. 2. Encouraging Balanced Participation ± It is also the responsibility of the chairperson to encourage silent members to contribute to the meeting and to moderate the dominant members, so that they do not ³hijack´ the meeting. There are several techniques to encourage participation 3. Managing Time ± There is no prescribed length for a meeting. The dura tion of a meeting will depend on the type and purpose of the meeting. Generally, problem solving meetings will take than other routine meetings. In any case, the chairperson should set a time budget for the meeting,depending on the agenda and ensure adherence to the time limit. 4. Keeping the Meeting Focused ± Often, a lot of time is wasted during meetings by going off track and by discussing topics that are irrelevant. In such situations, it is the responsibility of the chairperson, or the person moderating the discussion to make sure that the discussion remains focused on the topics mentioned in the agenda. 5.Ensuring ³Convergence´ ± Convergence means hearing the points of view of all the members and then arriving at a decision. It is again the responsibility of the chairperson to bring the meeting to a point where an o pinion emerges on each item of the agenda. 6. Summing Up ± This means summing up the different points of view, the decisions and the actions to be taken. This should be done by the chairperson, identifying the role of each person on each item of the agenda, along with a specified deadline. 7. Concluding the Meeting ± The way a meeting is concluded is as important as the opening, since it will influence the follow up action taken on decisions made during the meeting. The chairperson should know when and how to conclude the meeting. The meeting should normally be concluded at the scheduled closing time, unless important issues still remain to be discussed and members are willing to extend the meeting. Sometimes meetings may be concluded before the closing time, when key decision makers are not present, or when important information such as cost figures are not available. The code of conduct that needs to be followed by participants:
1. Be brief and to the point ± It is important to focus on the topic mentioned in the agenda and to remember that there is a time limit for the meeting. Do not dominate a meeting by speaking more than what is necessary and do not engage in irrelevant discussions. 2. Do not say something for the sake of it Participation in a meeting does not mean just saying something, whether it is relevant or not. 3. Contribute to add value ± Adding value may be do ne by expressing a new idea, through constructive disagreement ( e.g., ³why not do it this way instead?´), by endorsing another person¶s opinion ( e.g., ³ I agree with you´) or by seeking clarification ( e.g., ³ Can you explain that again?´). 4. Give credit where it is due ± It is good meeting etiquette to appreciate someone else¶s idea, if you think it is good. 5. Keep an open mind to facilitate convergence ± Don¶t impose your own ideas on others. Give others a chance to express their ideas, so that different v iewpoints emerge on a single issue. 6. Do not interrupt ± If you wish to say something, always signal this by raising your hand politely at a suitable juncture. 7. Always address the chairperson ± Avoid ³bilateraltalks´ and ³mini meetings´, or discussionswith other participants, as well as speaking in another language. Address your questions to the chairperson. 5.You have been asked to make a presentation on the SMU MBA program to prospective students. Develop an outline of a presentation, explaining your choice of visual aids an d your style of delivery. Presentation is the powerful way of presenting the ideas on SMU MBA program to the prospective students when the written material is not sufficient to do the job or to persuade the students to join the program. Written material tends to be less persuasive and may be set aside without being read, whereas oral presentation commands attention and fetches immediate feedback. Presentation on the SMU MBA program will require planning, developing a structure and strategy by using supports to make it effective. However, the following steps are to be followed in planning and preparation of the presentation on SMU MBA program. They are. Defining the general and specific purpose of the presentation. Developing the key idea, or main message. Analyzing the audience ± their areas of expertise, preferred style of presen tation, demographic characteristics, knowledge levels and attitudes. Analyzing my knowledge and attitude as a speaker Analyzing the limitations of infrastructure, time and context. Once I am through with the above steps or the initial groundwork the next step will be to develop an outline of my presentation. Irrespective of the nature and purpose of the presentation, a standard format is generally followed, including the following. Introduction ± This will include an ³attention getter´ to get the students involved and interested in the presentation topic. Several techniques such as humor, dramatic questions, an interesting story, a quotation or a startling statement will be used to command attention. The key idea, or the main message will alse be conveyed to the
prospective students during the introduction. Once the students attention has been caputured, the main idea will be stated clearly, followed by a preview of the entire presentation, so that they should know what to expect. Body or Main Section ± This is where the main points will be presented and elaborated upon. It is best to limit the number of main points to five, so as not to overload the students with too much information. The body of the presentation will be prepared before the introduction. Organizing the body consists of identifying the key points that will support the main idea and then selecting the organizational plan to develop these key points. Conclusion - A brief summary of the presentation, along with concluding remarks would be included in this section. The conclusion will be having as much ³punch´ as the attention getter in the introduction. The conclusion of my presentation will be shorter than the introduction and will occupy only 5 percent of the entire presentation. Generally, every conclusion should have a review and a closing statement. The review is essentially a reinforcement of the key idea and a summary of the main points. The closing statement will be as strong as my opening statement, so that the students will remember my presentation. Now, once the outline of the presentation has been developed, I will have to gather the relevant material. This is a time consuming process and requires a fair amount of research. The information can generally, be gathered for existing sources such as magazines, newspapers and the internet. The next step will be selecting a delivery style. Presentation once adequately prepared in terms of content, needs to be delivered effectively, by selecting an appropriate style of delivery. Five different delivery styles will be available to me. Speaking Impromptu Speaking Extemporaneously Memorizing the presentation Reading from Written Notes Speaking from Notes. I would be using µSpeaking from Notes¶ style of delivery as it is the most effective style of delivery. It consists of jotting down the main ideas in point form on index card s and then referring to these cards merely as a trigger while speaking. Since the main ideas are put down briefly on the cards, I can elaborate on these ideas in my own words and speak for any length of time. The Presentation is likely to be more effective, since it comes across as natural and permits eye contact with the students. Visual aids will also be used to support my presentation because by using visual aids the effectiveness of my presentation will be enhanced and will involve the students more than a pure oral presentation. As the saying goes, ³ A picture is worth a thousand words.´. Several studies have indicated that presentations made with visual support have been more successful in persuading audiences than presentation without visuals. Visuals have also been found to make the information in presentations more memorable. Several types of visual aids may be used in presentation, such as product demonstration, photographs, diagrams, lists and tables,
pie charts and graphs. These aids may also be presented through a va riety of media, including flip charts, transparencies, power point slides, h andouts, computerized displays and videotapes. Each of the above media has its advantages as well as limitations and should be used depending on the nature of the presentation and the characterstics of the audience. The guidelines for using these aids should be carefully followed, so as to achieve maximum impact. In general, visual aids should be used only when they are relevan t. Attention should be paid to the design, to ensure that visuals are kept simple, yet sophisticated enough depending on the audience. The presentation should be rehearsed to make sure that visuals are displayed at the right time.
