Chapter 8 - Managing Organisational Relationship Flashcards
What is formal communication?
Formal communication is planned and intentional and tends to have a more professional tone. This is generally used within a work context.
What is informal communication?
Informal communication is more casual in nature and is generally unplanned. Informal communication is less structured with a more relaxed tone. This type of communication is generally used between family and friends
What is the communication process?
Sender > Encode > Channel > Decode> Receiver > Feedback
What is noise?
anything which interferes with the communication process and stops the message being received and understood by the receiver as it was intended
What are four types of noise?
Environmental/physical noise
Physiological noise
Semantic noise
Psychological noise
What is environmental/physical noise?
This noise physically disrupts communication and prevents the receiver from hearing or seeing the message clearly
What is Physiological noise?
This kind of noise refers to actual physical barriers within the sender or the receiver that cause messages to have trouble getting through.
e.g. hearing loss, poor eyesight
What is semantic noise?
This noise occurs when the sender and receiver have a different understanding of words
e.g. language, jargon
What is psychological noise?
The attitude of the sender and receiver can also make communication difficult
e.g. anger may cause someone to lose focus
What is non-verbal communication?
A great deal of communication can take place without any words at all. Body language is about:
Appearance
Eye contact
Facial expression
posture and distance
tone
What is a successful meeting?
80% Preparation
20% Execution
What roles does a meeting require?
Chairperson/facilitator
Secretary
Protagonists/Antagonists
What does a chairperson/facilitator need to do?
Set the agenda and ensure the meeting achieves its objectives
What does a secretary need to do?
Take minutes
What does the protagonists and antagonist do?
Team members will play various roles in the meeting. They could be a positive supporter (protagonists) or take a negative stance (antagonist)
What are the problems with meetings?
Unclear objectives
Lack of order
Lack of interest
Ineffective chairperson
Hostility
No agreement
Inadequate minutes
No or poor agenda
What is the definition of influence?
Ability to change others’ attitudes, opinion or behaviour.
What six principles of influence did Cialdini come up?
Reciprocity - Human nature can lead us to feel obliged to return favours.
Commitment (and consistent) - As humans, we desire consistency and don’t like to be seen to be changing our minds.
Social proof - This principle relies on the fact that humans tend to be influenced by peer pressure
Liking - This principle is based on the fact that as humans we are more likely to be influenced by people we like
Authority - This is based on the premise that we are more likely to be influenced by people in positions of authority.
Scarcity - This principle suggests that we are more likely to want something if its availability is limited.
What is the definition of persuasion?
Persuasion is the ability to deliberately influence others to change an attitude, opinion, or behaviour
Persuasion differs from influence in that it is always direct and deliberate.
What is the aim of negotiation?
settle differences between people or groups, and to allow them to come to an agreement which both parties accept
How do you have a successful negotiation?
Focus initially on each side’s primary objective
Be prepared to settle for what is fair
Listen to what the other side wants and make efforts to compromise on the main issues, so that both sides can begin to attain their goals
Seek to trade-off wins and losses, so each side gets something in return for everything they give up
What is the process of negotiation?
Preparation > Opening > Bargaining > Closing
What are the causes of conflict?
History
Differences
Limited resources
Win/lose situations
Interdependencies
Misunderstandings
Conviction beliefs
Stress and failure
Change
What are the symptoms of conflict?
Problems, even trivial ones, being passed up the hierarchy because no one wants to take responsibility for them
Hostility and jealousy between groups
Poor communications up and down the hierarchy, and between departments
Widespread frustration and dissatisfaction because it is difficult to get even simple things done efficiently
Problems constantly being polarised around people, usually in different groups, and personalities rather than issues
When does horizontal conflict occur?
Horizontal conflict occurs between groups and departments at the same level in the hierarchy
When does vertical conflict occur?
This occurs among individuals and groups at different levels in the hierarchy. It is often about power and powerlessness, differences in status and power and in practice frequently involves trade unions
How do you manage conflict - Mainwaring?
Conflict stimulation and orchestration - This approach actively encourages conflict as a means of generating new ideas and new approaches or to stimulate change
Conflict suppression - This involves the use or threatened use of authority or force, or the avoidance of recognition that a conflict situation exists, or smoothing over the conflict by de-emphasising the seriousness of the situation
Conflict reduction - This involves building on areas of agreement and on common objectives, and changing attitudes and perceptions of the parties involved
Conflict resolution - This seeks to eliminate the root causes of conflict
What is it if there is high assertiveness and low co-cooperativeness according to the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument?
Competing
What is it if there is high assertiveness and high co-cooperativeness according to the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument?
Collaborating
What is it if there is low assertiveness and low co-cooperativeness according to the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument?
Avoiding
What is it if there is low assertiveness and high co-cooperativeness according to the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument?
Accomodating
What is it if there is middle ground between assertiveness and co-cooperativeness according to the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument?
Compromising
