Chapter 12: Managers & Communication Flashcards
4 functions of communication
- control
- motivation
- emotional expression
- information
control
formal and informal comms and acts to control employee behaviour
motivation
encourages motivation by clarifying what is to be done, how well they are doing and what can be done to improve performance
ex. feedback > criticism
emotional expression
social interactions allows employees to express themselves
information
individuals and work groups need info to make decisions or to do their work effectively
noise
disturbances that interfere with the transmission, receipt, or feedback of a message
nonverbal communication
communication transmitted without words
body language
gestures, facial expressions, and other body movements that convey meaning
verbal intonation (paralinguistics)
an emphasis given to words or phrases that conveys meaning
4 barriers of effective interp comm
- info overload
- filtering
- emotions
- jargon
information overload
when information exceeds our processing capacity
ex. too many emails
filtering
deliberate manipulation of information to make it appear more favourable to the receiver
ex. more vertical structure = more filtering opportunities > collaborative structure = less problems
emotions
disregarding rational and objective thinking processes and substituting emotional judgments when interpreting messages
ex. sarcasm
jargon
specialized terminology or technical language that members of a group use to communicate among themselves
4 overcoming barriers of eff interp comm
- use feedback
- simplify lang
- listen actively
- constrain emotions
use feedback
comms problems are less likely to occur if the manager gets feedback, both verbal and nonverbal
ex. verb: asking question about the message
nonverbal: incomplete task = message not received
simplify language
effective communication is achieved when a message is both received and understood
listen actively
listening for full meaning without making premature judgments or interpretations
ex. don’t interrupt, show empathy, eye contact, ask questions
constrain emotions
calm down and get emotions under control before communicating
formal communication
takes place within prescribed organizational work arrangements
informal communication
is not defined by the organization’s structural hierarchy
downward communication
flow from managers to employees to inform, direct, coordinate, and evaluate employees
upward communication
flows upward from employees to managers
lateral communication
takes place among employees on the same organizational level
diagonal communication
cuts across both work areas and organizational level
communication networks
the variety of patterns of vertical and horizontal flows of organizational communication
ex. chain, wheel, all-channel
grapevine
the informal organizational communication network
(provides a channel for issues not suitable for formal communication channels and info can be countered by open and honest communication with employees)
open workplaces
workplaces with few physical barriers and enclosures
communication in the internet and social media age
technological changes have enabled managers to coordinate employees’ work efforts in more efficient and effective ways
24/7 work environment
IT has made it possible to stay connected 24/7
working from anywhere
stigma of working from home was lifted during pandemic
employees don’t have to be at their desks to communicate with others in the organization
social media
employees, working in teams or as individuals, need information to make decisions and to do their work
technology can significantly affect the way that organizational members communicate, share information, and do their work
privacy issues
widespread use of voice mail and email at work has led to some ethical concerns
not necessarily private, because employers have access to them
electronic media
effective and efficient methods for communicating relatively straightforward information to one or more individuals
exchanging confidential information
employee’s performance or a company’s competitive secrets (complex issues) should be left for face-to-face meetings or telephone conversations
electronic face-to-face meetings
videoconferencing can bring geographically dispersed colleagues together to share multiple perspectives of key stakeholders
5 communication issues today
- managing communication in a digitally connected world
- managing the organization’s knowledge resources
- how to develop a strong service culture focused on the personalization of service to each customer
- how to let employees know their input matters
- ethical communication
managing communication in a digitally connected world
new tech created special comm challenges: legal and security issues and personal interaction
managing the organization’s knowledge resources
communities of practice: groups of people who share a concern, problems, or passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in that area by interacting on an ongoing basis
customer service delivery process
- the customer
- the service organization
- the individual service provider
how to develop a strong service culture focused on the personalization of service to each customer
- listen and respond to the customer
* provide access to needed service information
how to let employees know their input matters
- hold town-hall meetings where information is shared and input solicited
- provide information about what’s going on, good and bad
- invest in training so that employees see how they impact the customer experience
- analyze problems together—managers and employees
- make it easy to give input (suggestion box)
ethical communication
includes all relevant information, is true in every sense, and is not deceptive in any way
