1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

 CHAPTER 11: COMMUNICATING IN ORGANIZATIONAL SETTINGS

CHAPTER 11

COMMUNICATING IN ORGANIZATIONAL SETTINGS

CHAPTER OUTLINE

I.                   A MODEL OF COMMUNICATION

 A.    Definitions 

1.      Communication refers to the process by which information is transmitted and understood between two or more people.

2.      Communication competence refers to a person's ability to identify appropriate communication patterns in a given situation and to achieve goals by applying that knowledge.

B.     According to Exhibit 11.l communication flows through channels between the sender and receiver.

C.     The sender forms a message and encodes it into words, gestures, voice intonations, and other signs or symbols.

D.    The encoded message is transmitted to the receiver through one or more communication channels (media).

E.     The receiver senses the message and decodes it into something meaningful. 

II.                COMMUNICATION BARRIERS (NOISE) 

A.    Communication barriers: 

1.      Perceptions determine what messages we select or screen out, and how the selected information is organized and interpreted.

2.      Filtering involves deleting or delaying negative information, or using less harsh words so that events sound more favorable.

3.      Language - words and gestures carry no inherent meaning such as jargon and ambiguity.

a.       Jargon includes technical language and acronyms as well as recognized words with specialized meaning.

b.      Ambiguity is a communication problem because the sender and receiver interpret the same word or phrase differently.

4.      Information overload occurs when the volume of information received exceeds the person's capacity to process it.

III.             COMMUNICATION CHANNELS 

A.    Verbal communication includes face-to-face interaction, which is usually better than written methods in some cases. 

B.     Electronic mail (e-mail): 

1.      Quickly formed, edited, and stored.

2.      The preferred medium for coordinating work.

3.      Increases the volume of communication.

4.      Reduces face-to-face and telephone communication but increases the flow of information to higher levels in the organization.

C.     Problems with e-mail: 

1.      Contributes to information overload.

2.      Ineffective medium for communicating emotions.

3.      Reduces our politeness and respect for others.

a.       Flaming is the act of sending an emotionally charged message to others.

4.      Lacks the warmth of human interaction.

D.    Other computer-mediated communication: 

1.      Co-workers.

2.      Intranet.

3.      Instant messaging.

E.     Nonverbal communication: 

1.      Facial gestures.

2.      Voice intonation.

3.      Physical distance.

4.      Silence.

F.      Emotional contagion is automatic and unconscious tendencies to mimic and synchronize our nonverbal behaviors with other people. 

1.      Emotional contagion serves three purposes:

a.       Mimicry provides continuous feedback.

b.      Mimicking the nonverbal behaviors of other people seems to be a way of receiving emotional meaning from those people.

c.       It is a type of "social glue" that bonds people together.