WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT

WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT

Are you a good communicator? Do you always chose the right words, when you give massage to other? Do you always find out exactly what the other person want you to do, when you take massages from others?

This module will help you to learn, applications of communication in your workplace. Someand hand it on of them Collect information, record it to others are,
Give and follow instructions Work in small group Use your time effectively

Kool Air
Design & Research Installati on section Sales Deliver y section Personnel section Canteen Servic e section Kool Air
Office Administratio n

Production factory

Human Needs

Primary Needs Food Water Sleep Maternal drive

Secondary Needs Affiliation Status

And all the other needs

The innate need of humans to associate their own kind

The Basis for Communication

Communication is the process of exchange of information between two or more peoples in a way that creates understanding
Sender Initiates Messag e Receiv er Receive messag e

Communication (Definition)

Important Ingredients !
Need to have an information base Being an exchange process, it makes communication Inter personal Dynamic Transactional

The Dynamic aspect results in the following

1. 2. 3.

Conflicts Disagreements Misunderstandings

Conflicts
This is a state where a person appreciates two situations at the same time which are NOT compatible

Disagreement
A state where two parties appreciate two different situations which are not compatible

Misunderstandings
A situation where the intentions of a person is understood and interpreted in a different way

Barriers That Create Misunderstandings

Bypassing Poor listening skills Differing frames of

reference Lack of language skills Emotional interference Physical distractions

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 1, Slide 13

Overcoming Barriers That Cause Misunderstandings

Realize that communication is imperfect. Adapt the message to the receiver. Improve your language and listening skills. Question your preconceptions. Encourage feedback.

Pixland / Jupiterimages

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide 14

The ultimate objective of communication is to bring about an understanding among the participants which will result in the modification of behavioral response

Importance of Workplace extent Success of any organization to a very large depends on efficient and effective communication. Communication The communication failures have been largely responsible Management for disruption, frustration and even bankruptcy.
Every manager requires communication skills to help subordinates understand him. It should be noted that majority of the problems which a manager faces everyday are arising due to lack of understand among the subordinates. Such situation can be avoided through effective model of communication

Oral Communication

Method of Communication

Written Communication

Different Organizational Verbal instructions, Meetings, Communication Explanations Discussions, Presentations, Methods Memorandums, Letters, Reports, Forms
Banners, Posters, Coardings, Notice boards, Leaflets, Handouts Piped music, Bells, Sirens Logos, Symbols, Colours, Uniforms Body language

Basic Communication Process

Sender Initiates Messag e Channel Medium of transformati on Receiv er Receive messag e

Feed Back

Sender
The person who conveys the massage is known as communicator or sender. Must have some massage to communication. Attempt to achieve understanding and a change in the behavior of the receiver, by initiating the massage Thug to communicate arises from a perceived need to share information or feelings. It may be an important need , such as teaching someone have to perform a certain task.

Sender:
The person who conveys the massage is known as communicator or sender. He must have some massage to communication. By initiating the massage, the communicator attempt to achieve understanding and a change in the behavior of the receiver. Thug to communicate arises from a perceived need to share information or feelings. This need may be little more than a desire to have social contact to converse. It may be an important need , such as teaching someone have to perform a certain task.

Handout

Symbols
Sender organizes his idea in to a series of symbols, words, signs etc., which we feels This is known as encoding of message That means converting ideas in to communicable codes which will be understood by the receiver of the massage.

Symbols:
The sender of information organizes his idea in to a series of symbols, words, signs etc., which we feels, will communicate to the intended receiver or receivers. This is known as encoding of message, i.e. of converting ideas in to communicable codes which will be understood by the receiver of the massage.

Handout

Communication Channel These are the paths and means by which a message is
encoded from one person to another It could also be said as the medium used to convey a message

Communication Channel is fertile concept that links the sender massage and the receiver. It also contributes to the quality and productive of communication

Consideration to choose a good communication Location of the receiver channel The number of people involved
The importance of the message Whether feedback is necessary Speed of transmission of information The cost of transmission Opportunity to clarify misunderstandings Ability to use nonverbal dimensions to enhance communication

Channels of Communication
Verbal Written Technological

Communication and Formal Channels Written

Memos, letters Annual report Company newsletter Bulletin board postings Orientation manual

Oral

Telephone Face-to-face conversation Company meetings Team meetings

Electronic
E-mail, Instant messaging Voicemail, Videoconferencing Intranet
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 1, Slide 27

Channels:

After encoding the massage the communicator chooses a medium or channel for sending the information. Communication channel is the route through which the message passes. It determines how communication is transmitted, such as personal conversation, letters, memoranda, reports, physical expression etc. A channel can also refer to the type of communication method used such as the telephone, micro computer, or mails.

Handout

Receiver
The person who receives the massage is called receiver. Communication process is incomplete without the existence of receiver of the massage. Gets and tries to understand the message. He decodes the massage. Decoding is the process by which the receiver draws meanings from the symbols encoded by the sender. If the receiver understands, he will take the necessary action and send feed-back information to the communicator. This will bring two way traffic in the communication system.

Receiver: The person who receives the massage is called receiver. The communication process is incomplete without the existence of receiver of the massage. It is the receiver who gets and tries to understand the message. He decodes the massage. Decoding is the process by which the receiver draws meanings from the symbols encoded by the sender. If the receiver understands the massage and is willing to cooperate, he will take the necessary action and send feed-back information to the communicator. This will bring two way traffic in the communication system.
Handout

Feed-back

It is the absolute measure of the success of the communication process The process is accomplished when communication completes a full cycle back to sender. Feedback can be in the form of simple acknowledgement or it may require elaboration or an answer. Feedback is essential as it helps clarity and reinforce the commonality of shared information, beliefs or values.

Feedback:
The process is accomplished when communication completes a full cycle back to sender. Feedback can be in the form of simple acknowledgement or it may require elaboration or an answer. Feedback is essential as it helps clarity and reinforce the commonality of shared information, beliefs or values.

Handout

Message

It is an ordered selection of symbols intended to communicate information

Selection refers to the models intended to use to
communicate

Symbol are the elements relevant to the model

chosen to communicate and how they are arranged

Lasswells communication model The Sender who is responsible to

present information The Message which is the information itself The manner/method in which the message is transmitted. These are called Communication Channels The Receiver who is the recipient of the information Feedback - The resulting behavioral changers brought about due to the acquisition of new information

Meaning of meaning
Prof. Ludwig Wittgenstein

No set of words are meaningful on its own It is the context that gives meaning to a sentence Accordingly what is important is the contextual meaning of language

There should have a Contextual Compatibility between the message and the mind set of the receiver For this the Sender should have the competence to identify and formulate the information, such that it

Experience formulate the mind set of a person

This could be called the environmentally conditioned mental frame patterns of the individual

Association is the only means to get to know the mental frame pattern of an individual
A

Barlos Communication model

We learnt that the sender is responsible to make himself understandable to the receiver As Means to achieving this, Barlo speaks of coding skills of the sender

According to Barlo, the sender should code the message to suit the environmentally conditioned mental frame patters of the receiver This will make the receiver easy to decode the message, resulting in good understanding

The coding skills of the sender is developed by associating the kind of people the receiver is

While for the receiver it will be much easier to decode the message of the sender (that is to understand) by

Non Verbal Communication

This refers to the behaviour and bodily expressions that act as messages to impart additional information about the verbal message Tone of voice, eye contact, facial expressions, uncertain mannerism and body positioning are all forms of nonverbal communication Nonverbal communication indicates the communicator's emotions such as fear,joy, anger etc.

Non verbal behavior can affect communication in two ways a message in itself It can serve as
1 1

It can communicate a sub message about some other message

Communication is most effective an efficient when there is the appropriate blending and coding of verbal and non verbal dimensions of communication The sender should observe the non verbal behaviour of the receive for clues regarding the degree of receptivity and understanding of the message

Ten Commandments for Good Listening

Stop talking Put the talker at ease Show him that you want to listen Remove distractions (do not shuffle papers etc.) Empathize with him Be patient (Do not interrupt verbally or looking pointedly) Hold your temper Do not argue or criticize Ask equations for further clarifications

Effective listening occurs when you

Do not make value judgments Value judgment is your disposition of the goodness or badness of an issue or an event Listen to the full story This needs patience Recognize emotions and feelings The implicit meaning are mostly found here Re state others position Clarifies to the sender that the receiver understands the sender well Question with care Encourages the continuity of speech and thought of the sender

Barriers to communication Perception and reference groups

Ex: A group of people in favor or non favor. Our minds organize this stream of sensation into a mental map that represent our perception or reality. Your perception is unique and the ideas express by the two people are differ even both people are experience the same event. Physical barriers These barriers include in the communication media and related system. Some physical barriers in a work place includes: marked out territories, empires , closed office doors, barrier screens, separate areas for peoples with different status, large working areas, and working in one unit that is physically separates from others. Interference and noise are the other important physical barriers

Barriers to communication

The effect of emotions Ex. Angry face, tone & Patten of voice statements. Also it includes fear, mistrust and suspicion. The root of our emotional mistrust of others lie in our childhood and infancy when we were taught to be careful what we said to others. Cultural barriers When we join a group and wish to remain in it, sooner or later we need to adapt the behavior patterns of the group. These are the behaviors that the group accept as signs of belonging.

Barriers to communication
Language barriers Language that describes what we want to say in our terms may represent barriers to others who are not familiar with our expressions, buzzwords and jargon. Word means deferent things to different group of peoples. (contextual meaning) Ex. I love you Gender barriers The speech patterns used by man and woman are deferent. In childhood, girls speak earlier than boys.

Barriers to communication

Interpersonal barriers Absence of interpersonal contact (Withdrawal) Meaningless, reiterative routings (Rituals) Fill up time with others (Pastimes). Ex. Social activities Follow the rules and procedures of contact but no more (working activities) Manipulative interaction which are about winning and losing (Games) Interpersonal contact where there is a high level of honesty and acceptance of yourself and others.

Barriers to communication
Incorrect filtering Filtering is screening out before a massage is passed on to someone else. Some filters between sender and receiver are receptionists, assistants, secretaries and answering machines etc. Poor listening Lack of attention from receivers part, difficult to understand or do not listen well etc. Differing background Ex: Age, education, gender, social status, economic position, cultural background, health, beauty, popularity, religion, political belief etc.

Barriers to communication

Some other personal barriers are Hearing that we expect to hear Ignoring information that conflicts with what we already know Evaluating the source (Sirasa TV, National, ITN) Mental closure (When part is saying, say the other part by the receiver)

Overcoming Barriers to Effective Communication

Encourage open, trusting environment for interaction and Feedback

Face to face communication Written communication Develop writing skills Multimedia communication Projection (Think what you received if you are in the position of receiver) Careful timing (Need time gap to understood to the receiver. People listen when they are motivated to hear) Use direct and simple language

Overcoming Barriers to Effective Communication

n Flatten the organizational n n n n

structure. Establish hotline and ombudsman programs. Establish fair reward system for individual and team achievement. Encourage full participation in teams. Improve listening skills
Ch. 1, Slide 54

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Five Common Ethical Traps to Avoid on the Job

1.

The false necessity trap

Convincing yourself that no other choice exists Comparing your unethical behavior with someone elses even more unethical behavior Justifying unethical actions with excuses

1.

The doctrine of relative filth

1.

The rationalization trap

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide 55

Five Common Ethical Traps to Avoid on the Job

4.

The self-deception trap

Persuading yourself, for example, that a lie is not really a lie

4.

The ends-justify-themeans trap

Using unethical methods to accomplish a desirable goal

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide 56

Communication in an Organization
There are different strata's of authority and responsibility. There is a continuous communication between these strata's as well as among the same levels

Information Flow in Organizations - Formal Managers Supervisors Channels

Upward flow

Coworkers

Coworkers

Horizontal flow

Downward flow Subordinates Supervisees

Ch. 1, Slide 58

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e

Downward communication
Communication down and along the chain of command This is usually done by Giving directions and instructions to the subordinates Provide information about organizational policies and procedures Provide feedback to the employees on their performance Provide information about the goals of, news about and changers in the organization

Upward Communication
This is communication from the subordinates to their superiors This one of the most difficult types of communication Upward communication helps to ensure that the employees understand job directions and the behaviour of the managers expect out of them. It also helps the managers to learn about the moral of their employees and their feeling about work

Horizontal Communication
This is communication between peers This is essential to see that the work is well coordinated Meeting and the distribution of written reports are possible channels, but the most effective is the informal channel

There could be inter branch conflicts in an organization. Effective horizontal communication is essential to prevent or resolve this form of conflicts. Organizations should emphasize horizontal communication to link branches and people

The two way communication described do not happen separately and discreetly in an organization. There are three different types of two way communication that takes place in an organization giving rise to a kind of communication networks in an organization
Communication networks are the number and structural arrangement of communication channels in an organization

One way communication

In one way communication feedback is not possible

Two way communication - 1

Leader talks to the subordinates and the subordinates could talk back to the leader. The subordinates could not talk to each other

Two way communication 2

It is difficult or impossible to keep people completely separated. They will talk to each other. There will be multiplicity of communication channels

Group effects of communication networks

1. 2. 3.

Group decision making Informal group leadership Group member satisfaction

Group decision making

Round table conferencing Vs On member collecting information / views and finally making the decision

Informal group leadership

Information is passed to the informal group leader. He will disseminate the information among the members. Individual member goes to the leader to seek for information

Group member satisfaction

Member will compete to get the information first with a view to become the informal leader

Information Flows in Organizations - Informal Channels

The grapevine grapevine, gossip from the break room to the water cooler Carries unofficial messages Flows haphazardly Can be remarkably accurate Is mostly disliked by management Thrives where official information is limited
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication: Process and Product, 6e Ch. 1, Slide 71

COMMUNICATION POLICIES
Communication policies may include guidelines and practices. They should outline the organisations: 1. Lines of communications or channels 2. Responsibilities and expectations of how staff gather, use and disseminate information

COMMUNICATION POLICIES

How can we encourage open communication? Staff representatives on management committees Makes sure that workers have a voice in management issues It encourages staff attendance at meetings Provides an appropriate channel for gathering and sharing information between staff and management Helps to break down barriers to communication

COMMUNICATION POLICIES
Information

An open door policy shows that: issues can be discussed openly and honestly You are approachable and supportive

COMMUNICATION POLICIES

Other policies may include: Regular staff meetings Feedback from staff meetings Distribution of newsletters Minutes from meetings

Communication Tools
Telephones & telephone tips Pagers and pager tips Facsimile and facsimile tips Cell phones Internet e mail, e channeling and online chat tools

Some Other Businesses Communication Tools are

Advertising Promotion campaign Public relation activities Direct marketing Computer software Auxiliary products like digital cameras, scanners, and wireless transmission devices