Management

A Practical Introduction
Third Edition
Angelo Kinicki &
Brian K. Williams

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 Chapter 15: Interpersonal &
Organizational Communication

Mastering the Exchange of Information

The Communication Process
Barriers to Communication
How Managers Fit into the Process
Communication in the Information Age
Improving Communication Effectiveness

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.1 The Communication Process:
What It Is, How It Works

WHY DO WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE

COMMUNICATION PROCESS?

Communication is the transfer of information and

understanding from one person to another
Good communication skills, both written and oral,
are essential to success
One study found that managers spend over 80
percent of their day communicating

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.1 The Communication Process:
What It Is, How It Works
Communication is a process
The sender is the person wanting to share information,
called a message, and the receiver is the person for whom the
message is intended
Messages have to be encoded (translated into
understandable symbols or language)
Then, messages have to be decoded (interpreted and made
sense of)
The pathway by which a message travels is the medium
Feedback is the receiver’s reaction to the sender’s message
Any disturbance that interferes with the transmission of a
message is noise

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 The Communication Process

Basic Model

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3e2006
©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
15.1 The Communication Process:
What It Is, How It Works
Figure 15.1: The Communication Process

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 The Communication Process
Expanded Model

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction ©

3e2006
©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
 The Communication Process

Did you finish What

your assignment do
assignment? you mean?

Noise!
Noise!

Sender Receiver

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction ©

3e2006
©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
 15.1 The Communication Process:
What It Is, How It Works

HOW DO MANAGERS KNOW WHICH TYPE OF

COMMUNICATION TOOL TO USE?

Managers need to know how to use the right type of

communication tool for a given situation
How well a particular medium conveys information and
promotes learning is referred to as media richness
Media are positioned along a continuum ranging from high
media richness (face-to-face communication) to low media
richness (impersonal written media like newsletters)
In nonroutine situations, a rich medium works best
In routine situations, a lean medium works better
Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin
 The Selecting the Right Media

High Media Richness Low Media Richness

(Best for nonroutine, (Best for routine, clear
ambiguous situations) situations)

Face-to-face Video- Telephone Personal written Impersonal

presence conferencing media (e-mail, written media
memos, letters) (newsletters,
fliers, general
reports)

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction ©

3e2006
©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Chapter 15: Interpersonal &
Organizational Communication

CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE SYSTEM

The pathway by which a message travels is called

A) encoding
B) decoding
C) the medium
D) feedback

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.2 Barriers To Communication

WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS TO

COMMUNICATION?

Communication barriers are anything that

interferes with accurate communication between two
people
There are three types of barriers:
1. Physical barriers include things like time-zone
differences, office walls, and crashed computers

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.2 Barriers To Communication

2. Semantic barriers occur when words can be

interpreted in different ways
Does “right away” mean today, tomorrow, in the
next hour?
The problem is intensified when jargon
(terminology specific to a particular profession or
group) is used
3. There are nine personal barriers that contribute to
miscommunication:

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.2 Barriers To Communication

-variable skills in communicating effectively

Some people are naturally better communicators
than others
-variations in how information is processed &
interpreted
People use different frames of reference and
experiences to interpret information
-variations in trustworthiness & credibility
Communication is often flawed when there is a lack
of trust between the sender and receiver
Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin
 15.2 Barriers To Communication

-oversized egos
Egos influence how we treat each other and how
receptive we are to be influenced by others
-faulty listening skills
Sometimes, people simply fail to listen properly
-tendency to judge others’ messages
People judge others’ statements from their own
point of view
-inability to listen with understanding
It can be hard to put yourself in someone’s else’s
shoes and really listen

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.2 Barriers To Communication

-stereotypes & prejudices

Stereotypes consist of oversimplified beliefs about
a certain group of people and can influence
communication
-nonverbal communication
Gestures and facial expressions are an important
part of communication

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.2 Barriers To Communication

WHAT IS NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION?

Messages sent outside of the written or spoken word is

nonverbal communication
Nonverbal communication can be expressed through:
1. Interpersonal space (how close or far away one should be
when communicating) is a source of misunderstandings
Some cultures stand much closer than others
2. Interpretations of facial expressions like smiling can differ
across cultures

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.2 Barriers To Communication

3. Eye contact signals the beginning and end of

conversations, expresses emotions, monitors feedback, and
can express the type of relationship between the people
communicating
4. Body movements and gestures are culture specific, so
interpreting them can be difficult
5. Norms for touching vary significantly by country
6. Setting
The setting in which the communication takes place
influences how it is received
7. Time
Keeping people waiting, not providing adequate time for
tasks, and so on are all ways that time becomes a form of
nonverbal communication

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.2 Barriers To Communication

ARE THERE DIFFERENCES IN HOW MEN &

WOMEN COMMUNICATE?

There are a number of general differences in how

men and women communicate
Men tend to be more direct and blunt, women have
a softer approach, for example
Similarly, men tend to be stingy with praise while
women hand out lots of compliments

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.3 How Managers Ft Into The
Communications Process

HOW DO MANAGERS USE THE DIFFERENT

CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION?

There are both formal and informal channels of

communication
Formal communication channels follow the chain of
command and are recognized as official
There are three types of formal communications:
vertical, horizontal, and external

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.3 How Managers Ft Into The
Communications Process
1. Vertical communication flows up and down the
organizational hierarchy
Downward communication flows from a higher level to a
lower level while upward communication flows from a lower
level to a high level
2. Horizontal communication flows within and between work
units - its main purpose is coordination
Horizontal communication is encouraged through the use of
committees, task forces, and matrix structures
3. External communication flows between people inside and
outside the organization
It involves people like customers, suppliers, and
shareholders

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.3 How Managers Ft Into The
Communications Process

Informal communication channels develop outside

the formal structure and do not follow the chain of
command
Two informal channels are the grapevine (the
unofficial communication system of the informal
organization) and management-by-wandering around
(a manager literally walking around and talking with
people across all lines of authority)

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.4 Communication In
The Information Age

HOW CAN MANAGERS USE INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY TO COMMUNICATE?

Information technology can allow managers to communicate

more effectively
There are several types of information technology including:
1. The internet, intranets, & extranets
The Internet is a network of computer networks
Two private uses of the Internet are intranets (an
organization’s private Internet) and extranets (an extended
intranet that connects internal employees with selected
customers, suppliers, and other strategic partners)
Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin
 15.4 Communication In
The Information Age
2. E-mail
E-mail (electronic mail that is sent via the Internet) reduces
the cost of distributing information, increases teamwork,
reduces paper costs, and increases flexibility
However, it can also lead to wasted time dealing with spam
(unsolicited jokes and junk mail), information overload, and
neglect of other media

3. Videoconferencing
Videoconferencing or teleconferencing uses video and audio
links along with computers to enable people in different
locations to see, hear, and talk with each other

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.4 Communication In
The Information Age

4. Group Support Systems

Group support systems use state-of-the-art
computer software and hardware to help people work
better together
They allow people to share information without
time or space constraints
Companies with these systems can create virtual
teams

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.4 Communication In
The Information Age

5. Telecommuting
Telecommuting involves doing work that is usually
done at the office away from the office
Telecommuters use phone, fax, and the Internet to
communicate
Telecommuting can: reduce capital costs, increase
flexibility and autonomy for workers, provide a
competitive advantage when recruiting, increase job
satisfaction, increase productivity, and allow
companies to tap nontraditional workers
Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin
 15.4 Communication In
The Information Age

6. Handheld Devices
Handheld devices like PDAs and smartphones allow
workers to work from anywhere
7. Blogs
A blog is an online journal in which people write whatever
they want about any topic
Blogs give people an informal means of discussing issues
However, they’re not always accurate, they can be used to
say unflattering things about the company, and there aren’t
any guidelines about what is acceptable to post

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.4 Communication In
The Information Age

WHAT PROBLEMS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY?

Information technology can be problematic in the workplace

when it interferes with productivity
One of the biggest time killers in the workplace is personal
use of the Internet
Trying to get online connections to work, dealing with spam
and viruses, and so on also detract from an employee’s
productivity
Information overload occurs when the amount of information
received exceeds a person’s ability to handle or process it
Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin
 15.5 Improving Communication
Effectiveness

HOW CAN YOU BE A BETTER LISTENER?

To be a better listener, managers should:

-judge content, not the delivery
-ask questions and summarize remarks
-listen for ideas
-resist distractions and show interest
-give a fair hearing and correct for personal biases

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.5 Improving Communication
Effectiveness

HOW CAN YOU BE A BETTER READER?

To streamline reading, managers should

-be savvy about periodicals and books - focus on the
important stuff
-transfer their reading load - get employees to write up
summaries of important books
-make internal memos and e-mail more efficient
-use the five steps of the top down reading system: rate
reasons to read, question and predict answers, survey the big
picture, skim for main ideas, and summarize

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 Effective Reading

Top-Down Reading – RQ3S

 Rate reasons to read
 Question and predict answers
 Survey the big picture – get overview
 Skim for main ideas
 Summarize as you skim

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction ©

3e2006
©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
 15.5 Improving Communication
Effectiveness
HOW CAN YOU BE A BETTER WRITER?

Don’t show your ignorance - be sure to proofread and use

spelling and grammar checks before sending e-mails
Understand your strategy before you write - when writing,
lay out ideas: most important to least important, least
controversial to most controversial, and negative to positive
Start with your purpose - state your purpose and what you
expect of the reader
Write simply, concisely, and directly - be direct and use an
active voice
Telegraph your writing with a powerful layout - make your
writing easy to read by using highlighting and white space

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin

 15.5 Improving Communication
Effectiveness

HOW CAN YOU BE A BETTER SPEAKER?

1. Tell them what you’re going to say - the introduction of your

speech should prepare listeners for the rest of the speech
It should take about 5-15 percent of your time
2. Say it - this part of the speech should take 75-90 percent of
your time
Be succinct
3. Tell them what you said - the conclusion can be as
important as the introduction
It should take about 5-10 percent of your time

Kinicki/Williams, Management: A Practical Introduction 3e ©2008, McGraw-Hill/Irwin