Organizational communication

Communication

Is the process of exchanging and understanding information between two or more people

The key elements of communication

1. Message
2. Sender
3. Receiver

Why do managers use communication

1. To transmit information
2. Achieve coordination
3. Build commitment
4. Shape an image

Communication channels

1. Verbal communication
2. Nonverbal communication

Verbal communication

Is any oral or written ways of transmitting meaning through words, including face to face communication, email, or even phone calls

Media richness

The volume and variety of information that is transmitted between a sender and receiver during a period of time

When you’re a sender you need to

1. Maintain a positive mental attitude towards a message and the receiver
2. Speak in a courteous and supportive manner
3. Organize your thoughts
4. Plan the conversation
5. Have an open mind

When you’re a receiver you need to

1. Actively listen
2. Maintain a positive mental attitude towards the message and the sender
3. Give feedback to clarify meaning and demonstrate understanding

Face to face face

Face to face communication is not just about the words we use it’s about how we use them and what our body says

People listen in five ways

1. Ignoring: making no effort to listen
2. Pretend listening: make believe or give the appearance that you are listening
3. Selective listening: hearing only what interests you in the conversation
4. Attentive listening: paying full attention to the speaker. Focusing on what the speaker says verbally and nonverbally and comparing it to personal experience
5. Empathetic listening: listening and responding to the speaker with both the heart and mind to understand the speakers words, intentions, and feelings

Active listening

1. Sensing: postpone evaluating, avoid interruption, maintain interest
2. Evaluating: organize information, emphasize
3. Responding: show interest, clarify the message

Nonverbal communication

Any part of communication that does not include spoken words. It is the communication through human behavior and actions.

Organizational communication

1. Formal communication
2. Informal communication

Formal communication

Systems of officially sanctioned channels within an organization that is used regularly to communicate information.

Types of formal communication

1. Downward communication: when information flows from the higher level of an organizations hierarchy.

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2. Upward communication: occurs when information flows from the lower levels to the higher levels of an organizations hierarchy

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3. Horizontal communication: relationships between individuals and units that are at the same hierarchical levels

Informal communication

Unofficial communication channels that have not been established by the organizations manager

Examples of informal communication

1. Personal networks: relationships between individuals
2. Grapevine: the spread of unsanctioned information through personal networks

Noise

Is the psychological, social and structural obstacles or barriers that try to distort and obscure the sender message.

* many barriers or obstacles can cause noise and can have an impact on the effective management of a business

Communication barriers

1. Perceptions
2. Gender differences
3. Culture differences
4. Language barriers
5. Informational overload
6. Filtering

Perceptions

Is the attending to, interpreting, and organizing information:

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1. Selective perception
2. Self-serving bias
3. Stereotyping
4. Fundamental attribute errors
5. Attribution process
6. Recency effect

To improve communication you should:

1. Engage in active listening
2. Communicate directly with the employees
3. Proactively use the grapevine
4. Reduce information overload
5. Facilitate communication through workplace design
6. Get your message through
7. Match your media with your message

Management by walking around ( directly communicating with employees)

Is an effective way to countering, filtering, and can teach the managers things that might not be transmitted upwards through formal formal channels

Corporate strategy and communication strategy

* Myths and origins: how the company started, what’s it principles and how it overcame earlier difficulties

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* Corporate prophecies: predictions about an organizations future

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* Hero stories: people from the organization who confronted and overcame a dilemma

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* Archived narratives: collection of stories which trade to its history and development