CHAPTER 17:
COMMUNICATION AND
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
The Communication Process
 Communication: the process of sending and
receiving symbols with meaning attached
 The sender converts the intended message
into symbols of significance which are both
verbal and non verbal
 The message is sent through a
communication channel (forms of
communication) to a receiver who interprets
the meaning
 The message might be misinterpreted by the
receiver
 Feedback is when the receiver responds to the
sender
Effective Communication
 Effective Communication: The receiver fully
understands the intended meaning of the
message
Efficient Communication: occurs at minimum
cost, however is not always affective due to
messages that are interpreted incorrectly
 According to scholar, Jay Conger “many
managers confuse persuasion with taking bold
stands and aggressive arguing”.
 This often leads to counter persuasion resulting
in employees doubting the manager’s credibility
 Credibility: trust, respect and integrity in the
eyes of others
 To build credibility through expertise one must
be knowledgeable and have experience on the
topic at hand
 Iron Rule: It is easier to get someone to do what
you want if they like you
Persuasion and Credibility
in Communication
 Communication often includes one person
influencing another in a desired manner
Persuasion is presenting a motivational
message, causing others to support it. This is
one of the most important purposes of
communication
Managers get tasks completed by persuading
employees rather than giving orders
Managers must be able to persuade others
repeatedly in the workplace
Communication Barriers
 Communication is a two-way process that
requires effort from the sender and the receiver
to
 Noise: any obstacle in the communication
process
Communication Channels and
Non verbal Signals
 A communication channel is a medium in
which a sender conveys a message to a
receiver
 Non verbal communication is gestures and
body language
 Mixed Message is when one’s words do not
match their body language
 Filtering is when one has to edit information
to make it more favourable to the recipient
Improving Communication
 Barriers can be overcome by:
1. Active listening
2. Making constructive use of feedback
3. Opening upward communication channels
4. Understanding proxemics and use of space
5. Utilizing technology
6. Valuing diversity
Use of Communication Channels
 Channel Richness is the capacity of a
communication channel to carry out
information in an effective manner
 Face to face communication is high in
richness while reports and memos are low in
richness
Interactive Management
 Management by wandering around (MBWA)
is when managers spend time with
employees at all levels to meet and talk with
them
 The objectives of this is to break down status
barriers and increase interpersonal contact
 360 Degree Feedback includes feedback from
bosses, peers and subordinates about one’s
performance
Proxemics and Space Design
 The distance between people conveys various
intentions in terms of intimacy, openness and
status
 The physical layout of an office is a form of
non verbal communication
END OF DAY ONE
CHAPTER 17:
COMMUNICATION AND
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
Technology Utilization
 Knowing how and when to use e-mail is the
biggest communication problem for people in
organizations today
 Purpose and privacy are two concerns, to
help you should:
1. Find out the employer’s policy on personal
e-mails and follow it
2. Remember that there is no e-mail privacy at
work
Valuing Culture and
Diversity
 Ethnocentrism is the tendency to consider
one’s culture to be superior to any other
 This can affect communication in many ways:
1. Can cause one to not listen to what others
have to say
2. Can cause one to speak with others in ways
that will alienate them
3. Can cause one to use inappropriate
stereotypes when dealing with people from
a different culture
The Perception Process
 Perception is the process through which
people receive, organize and interpret
information from the environment
 Our perception is the way we process
information that guide our actions and how
we form impressions about ourselves, others
and daily life experiences
Perception and Attribution
 Attribution is the process of developing
explanations for events that occur
 A fundamental attribution error is when an
internal factor is being judged rather than an
external factor, like one’s performance
 Self Serving Bias is when an individuals blame
their personal failures on external causes
rather than internal causes
Perceptual Tendencies and
Distortions
 Stereotypes occurs when a group or person is
singled out by their gender, age or race
 Halo Effects is when one factor of a person or
situation results into an assumption of their over
all impression
 Selective Perception is the tendency to define a
problem from ones point of view
 Projection is when one assumes that everyone
shares the same value, needs and desires
Conflict
 Conflict is a disagreement between people on
different issues
 Substantive Conflicts disagreements over
goals and tasks
 Emotional Conflict disagreements over
feelings
 Functional Conflict is constructive and helps
task performance
 Dysfunctional Conflict is deconstructive and
hurts task performance
How to Deal with Conflicts
 When a conflict arises a manager can either
resolve it or suppress it. Suppress conflicts
tend to linger and occur at a later time
 Conflict Resolution eliminates emotional
reasons for a conflict
Conflict Management Styles
 Avoidance when one pretends that conflict




does not exist
Accommodation is to smooth over differences
to maintain harmony
Competition being assertive and working
against the wishes of the competitors
Compromise being cooperative and assertive
by finding acceptable solutions
Collaboration attempting to satisfy
everyone's concerns and solving problems so
that everyone's benefits
Negotiation
 Negotiation is making joint decisions when
individuals have different preferences
 Distributive Negotiation “claims” made by
each individual for certain preferred
outcomes
 Principled/Integrative Negotiation is a “win,
win” orientation that both sides find
acceptable
Gaining Integrative
Agreements
 Roger Fisher and William Ury’s Four
Negotiation Rules:
1. Separate people from the problem
2. Focus on interests, not positions
3. Generate many alternatives before deciding
what to do
4. Insist that results be based on some
objective standard
Dispute Revolution
 Mediation involves a neutral third party who
attempts to improve communication and
keep both parties focused on the issue
 Arbitration is a neutral third party making
decisions that resolve disputes
 Anyone involved in the negotiation process
should think ethically
 The desire to behave unethically sometimes
arises but one should remain rational when
faced with challenging situations
CHAPTER 17:
COMMUNICATION AND
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS