BUS-201-202: TUTORIAL 9 (CHAPTER 11 & 12)
CLASS EXERCISE (Chapter 11)
This exercise will help you to see the value of nonverbal communication to
interpersonal relations.
1. The class is to split up into pairs (Party A and Party B).
2. Party A is to select a topic from the following list:
a. Managing in the Middle East is significantly different from
managing in North America.
b. Employee turnover in an organization can be functional.
c. Some conflict in an organization is good.
d. Whistle-blowers do more harm than good for an organization.
e. An employer has a responsibility to provide every employee with
an interesting and challenging job.
f. Everyone should register to vote.
g. Organizations should require all employees to undergo regular
drug tests.
h. Individuals who have majored in business or economics make
better employees than those who have majored in history or
English.
i. The place where you get your college degree is more important in
determining your career success than what you learn while you’re
there.
j. It’s unethical for a manager to purposely distort communications
to get a favorable outcome.
3. Party B is to choose a position on this topic (for example, arguing against
the view that “some conflict in an organization is good”). Party A now
must automatically take the opposite position.
4. The two parties have 10 minutes in which to debate their topic. The catch
is that the individuals can only communicate verbally. They may not use
gestures, facial movements, body movements, or any other nonverbal
communication. It may help for each party to sit on his or her hands to
remind them of their restrictions and to maintain an expressionless look.
5. After the debate is over, form groups of six to eight and spend 15 minutes
discussing the following:
a. How effective was communication during these debates?
b. What barriers to communication existed?
c. What purposes does nonverbal communication serve?
d. Relate the lessons learned in this exercise to problem that might occur
when communicating on the telephone or through e-mail.
CLASS EXERCISE (Chapter 12)
1. Divide the class into teams of three to five students each.
2. Ask each team to read
http://www.sullivanadvisorygroup.com/docs/articles/Practicing%20
Servant%20Leadership.pdf
3. Each team should prepare a training plan to develop organizational
managers to the servant leadership style.
4. Have each group present its plan for a training program.
REVIEW QUESTIONS (CHAPTER 11)
1. What are the primary functions of the communication process in
organizations?
Answer: There are four major functions.
a. Communication acts to control member behavior in several ways.
When work groups tease or harass a member who produces too
much, they are informally communicating with, and controlling,
the member’s behavior.
b. Communication fosters motivation by clarifying to employees
what is to be done, how well they are doing, and what can be done
to improve performance. The formation of specific goals, feedback
on progress toward the goals, and reinforcement of desired
behavior all stimulate motivation and require communication.
c. Communication provides a release for the emotional expression of
feelings and for fulfillment of social needs. For many employees,
their work group is a primary source for social interaction.
d. Communication facilitates decision-making. It provides the
information.
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Identify the main functions of communication;
Learning Outcomes: Describe the factors influencing effective communication in
organizations; and AACSB Learning Goals: Communication abilities, Reflective thinking
skills.)
2. What are the key parts of the communication process, and how do you
distinguish formal and informal communication?
Answer: The communication process is listed in Exhibit 11-1. The key
parts are the:
a. Sender
b. Encoding
c. The Message
d. The Channel
e. Decoding
f. The Receiver
g. Noise
h. Feedback
Formal Communication Channels are established by the organization and
transmit messages that are related to the professional activities of
members. Informal Channels are used to transmit personal or social
messages in the organization. These informal channels are spontaneous
and emerge as a response to individual choices.
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Describe the communication process and
distinguish between formal and informal communication; Learning Outcomes: Describe
the factors influencing effective communication in organizations; and AACSB Learning
Goals: Communication abilities, Reflective thinking skills.)
3. What are the differences among downward, upward, and lateral
communication?
Answer: Communication can flow upward, downward or laterally.
Vertical communication can be either downward or upward. Downward
communication flows from one level of a group or organization to a lower
level. It is used to provide managers to assign goals, provide job
instructions, inform employees of policies and procedures, and offer
feedback about performance. Upward communication flows to a higher
level in the group or organization. It is used to provide feedback to higher
ups, progress toward goals and relay current problems. It also keeps
managers aware about how employees feel about their jobs.
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Contrast the downward, upward, and lateral
communication, and provide examples of each; Learning Outcomes: Describe the factors
influencing effective communication in organizations; and AACSB Learning Goals:
Communication abilities, Reflective thinking skills.)
4. What are the unique challenges to oral, written, and nonverbal
communication?
Answer: Nonverbal communication involves body language, and
paralinguistics describes the nonverbal aspects of communication that
encompass tone of voice, pacing, pitch and similar aspects that go beyond
the spoken word. It has been argued that every body movement has a
meaning and that no movement is accidental.
a. Oral Communication
i. Advantages: Speed and feedback
ii. Disadvantage: Distortion of the message
b. Written Communication
i. Advantages: Tangible and verifiable
ii. Disadvantages: Time-consuming and lacks feedback
c. Nonverbal Communication
d. Advantages: Supports other communications and provides
observable expression of emotions and feelings.
e. Disadvantage: Misperception of body language or gestures can
influence receiver’s interpretation of message.
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Contrast oral, written, and nonverbal
communication; Learning Outcomes: Describe the factors influencing effective
communication in organizations; and AACSB Learning Goals: Communication abilities,
Reflective thinking skills.)
5. What are the advantages and challenges of electronic communication?
Answer: Electronic Communication is an indispensible–and in about 71
percent of cases–the primary medium of communication. It includes email, text messaging, networking software, bogs, and video conferencing.
Advantages include speed, distribution, storage, and cost for information
flow. These can be real-time or delayed delivery. They reach the receiver
though devices that are wide spread. And many people see the electronic
communication as high priority. Challenges include the likelihood of
misunderstanding, missing contacts, the volume of electronic messages,
and privacy of messages.
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Analyze the advantages and challenges of
electronic communication; Learning Outcomes: Describe the factors influencing effective
communication in organizations; and AACSB Learning Goals: Communication abilities,
Reflective thinking skills.)
6. What are the main forms of electronic communication? What are their
unique benefits and challenges?
Answer:
a. E-mail
i. Advantages: quickly written, sent, and stored; low cost for
distribution
ii. Disadvantages:
1. Messages are easily and commonly misinterpreted
2. Not appropriate for sending negative messages
3. Overused and overloading readers
4. Removes inhibitions and can cause emotional
responses and flaming
5. Difficult to “get” emotional state understood –
emoticons
iii. Non-private: e-mail is often monitored and may be
forwarded to anyone
b. Instant Messaging
i. Immediate e-mail sent to receiver’s desktop or device
c. Text Messages
i. Short messages typically sent to cell phones or other
handheld devices
ii. IM and TM are quick, in real time or use portable devices.
They are flexible and you can be reached anytime,
anywhere.
iii. One disadvantage is the informality that sometimes spills
over into business e-mails or other communication such as
the abbreviations used. You must be vigilant to
communicate professionally and formally when
appropriate.
d. Blogs
i. Popular but may be against company policy
ii. Videoconferencing
iii. Now uses inexpensive webcams and laptops in place of
formal videoconferencing rooms
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Show how channel richness
underlies the choice of communication channel; Learning Outcomes:
Describe the factors influencing effective communication in
organizations; and AACSB Learning Goals: Communication abilities,
Reflective thinking skills.)
7. Differentiate between automatic and controlled processing of persuasive
messages.
Answer: We often rely on automatic processing, a relatively superficial
consideration of evidence and information making use of heuristics like
those we discussed in Chapter 6. Automatic processing takes little time
and low effort, so it makes sense to use it for processing persuasive
messages related to topics you don’t care much about. The disadvantage
is that it lets us be easily fooled by a variety of tricks, like a cute jingle or
glamorous photo.
You do independent research among experts who know something about
the subject, gather information about prices from a variety of sources, and
consider the costs and benefits of renting versus buying. This is called
controlled processing, a detailed consideration of evidence and
information relying on facts, figures, and logic. Controlled processing
requires effort and energy, but it’s harder to fool someone who has taken
the time and effort to engage in it.
There are a few rules of thumb for determining what types of processing
an audience will use.
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Differentiate between automatic and
controlled processing of persuasive messages; Learning Outcomes: Describe the factors
influencing effective communication in organizations; and AACSB Learning Goals:
Communication abilities, Reflective thinking skills.)
8. What are some common barriers to effective communication?
Answer:
a. Filtering - A sender’s manipulation of information so that it will be
seen more favorably by the receiver
b. Selective Perception - People selectively interpret what they see on
the basis of their interests, background, experience, and attitudes
c. Information Overload - A condition in which information inflow
exceeds an individual’s processing capacity
d. Emotions - How a receiver feels at the time a message is received
will influence how the message is interpreted
e. Language - Words have different meanings to different people
f. Communication Apprehension - Undue tension and anxiety about
oral communication, written communication, or both
g. Gender Differences - Men tend to talk to emphasize status while
women talk to create connections
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Identify common barriers to effective
communication; Learning Outcomes: Describe the factors influencing effective
communication in organizations; and AACSB Learning Goals: Communication
abilities, Reflective thinking skills.)
9. What unique problems underlie cross-cultural communication?
Answer: Cross-cultural factors increase communication difficulties. There
are a number of problems:
a. Cultural Barriers:
i. Semantics: some words aren’t translatable
ii. Word Connotations: some words imply multiple meanings
beyond their definitions
iii. Tone Differences: the acceptable level of formality of
language
iv. Perception Differences: language affects worldview
b. Cultural Context:
i. The importance of social context to meaning
ii. Low-context cultures (like the US) rely on words for
meaning
iii. High-context cultures gain meaning from the whole
situation
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Show how to overcome the potential problems
in cross-cultural communication; Learning Outcomes: Describe the factors influencing
effective communication in organizations; and AACSB Learning Goals: Multicultural and
diversity understanding, Communication abilities, Reflective thinking skills.)
REVIEW QUESTIONS (CHAPTER 12)
1. Are leadership and management different from one another? If so, how?
Answer: Both leadership and management are essential for organizational
success. They are often used synonymously, but they are not the same.
Leadership is the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of goal.
Management is the use of authority inherent in designated formal rank to
obtain compliance from organizational members.
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Define leadership and contrast
leadership and management; Learning Outcomes: Summarize the major
theories of and approaches to leadership; and AACSB Learning Goals:
Reflective thinking skills.)
2. What is the difference between trait and behavioral theories? Are those
theories valid?
Answer: Proponents of trait theories believe that a leader is “born.” They
often describe leaders in terms of their personal characteristics, such as
“charismatic” and “driven.” Behaviorists believe leadership can be taught, or
nurtured, by providing the necessary skills to an individual to be an effective
leader.
There are no universal traits that predict in all situations. Traits predict
behavior more in “weak” situations than in “strong” situations. The evidence
is unclear in separating cause from effect. Finally, traits do a better job at
predicting the appearance of leadership than in actually distinguishing
between effective and ineffective leaders. These limitations have led
researchers to look in other directions.
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Summarize the conclusions of trait
theories of leadership; Learning Outcomes: Summarize the major theories of
and approaches to leadership; and AACSB Learning Goals: Reflective thinking
skills.)
3. What is Fiedler’s contingency model? Has it been supported in research?
Answer: After assessing leadership style, it is necessary to match the leader
with the situation. Fiedler identified three contingency variables to match the
leader with the situation:
 Leader-member relations—The degree of confidence, trust, and
respect members have in their leader
 Task structure—The degree to which the job assignments are
procedural
 Position power—The degree of influence a leader has over power
variables such as hiring, firing, discipline, promotions, and salary
increases
Considerable evidence does support the model especially when the original
eight situations are grouped into three but the logic behind the LPC scale is
not well understood.
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Assess contingency theories of
leadership by their level of support; Learning Outcomes: Summarize the major
theories of and approaches to leadership; and AACSB Learning Goals:
Reflective thinking skills.)
4. How do charismatic and transformational leadership compare and contrast?
Are they valid?
Answer: In Charismatic Leadership Theory, proposed by Robert House,
followers make attributes of heroic or extraordinary leadership abilities
when they observe certain behaviors (See Exhibit 12-3) General
characteristics of charismatic leaders are: they have vision, they are willing to
take personal risk, they are sensitive to followers’ needs, they exhibit
extraordinary behaviors
Transformational leaders inspire followers to transcend their own selfinterests for the good of the organization. They change followers’ awareness
of issues by helping them to look at old problems in new ways; and they are
able to excite, arouse, and inspire followers to put out extra effort to achieve
group goals. Transformational leadership is built on top of transactional
leadership—it produces levels of follower effort and performance that go
beyond what would occur with a transactional approach alone. (See Exhibit
12-4)
These descriptions imply that charismatic leadership is based on a person’s
behavior, when observed by others, is defined as charismatic leadership.
Transformational leadership, on the other hand, is a concept that can be
taught to people to make them more effective leaders using concepts that
have been found to contribute to leadership relationships.
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Compare and contrast charismatic
and transformational leadership; Learning Outcomes: Summarize the major
theories of and approaches to leadership; and AACSB Learning Goals:
Reflective thinking skills.)
5. What is authentic leadership? Why do ethics and trust matter to leadership?
Answer: Authentic Leadership is a style based on trust. Authentic leaders are
ethical people who know who they are, know what they believe in and value,
and act on those values and beliefs openly and candidly. Ethics touch on
many leadership styles. As the moral leaders of organizations, CEOs must
demonstrate high ethical standards. Socialized charismatic leadership is
characterized by leaders who model ethical behaviors. Trust is the positive
expectation that another person will not act opportunistically. Trust is
comprised of a blend of familiarity and willingness to take a risk. The five
key dimensions are: integrity, competence, consistency, loyalty, and
openness.
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Define authentic leadership and
show why effective leaders exemplify ethics and trust; Learning Outcomes:
Summarize the major theories of and approaches to leadership; and AACSB
Learning Goals: Reflective thinking skills.)
6. How is mentoring valuable to leadership? What are the keys to effective
mentoring?
Answer: Mentoring and virtual leadership are all contemporary roles for
leaders. A leader needs to be a mentor or a senior employee who sponsors
and supports a less-experienced employee (a protégé). Mentors are good
teachers who present ideas clearly, listen, and empathize. Mentoring has two
functions: career that includes coaching, assisting, sponsoring and
psychosocial that involves counseling, sharing, acting as a role model. Finally,
online leadership or virtual leadership is the ability to lead people who are
physically dispersed. The ability to effectively communicate, and establish
and maintain trust in a virtual environment is challenging.
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Demonstrate the role mentoring
plays in our understanding of leadership; Learning Outcomes: Summarize the
major theories of and approaches to leadership; and AACSB Learning Goals:
Reflective thinking skills.)
7. Do you agree there are situations in which leadership is not necessary? Why
or why not?
Answer: There are situations in which leadership may not always be
important. One theory of leadership suggests that in some situations,
whatever the actions leaders exhibit, they are irrelevant. Certain individual,
job, and organizational variables can act as substitutes for leadership or may
neutralize the leader’s influence on his/her followers.
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Address challenges to the
effectiveness of leadership; Learning Outcomes: Summarize the major theories
of and approaches to leadership; and AACSB Learning Goals: Reflective
thinking skills.)
8. How can organizations select and develop effective leaders?
Answer: Organizations can help build effective organizations through their
selection and training areas.
A. Selection
1. Review specific requirements for the job
2. Use tests that identify personal traits associated with leadership,
measure self-monitoring, and assess emotional intelligence
3. Conduct personal interviews to determine candidate’s fit with the job
4. Keep a list of potential candidates
B. Training
1. Recognize that all people are not equally trainable
2. Teach skills that are necessary for employees to become effective
leaders
3. Provide behavioral training to increase the development potential of
nascent charismatic employee.
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Summarize the conclusions of trait theories of
leadership, Assess contingency theories of leadership by their level of support; Learning
Outcomes: Summarize the major theories of and approaches to leadership; and AACSB
Learning Goals: Reflective thinking skills.)
9. Do charismatic and transformational leadership generalize across cultures?
Answer: Some of the traits seem to be universal. Certain types of leadership
behaviors work better in some cultures than in others.
Charismatic/Transformational Leadership may be a “universal” aspect of
leadership in its focus on:
1. Vision and foresight
2. Providing encouragement
3. Trustworthiness
4. Dynamic, positive, and proactive traits
(This exercise covers Learning Objectives: Compare and contrast charismatic and
transformational leadership; Learning Outcomes: Summarize the major theories
of and approaches to leadership; and AACSB Learning Goals: Dynamics of the
global economy, Multicultural and diversity understanding, Reflective thinking
skills.)