TOPIC 7 COMMUNICATION - UiTM KEDAH

TOPIC 7 COMMUNICATION

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Communication • Communication = the process of transmit information from one person to another. • What is effective 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. • The message received has same meaning with the message sent Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Importance of Effective Communication • Our daily activities require us to communicate with other people • Communication can be made effective if the message received clearly and understood by receiver • In organization, effective communication is indeed crucial. – Communication assists managers in coordinating and integrating the work of groups within the departments so organization’s goal can be achieved – Effective communication lead employees to act according to command/instruction given – Through effective communication, manager can carry out the function of planning, organizing, leading and controlling organizational resources to achieve the goal Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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What Are the Basic Functions of Management That Communication Relates to?

• • • •

Planning Organizing Leading Controlling


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The Communication Process NOISE

transmit

SENDER

Message

ENCODE

CHANNEL

Message

DECODE

RECEIVER

FEEDBACK

NOISE


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• Sender – Refer to the source / originator – People who transmit a fact, idea, opinion and other info

• Message – Set of symbols that sender transmit

• Encoding – To encode the meaning into a form appropriate to the situation – Might take the form of words, facial expressions, gestures and even artistic expression and physical actions

• Channel – Appropriate communication channel or media – Includes meetings, e-mails, memo, letters, report and telephone calls Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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• Receiver – Party who receive the message / destination

• Decoding – Receiver will translates/interprets the symbols

• Feedback – Receiver’s reaction upon receiving the message

• Noise – Interruption or communication dysfunction that prevent effective decoding – Includes someone coughing, vehicles passing by, air-conditioning, an interrupted phone call, e-mail misrouted or infected with a virus, etc Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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TYPES OF FORMAL COMMUNICATION CHANNELS IN ORGANIZATIONS • Vertical – Downward – Upward

• Lateral (Horizontal)


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Formal Organizational Communication •

Vertical – Downward • Managers pass the information down to all employees • i.e. policies, procedures, rules and work schedules

– Upward • Provide subordinates an opportunity or means to convey information to their superior • Info from lower level to higher level • i.e. suggestion, group meeting

•

Lateral (Horizontal) – Movement or flow of information between individuals on the same level. – i.e. marketing manager may require more info on financial standing and obtain the info from financial manager


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Informal Organizational Communication • The informal communication also known as grapevine • grapevine = by talking in an informal way to other people i.e. I heard on the grapevine that you’re leaving.

– Informal flow of messages throughout an organization. – Information are passed between individuals or groups which can be job-related or personal – Information travels rapidly because it reflects the interests of an individual or the group members – The message are likely to be inaccurate – Sometimes, info through ‘grapevine’ can be accurate and at times inaccurate


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Types of Grapevine Chains by Keith David •

•

Single Strand – A tells B something about the organization. B then tells it to C to D to E to and E to F – Usually information that reaches G may be inaccurate. Usually information that move from one another are added, filtered and passed in the way the sender would find it interesting and “juicy” to convey

Gossip – Often use to convey information that is interesting and non-job-related – The news must be interesting to hear – When Mr. A hears the news, he quickly conveys to as many people (B, C, D, E & F) such as friends, relatives, bosses

F E D C B A

B I

C A

H F


D E

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•

Probability – An individual may have some info that may not be interesting but useful to some people – He will only relate the info to an individual or groups who need to know and will benefit from the news – The other people who get the news may tell others at random, or may not convey it to other

J I

L E

C H B

G

K

D F

A

•

Cluster ( most dominant) – The info is usually interesting, job-related and most up-to-date – A person may convey info to a few chosen individuals i.e. A to B, C and D to E, F and G – These individual then pass on the information to a few more selected individual whom they trust or from specially chosen individual who they are trying to obtain some favor

F E G C B

D

A


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INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION (in formal and informal situation)

• Verbal Communication – Oral / Spoken – Written

• Non Verbal – Body language

• Technological (also known as electronic communication) Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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• Verbal Communication – Transmitting message by means of • spoken words i.e. discussion, face-to-face communication, telephone calls, others • Written i.e. letters, memos, newsletters, bulletin boards

– In organization communication, verbal communication is the normal and formal form of communicating • i.e. managers send info through letters, memo, phone call or email.

– The main advantage of verbal communication is it forms a record or evidence • Easily referred/retrieved when needed

– Verbal communication through a face-to-face meeting does not only speed up the exchanges of ideas and info, but it is also fast in getting direct feedback Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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• Non-Verbal Communication – Messages that are non-language responses – Any communication exchange that does not use words to carry more meaning than the strict definition of the words themselves – An understanding of non-verbal communication would help managers to communicate more effectively • • • • • •

Facial expression – sad, happy Voice – nervousness, confidence, excited Clothing, appearance – confidence, clean, messy Punctuality – too late, too early, appropriate Manners – wiping nose, coughing Gesture – movement that convey some meaning


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• Technological/Electronic Communication – Recently, this type of communication has taken on much greater importance for managers – Any communication that uses an electronic devices as the medium such as videotape, recorders, mobile phones, fax, internet, etc


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Barriers to Effective Interpersonal Communication •

Filtering

•

Emotions

– The deliberate manipulation of information to make it appear more favorable to the receiver – How a receiver feels when a message is received influences how he or she interprets it. • i.e. depending on whether you’re happy or upset

•

Information Overload

•

Defensiveness

– Information that someone has to work with exceeds his/her capacity – When people feel that they’re being threatened, they tend to react in ways that reduce their ability to achieve mutual understanding i.e. verbally attacking others, questioning others’ motives

•

Language – Words mean different things to different people (age, education and cultural are major variables that influence the language a person uses and the definitions he or she gives to the work) – Jargon • words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group of people, and are difficult for others to understand


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•

National Culture – Culture differences can affect the way a manager chooses to communicate. – Ethnocentrism • Tendency to consider one’s own culture and its value as being superior to others. It is the unwillingness to understand alternative points of view and take seriously the values they represent

•

Poor Listening

•

Credibility of sender

•

Noise

•

Semantic

– When someone talks, the listener doesn’t pay much attention – How trustworthy the sender or the source of the message – Interruptions i.e. air-conditioner, construction, machines – Two people attach different meanings to the same word • i.e. coffee-break to employees is time to socialize; to managers is wasting time and slow down productivity • i.e. increased output is a positive meaning to managers but less positive for employees Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Methods to Overcome •

Obtain feedback – Manager or individual could encourage receiver by asking questions, repeating the message

•

Use simple language – Using simple language and words that care common and can easily be understood by all – Technical terms must be clearly explained

•

Avoid noise

•

Understand verbal and nonverbal communications

•

Recognize emotions

– One must identify the causes or sources of noise and overcome them – Manager or individual should be able to understand booth verbal and non-verbal communication i.e. facial expression, clothing – Manager should be able to recognize the receiver’s emotions or feelings. Managers must be able to interpret the feeling behind employee's words or statements

•

Do not make own conclusion

•

Create openness, rational and trust

– manager need to listen before making any conclusion / decision and should not interrupt while its employee are conveying his/her message / sto ry – Subordinated may feel insecurity to share problems, therefore manager should encourage an atmosphere of openness, rational and trust Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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• Briefly explain the primary categories of interpersonal communicational used in formal and informal situation. – VERBAL • ORAL COMMUNICATION • WRITTEN

– NON VERBAL – TECHNOLOGICAL

• Briefly discuss the different types of formal communication channels in organizations. – Vertical • Upward • Downward

– Horizontal (Lateral) Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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BASIC FRAMEWORK OF COMMunICAtIOn COMMUNICATION

Formal & Informal Communication in Organization

Interpersonal Communication

Informal / Grapevine

Formal

Vertical

Verbal

Nonverbal

Single Strand

Oral / Spoken

Upward

Gossip

Written

Downward

Probability

Horizontal / Lateral

Cluster

Used in form al & inform al situation

Technological

Body language/ Gesture/ Movement

Facial Expression

Clothes, Appearances

Voice

Punctuality

Others


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