chapter 11 - communication Flashcards
interpersonal communication: oral communication - synchronous
When we think of oral communication, we often assume synchronicity, with both the sender and receiver present, aware, and focused on the communication exchange.
The advantages of this synchronous communication are speed, feedback, and exchange. Regarding speed, we can convey a message and receive a response in minimal time. If the receiver is unsure of the message, rapid feedback allows the sender to detect and correct it quickly.
interpersonal communication: oral communication - asynchronous
it may surprise you to learn that oral communication can also be asynchronous communication, with verbal messages sent and received outside a physically or psychologically present communication exchange.
EX: “During the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, Hans Vestberg (Verizon CEO) and Christy Pambianchi (Verizon HR leader) frequently filmed videos where they communicated to employees, company-wide and asynchronously, how the company was addressing the challenges of the pandemic
conversation
Conversation is critical to developing these effective systems. It has the potential to make an impact beyond the team context, influencing entire departments and organizations.
For example, research on site visits of globally distributed teams has shown that they are critical in enabling remote coworkers to familiarize themselves with others styles, personalities, interests, roles, and the cultural context in which they work.
CONS OF CONVERSATIONS:
For instance, they can lead people to recall less important material than if they were thinking about the subject alone (e.g., think of how often you forget to bring something up in a conversation with someone else—even when you have a meeting agenda!), to ignore topics or items that are not brought up during the conversation (e.g., focus too narrowly on only what was discussed in the conversation),
active listening
Active listening—in which we actively engage in sensing and processing others’ communication messages (both subtle and overt) and then responding in ways that show we are actively engaged in the conversation—helps us become more present in our oral communication.
reflective listening - there is an image that helps with understanding this
Reflective listening (i.e., acknowledging, restating, or reformulating others’ messages to provide nonjudgmental affirmation and encourage them to further elaborate or share) can also help us become better listeners.
Reflective listening enables you to show others they have your attention, helps build trust, encourages them to confide in you, and increases the chances you will not miss anything important in the conversation
meetings
Meetings are often thought of as formal discussions or conversations that include two or more people and take place in almost any venue (virtual or in person
Steven Rogelberg’s book The Surprising Science of Meetings, he outlines a number of common suggestions to this aim (there are forty-eight outlined in the book in total!), including:
- Only meet when it is truly needed.
- Gather input from attendees prior to meeting.
- Provide an agenda to attendees.
- Delegate roles to attendees.
- Limit distractions.
- Start and end meetings on time
written communication: email
E-mail has become somewhat of a cultural symbol for stress and overload in the modern work world.
“Although e-mail interruptions make us feel bad because they increase a sense of time pressure and the feeling that we are not meeting our other goals, we also can often feel good about being responsive via e-mail, as it may give us a sense of task accomplishment.”
“Regardless, excessive e-mails can lead employees and managers alike to feel “boxed in by [their] inbox,” leading to a perceived lack of goal progress and less time to fulfill their actual job responsibilities.”
” Employees are also more willing to lie via e-mail than in person, given that e-mail is seen as a less restrained and personal form of communication than in-person interaction.
how to manage your inbox effectively if you are struggling from e-mail overload:
Turn off notifications.
Check your e-mail at regular intervals (exact times during the day—for instance, every three hours).
Immediately move your e-mail out of your inbox after reading.
Use the search functionality and e-mail filters to find e-mails.
Use shortcuts to archive e-mails in a small number of categorized folders.
Single out important e-mails individually; process and treat less important e-mails in groups or batches.
Use “reply all” thoughtfully and only when all people need to receive your response (to avoid clogging their inboxes).
Do not treat e-mail like an in-person dialogue.
Avoid the temptation to skim or skip e-mails.
Think before you send.
written communication: text messaging vs instant messaging
Text messaging is, in some ways, a more reliable form of communication than IM as it is tied to people’s wireless and phone services.”
“An instant message, on the other hand, involves sending a message through a third-party chat app or system (e.g., Messenger, Teams, Slack). IMs can also be sent through social media networks, where they are also sometimes referred to as direct messages (DMs)
–> IM and text messaging are now more synchronous than asynchronous
“Unlike e-mail, instant and text messaging have a strong immediacy norm, meaning that recipients are expected to respond to incoming messages quickly and in a brief, conversational manner”
–> Cons of IM/Text messaging
- “The heightened level of immediacy that comes with texting and IMs can also lead to a heightened level of interruptions. “
- “Furthermore, “read receipts” have left many to feel the painful sting of being “left on read”—that their message was not important enough or that the recipient did not care enough to send a response after reading.
nonverbal communication
nonverbal communication—which includes body language and movement, information conveyed through contact and our senses, and the physical use of space and time in interactions.
- body language and movement
- contact and senses
- physical space and use of time
–> Time and physical space also matter for nonverbal behavior. For instance, how
close we stand to other people sends subtle communication signals; that we like
and accept them.
–> b. Speed comprises an important expression cue, with angry motions typically
displayed as jarring and fast, whereas sad motions are depicted as slow and
sauntering.
Evaluate how to choose communication methods and handle barriers to effective communication: in-person or virtual meetings
in-person or virtual meetings are appropriate when…
- to set structure, assumptions or exceptions
- evaluate as a group obstacles or hurdles
- discuss an issue that will involve emotions or feelings that can be misinterpreted
- need to discuss conflict performance goals and milestones or behavioral issues
-collaborate in a way that will require a back and forth exchange of information
- gauge the receptivity to an idea, persuade others about the utility of the idea and work toward making the idea better
Evaluate how to choose communication methods and handle barriers to effective communication: phone calls
phone calls are appropriate when…
- need something done or answered in the next thirty minutes
- your question or idea needs a lot of verbal explanation
- your message needs to be carefully conveyed but certain obstacles prevent you from managing impressions effectively in person (under emotional labor)
Evaluate how to choose communication methods and handle barriers to effective communication: e-mails
email are appropriate when…
- need to relay a message to multiple people on your team
- need to confirm expectations or get on the same page after a meeting
- sharing confidential information or formal documentation
- going over official approval or endorsement on a plan
- outlining procedures, strategies or steps others need to follow
Evaluate how to choose communication methods and handle barriers to effective communication: texts or IM
texts and IM are appropriate when…
- need to share a thought on a task that has already been started
- quick, noncritical question multiple people are capable of answering
- you have brief, additional info
- you are sharing info
- you are asking whether another person is available for a meeting
information overload
Although people integrate information from multiple sources to effectively make sense of information, individuals have a finite capacity for processing data. When the information we must work with exceeds our processing capacity, the result is information overload
