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 machines
Each machine can produce 1000 widgets in a day
Current demand is 30000 widgets daily
Machine 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
ACCURATE
The information is preciseit reflects realityit can be trusted
its true!
TIMELY
The information can be made available to the manager in time for
appropriate action. If it takes too long to get itit wont be helpful.
COMPLETE
The information is all herenothing important has been omitted.
RELEVANT
Is this information really needed by the manager? Will this knowledge
aid the decision-makeror 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 COMMUNICATION
Managers spend 50 90% of their time talking to people.
55% of managers dont feel their written communication skills are very
goodso they use oral communication to avoid embarrassment.
ADVANTAGES
Promotes prompt feedback and clarificationlisten/watch to see
whether they understand. If not, questions will be asked, etc.
Its easyyou dont need a computerall 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)
LANGUAGE
VOCABULARY
TECHNICAL JARGON
Bits, bytes, bauds, bandwidths...does OB = obstetrics or organizational behavior?
POLITICALLY CORRECT TERMINOLOGY
Follically challenged, people of gender, visually impaired
negative patient outcome, vertically challenged, caloric overload
CLICHES AND FILLER
Thats the way the cookie crumblesThats water under the bridge
Yadda, yadda, yaddaLike, you know sure, whatever

TECHNICAL PROBLEMS
DISTRACTIONS AND INTERRUPTIONS
PHYSICAL BARRIERS AND DISTANCE
ABSENCE OF FEEDBACK (no signal)
STRUCTURE OF GROUP NETWORKS
POOR CHOICE AND USE OF COMMUNICATION CHANNELS
Upward, 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 of
a Leader

Moderate

HIGH

Low

Member
Satisfaction

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
DOWNWARD
FOLLOWS THE CHAIN OF COMMAND FORMAL HIERARCHY
LESS LIKELY TO BE FILTERED OR DISTORTED
LEAVES LITTLE OPPORTUNITY FOR FEEDBACK (ONE-WAY)

UPWARD
ACHIEVEMENT OF OBJECTIVES, PERFORMANCE REPORTS
UNRESOLVED PROBLEMS unless the Boss will be upset!
SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS FOR IMPROVEMENT
ATTITUDES AND FEELINGS OF WORKERS

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

FORMAL vs INFORMAL
USE OF OFFICIAL CHANNELS
GRAPEVINE
Usually is 75-95% accurate

COMMUNICATION CHANNELS
ARE THESE DOWNWARD, UPWARD, LATERAL, FORMAL OR INFORMAL?
REPORTS
PROCEDURES & HANDBOOKS
NEWSLETTERS
PERSONAL LETTERS
PAY INSERTS
POSTERS & BULLETIN BOARDS
MEMOS & FLYERS
E-MAIL
VOICE MAIL
INTERCOM (LOUDSPEAKERS)
SPECIAL MEETINGS
INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS
ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS
MORALE QUESTIONNAIRES
GRAPEVINE
SUGGESTION BOXES
GRIEVANCE SYSTEM

HIERARCHY OF CHANNEL RICHNESS

ROUTINE, CLEAR, UNAMBIGUOUS MESSAGES

(LEAN MEDIA)

FLYERS
BULLETINS
GENERAL REPORTS
MEMOS
LETTERS
ELECTRONIC MAIL
INSTANT MESSAGING
VOICE MAIL
TELEPHONE
VIDEOCONFERENCE
GROUP MEETINGS
FACE-TO-FACE

NONROUTINE, AMBIGUOUS, SENSITIVE MESSAGES

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

(RICH MEDIA)

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 hear
A tired Receiver psychological readiness to listen
OVERLOAD -- Too much, too fast, cant comprehend
CULTURE & GENDER DIFFERENCES
Men v. Women
Asian 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
ENGLAND

To TABLE something means to postpone it

To TABLE means to move it up for discussion

USA
CHINA

INCONVENIENT means distasteful, but do-able

INCONVENIENT really means downright impossible!

USA
OTHER

People are quick to fill silence with words

Silent spaces are not to be interrupted

USA
OTHER

Expressions of anger and frustration are often public

It is not only unacceptable, its taboo!

USA
OTHER

Get straight to the point, get down to business right away

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 & INDEPENDENCE
WOMEN --- MAKE CONNECTION & ESTABLISH INTIMACY

EXAMPLES
Women want support and understanding, but men offer advice instead.
Women say men dont 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 Im 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 DONT I TAKE YOU TO DINNER TONIGHT?

YOU
I
DONT
WHY
TAKE
DINNER
TONIGHT

I was going to take someone else

Instead of the guy you were going with
Im trying to find a reason why I shouldnt take you
Do you have a problem with me?
Instead of going on your own
Instead of lunch tomorrow
Not tomorrow night

INDIRECT ORAL COMMUNICATION - 2

PROMPTING MANNERISMS
Prompts to keep the conversation going
UH-HUH, YES, and OH REALLY

PSEUDO-QUESTIONS
IMPERATIVE -- 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
Didnt I see you and Cindy at the theatre last night?
Didnt you say that .. ?

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
PERFORMANCE CODES (Body Language)
PHYSICAL MOVEMENTS, POSTURE, FACIAL EXPRESSIONS
THE WAYS I USE MY BODY TO COMMUNICATE

ARTIFACTUAL CODES
SIGNS, DRESS, FURNISHINGS, POSSESSIONS, COSMETICS
THE WAY I DRESS AND THE TRINKETS I KEEP AND DISPLAY

CONTEXTUAL CODES
USE OF TIME AND SPACING
THE WAY I REGULATE MY TIME AND ARRANGE MY SPACE

MEDIATIONAL CODES
HANDWRITTEN 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 STYLES

POLSKY

--------------------------------------------HIGH

EXPOSING

OPENNESS IN
EXPRESSING
FEELINGS AND
SHARING
INFORMATION

ACTUALIZING

BARGAINING

LOW

DENYING

PROTECTING

--------------------------------------------LOW
HIGH

LISTENING & GIVING FEEDBACK

CONTINGENCIES IN COMMUNICATION
SELF-CONCEPT
SELF-DISCLOSURE
EXPRESSION ABILITY
LISTENING ABILITY

JOHARI WINDOW
LUFT & INGHAM

FOUR COMMUNICATOR TYPES

TYPE A - Low in openness and low in feedback
UNCOMMUNICATIVE
PERCEIVED AS TERSE, ALOOF, IMPERSONAL
(The UNKNOWN window)

TYPE B - Low in openness, but high in feedback

CONSTANTLY SEEKS OUT INFORMATION FROM OTHERS
RARELY PROVIDES INFORMATION IN EXCHANGE
DOESNT TRUST OTHERS WITH IMPORTANT INFORMATION
(The HIDDEN window)

TYPE C - High in openness, but low in feedback

GIVES OUT LOTS OF INFORMATION
RARELY REQUESTS INFORMATION FROM OTHERS
PERCEIVED AS AUTOCRATIC, ARROGANT
DOESNT VALUE OTHERS OPINIONS AND IDEAS
(The BLIND window)

TYPE D - High in openness and high in feedback

IMPORTANT INFORMATION IS FREELY EXCHANGED
COMMUNICATION IS EFFECTIVE
(The OPEN window)

TO FACILITATE COMMUNICATION
LISTEN CAREFULLY TO THE MESSAGESTAY FOCUSED
RESIST DISTRACTIONS
WITHHOLD INITIAL JUDGMENTKEEP 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