OB: Ch 9: Communication

functions of communication

• management

  • gives authority hierarchies and formal guidelines, work group teasing, harassing, job descriptions and company policies

• feedback

  • communication creates feedback by clarifying to employees what they must do, how well they’re doing it, how they can improve their performance

• persuasion

  • can be good or bad depending on the issue a leader intends to persuade a workgroup to believe

• emotional sharing

  • members can show satisfaction or frustration

• info exchange

  • provides the info individuals and groups need to make decisions by transmitting the data needed to identify and evaluate decisions

synchronous communication

communication episodes in which both the sender(s) and receiver(s) are present and focused on the communication exchange

asynchronouse communication

communication episodes in which messages are received outside a physically or psychologically present communication exchange

downward communication

flows from one level down to a lower one

• assigns goals, provides info, communicates policies, provides feedback

• problem with the one-way nature of this exchange

• must explain the reasons why decisions were made

upward communication

from one level up to the next one

• provide feedback, inform of progress, relay current issues, request suggestion

lateral communication

takes place among members of the organization on the same level

• necessary to sae time, facilitate coordination, may be formally sanctioned

small group networks - chains

rigidly follows the formal chain of command

• communication channels you may see in a rigid 3-level organization

• moderate speed, high accuracy, moderate emergence of a load, moderate member satisfaction

small group networks - wheel

relies on a central figure to act as the confidant for all group communicatoin

• think like a group directed by a manager

• fast speed, high accuracy, high emergence of a leader, low member satisfaction

small group networks - all-channel

permits group members to actively communicate with each other

• think self-managed teams (all group members are free to contribute and no single person takes on a leadership role)

• fast speed, moderate accuracy, low emergence of a leader, low member satisfaction

informal communication network (CIN)/ grapevine

an organization’s informal communication network

• gives managers a feel for the morale of their org

• identifies issues employees consider important

• helps tap into employee anxieties

• can deal with gossip and rumors

modes of communication

includes oral, written, and nonverbal

oral communication

priority means of conveying messages

• make take the form of speeches, formal discussions, informal rumors, meetings, phone calls, videoconferencing, and conference calling

written communication

any method that conveys written words or symbols

• forms like letters, powerpoints, e-mails, blogs, social media, instant messaging

nonverbal communication

includes body movements, intonations, facial expressions, and physical distance

choice of communication channel

looking to find the best form of info richness

• written communication is more reliable for complex and lengthy convos

• oral communication is best to gauge the receiver’s receptivity

• choice of channel depends on whether the message is routine or not

  • routine messages tend to be straightforward and have a minimum level of ambiguity

  • non-rountine messages are more likely to be complicated and have the potential for misunderstanding

channel richness

the amount of info that can be transmitted during the communication episode

• rich that they can handles multiple cues simultaneously, facilitate rapid feedback, and be very personal (lean is opposite)

• in-person is the richest, impersonal written media is the lowest

barriers to effective communication

obstacles that prevent a message from being received adequately

• info overload, communication apprehension

info overload

a condition in which information inflow exceeds an individual’s processing capacity

communication apprehension

undue tension and anxiety about communication

• barriers: filtering, selective perception, emotions, lying, language, silence

types of persuasive communication - automatic processing

a relatively superficial consideration of evidence and info

• takes little time and effort, lets us be fool by a variety of tricks

types of persuasive communication - controlled processing

a detailed consideration of evidence and info relying on facts, figures, and logic

• requires effort and energy, harder to fool someone who engages in it

rules determining choice of processing

• interest level

• prior knowledge

• personality

• message characteristics

cultural factors

cultural barriers are caused by semantics, word connotations, tone differences, tolerance for conflict and methods for resolving it

• have high-context and low-context cultures

high context cultures

cultures can rely on nonverbal and subtle cues in communication

low context culture

cultures that rely heavily on words to convey meaning