Chapter 8 - Managing Organisational Relationship

Question 1

What is formal communication?

Answer 1

Formal communication is planned and intentional and tends to have a more professional tone. This is generally used within a work context.

Question 2

What is informal communication?

Answer 2

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

Question 3

What is the communication process?

Answer 3

Sender > Encode > Channel > Decode> Receiver > Feedback

Question 4

What is noise?

Answer 4

anything which interferes with the communication process and stops the message being received and understood by the receiver as it was intended

Question 5

What are four types of noise?

Answer 5

Environmental/physical noise
Physiological noise
Semantic noise
Psychological noise

Question 6

What is environmental/physical noise?

Answer 6

This noise physically disrupts communication and prevents the receiver from hearing or seeing the message clearly

Question 7

What is Physiological noise?

Answer 7

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

Question 8

What is semantic noise?

Answer 8

This noise occurs when the sender and receiver have a different understanding of words
e.g. language, jargon

Question 9

What is psychological noise?

Answer 9

The attitude of the sender and receiver can also make communication difficult
e.g. anger may cause someone to lose focus

Question 10

What is non-verbal communication?

Answer 10

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

Question 11

What is a successful meeting?

Answer 11

80% Preparation
20% Execution

Question 12

What roles does a meeting require?

Answer 12

Chairperson/facilitator
Secretary
Protagonists/Antagonists

Question 13

What does a chairperson/facilitator need to do?

Answer 13

Set the agenda and ensure the meeting achieves its objectives

Question 14

What does a secretary need to do?

Answer 14

Take minutes

Question 15

What does the protagonists and antagonist do?

Answer 15

Team members will play various roles in the meeting. They could be a positive supporter (protagonists) or take a negative stance (antagonist)

Question 16

What are the problems with meetings?

Answer 16

Unclear objectives
Lack of order
Lack of interest
Ineffective chairperson
Hostility
No agreement
Inadequate minutes
No or poor agenda

Question 17

What is the definition of influence?

Answer 17

Ability to change others’ attitudes, opinion or behaviour.

Question 18

What six principles of influence did Cialdini come up?

Answer 18

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.

Question 19

What is the definition of persuasion?

Answer 19

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.

Question 20

What is the aim of negotiation?

Answer 20

settle differences between people or groups, and to allow them to come to an agreement which both parties accept

Question 21

How do you have a successful negotiation?

Answer 21

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

Question 22

What is the process of negotiation?

Answer 22

Preparation > Opening > Bargaining > Closing

Question 23

What are the causes of conflict?

Answer 23

History
Differences
Limited resources
Win/lose situations
Interdependencies
Misunderstandings
Conviction beliefs
Stress and failure
Change

Question 24

What are the symptoms of conflict?

Answer 24

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

Question 25

When does horizontal conflict occur?

Answer 25

Horizontal conflict occurs between groups and departments at the same level in the hierarchy

Question 26

When does vertical conflict occur?

Answer 26

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

Question 27

How do you manage conflict - Mainwaring?

Answer 27

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

Question 28

What is it if there is high assertiveness and low co-cooperativeness according to the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument?

Answer 28

Competing

Question 29

What is it if there is high assertiveness and high co-cooperativeness according to the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument?

Answer 29

Collaborating

Question 30

What is it if there is low assertiveness and low co-cooperativeness according to the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument?

Answer 30

Avoiding

Question 31

What is it if there is low assertiveness and high co-cooperativeness according to the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument?

Answer 31

Accomodating

Question 32

What is it if there is middle ground between assertiveness and co-cooperativeness according to the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument?

Answer 32

Compromising