Chapter 17: Managing Interpersonal Relations and Communication

what are the important parts of all managerial activities?

interpersonal relations, communication, and group processes

the nature of interpersonal relations are as ___ as the individual members themselves

varied

Katie Vo 4:48pm 10/21/23

hello woorld my name is katie vo and this is humzah hassan

when are interpersonal relations personal and positive?

parties know each other, have mutual respect and affection, and enjoying interacting

when are interpersonal relations personal and negative?

parties dislike each other, do not have mutual respect, and do not enjoy interacting

different types of interactions may occur between…

individuals, groups, or individuals and groups. can change over time

interpersonal relations can be a…

1. primary source of need satisfaction

2. positive element

3. solid basis for social support

4. source of synergy

5. allow managers to know how employees will react to specific challenges, where their strengths lie, and what strategies for motivation of employees will be successful

what is the “common thread” woven though outcomes of interpersonal relations?

communication between people in the organization

top executives must handle ___ effectively if they are to be true leaders

communication

what is our first conditioned response to stimuli?

crying as a method to achieve satisfaction of our desires

why is communicating since birth a problem?

• we should be great at it, but we are not

• communication takes thought, planning, and work

• what worked in past might not in present

• have to try to improve everyday

what is communication?

the process of transmitting information from one person to another

what is effective communication?

the process of sending a message in such a way that the message is received is as close in meaning as possible to the message intended (can be understood)

how can we facilitate enough meaning exchange to make understanding possible?

use of common language

communication directly relates to the basic management functions of… (4)

planning, organizing, leading, and controlling

explain the process of communication between people

1. person (sender) wants to transmit (fact, idea, opinion, other information) to someone else (receiver)

2. encode meaning into form appropriate to situation (words, facial, expression, gestures, or artistic expressions and physicals actions)

3. transmit encoded message through appropriate channel or medium

4. decode message by receiver

what is a channel?

• method of transmission we choose to use

• meetings, email or text messages, memos, letters, reports, telephone calls, and face-to-face interactions

what does the receiver do?

interprets meaning of message

what is noise?

any phenomenon that may disrupt communication anywhere along the way

what is external noise?

• noise that is outside of the individuals involved in the communication interaction

• coughing, truck driving by, two people talking closely, letter lost in mail, interrupted cellphone call, email with virus, text not being received

what is internal noise?

noise that is inside one of the individuals in the interaction that causes them to be distracted and makes sending and decoding messages difficult

what is oral communication?

• face-to-face conversation, group discussions, telephone calls, and other circumstances in which the spoken word is used to transmit meaning

what are the benefits of oral communication?

• promotes prompt feedback and interchange as verbal questions or agreement, facial expressions, and gestures

• “Rich” —> participants to immediately determine if message ahs been received and interpreted correctly or if further clarification is needed

• Easy, done with little preparation

what are the disadvantages of oral communication?

• inaccuracy if speaker chooses the wrong words to convey meaning or leaves out details

• noise

• receiver forgets part of message

• two-way conversation, less time for a thoughtful, considered response for new fats and no permanent record

what is nonverbal communication?

• any communication exchange that does NOT use words or uses words to carry more meaning than the strict definition of the words themselves

• facial expressions, body movements, physical contact, proximity between communicators, and gestures

what are images?

• kinds of words or phrases people elect to use

• “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead”

• choice of words conveys more than just the strict meaning of the words themselves

what are factors that play roles in nonverbal communication?

• images, settings, and body language

• tone and volume

what is written communication?

• memos, letters, reports, notes, and other circumstances in which the written word is used to transmit meaning

• not as common

• 65% executives prefer to interact with customers (etc.) with email or text messaging rather than phone

what is a drawback of written communication?

inhibit feedback and interchange (message leanness)

what are advantages of written communication?

• accurate, permanent record of exchange

• sender can take time to collect & assimilate information; can draft and revise before sending (consider content of message and how receiver is going to interpret it)

• receiver can take time to read carefully and refer to it as needed

written communication is preferred when…

important details are involved or when receiver need to reference details

when is oral communication preferred?

richness of message is most important and immediate feedback is needed

X

X

what is a communication network?

the pattern through which the members of a group communicate

explain the wheel pattern

• all comm. through 1 central person (group leader)

• most centralized network (1 person receives and disseminates all information)

explain the Y pattern

• slightly < centralized than wheel (2 people closer to center)

• more even flow of info among members, although 2 people (ones at each end) interact with only one other person

explain the circle pattern

all channel but without the inside

explain the all-channel network

• most decentralized

• free flow of information among all group members

• everyone participates equally, groups leader (if one…) not likely to have excessive power

what is vertical communication?

• communication that flows up and down the organization, usually along formal reporting lines

• takes place between managers and their superiors and subordinates and may involve several different levels of the organization

what is upward communication?

• messages from subordinates to superiors

• subordinates —> direct superior —> their superior —> etc.

• requests, information that lower-manager thinks is important to higher-level manager

• suggestions, complaints, and financial information

• more subject to distortion than downward

• more individuals the message goes through, the more the message is prone to distortion from one person to the next

what is downward communication?

• information flows down the hierarchy from superiors to subordinates

• directives on how to do something, assignment of new responsibilities, performance feedback, and general info that higher-level thinks is important to lower-level

• two-way

what is horizontal communication?

• communication that flows laterally within the organization

• involves colleagues and peers at the same level of the organization and may involve individuals from several different organizational units

• facilitates coordination among interdependent units

• joint problem solving

• major role in work teams with members drawn from several departments

what does the CIO do?

• determining the information-processing needs and requirements of the organization

• creating >=1 formal info systems linking all relevant managers, departments, and facilities in the organization

what is the cottage industry?

people working at home (cottage) and periodically bring products of their labors into the company

what happens in telecommunicating?

people work at home on their computers or other devices and transmit work to their companies digitally

what are some problems with communication advances?

1. managers rarely in real offices are likely to fall behind in inner workings of the organization and may be victimized by organizational politics

2. hard to build strong culture, develop solid working relationships, and create a mutually supportive atmosphere of trust and cooperativeness

3. new avenues for dysfunctional employee behavior (passing threatening, lewd, or offensive materials to others)

what is the grapevine?

• an informal communication network among people in an organization

• information based on fact vs speculation (75% to 95% accurate)

what is the gossip chain?

type of grapevine; carry personal information

what is the cluster chain?

type of grapevine; one person passes the information to a few selected individuals. some pass to others, the rest keep to themselves

why is internal communication increasing?

1. recent increase in merger, acquisition, and takeover activity

2. more corporations move facilities from inner cities to suburbs

3. widespread availability of information tech, easier to comm quick and easy

what are the effects of recession and large-scale job losses on informal communication?

1. sharp increase in gossip and rumors in organization

2. increase in eavesdropping

3. 32% admit to using work email inappropriately (48% gossip with other employees)

4. > ½ overheard confidential information at work

(T/F) Managers can get valuable information from the grapevine and use it to improve decision making

True

what is management by wandering around?

an approach to comm. involving manager’s literally wandering around and having spontaneous conversations with others

ex. of informal interchange

employees attending company picnic, softball, etc.

examples of individual barriers to effective comm.

1. conflicting or inconsistent signals (conflicting or inconsistent signals)

2. credibility about the subject (sender is not reliable source of info.)

3. reluctance to comm

4. poor listening skills

5. predispositions about the subject (already made up mind)

examples of organizational barriers to effective comm.

1. semantics (words have different meanings for different people)

2. status or power differences

3. different perceptions

4. noise

5. overload

6. language differences

what are some individual skills to overcoming barriers to comm.?

1. develop good listening skills (MOST IMPORTANT)

2. encourage 2-way comm. (feedback; good with complicated comm.)

3. aware of language and meaning

4. maintain credibility (owning up to mistakes)

5. sensitive to receiver’s perspective

6. sensitive to sender’s perspective

what are some organizational skills to overcoming barriers to comm.?

1. follow up

2. regulate information flows

3. understand the richness of media

what is active listening?

person be prepared to listen, not interrupt the speaker, concentrate on both the words and the meaning being conveyed, be patient, and ask questions as appropriate