Chapter 14: Interpersonal and Organizational Communication

The nature and function of communication:

● Communication: the transfer and understanding of meanings → it
encompasses:
○ Interpersonal communication: communication between 2+ people
○ Organizational communication: all the networks and systems in the org
● 4 major functions:
○ Control: authority hierarchies and formal guidelines
○ Motivation: clarifying what is to be done
○ Emotional expression: social interaction
○ Information
Methods and challenges of interpersonal communication:
● Transfer of meaning: message → encoding → channel → decoding
● The communication process:

○ Noise: disturbances that interfere with transmission of message

● 12 evaluation questions:
1. Feedback (how quickly is the response)
2. Complexity capacity
3. Breadth potential (how many different messages)
4. Confidentiality (privacy)
5. Encoding ease
6. Decoding ease
7. Time-space constraint (need to be the same time/same space?)
8. Cost
9. Interpersonal warmth
10. Formality
11. Scanability
12. Time of consumption
 ● Nonverbal communication (without words): usually carries the greatest
impact
○ Body language
○ Verbal intonation (the tone, how you stress and emphasize)
● Barriers:
○ Cognitive:
■ Information overload: When information exceeds our processing
capacity
■ Filtering: manipulation of information (to satisfy the receiver)
○ Emotions
○ Sociocultural (sometimes people have different jargon-specialized
terms and languages)
○ National culture
● Overcoming the barriers:
○ Use feedbacks (both verbal and nonverbal)
○ Simplify language
○ Listen actively (listening for full meaning without making premature
judgments or interpretations)→ active listening can be enhanced
through empathy

○ Constraint emotions
○ Watch nonverbal cues
Effective organizational communication:
● Formal vs Informal communication
 ○ Formal: communication that takes place within prescribed
organizational work arrangements
○ Informal: communication not defined by the organization’s structural
hierarchy
● Direction of flow:
○ Downward: flows from managers to employees
■ Town hall meeting: Informal public meetings where information
can be relayed, issues can be discussed, or employees can be
brought together to celebrate accomplishments

○ Upward: flows from employees to managers

○ Laterally: among employees of the same organization level
○ Diagonally: crosses both work areas and organizational levels
● Networks:
○ Types of communication networks → 4 criteria
■ Chain network: according to the formal chain of command
(downward or upward)
■ Wheel network: between a leader and others in a group
■ All-channel network: flows freely among members
 ○ The grapevine: the informal org communication network
→ minimize the consequences of rumors
● Workplace Design and Communication:
→ 2 common design elements: the enclosures and barriers used, and the
availability of adjustable work arrangements, equipment, and furnishings
○ Open workplaces: few physical barrier
→ support 4 types of employee work: focused work, collaboration, learning,
and socialization
Communication in the Internet and Social media age:
● The 24/7 work environment
● Working from anywhere
● Social media
● Balancing the pluses and minuses
● Choosing the right media
Communication issues in today’s organizations:
5 communication issues:
1. Managing communication in a digitally connected world
2. Managing the organization’s knowledge resources
3. Communicating with customers
4. Getting employee input
 5. Communicating ethically
Becoming a better communicator:
● Sharpening your persuasion skills
● Sharpening your speaking skills
● Sharpening your writing skills
● Sharpening your reading skills