MNG 112: BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
STUDENT NOTES – 1
COMMUNICATING AT WORK
THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION
Before we begin let us ask ourselves this question, “What would the world be like
without communication?” Virtually everyone communicates at work. No matter how
much you know about your job, specialised knowledge alone isn’t enough to guarantee
success; communication skills are also vital. Consider the following:
1.
Communication maintains and animates life.
2.
One “cannot not communicate.”
3.
Communication is the motor and expression of social activity and
civilisation.
4.
At work virtually everyone communicates. Some experts estimate that the
average business executive spends 75 – 80 percent of the time communicating.
That is 45 minutes out of every hour.
5.
Irrespective of one’s specialized field, or the amount of specialized
knowledge one has, that alone will not guarantee success at work - be it business
or some other organization.. Communication skills are also very vital:
a.
A survey of 500 managers in various fields on which factor they
ranked highest when hiring revealed that oral communication topped the
list. This was followed by: self-motivation; problem solving; decision
making; leadership; human relations; teamwork; work experience; time
management; personal appearance; written communication; academic
performance; creativity; delegation; multilingual ability.
b.
Subscribers to the Harvard Business Review rated the “ability to
communicate” the most important factor in making an executive
“promotable,” more important than ambition, education, and capacity for
hard work.
c.
Columbia University researchers that in a changing workplace
while computers and other sophisticated equipment do routine work,
workers are left to handle the human challenges of improving the
organization and responding to customers – tasks heavily dependent on the
ability to communicate with others.
d.
The LAPD cited “bad communication” among the most common
reasons for errors in shooting by its officers.
e.
The American Medical Association called for more
communication classes for doctors after studies showed that doctors with
poor communication skills are most likely to be sued.
6.
Some may argue that in today’s high tech world the need for face-to-face
communication skills decreasing. That has some truth but;
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a.
A survey of personnel officers in 500 US business revealed that 90
percent of them felt that communication skills are needed for success in
the 21st Century.
These examples are just meant to highlight just how important communication is to
mankind’s daily existence and we just “cannot not communicate.”
THE NATURE OF COMMUNICATION
It is easier to recognize the importance of communication than it is to define the term. A
close look at what happens when people try to communicate can offer clues about why
some attempts succeed and others fail. Let’s examine the communication process.
THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS
No matter what the setting or the number of people involved, all communication
consists of a few elements. Although the process of communication is more than the
total of these elements, understanding them can help explain what happens when one
person tries to express an idea to others.
Sender.
The communication process begins with a sender, the person who
transmits a message.
Message.
A message is any signal that triggers the response of a receiver. Some
messages are deliberate, while others (such as sighs and yawns) can be unintentional.
Messages are not synonymous with meanings. For example, you might remind a
colleague about a deadline with the intention of being helpful, but he may interpret the
message as an indication that you are annoyed or mistrustful of him.
Encoding.
The sender must choose certain words or nonverbal methods to send an
intentional message. This activity is called encoding. The words and channels that a
communicator chooses to deliver a message can make a tremendous difference in how
that message is received. For example, consider a manager offering feedback to an
employee: if the words are respectful or harsh and if the message is delivered in person or
in a memo can make a big difference in how that feedback is received by the employee.
Channel.
The channel, sometimes called the medium, is the method used to deliver
a message. As a business communicator you can decide whether to send a message in
writing as a letter or memo, deliver it by hand, send it regular mail, by email, by fax,
communicate it orally, either over the phone or in person. All these are considered
different channels.
Receiver.
A receiver is any person who notices and attaches some meaning to a
message. In the best of circumstances a message reaches its intended receiver with no
problems. In the confusing and imperfect world of business, however, several problems
can occur. The message may never get to the receiver; it might be delivered but not
understood and therefore not acted upon to the sender’s desire; if oral the listener might
forget it; or a message intended for one receiver might be intercepted by another.
Decoding.
Decoding is attaching meaning to the words or symbols. Even if a
message does get to its intended receiver intake there is no guarantee that it will be
understood as the sender intended. The receiver must still decode it. Decoding is not
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always accurate. A friendly joke may be taken as an offense. A request for “next year’s
figures” might be interpreted as next fiscal year as against next calendar year. Do not
assume that your message will always be decoded accurately.
Feedback.
The discernible response of a receiver to a sender’s message is called a
feedback. Receivers don’t just absorb messages like a sponge; they respond to them.
Some feedback is nonverbal – smiles, sighs, “suck teeth,” some oral, or some written. No
message can also be a feedback. For example, failure to respond to a phone call or
answer a letter can indicate how the receiver feels about the sender. When we add the
element of feedback in face to face communication we can see that people are
simultaneously senders and receivers of information.
Noise.
One of the greatest sources of communication failure is noise. Noise is
any factor that interferes with the exchange of messages. There are three types of noises:
a.
Physical noise. This refers to external sounds that distract
communicators. There are other types of external noise that don’t involve sound
such as an overcrowded room or a smelly cigar, which can disrupt concentration.
b.
Physiological noise. This includes hearing disorders or any illness
that makes it difficult for one to send or receive messages.
c.
Psychological noise. This consists of forces within the sender or
receiver that interfere with understanding such as: egos, defensiveness, hostility,
preoccupation, and fear.
Context.
Communication is influenced by the context in which it occurs. There are
several dimensions of context:
a.
Physical context. This refers to the location and can influence the
content and quality of interaction. Imagine asking your boss for a pay raise in: the
boss’ office; in your work area with others looking on; over lunch; at a company
picnic or party.
b.
Social context. This refers to the nature of the relationship between the
communicators, as well as who is present. Imagine asking for that pay raise in
different social contexts such as: you and the manager being friends for several
years, or you and the manager not having a personal relationship; you are the
same age as the manager, or he is 15 years older or younger than you; you and the
manager get along well, or you have a history of personality conflict; you and the
manager are alone, or your only chance to ask comes when others are around.
c.
Chronological context. This refers to ways time influences
interaction. Time related considerations include: what time of the day it is (first
appointment of just before quitting time); what are the communicator’s personal
preferences for time (is one a morning person or a late starter); is it before, during,
or after work hours; is this a busy time of the year. You can boost your chances
of success by paying attention to chronological factors. When calling someone or
requesting their help, consider asking, “Is this a convenient time?” or “Do you
have time now, or would another time be more convenient?”
d.
Cultural context. This includes both the organizational and the ethnic
and or national backgrounds. Imagine how differences in backgrounds can
influence communication between: youths of today and those aged 50 – 60; coast-
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landers and those from deep Rupununi; men and women; Guyanese and Bajans or
even Japanese.
COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES
Several characteristics describe the dynamic nature of the communication process, which
we can call communication principles.
Communication is Unavoidable. As I said before, one “cannot not communicate.”
We send a rich stream of non verbal messages even when we are silent. Facial
expression, posture, gesture, clothing, and a host of other behaviours offer clues about
our attitudes. The impossibility of not communicating means that we send message even
by our absence. Failing to show up for an event or leaving a room suggests meanings to
others. Because communication is unavoidable, it is essential to consider the
unintentional messages you send.
Communication Operates on two Levels. Every time two or more people
communicate, they exchange two kinds of messages: content messages – information
about the topic under discussion; and relational messages – signals indicating how we
feel about each other. Relational messages indicate three types of attitudes: Affinity – the
degree to which a communicator likes the other person in general or a particular message
that is being sent. Control – the amount of influence communicators have in that
situation. Respect – the degree of respect a communicator has for the other person or
people can be discerned in relational messages. Affinity and respect are not the same as
it is possible to like someone and not respect them and the converse holds true also.
Communication is Irreversible.
Our words and deeds are oftentimes recorded in
other’s memories and we cannot erase them. There are times when I am sure that we
wished we could take back the words we said. This means that one should weigh one’s
words carefully.
Communication is not a Panacea. Although communication can smooth out the bumps
and straighten the road to success, it won’t always get you what you want. If the quality
of communication is poor, the results are likely to be disappointing. This explains why
some problems grow worse the longer they are discussed. Misunderstandings and ill
feelings can increase when people communicate badly. Even effective communication
won’t solve all problems; there are some situations in which the parties understand one
another perfectly and still disagree. Boosting your communication skills can increase
your effectiveness, but it isn’t a cure-all.
Communication Often Presents Ethical Challenges. As a business communicator it is
impossible to avoid facing ethical challenges on the job. You will encounter situations
when you have to decide whether to behave in the right or wrong way. Here are five
guidelines, or ethical standards that can help communicators decide how to behave and
act in a principled manner:
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The Golden Rule.
Is this the way I would want to be treated by others?
The Professional Ethic.
How would this action be judged by an impartial
jury of my professional peers?
Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative. Could our society continue to
function if everyone acted in this fashion?
TheUtilitarian Rule. Does this action do the most good for the most people over
the greatest period of time?
The “60 Minutes” Test. Would you be comfortable explaining your behaviour on
the famous television show?
Communication is Personal.
Communication is personal because it is
impossible to separate “self” from the process. How you receive (decode) or construct
(encode) messages is strongly influenced by who you are. Since thee are no two persons
who are identical in experiences, thoughts, feelings, and desires, no two persons interpret
various communication stimuli identically.
Communication is Transactional.
In the communication process a communicator
acts (sends some communication stimuli, spoken or unspoken), a receiver listens and
reacts, the communicator then reacts to that reaction, and so on. In this manner
communication is not a static event but is transactional in nature. All persons are
engaged in sending (encoding) and receiving (decoding) messages simultaneously. Each
person is constantly sharing in the encoding and decoding process, and each person is
affecting the other.
USING COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
When people communicate in organizations, they need a system for managing the flow of
information or else there would be confusing and unregulated communication. These
systems are called communication networks, which are regular patterns of person to
person relationships through which information flows in an organization. Two
kinds of networks exist: formal and informal.
FORMAL COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
Formal communication networks are systems designed by management to dictate whom
should talk to whom to get a job done. In small organizations these networks can be
simple while in larger organizations they become more intricate. Organisational charts,
which establish relationships among people in an organization, show that communication
can flow downward, upward, and horizontally.
Downward communication occurs when superiors initiate messages to their
subordinates. There are several types of downward communication:
a.
Job instructions. These are directions about what to do and how to do it.
b.
Job rationale. These are explanations of how one task relate to other tasks.
c.
Procedures and practices. Information about rules, regulations, policies,
and benefits.
d.
Feedback. Information about how effectively a person is performing.
e.
Indoctrination. Information aimed at motivating employees by impressing
the organisation’s mission on them and specifying how they relate to it.
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In any organization downward communication is essential. GE launched a programme to
encourage managers to communicate more and more directly with their employees,
including holding informal meetings to encourage interaction. (We call it shootout in the
army).
Upward Communication. These are messages flowing from subordinates to superiors.
Upward communication can convey four types of messages:
a.
What subordinates are doing.
b.
Unsolved work problems.
c.
Suggestions for improvement.
d.
How subordinates feel about each other on the job.
Most of the responsibility for improving upward communication rests with managers.
They can begin the process by announcing their willingness to hear from subordinates. A
number of vehicles can facilitate upward messages such as: an open door policy,
grievance procedures, periodic interviews, group meetings, and the suggestion box, to
name a few. Formal channels are not the only method for upward communication as the
informal channels can be effective too such as: chats during breaks; or at social
gatherings. No method will be effective unless a manager is interested in hearing from
subordinates and genuinely values their ideas. Unless employees see evidence of this
they will not open up.
Horizontal Communication. Sometimes called lateral communication, this type of
organizational interaction consists of messages between members of an organization with
equal power, such as those in the same department or division. In other cases lateral
communication occurs between people of different areas: accounting calls maintenance to
get a machine repaired; hospital admissions calls intensive care to reserve a bed and so
on. Horizontal communication serves five purposes:
a.
Task coordination.
b.
Problem solving.
c.
Sharing information.
d.
Conflict resolution.
e.
Building rapport.
Research suggests that the people in most organizations communicate horizontally; but
despite this several forces work to discourage communication between peers:
a.
Rivalry. People who feel threatened by one another are unlikely to be
cooperative. (promotion, pay raise; scarce resources)
b.
Specialisation. This can sometimes make it hard for people with different
technical specialties to understand one another.
c.
Information overload. This can discourage employees from reaching
out to others.
d.
Lack of motivation.
e.
Physical barriers. (office design)
INFORMAL COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
Alongside the formal networks, there exist informal communication networks in every
organization. These are known as the “grapevine.” Informal communication networks
are patterns of interaction based on friendships, shared personal or career interests,
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and proximity between workers. Not all informal messages are idle rumours. Informal
networks serve several useful functions:
a.
Confirming. Some informal communication confirms formal messages.
b.
Expanding. Informal communication can fill in the gaps left by
incomplete formal messages.
c.
Expediting. Informal networks can often deliver messages more quickly
than official channels.
a. Sometimes informal networks contradict official messages.
d.
Circumventing. Informal contacts can help one bypass official channels
that are cumbersome and time consuming.
e.
Supplementing. There are times when management realizes that informal
communication can get the job done better than the formal variety and so many
elevate it to an official policy. (Hewlett Packard has adopted a term, MBWA,
Management By Wandering Around as a problem solving approach.
Be aware though that informal networks can also be used to undermine authority.
Some feel that informal contacts are the primary means of communication in an
organization. One survey showed that 57 percent of the respondents feel that the
grapevine is the only way to know what is really happening.
There are several steps one can take to develop informal networks:
a.
Seek Exposure to People at all Levels of the Organisation. Sometimes
the best informants are of low official status. (secretaries, office assistants,
janitors, etc.)
b.
Seek a mentor. A mentor is a person who acts as a guide, trainer,
coach and counsellor, teaches you the informal rules of an organization
and field, and imparts the kind of wisdom that comes from first hand
experience.
c.
Treat Everyone in the Organisation with Respect. Thoughtfulness and
courtesy can make a difference between you developing a network of friends or
enemies.
d. Ask Questions. Once you discover a knowledgeable source do not be
afraid to seek explanations for events. “What’s going on here?” and “Who can
help me?” are key questions to ask.
e.
Don’t Flaunt Informal Contacts. If your informal contacts allow you
to bend the rules or grant you special favours be careful not to show off or be
boastful of it.
CHOOSING THE OPTIMAL COMMUNICATION CHANNEL
As a business communicator you will often have to decide which channel to choose in
deciding to send messages, either the oral channel or the written channel. The channel
used to deliver a message can have a strong influence on its effectiveness. Each channel
has both advantages and disadvantages and the best choice will depend on the nature of
the message and the desired relationship between the sender and receiver. It is therefore
necessary to understand these two channels - oral and written.
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Oral Channels
1.
Face to Face Communication. This comes in many forms such as: one to one
meetings; small groups gathered spontaneously or in formal meetings; and large groups
where one speaker makes a presentation to an audience. Whatever the setting and
number of people all types of face to face communications have the same qualities:
a.
Speed. Once contact is established there is no time lag between
transmission of a message and its reception, and this is valuable when time
is of the essence.
b.
Control. Unlike written communication, in face to face communication
the speaker has control over the receiver’s attention even if the listener
pretends to be listening.
c.
Instant feedback. This is guaranteed and can allow you to alter the
message based on the feedback.
d.
Personal quality. When a personal meeting goes well, the relationship the
communicators develop can help solve problems that might have been
more difficult when handled at a distance.
Face to face communication does have some disadvantages though and two of them are:
a.
Difficulty in arranging them. This can happen even when communicators
are in the same building, much less when they are distances apart. This
can make it expensive and time consuming.
b.
It can be unproductive if the contact antagonizes one or more participants
because of the subject or the personalities involved.
2.
Teleconferencing. This is best used when distance makes face to face contact
impractical. Advances in technology make this facility available for use on personal
computers. Market researchers predict that as teleconferencing becomes an accepted part
of buying a PC system, the ability to talk face to face over long distances will become
common. Teleconferencing though is not likely to replace face to face communication as
there are some types of interactions it will be unsuitable for such as brainstorming,
negotiations, and persuasion.
3.
Telephone and Voice Mail. The telephone and voice mail offer real time
communication. The telephone has the following advantages:
a.
Allows contact with those difficult to reach in person.
b.
Useful for group communication by audio-conferencing
geographically separated persons being able to speak via the telephone.
Some disadvantages are:
a.
It lacks the visual feedback to reveal how one’s message is being
received.
b.
It is harder to hold the receiver’s attention.
Voice mail allows one to leave a message any time of the day or night and it allows one
to leave messages with people one may not want to talk to. One drawback is that it can
turn off people when there are long voice mail menus and sub menus.
One must remember that oral communication is not a perfect medium and possibly the
greatest disadvantage of speech is because it is transient it is prone to being forgotten,
misunderstood, or distorted.
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Written Channels
The written communication channel comes in many forms such as: letters, memos,
bulletins, and reports. Written messages have a different set of advantages and
drawbacks than oral messages.
a.
They are permanent and this cuts both ways.
b.
They can be easier to understand than speech as readers can study
complex passages in their own time.
c.
They can be composed in advance.
d.
They are less prone to errors as are oral presentations.
Two kinds of communication that deserve special mention are facsimiles and e mail.
Faxes share most of the features of other written documents but their speedy transmission
and reception make them similar to oral messages delivered over the phone. E mail is
another unique communication channel that possesses some characteristics of voice mail
such as the message can be collected at the recipient’s convenience. With e mail it is
easier to understand lengthy and detailed messages and its ease in sending to anywhere in
the world means that communication is expedited. A significant difference between
email and most other written communication is that it is informal and spontaneous in that
there is almost no concern with formatting.
Which Channel To Use
In general, oral communication is best for:
a.
Messages that require a personal dimension.
b.
Ideas that have a strong need for visual support – demonstrations, photos
or slides.
c.
When there is a need for instant feedback.
Written communication is best for:
a.
Creating a relatively formal tone. (except email)
b.
When you want to convey complicated ideas that require much study and
thought by the receiver.
c.
When you want it to be the final word, with no feedback or discussion.
d.
When you want a record to exist.
Apart from message related considerations the culture of the organization may favour
some communication channels than others. (Microsoft is e mail intensive)
When deciding which channels to use pay attention to the one preferred by the
company’s key decision-makers.
Generally though, it is better to send a message using both oral and written channels as
this redundancy captures the best of both media:
a.
Distribute a written text or outline that parallels your presentation.
b.
Follow a letter, fax, or email message with a phone call, or call first and
then write.
c.
Send a report or proposal and then make appointments with your readers
to discuss it.
In choosing a communication channel the considerations to observe are:
a.
Speed of establishing contact.
b.
Time required for feedback.
c.
Amount of information to be conveyed.
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d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
The control over how the message is composed and delivered.
The control over the receiver’s attention.
If it is personal or formal.
Cost.
If a permanent record is required.
If it is effective for detailed messages.
END
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