Communication Flashcards
the transfer and understanding of meaning.
Communication
when a transmitted thought or idea was received and understood by the receiver exactly as it was envisioned by the sender.
Perfect communication,
The final point we want to make about communication is that it encompasses both _________ and ___________
interpersonal communication
organizational communication,
communication between two or more people
interpersonal communication
all the patterns, networks, and systems of communication within an organization.
organizational communication
Functions of Communication
- As a means of control
- To motivate
- As an avenue of expressing one’s feelings
- Provides information
Organizations have authority hierarchies and formal guidelines that employees are expected to follow. For instance, when employees are required to communicate any job-related grievance to their immediate manager, to follow their job description, or to comply with company policies, communication is being used to control.
As a means of control
by clarifying to employees what is to be done, how well they are doing, and what can be done to improve performance if it is not up to par. As employees set specific goals, work toward those goals, and receive feedback on progress toward goals, communication is required.
To motivate
provides a release for emotional expression of feelings and for fulfillment of social needs.
As an avenue of expressing one’s feelings
Individuals and groups need information to get things done in organizations. The information is passed on through different modes of communication.
Provides information
The Interpersonal Communication Process
- sender
- encoding
- message, channel of communication
- decoding
- receiver
- feedback
- noise
message is converted to symbolic form called
encoding
message passed by way of some medium to the receiver
channel
retranslates the sender’s message called
decoding
Note that the entire process is susceptible to ____ —disturbances that interfere with the transmission, receipt, or feedback of a message.
anything that interferes with understanding
noise
12 questions to evaluate communication methods.
- Feedback: How quickly can the receiver respond to the message?
- Complexity capacity: Can the method effectively process complex messages?
- Breadth potential: How many different messages can be transmitted using this method?
- Confidentiality: Can communicators be reasonably sure their messages are received only by
those intended? - Encoding ease: Can sender easily and quickly use this channel?
- Decoding ease: Can receiver easily and quickly decode messages?
- Time-space constraint: Do senders and receivers need to communicate at the same time
and in the same space? - Cost: How much does it cost to use this method?
- Interpersonal warmth: How well does this method convey interpersonal warmth?
- Formality: Does this method have the needed amount of formality?
- Scanability: Does this method allow the message to be easily browsed or scanned for
relevant information? - Time of consumption: Does the sender or receiver exercise the most control over when the
message is dealt with?
An important part of interpersonal communication is ____________, that is communication transmitted without words.
nonverbal communication
the best known types of Nonverbal Communication are _______________
body language
verbal intonation
refers to gestures, facial expressions, and other body movements that convey meaning.
Body language
refers to the emphasis someone gives to words or phrases in order to convey meaning.
Verbal intonation
Managers need to remember that as they communicate, the nonverbal component usually
carries the greatest impact. It is not what you say, but how you say it.
gets?
Barriers to Communication
- Filtering.
- Emotions.
- Information overload.
- Defensiveness.
- Language.
the deliberate manipulation of information to make it appear more favorable to the receiver.
Filtering
How a receiver feels when a message is received influences how he or she interprets it. Extreme emotions are most likely to hinder effective communication.
Emotions.
which is when information exceeds our processing capacity.
Information overload.
When people feel they are being threatened, they tend to react in ways that hinder effective communication and reduce their ability to achieve mutual understanding They become defensive—verbally attacking others, making sarcastic remarks, being overly judgmental, or questioning others’ motives.
Defensiveness.
employees come from diverse backgrounds and have different patterns of speech.
different departments often have different jargon
Language.
Overcoming Barriers
- Feedback.
- Simplify Language.
- Listen actively.
- Constrain emotions.
- Watch nonverbal cues.
A manager can ask questions about a message to determine whether it was
received and understood as intended. Or the manager can ask the receiver to restate the
message in his or her own words.
Feedback.
Because language can be a barrier, managers should consider the audience to whom the message is directed and tailor the language to them.
Simplify Language.
Listening is an active search for meaning, whereas hearing is passive. In listening, the receiver is also putting effort into the communication.
Listen actively.
A manager who is upset over an issue is more likely to misconstrue incoming messages and fail to communicate his or her outgoing messages clearly and accurately.
The simplest answer is to calm down and get emotions under control before communicating.
Constrain emotions.
If actions speak louder than words, then it is important to make sure your actions align with and reinforce the words that go along with them.
Watch nonverbal cues.
refers to communication that takes place within prescribed organizational
work arrangements.
Formal communication
organizational communication not defined by the organization’s structural hierarchy.
Informal communication
Direction of Communication Flow
- Downward communication.
- Upward communication.
- Lateral Communication.
- Diagonal communication
is communication that flows from a manager to employees. It is used to inform, direct, coordinate, and evaluate employees.
Downward communication.
communication that flows from employees to managers. It keeps managers aware of how employees feel about their jobs, their coworkers, and the organization in general. Managers also rely on it for ideas on how things can be improved.
Upward communication.
Communication that takes place among employees on the same organizational level
Lateral Communication.
communication that crosses both work areas and organizational level.
Because of its efficiency and speed, it can be beneficial.
any employee can communicate by e-mail with any other employee, regardless of organizational work area or level, even with upper-level managers.
Diagonal communication
The vertical and horizontal flows of organizational communication can be combined into a variety of called
communication networks.
Types of communication networks.
- Chain network.
- Wheel network.
- All-channel network.
communication flows according to the formal chain of command, both downward and upward.
Chain network.
communication flowing between a clearly identifiable and strong leader and others in a work group or team. The leader serves as the hub through whom all communication passes.
Wheel network.
Communication flows freely among all members of a work team.
All-channel network.
an important part of any communication network and well worth understanding. Acting as both a filter and a feedback mechanism, it pinpoints those
bewildering issues that employees consider important.
Grapevine
Research shows that a workplace design should successfully support four types of employee work:
focused work
collaboration
learning
socialization
when an employee needs to concentrate on completing a task.
Focused work
employees need to work together to complete a task.
collaboration
when employees are engaged in training or doing something new and could involve both focused work and collaboration.
Learning
happens when employees informally gather to chat or to exchange ideas.
socialization
Workplace Design
- Open workplaces.
- Adjustable workplace.
One of the things we know for sure about this type of arrangement and its effect on communication is visibility.
Open workplaces.
the availability of adjustable work arrangements, equipment, and furnishings. As organizations have moved toward nontraditional work arrangements, the adjustability and customizability of employee workspace have become essential and influence organizational communication.
Adjustable workplace.
