Climate

Communication
EFFECTIVE CLIMATE COMMUNICATION IN AN ORGANISATION

Prepared by: Tanya Sinha

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE | SUBMITTED TO: PROF. DR. MADHAVI MISHRA
Climate Communication
Introduction
On the surface, climate change communication is about educating, informing,
warning, persuading, mobilizing and solving this critical problem. At a deeper
level, climate change communication is shaped by our different experiences,
mental and cultural models, and underlying values and worldviews.

Early scholars described a simple transmission model of communication,

comprised of a messenger, who transmits a message, through particular
channels, to specific audiences. This simple model is still commonly used, but
inherently describes a one-way process and too often assumes a passive
audience who simply receives the information conveyed by the message.

A communication climate is the general tone of the relationships among

individuals who interact with one another on a regular basis. Communication
climates exist among people in all kinds of settings (at home, school, and work,
for example). In general conversation, people might describe communication
climate in terms such as 'my work team has a good vibe' or 'at work, most of us
see eye-to-eye about things.'

Good Communication Climates

We all have enjoyed relationships with people where it's easy to talk together
and understand one another. In these kinds of relationships, an exchange of
information and ideas takes place, and virtually everyone is open to listening
and discussing projects and issues. Maybe you once participated in a project
group at school where the members were excited about the subject matter and
eager to work together. Everyone made an effort to be friendly and helpful. You
accomplished a lot at your meetings, and conversation seemed to flow without
effort. That easy flow was characteristic of a good, or supportive,
communication climate. Other characteristics of that good communication
climate probably included people treating each other with respect by listening
without interruption, promptly responding to one another's email messages, and
considering each other's viewpoints even when there was honest disagreement.

Researchers have studied workplace communication climates for many decades.

One result of this ongoing research is a list of seven traits common to good
communication climates:

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 1. Employees are valued

2. A high level of trust exists

3. Conflict is invited and resolved

4. Creative dissent is welcomed

5. Employee input is solicited

6. Employees are well informed

7. Feedback is ongoing

Not every good communication climate has all seven traits, but at least four or
more are important to creating an overall tone of cooperation and respect.

Bad Communication Climates

The flipside of the good communication climate is—you guessed it—a bad one,
sometimes referred to as a defensive communication climate.

Let's use a small business environment to illustrate a bad communication

climate. Typically, when a small business has a bad communication climate,
people do not know for certain what is expected of them, which leads to
misunderstandings about what they are supposed to be working on. People may
even make assumptions about what they or others are supposed to be doing.
That increases the chances for misunderstanding. Sometimes a strictly
enforced hierarchy in the company—the levels of job titles and responsibilities
such as president and support staff—makes it impossible for people on different
levels to communicate clearly with each other.

Researchers say that positive communication messages construct a positive

communication climate. In a positive communication climate, people perceive
others as liking, appreciating, and respecting them – they feel valued. Messages
say, "You matter," "You're important," "You exist." In contrast, negative
messages construct a negative communication climate, and can often be found
with people who feel unimportant or abused and therefore react negatively. The
messages here are called disconfirming messages, and they signal a lack of
regard. Disconfirming messages say, "I don't care about you," "I don't like you,"
"You're not important to me," "You don't matter." It is the messages we send in

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our daily communications that construct a relationship's communication
climate. It is how we say what we say in the course of our daily interactions.

The importance of confirming messages, and the impact of disconfirming

messages cannot be overstated. Children who lack an environment of
confirming messages develop more intense anxiety, depression, grief, jealousy,
and loneliness. They are also more likely to suffer from mental and physical
illnesses and any of many behavioral problems, including criminality and
suicide. Victims of hate speech suffer similar symptoms as victims of other
traumas: feeling dazed, shocked, ill, and angry. Sometimes, the decision about
whether the message is confirming or disconfirming lies in our perception at
that moment. We might perceive a gentle insult as playfully affectionate within
a certain relationship, while we might also perceive a well-intentioned message
as an attack.

There is a spectrum of confirming-disconfirming messages. Some types of

messages are clearly confirming, others clearly disconfirming, and others lie in
more neutral territory.

Challenges and Opportunities

 Inspiration with information: Assuming that a lack of information and

understanding explains the lack of public engagement, and that therefore
more information and explanation is needed to move people to action.

 Motivation by fear: Assumption that fear and visions of potential

catastrophes as a result of in action would motivate audiences to action.
To some extent, fear appeals enables the climate change issue to ‘grab
headlines’, be a top issue above others like unemployment, economy,
terrorism, health, etc

 One size fits all: The assumption that the scientific framing of the issue
would be most persuasive and relevant in moving lay audiences to action.
The problem is assuming that science is central to most audiences.
Without solid audience knowledge, outreach campaigns may not generate
more than fleeting attention, fail to meet the information needs people
have, and generate values and world view based resistance to considering
the information communicated.

 Mobilization through mass media: Assumption that mass

communication is the most effective way to reach audiences on climate
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 change. The important general fact is that mass media (Television,
newspaper, internet) reach large numbers. However another fact is that
information passed through mass media is often ‘consumed’ without
great attention, quickly discarded or ignored- mass media is less effective
engaging the audience

The communication climate in Organizations and Teams

Climate is the atmosphere of a organization. More specifically, climate is the

atmosphere of supportiveness or defensiveness that people feel within an
organization. It is an integral part of organizational culture. Do they feel safe?
Protected? Appreciated? Are they confident that their opinions count? Do they
know that when they have something to say, they have a way to say it so that it
will be heard, and that people will listen and take their ideas or comments
seriously?

The overall organizational climate also includes the organization’s

communication climate—how free people feel to communicate at work,
especially about bad news or negative information. When people feel they
cannot communicate bad news for fear of reprisal, the organization loses
valuable information about how it operates.

Information will flow much more freely in an organization where there is a

positive communication climate, but may not flow at all, especially when it is
most needed, if there is a negative communication climate. A supportive
communication climate allows for a better exchange of information and a more
positive work environment. An organization’s climate can be equated to the
weather—it is the atmosphere that people feel within the organization itself. It is
an integral part of organizational culture.

More specifically, organizational climate is the atmosphere of supportiveness or

defensiveness people feel within the organization and the feelings they have
about sending and receiving messages.

To build a supportive communication climate you need to send messages that

acknowledge effort, creativity, and teamwork, engage people in the decision-
making process, establish trust, which is maintained through consistency,
congruity, reliability, and integrity. It is not enough to be a nice manager and
create a nice environment in which to communicate and work. Employers must

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also communicate a sense of challenge to the employees by placing importance
on high quality and establishing high performance goals.

Development cooperation is done at its best when the partners have a common
interest at stake, when they all are going to benefit from the development
process and when they are together analyzing the problems, setting the
objectives and are working together to produce the expected changes. This
requires a healthy communication climate where the interests of all partners are
integrated so as to achieve a positive-sum relation. see more in ⇒ The
participatory approach

A basic assumption of this is that the best managerial style for a development
aid organization is of designing and managing itself and its culture in such a
way as to make itself:

▪ a projectized organization;

▪ a learning organization

▪ an employee empowering organization.

The combination of these three factors the nurturing of a communication

climate such as to work strategically, collaboratively and cost-effectively, being
innovative and accountable.

Organisational Behaviour

Organizational Culture is the collective behaviour of humans who are part of an

organization and the meanings that the people attach to their actions.

Organizational culture is composed of several characteristics that range in

priority from high to low. Every organization has a distinct value for each of
these characteristics, which, when combined, defines the organization's unique
culture. Members of organizations make judgments on the value their
organization places on these characteristics and then adjust their behavior to
match this perceived set of values.

Every organization develops and maintains a unique culture, which provides

guidelines and boundaries for the behavior of the members of the organization.
Let's explore what elements make up an organization's culture.

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OCTAPACE CULTURE

OCTAPACE CULTURE includes ethics, values, beliefs, attitudes, norms,

ethos, climate, environment and culture. The eight dimensions of OCTAPACE
culture are openness, confrontation, Trust, Authenticity, pro-action, autonomy,
collaboration and experimentation which are essential for a strong and
successful organization. A culture with OCTAPACE values has the greater
chance of achieving high involvement and satisfaction, team work, growth and
free flow of communication within the organization The most important aspect
of organizational culture are the values it practices.

Eight values usually examined to develop the profile of an organizational

culture that is called OCTAPACE its OPENNESS, CONFRONTATION,
TRUST, AUTHENTICITY, PROACTIVELY, AUTONOMY,
COLLABORATION, AND EXPERIMENTING.

a) Openness – It signifies the transparent environment in the organization. The

degree of openness of the organisation will be an important factor in
determining the nature of the various dimensions of HRD being designed, as
well as the way in which these dimensions should be introduced.

Freedom to communicate, share and interact without hesitation. Receiving

feedback from customers and giving ideas and suggestions to team members.

OUTCOME: It helps to improve implementation of systems and innovation&

free interaction among team-mates, leaders and top authority and clarity in
setting objectives and common goals.

b) Confrontation – The term signifies the actual problems which team face in
the day to day work. It implies to face the problem and find the best solutions to
get over it rather than stepping back to escaping the problems. Facing the
problems and challenges boldly and not shying away is the main theme of
Confrontation. If an organization encourages people to recognize a problem,
bring it to people concerned, explore with them to under it and search possible
ways of dealing with it.

OUTCOME: Improved problem solving and clarity and Team discussions to

resolve problems

c) Trust – The trust factor come with Openness which include maintaining the
confidentiality of information shared by others and company. If the level of

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trust is low, the various dimensions of HRS are likely to be seen with suspicion
and therefore the credibility of the system may go down. in such a case the
system if introduced may become a vital and cease to perform the main
functions for which it meant.

OUTCOME: Higher empathy, timely support, reduced stress and reduction and
simplification of forms and procedures.

d) Authenticity : Authenticity is the congruence between what one feels and

says. It is the value underlying trust. Authenticity is reflected in the narrowest
gap between the stated vales and the actual behavior. This value is important for
the development of a culture of mutuality.

OUTCOME: Sharing of feelings freely to improve interpersonal communication

and reduced distortion in communication

e) Proactive - Taking initiative, preplanning and taking preventive action is the

measures of term Proactive. Organisation must be proactive in terms of their
planning. They must be ready for future.

Pro-active means anticipating issues in advancing to take advantage of this

undertaking conflict or responding to needs of the future in fact creating the
future.

OUTCOME: Taking and planning actions at immediate concerns.

f) Autonomy – Autonomy is the willingness to use power without fear and

helping other to do same. Basically Autonomy is all about Using and giving
freedom to plan and act in one’s own sphere. Organisations must avoid
Autocratic type of environment and give chance to team to use their powers in
positive way.

OUTCOME: Develops mutual relationships, reduce reference made to senior

people

g) Collaboration - involves working together in a team for a common cause.

Individuals solve their problems by share their concerns with one another ands
prepare strategies working out plan of actions and implement them together.

OUTCOME: Timely work, improved communication, resource sharing

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h) Experimenting – It Involves using and encouraging innovate approaches to
solve problems. It is the value which emphasizes the importance given to
innovating and trying out new ways of dealing with problems in the
organisations.

OUTCOME: Development of new product, methods, and procedures A profile

of an orgn on these aspects may help to decide what elements of HRS should be
introduced in what sequences in the organization.

Creating positive climates

Researchers have identified six specific areas of communication that can lead to
constructing either positive or negative communication climates. In each of
these areas, a defense-arousing message is presented along with its opposite
option.

1. Evaluation vs. Description

Evaluative messages judge the other person, usually in a negative way. They
judge what the other person is feeling, rather than explaining their own
thoughts, feelings, and wishes. Further, they are often you statements, which can
trigger defensiveness.

On the other hand, descriptive messages offer your thoughts, feelings, and
wishes without judging the other person. They make specific, concrete
observations, and focus on behavior that can be changed, rather than personal
characteristics that cannot. They tend to be I statements, which may be less
likely to provoke defensiveness than you language.

2. Control vs. Problem Orientation

Control communication occurs when someone seeks to control another. These

might be as trivial as which television show to watch, or at which restaurant to
eat -- but the sender seems to impose a decision with little consideration for the
receiver's needs or interests. When people act in controlling ways, defensive
communication climates tend to result. In problem orientation, the focus is to
find a solution that satisfies both parties' needs. The goal here is to make
everyone feel like a winner.

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3. Strategy vs. Spontaneity

In strategy communication, speakers hide their ulterior motives. This is the

home of dishonesty and manipulation. Example: What are you doing Friday
after work? Spontaneity, however, simply means being honest with other
people rather than attempting to manipulate them. This doesn't mean blurting
out whatever you're thinking soon as you think it, as there are appropriate times
for self-disclosure and you threaten others with incessant spontaneity.
Example: I have a piano I need to move Friday after work. Can you give me a
hand?

4. Neutrality vs. Empathy

The essence of neutrality is indifference. It communicates a lack of concern for

the well-being of another, and therein suggests the other person isn't very
important to you. Its opposite, and confirming, behavior is empathy, which
shows care and concern for the feelings of another. It is accepting another's
feelings, and putting yourself in another's position.

5. Superiority vs. Equality

Messages of superiority are patronizing. They say, "I am better than you," or "I
know more than you," and, as such, are very likely to engender defensive
responses. Examples are, "You'll figure it out when you get to be my age," and
"You don't know what you're talking about." On the other hand, messages
of equality recognize that other people have just as much worth as themselves,
regardless of their amount of knowledge or talent in a particular area. Examples
to counter the above superiority comments are, "I'd like to hear what you think
about this, so I can tell you how it seems to me," or "I'm not sure I agree."

6. Certainty vs. Provisionalism

In a certainty orientation, people are positive they are right; they know that
their way is the only proper way of doing something, and they insist they have
all the facts and need no additional information.

This way of communicating disregards the ideas of others and demonstrates a

general lack of regard for other people. In contrast, provisionalism permits
people to have strong opinions, while they acknowledge they don't know
everything and are willing to change their position, if another seems more
reasonable.

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7. Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and feel as the other person feels. Those
who are able to show empathy have the skill to let others know their message
has made contact, and the ability to respond appropriately. Empathetic people
have the skill to:

• attend to what is said

• retain objectivity and distance

• recognise non-verbal cues about the feelings of others

• understand the content part of the message

• understand the feelings in the message

• communicate their understanding to others.

Empathy enhances the communication climate. The tone of the communication

is positive and the communication is about what is happening
now. Communication is about the needs and interests of the people
communicating.

8. Win-Win Approach

The win-win approach to communication is about concentrating on the needs

and interests of the people communicating. Rather than winning positions or
gaining victories over the other person, the win-win approach lets you gather or
give information in a way that creates a positive communication climate and
results in accurate information transfer. The communication is more likely to
get things done and to maintain and build goodwill because each person
understands the needs and interests of the other.

9. Self-Disclosure

At work, people may learn a lot or very little about their colleagues. It depends
on how much people are willing to disclose about themselves. Self-
disclosure involves showing how you react and feel about the present situation
and giving any information about the past that affects this reaction; in this way,
you allow others to know more about you. This openness comes from an
acceptance and appreciation of yourself. Others come to understand you by
knowing how you react.

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Self-disclosure does not mean you have to reveal intimate details about your
past. It means sharing ideas and feelings. As you self-disclose, you also
provide feedback to others on how their behaviour is affecting you. The amount
of self-disclosure is affected by the communication climate. In a positive
climate people disclose more, in a negative climate they disclose less.

Both self-disclosing and feedback increase understanding and lead to more open
communication. This allows you to establish closer, more satisfying
relationships at work, and in your social and family life.

10. Effective Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal communication takes place in the workplace whenever two or

more people interact on a one-to-one basis or in small groups. When the actions
taken as a result of your communication match your intentions, your
interpersonal communication is effective. The message is received
accurately. Others perceive your message . as you intend it to be received.

Workplace relationships built on effective communication work well. Those

built on poor communication do not work so well. People who operate
effectively in interpersonal relationships at work and elsewhere possess five
general qualities.

In the face of criticism by others, we essentially have two choices other than
responding defensively: We can seek additional information, and we can agree
with some aspect of the criticism.

Seeking additional information can mean asking for, or guessing about,

specifics, paraphrasing the speaker's ideas, asking about the consequences of
your behavior, and asking what else is wrong. In agreeing with the critic, we
can agree with several components. We can agree with the truth, such as,

"You're right, I'm angry," agree with the odds, such as, "If you don't talk to
more people, don't think you're a snob," agree in principle (without necessarily
changing your behavior), such as, "You're right. I'm working hard now. It's
probably unhealthy, but finishing the job is worth it to me."

Or, you might agree with the critic's perception, which you might use when you
find no truth to the criticisms and can't agree with the odds or principles the
critic is putting forth.

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In these ways, you can move toward transforming a negative communication
climate into a positive one, and practice diplomatic and tactful communication
strategies at the same time.

Conclusion

A pleasant working atmosphere is a very important factor for highly efficient

team work, positive communication climate played a significant role on
improving the motivation of employee.

Therefore, if managers can master the skills to create positive communication

climate, and used it in their own work, then the manager will be able to identify
the behavior is efficiency or not, and be able to change it effectively so that can
efficient and easy to get creative achievements.

Positive communication climate not only can bring to the enterprise the smooth
flow of information, but also provide basic protection for the organization’s
decision-making and execution. All organizations should be fully aware of the
importance of positive communication climate, and eliminate the obstacles
blocking, finally reached a good communication environment

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References:
• https://lucidoutsourcing.com/blog/organisation-and-octapace-culture
• https://issuu.com/iosrjbm/docs/n1902038792
• https://www.citehr.com/64577-what-octapace-how-done.html
• https://www.ukessays.com/essays/management/the-influence-of-communication-
climate-in-workplace-management-essay.php
• https://smartamarketing.wordpress.com/2011/01/22/creating-an-effective-
communication-climate/

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