Communication In Organization Ul

ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION. BY

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Communication  “the lubricant of organizations…”  The art of being able to structure and transmit

a message in a way that another can easily understand and/or accept  Using symbols (words) to attempt to create

shared meaning (mutual understanding) that will result in an effect on the two of them.

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Organization  The objective approach suggests that an organization is a physical, concrete thing, that it is tangible and actually holds people, relationships, and goals. (container view of organization)  A subjective approach looks at an organization as activities that people do. Organization consists of the actions, interactions, and transactions in which people engage. Organization is created and maintained through the continually changing contacts people have with one another and does not exist separately from the people whose behavior constitutes the organization. Mubarak

Definition of Organizational Communication: A

program that focuses on general communication processes and dynamics within organizations. Includes instruction in the development and maintenance of interpersonal group relations within organizations; decision-making and conflict management; the use of symbols to create and maintain organizational images, missions, and values; power and politics within organizations; human interaction with computer technology; and how communications socializes and supports employees and team members.  (source: U. S. Department of Education)

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The Communication Process Noise

Decodes Sender

Decodes Receiver

Channel

Encodes

Encodes Feedback

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Historical Trend Views can be Categorized 1.

Org .communication as one aspect of organization Example of Drenth et al (1998) “ The sending and receiving of message by means of symbols and see org. communication as key element of org .climate.”

2. As underlying basis of organization itself Example of Myers and Myers (1982) “ The central binding force that permits coordination among people and thus allows for organized behavior.” Example of Rogers and Rogers ( 1976) “ The behavior of individuals in org. is best understood from communication point of view.”

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Continue  Organizations evolved in such a directions that

make latter view more important. Changing an organizations confronts have make org comm important to over all organizational functions.

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Span of Organizational Communication  Highly diverse and fragmented (Patches)  Key distinctions with respect to org.

communication involve i. Formal Vs informal ii. Directional (Vertical, Horizontal, Diagonal) iii. Levels iv. Internal vs external focus

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Formal Communication  Communication through officially designated channels of message flow between organization positions  Official information exchange  Usually found in organizational charts, policy manuals, or hierarchical structures

Informal Communication  Episodes of interaction that do not reflect officially designated channels of communication.  is inherent and even a necessary aspect of organization life.  Pro: Creates a relaxed, comfortable climate

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Directional Communication

 Vertical U p w a r d

Lateral

r d

al n go a Di

i. Downward ii. Upward  Horizontal  Diagonal

D o w n w a

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Vertical Communication • Occurs between the hierarchically positioned persons • Status and power are not equal among participants in vertical communication • The flow of information both up and down the chain of command • Downward comm is more prevalent than upward • Formal communication • Recognized as official • Downward Commis most effective if top managers communicate directly with supervisors and supervisors communicate with their staff (Larkin & Larkin: 1994)

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Downward Communication  flows from upper to lower (such as manager to employer or superior to subordinate).  Types of messages: job instructions, job rationales, procedures and practices information, feedback, and indoctrination. (Katz & Kahn, 1978)  Pro- efficient (fast) Con- managerial control  Problems:  information overload  lack of openness - withhold information even if sharing is important  filtering - some information is left out

message can be distorted by adding personal interpretation the fewer the number of authority levels through which communication must pass, the less information will be lost or distorted

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International Association of Business Communication, Survey 32,000 Employees higher satisfaction with downward communication: 71 percent reported that their organization tried to keep employees well informed. 65 percent agreed that they had been given sufficient information to perform their jobs. 51 percent agreed that their organization’s downward communication was candid (honest) and accurate.

 Found employees want to hear more organizational news from top executives

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Level of certainty (Jablin 1980)  Top managers should communicate directly

with immediate supervisors;  Immediate supervisors should communicate with their direct reports; and  On issues of importance, top managers should then follow-up by communicating with employees directly.

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Upward Communication  Transmission of messages from lower to higher levels of the

organization ( comm initiated by subordinates with their superiors)  Types of messages: performance on the job, job related problems, fellow employees and their problems, subordinates perceptions of org policies and practices, tasks and procedures

Pro:

managers learn what’s going on  employees gain from the opportunity to communicate upward  promotes morale among all employees  facilitates downward communication Con: not enough superiors encourage subordinate Problems similar to those for downward communication Mubarak

Employee satisfaction with upward communication tends to be lower than their satisfaction with downward communication (Gibson 1985) management-based reasons  strategies often do not involve two-way communication.  are not packaged well employee-based reasons  Fear of reprisal – afraid to speak their minds  Filters – ideas/concerns are modified as they get transmitted upward  Time – managers give the impression that they don’t have the time to listen to employees.

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Horizontal Communication Flow of messages across functional areas at a given level of an organization (this permits people at the same level to comm directly). • • • • •

The flow of information between colleagues and peers Trend of flatten org have enhance its importance Informal communication Does not follow the chain of command Not recognized as official

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Pro: direct contact among managers  Integrate roles, task forces, and project teams  management information systems  create a culture of openness, honesty, trust, and mutual obligation  facilitates problem solving Con: Not efficient (time consuming)

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Diagonal Communication • Communication that cuts across both work areas (functions) and organizational levels. • in the interest of efficiency and speed. • Important when members cannot communicate through upward, downward, or horizontal channels.

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COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE BRAIN:   Our brain is a collection of separate parts that must learn to work together. To help explain this, neurophysiologist, Dr. Paul Maclean, who heads the federal government laboratory of brain evolution, has developed the concept of an Mubarak

5-Steps of Communication     

Identify your Purpose; Analyze Your Audience. Choose Your Idea. Collect data to support your Idea. Organize your Message.

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Levels Of Communication  Communication is frequently divided into     

following levels Interpersonal communication Group level communication Organizational level communication Inter-organizational level communication Mass communication (information to lots of people at once )

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Internal Vs External Communication  Internal communication involves the communication that exists within a company and can take many forms. Key to the success of an organization is communication from within. In order to effectively engage in two-way symmetrical relations, (the goal of public relations practitioners), communication is essential internally.  External communication covers how a provider interacts with those outside their own organization. This may be with the public, employers, community organizations, local authorities, job centers, careers offices, funding bodies, specialist agencies and other training providers. Mubarak

Communication Networks Sets of employees who have stable contact through which information is generated and transmitted. Types of Communication networks Chain Network Communication flows according to the formal chain of command, both upward and downward Wheel Network All communication flows in and out through the group leader (hub) to others in the group All-Channel Network Communication flows freely among all members of the work team Mubarak

Communication Networks and How They Rate on Effectiveness Criteria

Criteri a Spee

d Accurac y Emergence of leader Member satisfaction

Chai n

Whee l

Moderat e H igh Moderat e Moderat e

F ast H igh H igh Lo w

AllChannel

F ast Moderat e N one H igh Mubarak

Grapevine The Social network of informal communication through which messages flow throughout the organization. helps people to interpret the organization conveys information that the formal system leaves unsaid “When the grapevine allows employees to know about a management decision almost before it is made, management must be doing something right.”

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One Way Vs Two Way Communication Person A Sender 1. Intended meaning 2. Encoding 10. Intended meaning

9. Decoding (receiver)

Person B 3. Receiver Communication 4. Decoding channel

5. Perceived meaning

Sender 8. 6. Intended Communication meaning channel 7. Encoding Two-way communication if B sends feedback to A

One-way communication Mubarak

Barriers to Organizational Communication Physical Barriers Distortion Lack of Subject Knowledge Ambiguous, Muddled Messages Semantics(The study of language with special concern for the meanings of words and other symbols.) Rumors Stress Information overload Failing to Communicate /Loss of Transmission Hesitation to be candid Narrow viewpoints The message is delivered to the wrong audience Mubarak

Cont.. Unreliable transmission (due to noise or inconsistent sending) Misreading non-verbal elements Avoiding non-verbal elements Status differences Distorted perception Organizational culture Slowed communications Boundary differences Cultural, Linguistic, and Diversity Barriers Not Listening/Selective hearing Lack of basic communication skills.

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Psychological Barriers  Perception  Selectivity/exposure filtering out of unpleasant things and

focusing on or recalling things not heard.  Retention filtering of things that feel good, and the tendency to forget those things that are painful.  Experiential Barriers  The difficulty in understanding things not personally experienced.  Emotions  Communication can involve tension, fear , anger and other emotions and can hamper ability to speak clearly  Emotions influence both what is said and what is heard.  Never blame someone else for a problem  Defensiveness  Adjustments people make to avoid acknowledging personal inadequacies that might reduce their self-esteem Mubarak

Written communication  With increased use of e-mail, managers substitute face-to-face communication with email  Communication Objective Guidelines Memos Letters Reports Bulletin board notices Posters Computers/e-mail Fax Mubarak

Effectiveness of Communication     

Related to timing Related to choice of channel Related to message structure Related to delivery style Related to mode

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Requisites for a promotable Executive 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Ability to Communicate Ambition- Drive College Education Sound Decision Making Skills Good Appearance Ability to get things done with and through people. 7. Capacity for Hard work Mubarak

7 Cs in Communication/5Cs in verbal 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Completeness Conciseness Consideration Concreteness Clarity Courtesy Correctness Mubarak

Completeness  Provide all necessary information.  Answer all questions asked.  Give something extra, when

desirable.

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Conciseness  Eliminate wordy expressions.  Include only relevant material.  Avoid unnecessary repetition.

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Consideration  Focus on ‘you’ instead of ‘I’ or ‘we’.  Show audience benefit or interest in

receiver.  Emphasize positive ,pleasant facts.

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Concreteness  Use specific facts and figures.  Put actions in your verbs.  Choose vivid, image building words.

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Clarity  Choose precise, concrete and

familiar words.  Construct effective sentences, and paragraph.

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Courtesy  Be sincerely tactful, thoughtful, and

appreciative.  Use expressions that show respect.  Choose non discriminatory expressions.

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Correctness  Use the right level of language.  Check accuracy of figures, facts and

words.  Maintain acceptable writing mechanics.

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Person to person communication in organization    

Male to male. Male to female. Female to female. Female to male.

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Male to male.  More formal.  Relevant to job.

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Male to female.  Sympathetic.  Relevant to job.

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Female to female.  More social.  Less relevant to job.

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Female to male  More courteous.  More relevant to job.

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Good communication is stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after. Anne Morrow: American Writer and aviation pioneer (1906-2001)

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Communicate positively and truly.

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