Communication

• Transfer of information and understanding from one person to another.

• It is a way of reaching others by transmitting ideas, facts, thoughts, feelings
and values.
• The goal of communication is to have the receiver understand the message as it
was intended and often to act upon that information.
Importance of Communication:
1. Individual members of the organization will know important concerns
2. The organization can relate with its external environment
3. It provides a bridge of meaning between the two people so they can each
share what they feel and know and can safely cross the river of
misunderstanding that sometimes separates people.
Communication always involves at least two people (a sender and receiver). One
person alone cannot communicate. Only one or more receivers can complete the
communication act. The need for a receiver is not so obvious to managers who send
out memos to employees. They tend to assume that when their messages are sent,
they have communicated, but transmission of message is only a beginning. A
manager may send a hundred messages, but there is no effective communication until
each one is received, read and understood.
The Two - way Communication Process:
- It is the method by which a sender reaches a receiver with a message.
The Communication Process:

ENVIRONMENT

NOISE

SENDER CHANNEL RECEIVER

MESSAGE

FEEDBACK

NOISE

ENVIRONMENT

7 Components of Effective Communication

1. Sender
- The person who makes the attempt to send a message which could be
spoken, written, sign language or non - verbal to another person or a
group of persons
- The degree of attention the message will receive will depend on the
perceived authority and experience of a sender
2. Message
- Purpose or an idea to be conveyed in a communication event
 How the message is received is influenced by different factors:
a. Clarity of message
b. Alertness of the receiver
c. Complexity and length of the message
d. How the organization is organized
3. Channel
- Medium used which the message travels
2 types:
a. Formal – communicating of policies procedures and other official
announcements
b. Informal – transfer of information thru friendship and acquaintance
4. Receiver
- Person receiving the message
- He must interpret and understand the message
- His receipt of message will be influenced by factors like his age, gender,
beliefs, past experiences, cultural influences and his individual needs
5. Feedback
- Refers to the process of communicating how one feels about something
another person has said or done
- Feedback is important as it provides a clue to the sender of information
whether the message he sent was received as intended
6. Environment
- Refers to the circumstances in which messages are transmitted and
received
- If the environment is of trust and confidence, messages are easily
transmitted even if the messages are controversial
7. Noise
- Refers to anything that disrupts communication including the attitude
and emotions of receiver
Basic methods of Interpersonal Communication
1. Verbal
- It is the major means of sending messages
- The delivery of message is quick and it provides the opportunity for a quick
feedback, thus, early correction of errors is possible
E.g.
Speeches, one on one meetings, presentation, telephone
Verbal communication is appropriate if the sender:
- wants to appear formal
- wants to invite suggestions and ideas
- has important news to impact such as retrenchment
- has highly confidential
- is explaining something complex and people might need to ask for clarification
2. Written
- Include memos, notice boards and letters to staff, emails, faxes, instant
messaging
Appropriate if the sender:
- Wants it formal and authoritative
- Wants a permanent record of what have been said
- Use the documents for legal purposes
- Avoids lengthy discussion
- Wants to choose words carefully
3. Non – verbal
- Communication takes place thru facial expressions, body movements,
eye contact and other physical gesture
- Reveals what the sender really mean or thinking
Functions of Communication:
1. Information function
- Communication provides information needed in decision – making
2. Motivation function
- Communication is a means used to encourage commitment to organization’s
objective
3. Control function
- Communication clarifies duties, authority and responsibilities, thereby,
permitting control
4. Emotive function
- Communication permits the expression of feelings and the satisfaction of social
needs
Two – way communication is not exclusively beneficial. It also can cause difficulties
such as:
1. Polarization
- When they expose their different viewpoints, they may become polarized
– taking even more extreme positions.
2. Defensive Reasoning
- Result as people abandon logic and rationality when threatened with the
potential embarrassment of losing an argument.
- It is designed to avoid risk and the appearance of incompetence, but it
typically results in a drive toward control and an emphasis on winning.
- It predictably detracts from effective communications and can easily
result in hard feelings between the participants.
3. Cognitive Dissonance
- It is the internal conflict and anxiety that occurs when people receive
information incompatible with their value systems prior decisions, or
other information they may have.
 4. Face – saving
- An attempt to preserve or even enhance our valued self – concept when it
is attacked.
5. Voice
- When individuals do not use the most appropriate tone (or words) when
expressing their thoughts and feelings.
- It is the discretionary verbal behavior that is intended to be beneficial to
the organization.
- Managerial receptivity depends on the nature of employee’s voice.
Barriers to Communication:
1. Personal Barriers
a. Emotions - Receiver’s feelings affect his ability to understand any message sent
to him
b. Communication Apprehensions - Undue tension and anxiety about oral
communication, written communication or both
c. Selective Perception - Receivers selectively see and hear messages based on
their needs, motivations, experience, background and other personal
characteristics
d. Lack of credibility of the sender - credibility is important
2. Physical Barriers
a. Physical Separation - Refers to interferences to effective communication
occurring in the environment where the communication is undertaken
3. Semantic Barriers
a. Language – Words do not always mean the same thing to different people.
Communication Symbols:
1. Words
- It is the main communication symbol used at work.
*Employees spend more than 50% of their time in some form of verbal communication.
However, there are also some difficulties since nearly every common word has several
meanings. The complexities of a single language are compounded when people from
diverse backgrounds (educational levels, ethnic heritages or cultures) attempt to
communicate.
*If there is really no single meaning for words, we should make sense of it through its
context.
E.g. Dummy – can mean both stupid and not real person
2. Pictures
- A second type of symbol which is used to clarify word communication.
- Organization make extensive use of pictures such as blueprints, progress
charts, diagrams, causal maps, visual aids in training programs, scale
models of products and others.
- It can provide powerful visual images.
  To be effective, however, pictures should be combined with well – chosen words
and actions to tell a complete story.
3. Action
- Third type of communication symbol.
- E.g.
- Handshake, Smile, Raise in Pay, Being late
- Two significant points about actions are sometimes overlooked.
- 1. Failure to act is an important way of communicating.
- (Since we send messages by both action and inaction, we communicate
almost all the time at work, regardless of our intention)
- 2. Actions speak louder than words.
(Managers who say one thing but do another will soon find that their
employees listen mostly to what they do)
*When there is a difference between what someone says and does, a
CREDIBILITY GAP exists.
Communication credibility is based on 3 factors: trustworthiness, expertise,
dynamism
These three factors suggest that managers must act with integrity, speak from a
strong base of knowledge, and deliver their messages with confidence,
enthusiasm and passion.
An important part of non – verbal communication is BODY LANGUAGE, by
which people communicate meaning to others with their bodies in interpersonal
interaction.
- E.g.
- Facial expressions, eye contact, eye movement, smiles and frowns,
furrowed brow.
- Physical touch, hand and hip movements, leaning forward or back,
crossing one’s arms or legs, and sighing or yawning.
Other would include:
1. Filtering
 Manipulation of information so that it will be seen as more by the receiver
2. Information overload
 Refers to the condition in which information inflow exceeds an individual’s
processing capacity
3. Absence of feedback
 Feedback is essential because sender can make clarifications if he think the
receiver did not clearly understand
Kinds of Communication Flow:
1. Downward Communication
- It refers to message flows from higher levels to lower levels of authority.
 - Almost one half of managerial communications are with subordinates,
with the remainder divided among superiors, peers and external
recipients.
Purposes are:
 to influence
 give instructions
 provide information about policies and procedures
 give feedback about performances
 to motivate
This is done through: Letters, Manuals, Handbooks, colorful booklets, flashy
PowerPoint presentations and elaborately planned employee meetings.
- These approaches, while attention – getting, often fail to achieve
employee understanding because the key to better communication lies
not just in the use of color, action and electronic aids but in the
presentation of information by more sensitive managers who prepare
carefully and convey their messages with candor, energy, personal
stories and warmth.
- Managers who communicate successfully are sensitive to human needs
and open to true dialogue with their employees.
Prerequisites for an Effective Approach:
a. Managers need to develop a positive communication attitude.
(They must convince themselves that communication is an important part of their
jobs)
b. Managers must continually work to get informed
(They need to seek out relevant information of interest to employees, share it and
help employees feel informed)
c. Managers need to consciously plan for communication
(And they must do this at the beginning of a course of action)
d. Managers must develop trust
(Trust between senders and receivers is important in all communication because if
subordinates do not trust their superiors, they are not likely to listen to or believe
management’s messages)
2. Upward Communication
- Refers to messages from person in lower level positions to persons in
higher positions
Purposes are:
To interpret
to provide feedback to higher ups
to inform of the progress towards goal
to relay current problems
E.g. Performance reports, exit interviews, suggestion systems
Upward Communication Practices:
a. Questioning
- Managers can encourage upward communications by asking good
questions.
- It shows employees that management takes an interest in their opinions,
desires, additional information and values their input.
- 2 forms of Questions:
- A. Open questions
- Introduced a broad topic and give others an opportunity to respond in
many ways.
- It also allows manager to follow up.
- B. Closed questions
- Focus on narrower topic and invite the receiver to provide a specific
response.
b. Listening
- Active listening is more than hearing.
- It requires use of the ears and the mind.
- Effective listening works on 2 levels:
- It helps receivers understand both the factual idea and the emotional
message the sender intended.
c. Employee Meetings
- Meeting with small groups of employees.
- Employees are encouraged to talk about job problems, resource needs
and management practices that both help and interfere with job
performance.
- In return, employee attitudes improve and turnover declines.
d. An Open – Door Policy
- Is a statement that encourages employees to come to their supervisor or
to higher management with any mater that concerns them.
- Usually, employees are encouraged to see their supervisors first, if the
issue is not resolved, then the higher management can be approached.
- The goal is to remove blocks to upward communication.
e. Participation in Social Groups
- Informal casual recreational events furnish superb opportunities for
unplanned upward communication.
- Information gained on a spontaneous basis reveals true conditions better
than most formal communications.
- E.g.
- Departmental parties, joint attendance at sports events, athletic teams,
hobby groups, picnics and other employer – sponsored activities are all
useful.
 3. Horizontal/Lateral Communication
Refers to messages sent to individuals or groups from another of the
same organizational level or position
Purposes are:
to coordinate activities between departments
to persuade others at the same level of organization
to pass information about activities or feelings
E.g. Memos, picnics, dinners, telephones
Social Networking and Communication
Social Networking
- Internet sites and software programs that allow people to link together
into some form of a virtual social community.
- E.g.
- YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn
Electronic Mail (email)
- A Computer – based communication system that allows you to send a
message to someone – or to a hundred of people – almost
instantaneously.
Blogs
- These are online diaries or journals created and updated frequently by
individuals to express their personal thoughts, musings and
commentaries on topics of interest to them, although they can also be
produced by organizations, CEOs and
Telecommuting
- Working electronically from one’s home.
- Telecommuters accomplish all or part of their work at home, satellite
location through computer links to their offices.
- It includes freedom from the distraction of the workplace, a reduction in
the time and money spent on commuting, the opportunity to reduce
expenditures for work – relevant clothing and the opportunity to spend
more time with family members or even to provide for their care at home.
Virtual Offices
- Physical office space and individual desks are being replaced with an
amazing array of portable communication tools – email, cellular phones,
voicemail systems, laptop computers, fax machines, modems and
videoconferencing systems.