Moving on to contemporary
approaches to managerial
communication . . .
COM 3068, Medved
9/16/14
Goals today . . .
1.
Understand how work was being redefined at turn of the century and be
able to recognize main schools of thought in 20th century.
2.
Know two reasons why we spent time on our ‘speed tour’ of historical
definitions of work.
3.
Begin to understand three approaches to how, today, managers
communicate.
But before we move on . . .
Back to Charlie Chaplin & Modern Times
 How was ‘work’ being depicted in this film clip? What would effective
communication mean to the owner and managers in that factory?
 Classical management on standardization, replaceablity, specialization and
predictability; communication = formal, downward, and written1
 Influential Perspective = Scientific Management (Taylor, 1911)
 Organizations like Machines; Communication = Cog in Machine
 Taylor developed system to improve worker training and productivity.
1Miller,
K. (2009) Organizational Communication: Approaches and Processes.
Four Components of Scientific Management
1.
One Best Way to Do the Job, that is a scientifically determined ‘best way’
2.
Proper Selection of Workers is the ‘fit’ between job tasks and physical
person
3.
Proper Training is Controlled, Formalized; inefficient workers moved or
fired.
4.
Difference between Managers and Workers – Managers should perform
thinking, planning and administrative tasks, Workers suited to physical
labor.
 Throughout the 1900s definitions of work and how we thought about
communication at and about work continued to change.
 Challenges to Scientific Management w/Hawthorne Studies (1924-1933)
 Human Relations Movement (Workers ‘Feel’) - Maslow’s Hierarchy, McGregor’s X & Y
 Human Resources Movement (Workers ‘Think’) – Balance People/Production, Participation
 Organizational Culture Approaches (Org as Culture) - Creating High Performing Work Environments
 As ways of thinking about/doing work changed so has ways of thinking about/doing
communication . . . .
 We will thread in some more of these theories along the way . . . .
Purpose #1: Illustrate that the
meaning of work has changed over
time and continues to change; can
change across time and vary
among individuals working in any
one organization.
Purpose #2: Inter-related is that
how we define communication in
the workplace has changed over
time and continues to change;
indeed excellent managers
understand the complexity of
communication.
You can analyze many workplace situation/problems through multiple
perspectives, including: psychological, financial, organizational behavior, legal,
sociological, etc.
Goal of class: Help you analyze from a communication perspective.
Arrow, Circuit, Dance – 5 Participation Points
List and describe three things you remember about arrow, circuit and dance
management from the readings. Can be definitions, ways of defining effective
communication from each perspective, pros/cons, etc.
How do managers communicate?
 Three ways managers approach communication at work are useful to
understand: Arrow, Circuit, Dance.
 These approaches include elements of past ways of thinking about communication
(information transfer, transactional process, strategic control and creativity/constraint)
 And, include different definitions of work and management (scientific management,
human relations and human resources approaches).
 Let’s start with Arrow managers. Give me an example. Describe specific
communication behaviors or situation where assumptions were evident.
 Or, describe the Arrow Professor. What does he/she sound like?
Arrow Managers and Communication
 What is the meaning of effective communication for an arrow manager?
1.
Being able to clearly and precisely put thoughts into words
2.
Speaking with credibility and authority
3.
Getting the results desired by talking to employees
 What assumptions (erroneous, at times) underlie arrow assumptions about
effective communication?
1.
What is clear and precise to one person is clear and precise to another
2.
Credibility is something the speaker possesses and not something given to the speaker by the
audience
3.
Communication is primarily a one-way activity.
How do arrow managers explain communication
breakdowns?
 Assumes receiver is the problem. Meaning is self-evident so why wouldn’t
someone understand?
 “Why didn’t they just follow my instructions? If I told them once, I told them
a thousand times!” Repetition is ‘fix.’
 Leads managers to think employees are simply not listening or ignorant.
 Rarely the manager’s fault. Do not see communication as a shared
responsibility.
Origins of the Arrow Approach
 Simplistic language and training we often have about communication.
 Public speaking classes that may perpetuate audiences as passive or the
communication as only a one-way process.
 Personal predispositions to desire control or efficiency.
Evaluating Pros/Cons
 Arrow => Effective Expression = Effective Communication
 What’s good about the arrow approach? When useful?
 Arrow approach encourages clear thinking, lucid expression and organized speaking.
 Arrow approach appropriately links communication behavior and action.
 What’s detrimental to the arrow approach? When problematic?
 Arrow managers assume that employees are passive information processors.
 Arrow managers inappropriately assume that words are containers of meaning.
Circuit Managers and Communication
 Next, circuit managers. Give me an example. Describe specific
communication behaviors or situation where assumptions were evident.
 Or, describe the Circuit Professor. What does he/she sound like?
Circuit Managers and Communication
 What is the meaning of effective communication for an circuit manager?

Effectiveness is listening to employees in order to make them happy.

Showing sensitivity and openness to employees by adapting messages to each individual.

Make employees feel included and understood.
 What assumptions (erroneous, at times) underlie circuit assumptions about
effective communication?

Job satisfaction is the goal of organizational communication

Messages are exclusively interpreted in the context of interpersonal relationships

Openness is useful in all circumstances

Understanding will lead to agreement

Understanding is the primary goal and is always more acceptable than ambiguity.
How do circuit managers explain communication
breakdowns?
 People just don’t “connect.” Breakdowns happen when co-workers don’t
understand each other. Understanding = agreement.
 People are poor listeners; employees just need more active listening skills.
 Circuit managers blame a lack of appropriate communication climate. Poor
climates do not allow employees to provide each other feedback, develop
trust, and be open.
Origins of the Circuit Approach
 Management theory that espouses a happy worker is always a productive
worker. True, at times, but satisfied workers can also be unproductive.
 Transactional process models that focus on feedback loops and developing
relationships at work at the expense of productivity.
 Individual preference, predisposition or affinity for those who focus on
employee happiness, building relationships and self-esteem.
Evaluating Pros/Cons
 Circuit => Understanding = Effective Communication
 What’s good about the circuit approach? When useful?
 Highlights that good relationships and feedback can enhance (not substitute for) effective
communication.
 Includes the importance of listening and acknowledges various message interpretations.
 What’s detrimental to the circuit approach? When problematic?
 Incorrectly assume that understanding always leads to agreement.
 Incorrectly assume that understanding should be the singular goal of communication; can
suppress effective disagreement.
Here’s the situation:
 Terry is the president of Media & Message (M&M), a high-profile branding
and PR company with 20 employees. M&M focuses on advertising and crisis
management in the retail and fashion industry.
 M&M is pitching to a potential new client in one week. Urban Outfitters is a
retail company that is in a public relations mess. Urban Outfitters recently
put products in their stores that have offended many of their customers.
Their stock has dropped. And, they continue to see a slew of negative press
in both traditional and social media outlets.
 Three days ago, Terry assembled a team of 5 employees to develop a crisis
management plan for Urban Outfitters, but the groups is having trouble
working together. The ideas they have generated are weak and the team
doesn’t seem to be functioning very effectively.
 Terry has one week to finalize his pitch to the c-suite at Urban Outfitters.
Arrow vs. Circuit Managers
 Terry is an arrow manager. How might he try to solve the problems the team
is experiencing? What would he do and/or say?
 Terry is a circuit manger. How might he try to solve the problems the team is
experiencing? What might he do or say?
For Thursday:
 Finish Arrow, Circuit and Dance.
 First Group Presentation: Rebecca, Lucia and Geraldo.
 Reading = What kind of Listener Are you???