INTERPERSONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

A PRESENTATION FOR
ADMINISTRATIVE COMMUNICATION

Submitted to:
Mrs. Janet R. Aleman
Instructor
Guimaras State University

Submitted by:
Percy P. Catedrilla, Jr., MD FPAFP PCOM
October 20, 2022
 INTRODUCTION

Is there a difference between organizational and interpersonal communication?

Communication skills are crucial to our professional and personal lives. Whether you want to

talk to a friend, family member, or are trying to seal a new deal in your company’s

boardroom, you should know how to think critically about your communication process.

Communication plays a critical role in public service careers, corporate

communications, sales, and management, but also between departments in organizations.

Organizational Communication

Organizational Communication is about exchanging messages among individuals in a

particular setting or environment with the aim of collaborating and achieving common goals.

This type of connection is culturally dependent and contextual. It is how organizations

constitute, present, and represent their organizational culture and climate. Organizational

communication helps us to:

1. Develop work relationships

2. Plan, coordinate, and control company’s operations through management.

3. Complete tasks related to specific responsibilities and roles

4. Accomplish tasks through the maintenance of regulations, procedures, and policy

There are two ways in which we can view organizational communication:

1. Communication within organizations

2. Communication as the organization

Communication is (one way) the exchange of messages that are relatively clear and

uncomplicated. Issues arise when things become more complex and when we need to resolve
conflicts (then it’s much more than just transmitting information.) For an organization to be

successful, their communicators need to skilled and competent. Organizational leaders find

effective written and oral communication to be among the most sought- after skills.

What organizations need and look for are people who can accurately listen, follow

and give instructions, network, get along with customers and co- workers, provide useful

feedback and practical information, solve problems (critically and creatively), and work well

in teams.

Interpersonal Communication:

Interpersonal communication includes all forms of communicating- written, oral, and

nonverbal. However, this term usually used when referring to verbal communication

between individuals (two or more) on a face-to-face, personal level. Some forms of interper-

sonal communication in business organizations include informal chats, employee perfor-

mance reviews, formal project discussions, and staff meetings. As for the interaction with

other organizations, it covers sales visits, employment interviews, and client meetings.

However, there can be errors during any phase in the communication process.

Misunderstandings can occur when, for example, the sender doesn’t have a bright idea of the

message he wants to communicate or isn’t able to express it in the right way. Also,

misunderstandings can happen when the receiver doesn’t listen carefully, understands the

message differently than how the sender intended, or can’t provide feedback. When inter-

personal business communication is inconsiderate, inaccurate, or unclear- valuable time is

wasted. It can also alienate customers or employees and destroy the goodwill toward

the overall business.

Both organizational and interpersonal communication is critical to the success of any

organization, especially in growing companies.

Communication is a natural process that involves at least two living things.

 Communication skills are some of the most important skills that we need to succeed

in the workplace.

Communication in an organization, therefore, is a process that involves at least two

people- a sender and a receiver. For it to be successful, the receiver must understand the

message in the way that the sender intended.

Table 1. 1

Communication Process

SOURCE ENCODING CHANNEL DECODING RECEIVE

TO PLAN YOUR COMMUNICATION:

1. Understand your objective. Why are you communicating?

2. Understand your audience. With whom are you communicating? What do they
need to know?

3. Plan what you want to say, and how you’ll send the message

4. Good communication uses the KISS (Keep It Simple and Straightforward)

principle. They know that less is often more, and that good communication should

be efficient as well as effective.

- Communication in an organization is important in bringing about coordination,

understanding and unity in the overall strife to attain organizational objectives

 - There are various means by which messages may be transmitted such as words,

pictures, and body languages

- Each manager has a number of relationships with other individuals within his area of

responsibility

- Methods have been to developed to improve upward communication such as

counselling, grievance systems, consultative supervision, meetings, suggestion

systems, opinion surveys, participation in the social groups and encouragement of

employee letters, among others

MODELS OF COMMUNICATION

Models of Communication are conceptual models used to explain the human

communication process. The first major model for communication was developed in 1948

by Claude Shannon and published with an introduction by Warren Weaver for Bell Laborato-

ries.

Shannon and Weaver’s original model contains five elements: information source,

transmitter, channel, receiver and destination.

Communication is the exchange of messages between a sender and a receiver via a

medium. This is the basic communication model. The receiver’s response or feedback is part

of the model and consideration of the context(s) in which communication takes place is also

important.

A model of communication gives a wholesome understanding of a system or structure

by which people can understand similar systems or structure. Communication models help

identify and understand the components and relationship of the communication process being

studied.

IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION

Communication is the heart of any organization. Everything you do in the workplace

from the results of communication. While developing your career you will get to know why

communication is important.

In the Organization:

Communication plays a very important role in the management of any organization.

As it is a tool for sharing thoughts, ideas, opinions and plans in various parts of an organiza-

tion. Good communication is required not only in building relationships but also for a

successful business. That is why communication is having tremendous importance in the

organization. Communication helps to increase efficiency at the workplace.

Importance for Individuals:

Communication is important to express oneself. It also satisfies one’s needs. One

should have effective communication for advancement in the career. In your personal life,

effective communication skills can smooth your way and your relationships with others

by helping you to understand others, and to be understood.

- Organizations will fail without communication.

- Coordination and cooperation become impossible if people cannot communicate their

needs and feelings to others. Every act of communication influences the organization one

way or another.

- Management ideas will remain armchair thoughts until a manager puts them into

effect through communication.

- The best plans are worthless unless properly communicated for implementation.

When communication is effective, it tends to encourage better performance and generate job

satisfaction because people will understand their jobs better and feel more involved in them.

The Importance of Interpersonal Communication in the Workplace:

1. Problem Solving- interpersonal communication skills are necessary because they

allow people to discuss problems and weigh the pros and cons of alternatives before coming
up with the final decision.

2. Alignment with business goals- poor communication between employers and

employees can harm the business in many ways. When managers and leaders are unable

to clearly communicate tasks, workers can quickly become frustrated and disconnected with

the business goals.

3. Trust- according to the American Psychological Association, a quarter of the

the employees in the US do not trust their employers, and only about 50% of them believe

that their bosses are open with them. It improves trust and workplace communication, and all

leaders are encouraged to improve communication with their employees to gain trust.

4. Change Management- effective employee communication helps employees better

understand change, align with it, and works towards implementing the change successfully.

5. Company Culture- when employees possess good interpersonal communication

skills, organizational culture becomes synergistic and positive. With bad interpersonal

relationships, on the other hand, negativity, confusion and conflicts become inevitable. This

ruins the work environment, reduces employee productivity, and adversely affects the

company’s bottom line.

6. Employee Recognition- good interpersonal communication drives more employee

recognition, their managers are more likely to recognize each other’s good work

7. Workplace Miscommunication- managers who maintain professionalism, open

workplace communication and a positive attitude are more likely to be seen as approachable

by their employees. When employees feel like they can speak openly with decision- makers

workplace miscommunication, gossip and rumors are much less likely to happen.

8. Personal relationships- interpersonal skills are extremely important for creating

and maintaining meaningful relationships in the workplace. People with good interpersonal

communication skills can therefore build healthy relationships with their colleagues and
work much better as a team.

9. Effective management and Leadership- the ability to foster interpersonal

relationship, establish trust and communicate clearly are all crucial skills for an effective

leader.

10. Employee Success- good interpersonal communication skills are also necessary

for managers to help their employees do their jobs successfully. Leaders need to be able

to pass on the right skills to the employees that will enable them to perform their tasks and

achieve business goals.

11. Conflict management- conflict management cannot happen without effective

interpersonal communication. All conflict management strategies that use communication to

soften situation in stressful environments are much more successful.

12. Career Development- continuous improvements of their interpersonal

communication skills can bring career progressions for many employees.

13. Remote Work- in order to keep their cultures open and transparent, employers

need to continue to drive engaging workplace conversations even when employees are

physically dispersed.

14. Crisis Management- One of the characteristics of the companies that manage

crisis more successfully, is the ability to drive interpersonal communication within the

workplace. When employees are connected and have the ability to collaborate efficiently

it is much easier for organizations to communicate the impact of the crisis on both personal

and company- wide levels.

THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

The communication process refers to a series of actions or steps taken in order to

successfully communicate. It involves several components such as the sender of the commu-
nication, the actual message being sent, the encoding of the message, the receiver and the

decoding of the message.

It is through the communication process that the sharing of a common meaning

between a sender and the receiver takes place. Individuals that follow the communication

process will have the opportunity to become more productive in every aspect of their profes-

sion. Effective communication leads to understanding.

In our daily life, communication helps us build relationships by allowing us to share

our experiences, and needs, and helps us connect to others. It’s the essence of life. Allowing

us to express feelings, pass on information and share thoughts. We all need to communicate.

- Communication process is a method by which a sender reaches a receiver

- This process requires six steps:

a. Develop an idea

b. Encode

c. Transmit

d. Receive

e. Decode

DEVELOP AN IDEA:

The first step is to develop an idea or thoughts that the sender wishes to convey.

unless there is a worthwhile message to transmit, all other steps will become useless.

ENCODE:

The idea is put into suitable words, charts, or other symbols may be organized in a

manner suitable for the type of transmission chosen.

TRANSMIT:
 The channels of communication should likewise be determined together with the

proper timing in sending the message. The communication channel should as much as

possible be free from barriers or interferences, in order that the message will have a good

chance of reaching the intended receiver and holding the receiver’s attention.

RECEIVE:

The message is transferred to the receiver who tunes it to receive it. Without an

effective reception, the message fizzles out into nothingness.

DECODE:

The sender’s intention is for the receiver to understand in full the message conveyed,

It is in the receiver’s mind that understanding can take place. Telling is not sufficient

Communication in unless understanding at the other end is brought about.

USE:

The final step in the process is for the receiver to use the communications, either by

ignoring it, performing the tasked called for, storing the information or doing otherwise,

as directed.

The Rule of Five:

The entire set of five receiver steps:

a. Receive

b. Understand

c. Accept

d. Use

e. Feedback

If the communication successfully undergoes these five steps with a receiver, the

communication can be said to be successful.

 THE TWO- WAY COMMUNICATION

Table 1.2 The Two- Way flow of information is referred to as feedback loop and
communication loop

MESSAGE
RECEIVER
SENDER

FEEDBACK

Other Benefits include:

1. Frustration is reduced and favorable feelings are usually generated.

2. Accuracy of work is much enhanced.

Difficulties caused by Two-way communication:

1. Two people may strongly disagree about some item, but may not realize until they

established two- way communications.

2. Cognitive dissonance takes place when people receive information which is

incompatible with their value systems or other information they have.

The Three Formal Channels of Communication

1. Downward

a. Flows from higher to lower level

b. Key aspect- subordinates reacts most effectively to those matters judged to

 be of the greatest interest to the boss

c. Selective screening is a problem

d. Example forms: job instructions, memos, policies, procedures, manuals

etc.

2. Upward

a. Flows from lower to higher levels

b. Most ineffective of the three channels

c. Employees need opportunities to be: heard, anonymous

d. Example devices: suggestion boxes, group meetings, participative

decision making, grievance procedures etc.

3. Horizontal

a. Flows from one level to equal level

b. Necessary for coordination of diverse organizational functions

c. Most effective of the three channels

d. Example devices: internet, corporate intranet

INFORMAL CHANNELS

1. Communications within organizations do not necessarily follow the formal

Pathways

2. Many organizations have extensive networks of informal communications

3. Since they are ingrained into organizational life, managers should heed and use

them to benefit programs, policies or plans

4. Elements of informal channels are: grapevine 75% accurate, rumor- unverified

WHY COMMUNICATIONS BREAK DOWN

1. Problems occur both in formal organizational communications and interpersonal

communications.
 2. Breakdown can occur whenever any one of the elements of communication

is defective (sender, encoding, medium, decoding, receiver, feedback)

3. Conflicting frames of reference: people interpret the same communication

differently depending on their previous experiences

4. Selective perception: people block out information if it conflicts with what they

believe

5. Value judgments: people assign an overall worth to a message prior to receiving

the entire communication

6. Status differences: status in the organization is determined by position, title, pay,

office size etc.

7. Security: security of the channel is an increasingly important consideration for

employees

8. Source credibility: the amount of trust, confidence, and/or faith the receiver has in

words and actions of the communicator

9. Time pressures: managers don’t have the time to communicate frequently with

every subordinate

10. Information Overload: managers often are deluged by information and data

11. Semantic Problems: the same words may mean entirely different things to

Different people

12. Poor listening skills: most individuals listen at only 25% level of efficiency

HOW COMMUNICATIONS CAN BE IMPROVED

To become better communicators managers must:

- Improve their messages

- Improve their own understanding of what other people are trying to communicate
Effective Listening

- Managers must listen with understanding

Following Up

- Managers should attempt to determine whether their intended meaning was actually

received

Regulating Information Flow

- Only significant deviations from policies and procedures should be brought to the

managers

Utilizing feedback

- Managers should determine whether their messages have been received and if they

have produced the intended responses

Empathy

- Managers should put themselves into the other person’s role and assume the

viewpoints and emotions of that person

Simplifying Language

- Managers must encode messages in words, appeals, and symbols that are meaningful

to the receiver

Organizational Stories

- Using narrative allows managers to forge relationships with diverse audiences well

beyond those afforded by a technical argument