Communication Skills
Business Management
Previous Topics:
The Scope of Management
 Management Roles, Functions, Skills and
Values
 Benefits & Limitations of Leadership Styles
 Applying Leadership Styles to Business
Situations
 Skills of Good Managers
 Personal & Business Ethics
 Social Media in the Workplace
Communication
Formal & Informal Communication
Methods for Resolving Conflict
Benefits of Developing Partnerships
Communication Skills
Objective
 We will explain
how corporate
culture influences
formal and
informal
communication.
Essential Questions
 How does a corporation’s
shared values and behaviors
influence communication?
 What does it mean to have
an open or restricted
communication climate?
Shared Values
 How are the shared values of a corporation identified?
Mission & Vision Statement
 As an employee, how do you know what the corporation’s
expectations are for behavior?
Policies & Procedures
 How can the managers of a corporation help to define the
communication climate?
Communication Policies
Defining Communication
• It has been estimated
that managers
communicate more
than 2/3 of each work
day.
• It is important to set
expectations on how
they should be
communicating!
Channels of Communication
 Verbal or Face-to-Face
 Including phone calls, meetings, public
relations
 Written
 Including emails, faxes, memos, proposals
 Nonverbal Communication
 Electronic
 Including email, social media, wireless devices
Communication Climate
 The culture of a corporation influences the
communication climate.
 Closed or Restricted – relies on top-down
decisions and adheres to numerous rules and strict
disciplining for violations of established procedures;
communication tends to be formal.
 Open – encourages creativity and problem solving
at all levels and supports communication &
information sharing.
Formal Communication
 A formal communication network is
the system of official channels that carry
organizationally approved messages.
 Communication channels generally follow
the reporting relationships in the firm.
 Communication flows upward, downward,
and across the organization in a prescribed
manner.
Informal Communication
 An Informal communication network includes
the unofficial ways that employees share information
across an organization.
 Small, informal groups
 The “Grapevine”
 Relies heavily on interpersonal communications and
e-mail
 Usually refers to exchanges between employees who
get along well together
 Good managers are aware of informal groups!
Think About It
 Consider movies like The Social Network
and The Internship.
 What type of communication climate do
organizations like Facebook and Google
seem to have? Why?
 Consider The Devil Wears Prada.
 What type of communication climate does
Runway Magazine seem to have? Why?
Closing Task #1
1. How does an organization establish shared
values and beliefs?
2. How would an employee know the
company’s expectations for
communication behaviors?
3. Describe the differences between an open
communication climate and a closed
(restricted) communication climate.
Communication Skills
Objective
Essential Questions
 We will identify
methods for
resolving
conflicts.
 What are some strategies
that a manager could use to
help resolve conflict?
 What are the elements of
successful conflict
resolution?
The Office
Season 2: Episode 21 “Conflict
Resolution”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBO
1_XBrbzQ
Communication Conflicts
 Conflict is interference by one person with
the achievement of another person’s goals.
 Conflict within organizations can be
desirable or undesirable.
 Good managers are prepared to deal with
conflict!
Desirable Conflict
 A small amount of conflict is sometimes
beneficial to:
 Challenge employees
 Stimulate new ideas
 This type of conflict exists because the goals of
each manager differ.
 When employees discuss and resolve their
conflicting goals, the organization can benefit.
Undesirable Conflict
 Too much conflict can be harmful.
 Undesirable conflict results when the
actions of any person or group interfere
with the goals of the organization.
 Employees who dislike others and carry
grudges often cause problems for an
organization.
Preventing Conflict
 Encourage open-mindedness to eliminate
many of the causes of conflict.
 Examine all arguments to reach a
compromise and a “win-win” situation when
possible.
 Arbitrate among interests to determine
what is best for the organization.
Resolving Conflict
 Avoidance Strategy
 Take a neutral position or to agree with another person’s position
even though it differs from your goal or personal belief.
 Compromise Strategy
 Everyone involved agrees to a mutually acceptable solution, usually
stemming from a thorough discussion of the goals and the best way
to achieve them.
 Win/Lose Strategy
 No one compromises! Most dangerous approach
Successful Conflict Resolution
 Elements of successful conflict resolution:
 Communication
 Coordination
 Cooperation
Identify the true issue that needs to be
resolved between the parties in conflict!
Closing Task #2
Describe at least two different
strategies for resolving conflict.
List the elements of successful
conflict resolution.
Communication Skills
Objective
Essential Questions
 We will describe
the benefits of
developing
partnerships
within the
organization and
with the
community.
 What are the potential
benefits of building
partnerships within a
company or organization?
 What are some potential
benefits of developing
partnerships with the local
community?