Chapter 2: The Managerial Communication Process
The Managerial Communication Process
1. Intrapersonal: Focus on internal behavior such as, listening, observing, reading, . Most of these
activities involve the seeking of information. This level important on decision making and problem
solving because it requires accurate information.
2. Interpersonal: two or more people exchange thoughts such as, sharing information, proving
feedback, or maintaining a social relationship.
3. Group: the most common form of group communication is
the meeting between 3-12 individuals.
4. Organizational: level of communication operates within the
networks that link members of an organization in all levels of
the organization. This communication also concerned with how
a group of tasked is linked to complete a job.
5. Intercultural: interactions between people of different cultures.
Strategic Managerial Communication Model
First Layer
1. Communication climate: strongly related to job satisfaction and performance
o
How communications are conducted within a workplace atmosphere/environment
o
Avoid negative climate
o
E.g. Merger
2. Cultural context
o
How one should perceive, think, feel.
o
National culture determines how we communicate.

Autocratic management is acceptable in India. More participative approach
is expected in USA.
o
Organizational culture (office design, formality…)
o
“Discourse Community” (how we communicate in our workplace.)
Second Layer
1. Sender (encoder):
o
Self awareness
o
Must analyze their own frame of references because it may affect the outcome of
the communication
2. Receiver (decoder): It is an internal noise
o
Relationship
o
Status Difference
o
Receiver's interest
o
Receiver's Emotional State
o
Receiver's Knowledge
o
Receiver's Communication skills
3. Purpose of Message
o
To socialize
o
To present information
o
To gain information
o
To persuade
Third Layer
1.Message content
o
Receiver's perspective?(Positive, negative, neutral )
o
Facts or opinion?
o
Importance of the message to the receiver?

o
If not important to receiver, the attention-getting techniques should be
used.
Controversial message?

Use neutral words that can reduce emotional response.
2. Message channel
o
Oral, written, both oral and written, visual
3. Physical environment (external noise)
o
Privacy (sensitive issue?)
o
Formality

Effective wording, and feedback
o
Physical Distance
o
Familiarity (more relax)
o
Time is money
o
Time is power (busy schedule)
o
Time is status (waiting time)
o
Actual timing in communication
4. Time
Measures of Effectiveness
o
Difficult to determine

o
Interrelated and pervasive in every layer
Feedback is key

Obtained on a continuous basis

Obtained even after strategy cannot be changed
Importance of Feedback
o
Measures communication effectiveness

How changing events may affect the overall strategy

Whether the strategy is effective as is
Critical Errors
Assumption-Observation Error
o
Accept something as valid without proof
o
Eg: the food in cafeteria is non toxic
Overcome by asking; “What are the facts”, “I am assuming…..”, “In my opinion, …”, “It looks
to me as if …”
Failure to Discriminate
o
Failure to perceive and communicate changes in events or significant differences
between things.
o
“Hardening of the categories” (put into categories)
o
Stereotypes
o
E.g. All guys are the same.
o
Must develop a sensitivity to all differences in the world.

Polarization : discrimination involving “either-or” thinking (intelligent or stupid ??)
For example, If you have bias on some Chinese people who always make loud noise, you
will perceive as every Chinese people will make noise.
Allness and the Process of Abstraction
o
Structure communications as if all there is to know about a subject is being stated.
Allness is the result of two beliefs
1. It is possible to say or know everything about something
2. What I am saying is all that is important about the subject