COMMUNICATION

The process of sending a message in such a way that the message received is as close in meaning as possible to the message intended.

DATA Raw figures and facts

We have 35 working machinesEach machine can produce 1000 widgets in a dayCurrent demand is 30000 widgets dailyMachine operators earn $20/hour

INFORMATION Data summarized and presented in such a way that it “makes sense” …or has logical meaning.

“Our plant has excess production capacity, and is incurring $800 of unnecessary labor costs per day.”

CHARACTERISTICS OF USEFUL INFORMATION

ACCURATEThe information is precise…it reflects reality…it can be trusted…it’s true!

TIMELYThe information can be made available to the manager in time for appropriate action. If it takes too long to get it…it won’t be helpful.

COMPLETEThe information is all here…nothing important has been omitted.

RELEVANTIs this information really needed by the manager? Will this knowledge aid the decision-maker…or will it confuse or distract him/her?

THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

KEY PARTS OF THE COMMUNICATION MODEL

• SENDER -- initiator of the message• ENCODING -- creating a message we want to send• MESSAGE -- the specific words, signals, and images we send• CHANNEL -- the method of delivery of the message • DECODING -- translating, interpreting the meaning• RECEIVER -- the target of the message• NOISE -- signals which compete with (disrupt) the intended message• FEEDBACK -- checking to be sure the message was understood

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

ORAL COMMUNICATIONManagers spend 50 – 90% of their time talking to people.55% of managers don’t feel their written communication skills are very good…so they use oral communication to avoid embarrassment.

ADVANTAGES• Promotes prompt feedback and clarification…listen/watch to see

whether they understand. If not, questions will be asked, etc.• It’s easy…you don’t need a computer…all you have to do is talk.

DISADVANTAGES• Sender may leave out important details• Noise may distort the process• The receiver may forget part of the message• There is no permanent record of what has been said

BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

SEMANTIC PROBLEMS (WORD MEANINGS)LANGUAGEVOCABULARYTECHNICAL JARGONBits, bytes, bauds, bandwidths...does OB = obstetrics or organizational behavior? POLITICALLY CORRECT TERMINOLOGYFollically challenged, people of gender, visually impairednegative patient outcome, vertically challenged, caloric overload CLICHES AND FILLER“That’s the way the cookie crumbles”…“That’s water under the bridge”Yadda, yadda, yadda”…“Like, you know…”… “sure, whatever”

TECHNICAL PROBLEMSDISTRACTIONS AND INTERRUPTIONSPHYSICAL BARRIERS AND DISTANCEABSENCE OF FEEDBACK (no signal)STRUCTURE OF GROUP NETWORKSPOOR CHOICE AND USE OF COMMUNICATION CHANNELSUpward, downward or lateral?“Rich” vs “Lean” Channels

SMALL-GROUP COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

CRITERIA CHAIN WHEEL ALL CHANNEL

Speed Moderate FAST FAST

Accuracy Moderate HIGH Moderate

Emergence ofa Leader Moderate HIGH Low

MemberSatisfaction Moderate Low HIGH

Centralized Decentralized

COMMUNICATION TOPICS

ORAL• WORK DISPUTES• DISCIPLINARY ISSUES• SENSITIVE PERSONAL MATTERS• ANYTHING THAT CAN BE EASILY MISUNDERSTOOD

WRITTEN• GENERAL REPORTS• ROUTINE ANNOUNCEMENTS• GENERAL INFORMATION (FYI)

COMBINATION (USE BOTH)• DIRECTIVES OR ORDERS• PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS• POLICY OR RULE CHANGES

CHOICE OF CHANNELS

DOWNWARDFOLLOWS THE CHAIN OF COMMAND – FORMAL HIERARCHYLESS LIKELY TO BE FILTERED OR DISTORTEDLEAVES LITTLE OPPORTUNITY FOR FEEDBACK (ONE-WAY)

UPWARD ACHIEVEMENT OF OBJECTIVES, PERFORMANCE REPORTSUNRESOLVED PROBLEMS …unless the Boss will be upset!SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS FOR IMPROVEMENTATTITUDES AND FEELINGS OF WORKERS

LATERAL ESSENTIAL FOR COORDINATION AND INTEGRATIONSAVES TIME BY SHORT-CUTTING THE VERTICAL HIERARCHY (TO EXPEDITE ACTION)

FORMAL vs INFORMAL USE OF OFFICIAL CHANNELSGRAPEVINE

Usually is 75-95% accurate

COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

ARE THESE DOWNWARD, UPWARD, LATERAL, FORMAL OR INFORMAL?

REPORTSPROCEDURES & HANDBOOKSNEWSLETTERSPERSONAL LETTERSPAY INSERTSPOSTERS & BULLETIN BOARDSMEMOS & FLYERSE-MAILVOICE MAILINTERCOM (LOUDSPEAKERS)SPECIAL MEETINGSINFORMAL DISCUSSIONSONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS MORALE QUESTIONNAIRESGRAPEVINESUGGESTION BOXESGRIEVANCE SYSTEM

HIERARCHY OF CHANNEL RICHNESS

ROUTINE, CLEAR, UNAMBIGUOUS MESSAGES (LEAN MEDIA)

FLYERSBULLETINSGENERAL REPORTSMEMOSLETTERSELECTRONIC MAILINSTANT MESSAGINGVOICE MAILTELEPHONEVIDEOCONFERENCEGROUP MEETINGSFACE-TO-FACE

NONROUTINE, AMBIGUOUS, SENSITIVE MESSAGES (RICH MEDIA)

HOW “RICH” DOES THE CHANNEL HAVE TO BE?WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL FOR MISUNDERSTANDING?

BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

PSYCHOLOGICAL & PERCEPTUAL PROBLEMS CONFLICTING, INCONSISTENT MESSAGES PERCEIVED CREDIBILITY OF THE SENDER (can the source be trusted?)RELUCTANCE TO COMMUNICATE (suppress “bad news”)POOR LISTENING SKILLS

Filtering – only “hearing” what you want to hearA “tired” Receiver – psychological readiness to listen

OVERLOAD -- Too much, too fast, can’t comprehend… CULTURE & GENDER DIFFERENCES

Men v. WomenAsian v. North American

INDIRECT ORAL COMMUNICATION*Voice Intonations, Prompting Mannerisms and Pseudo-questions

NON-VERBAL CUES*Performance, Artifactual, Contextual, and Mediational codes

*One study showed as much as 55% of the message was received through nonverbal means and another 38% from voice inflection and tone. Words themselves accounted for only 7 % of the content of the message.

CULTURE & GENDER DIFFERENCES - 1

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

USA To “TABLE” something means to postpone itENGLAND To “TABLE” means to move it up for discussion

USA “INCONVENIENT” means distasteful, but do-ableCHINA “INCONVENIENT” really means downright impossible!

USA People are quick to fill silence with wordsOTHER Silent spaces are not to be interrupted

USA Expressions of anger and frustration are often publicOTHER It is not only unacceptable, it’s taboo!

USA Get straight to the point, get down to business right awayOTHER This is an insult and is resented. We do social things first

IS THIS A “HIGH CONTEXT” OR A “LOW CONTEXT” CULTURE?

LEARN TO BE EMPATHETIC & SENSITIVE TO CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

CULTURE & GENDER DIFFERENCES - 2

GENDER DIFFERENCES

MEN --- EMPHASIZE STATUS & INDEPENDENCEWOMEN --- MAKE CONNECTION & ESTABLISH INTIMACY

EXAMPLES

Women want support and understanding, but men offer advice instead.

Women say men don’t listen, but men say women just talk on and on.

Women often approach problems indirectly, while men are more direct.

Men often speak in ways that establish their independence and status.

When women say “I’m sorry” are they apologizing unnecessarily?Or, are they saying “I know you feel bad about this, and so do I.”

INDIRECT ORAL COMMUNICATION - 1

INFLECTIONS OF VOICE TONE – THE WAY YOUR VOICE “SOUNDS”

Irritated or impatient?Do you sound sympathetic?Do you sound like you mean it?

EMPHASIS – WHICH WORDS ARE STRESSED?

WHY DON’T I TAKE YOU TO DINNER TONIGHT?

“YOU” I was going to take someone else“I” Instead of the guy you were going with“DON’T” I’m trying to find a reason why I shouldn’t take you“WHY” Do you have a problem with me?“TAKE” Instead of going on your own“DINNER” Instead of lunch tomorrow“TONIGHT” Not tomorrow night

INDIRECT ORAL COMMUNICATION - 2

PROMPTING MANNERISMSPrompts to keep the conversation going

“UH-HUH,” “YES,” and “ OH REALLY”

PSEUDO-QUESTIONSIMPERATIVE -- A COMMAND

“Have you mowed the grass yet?”“Has the garden been weeded?”

SCREENED -- THINLY VEILED MOTIVES“How would you like to work overtime tonight?”

GOT-CHA -- A TRAP OR SET UP“Didn’t I see you and Cindy at the theatre last night?”“Didn’t you say that ….. ?”

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

PERFORMANCE CODES (Body Language)PHYSICAL MOVEMENTS, POSTURE, FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

THE WAYS I USE MY BODY TO COMMUNICATE

ARTIFACTUAL CODESSIGNS, DRESS, FURNISHINGS, POSSESSIONS, COSMETICS

THE WAY I DRESS AND THE TRINKETS I KEEP AND DISPLAY

CONTEXTUAL CODESUSE OF TIME AND SPACING

THE WAY I REGULATE MY TIME AND ARRANGE MY SPACE

MEDIATIONAL CODESHANDWRITTEN NOTES v. TYPED; USE OF COLOR, ETC.

IMAGES AND CHANNELS THROUGH WHICH I COMMUNICATE

ONE CANNOT CEASE TO COMMUNICATE…EVEN SILENCE AND INACTIVITY HAVE MEANING

MODEL OF COMMUNICATION STYLESPOLSKY

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

HIGH EXPOSING ACTUALIZINGOPENNESS IN EXPRESSING FEELINGS AND BARGAININGSHARINGINFORMATION

LOW DENYING PROTECTING- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -LOW HIGH

LISTENING & GIVING FEEDBACK

CONTINGENCIES IN COMMUNICATIONSELF-CONCEPTSELF-DISCLOSUREEXPRESSION ABILITYLISTENING ABILITY

JOHARI WINDOWLUFT & INGHAM

FOUR COMMUNICATOR TYPES

TYPE A - Low in openness and low in feedbackUNCOMMUNICATIVEPERCEIVED AS TERSE, ALOOF, IMPERSONAL

(The UNKNOWN window)

TYPE B - Low in openness, but high in feedbackCONSTANTLY SEEKS OUT INFORMATION FROM OTHERSRARELY PROVIDES INFORMATION IN EXCHANGEDOESN’T TRUST OTHERS WITH IMPORTANT INFORMATION

(The HIDDEN window)

TYPE C - High in openness, but low in feedbackGIVES OUT LOTS OF INFORMATIONRARELY REQUESTS INFORMATION FROM OTHERSPERCEIVED AS AUTOCRATIC, ARROGANTDOESN’T VALUE OTHERS’ OPINIONS AND IDEAS

(The BLIND window)

TYPE D - High in openness and high in feedbackIMPORTANT INFORMATION IS FREELY EXCHANGEDCOMMUNICATION IS EFFECTIVE

(The OPEN window)

TO FACILITATE COMMUNICATION…

• LISTEN CAREFULLY TO THE MESSAGE…STAY FOCUSED

• RESIST DISTRACTIONS

• WITHHOLD INITIAL JUDGMENT…KEEP AN OPEN MIND

• LISTEN FOR FEELINGS

• PAY ATTENTION TO NON-VERBAL CUES

• USE SIMPLE LANGUAGE

• ASK QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION

• GIVE FEEDBACK – RESTATE WHAT YOU UNDERSTAND