Communication Flashcards
Communication
transfer understanding & meaning
4 Functions of Communication
- providing knowledge (information)
- motivating (determine outcome, feedback)
- controlling/coordinating (acceptable manner, communicate role, rules & norms)
- expressing feelings (emotions - nonverbal communication)
7 Parts of Communication Process
- sender - source of info
- encoding - converting message into sybmolic form
- message - purpose to be conveyed
- channel - medium of travel
- decoding - translation/interpretation of message
- reciever - recipient
- feedback - to see how successful the message transfer was
Factors Affecting Encoding/Decoding
1. skill - determines total communicative success (reading, listening, speaking, reasoning)
2. attitude - predisposed ideas on topics
3. knowledge - facilitates clear communication
4. social cultural system - beliefs & values
Formal vs Informal Communication Channels
Formal:
* job-related messages
* follows authority network
Informal:
* personal
* social
Advantages of Written Communication
- tangible/verifiable
- permanent record
- stored for later reference
- well thought out
Disadvantages of Written Communication
- time consuming
- doesn’t allow for feedback
Information Richness
used to select appropriate communication channel
information richness:
* amount of information
* extent to which it allows
* common understanding
Ranked Information Richness Channels
high to low:
1. face-to-face
2. verbal communication electronically transmitted
3. personally addressed written
4. impersonal written
Grapevine
word of mouth
- unofficial method
- issues with accuracy
Nonverbal Communication
- body language
* gestures, facial expressions
* communicates emotions & temperaments - verbal intonation
* emphasis on certain words/phrases
Barriers to Communication
1. filtering - manipulation to make message favourable
2. selective perception - selectively see/hear based on needs, motivation, experience, personal characteristics, etc.
3. information overload - amount of info > processing capacity = lost info
4. emotions - receiver’s feelings
5. language - words have different meanings to different people (age, education, cultural background, jargon, slang, specific terms)
6. gender - different communication styles
7. national culture - different languages, culture, values, norms & communication styles
Male vs Female Manager Communication Styles
Men:
* power speech - direct advice
* task oriented - report talk
* conversations are negotiation of status
* insensitive to nonverbal cues
Women:
* powerless speech - indirect advice
* relationship oriented - rapport talk
* conversations are for bonding
* sensitive to nonverbal cues
Ways to Overcome Barriers
- feedback
- simplifying language
- active listening
- constraining emotion
- watching for nonverbal cues
