MODULE 4: Communication and Leadership ❖ A typical company manual is hundreds of pages long, so
it is not surprising that many employees do not want to read
UNIT 1: COMMUNICATION it. To reduce length problems, most organizations have two
types of company manual:
TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION The first, called a policy manual, is very specific and
-
To be an effective employee, manager, client, or -
lengthy, containing all of the rules and policies under
consultant, it is essential to communicate effectively -
which the organization operates.
with others. The second type, usually known as the employee
Most communication in organizations can be classified handbook, is much shorter and contains only the most
into four types: Upward communication, downward essential policies and rules, as well as general
communication, business communication, and summaries of less important rules.
informal communication. ○ Newsletters - designed to bolster employee morale by
discussing happy or innocuous events. Newsletters are good
1. Upward communication is the communication of sources of information for celebrating employee successes,
subordinates to superiors or of employees to managers. Of providing feedback on how well the organization is doing,
course, in ideal upward communication, employees speak introducing a new employee, and providing reminders
directly to management in an environment with an “open about organizational changes.
door” policy. ○ Intranet - to replace bulletin boards, newsletters, and
✓ Serial communication, the message is relayed from an company manuals, an increasing number of organizations
employee to her supervisor, who relays it to her supervisor, are turning to intranets organization-wide versions of the
who, in turn, relays it to her supervisor, and so on. Internet. through advertising online
➢ Drawbacks:
○ Content and tone of the message 3. Business Communication
○ MUM Effect (Minimize unpleasant message) ○ The transmission of business-related information among
in
○ Informal communication channel employees, management, and customers. sendingguess
questionnaire one-time
opinions onlywhose organizationing
in
✓ Memos - One of the most common methods of business
↑ Things that facilitate upward communication
○ Attitude surveys - usually conducted annually by an
communication is the memorandum or memo. Memos have
the advantage of providing detailed information to a large
outside consultant who administers a questionnaire asking number of people in a short time.
employees to rate their opinions on such factors as ✓ Phone calls - Another method of business
satisfaction with pay, working conditions, and supervisors. communication is the phone call. In the past, this method
↓ ○ Focus Groups and Exit Interviews – a method of was appropriate only when the message was short, and
Manyquest nee
upward communication is to hold focus groups, in which an when only a few people needed to receive the
in outside consultant meets with groups of current employees communication.
needed
to get their opinions and suggestions. ✓ Email and voicemail - Many memos and phone calls
o Suggestion box have been replaced with email, voice mail (sophisticated
o Third-Party facilitator phone-answering systems), and messengers. These are used
primarily to exchange general and/or timely information
2. Downward communication process in organizations and to ask questions.
has changed greatly over the years. ✓ Business meeting - a common method of business
✓ Things that facilitate upward communication communication is the dreaded committee meeting.
o Bulletin Boards - Their main use, however, is to ✓ Office design - to facilitate employee communication,
communicate on- work-related opportunities such as 70% of organizations have adopted what is formally called
scholarships, optional meetings, and items for sale. an “open” or “landscaped” office design and informally
o In-house message networks called a “cube farm”.
x o Policy Manual-Their main use is to communication ○ Individual work units are separated into cubicles by
importants
rules an work-related opportunities such as scholarships, optional such items as plants, bookcases, desks, and partitions. The
regulation
meetings, and items for sale. idea behind this design is that employees will communicate
v o Employee Handbook better with one another and be easier to supervises and help
minimal/lesque of
the
, without the physical barriers of walls. Problem Area 1: Intended Message Versus Message Sent
for effective communication.
4. Informal Communication/ Grapevine ○ the sender must know what she wants to say and how
○ It is a term that can be traced back to the Civil War she wants to say it. Interpersonal communication problems
when loosely hung telegraph wires resembled grapevines. can occur when the message a person sends is not the
The communication across these lines was often distorted. message she intended. There are three solutions to this
○ It is common because they provide employees with problem:
information, power, and entertainment. Thinking about What You Want to Communicate
Practice What You Want to Communicate
Learn Better Communication Skills
Problem Area 2: Message Sent Versus Message Received
Even though an individual knows what she wants to say and
says it exactly as she planned.
Factors:
The Actual Words Used: the particular word may
mean one thing in one situation but something else in
another. Communication can be improved if we choose
our words carefully and ask, “ How might the other
person interpret what I am about to say?”, what word
PEOPLE IN INFORMAL COMMUNICATION could I use that would be better? Communication
○ Isolates- employees who received less than half of the Channel Problems in communication can occur as a
information result of the communication channel through which
○ Liaisons- employees who both received most of the the message is transmitted. Information can be
information and passed it on to others communicated in a variety of ways, such as orally,
○ Dead-enders- those who heard most of the information nonverbally, through a second party, or a written
but seldom passed it on to other employees. medium such as a letter or memo.
Noise. The noise surrounding a transmission channel
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION can also affect the way a message is received. Noise
○ Involves the exchange of a message across a can be defined as any interference that affects the
communication channel from one person to another. The proper reception of a message.
interpersonal communication process begins with a sender Nonverbal Cues. Much of what we communicate is
encoding and transmitting a message across a conveyed by nonverbal means. Our words often say
communication channel (e.g., by memo, orally, nonverbally) one thing, but our actions say another.
and ends with another person (the receiver) receiving and Body Language. How we move and position our body.
decoding the message. Our body language communicates much to other
○ Although this seems like a simple process, there are people.
three main problem areas where things can go wrong and Use of Space. The ways people make use of space also
interfere with the accurate transmission or reception of the provide nonverbal cues about their feelings and
message. personality. Dominant people or those who have
authority are given more space by others and at the
Problem Area 1: Intended Message Versus Message Sent same time take space from others.
for effective communication. ○ The intimacy zone extends from physical contact to 18
Problem Area 2: Message Sent Versus Message Received inches away from a person and is usually reserved for close
Even though an individual knows what she wants to say and relationships such as dates, spouses, and family.
says it exactly as she planned. ○ The personal distance zone ranges from 18 inches to 4
Problem Area 3: Message Received Versus Message feet away from a person and is the distance usually reserved
Interpreted. for friends and acquaintances.
-------- ○ The social distance zone is from 4 to 12 feet away. and is
it is not surprising that many employees do not want to read
UNIT 1: COMMUNICATION it. To reduce length problems, most organizations have two
types of company manual:
TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION The first, called a policy manual, is very specific and
-
To be an effective employee, manager, client, or -
lengthy, containing all of the rules and policies under
consultant, it is essential to communicate effectively -
which the organization operates.
with others. The second type, usually known as the employee
Most communication in organizations can be classified handbook, is much shorter and contains only the most
into four types: Upward communication, downward essential policies and rules, as well as general
communication, business communication, and summaries of less important rules.
informal communication. ○ Newsletters - designed to bolster employee morale by
discussing happy or innocuous events. Newsletters are good
1. Upward communication is the communication of sources of information for celebrating employee successes,
subordinates to superiors or of employees to managers. Of providing feedback on how well the organization is doing,
course, in ideal upward communication, employees speak introducing a new employee, and providing reminders
directly to management in an environment with an “open about organizational changes.
door” policy. ○ Intranet - to replace bulletin boards, newsletters, and
✓ Serial communication, the message is relayed from an company manuals, an increasing number of organizations
employee to her supervisor, who relays it to her supervisor, are turning to intranets organization-wide versions of the
who, in turn, relays it to her supervisor, and so on. Internet. through advertising online
➢ Drawbacks:
○ Content and tone of the message 3. Business Communication
○ MUM Effect (Minimize unpleasant message) ○ The transmission of business-related information among
in
○ Informal communication channel employees, management, and customers. sendingguess
questionnaire one-time
opinions onlywhose organizationing
in
✓ Memos - One of the most common methods of business
↑ Things that facilitate upward communication
○ Attitude surveys - usually conducted annually by an
communication is the memorandum or memo. Memos have
the advantage of providing detailed information to a large
outside consultant who administers a questionnaire asking number of people in a short time.
employees to rate their opinions on such factors as ✓ Phone calls - Another method of business
satisfaction with pay, working conditions, and supervisors. communication is the phone call. In the past, this method
↓ ○ Focus Groups and Exit Interviews – a method of was appropriate only when the message was short, and
Manyquest nee
upward communication is to hold focus groups, in which an when only a few people needed to receive the
in outside consultant meets with groups of current employees communication.
needed
to get their opinions and suggestions. ✓ Email and voicemail - Many memos and phone calls
o Suggestion box have been replaced with email, voice mail (sophisticated
o Third-Party facilitator phone-answering systems), and messengers. These are used
primarily to exchange general and/or timely information
2. Downward communication process in organizations and to ask questions.
has changed greatly over the years. ✓ Business meeting - a common method of business
✓ Things that facilitate upward communication communication is the dreaded committee meeting.
o Bulletin Boards - Their main use, however, is to ✓ Office design - to facilitate employee communication,
communicate on- work-related opportunities such as 70% of organizations have adopted what is formally called
scholarships, optional meetings, and items for sale. an “open” or “landscaped” office design and informally
o In-house message networks called a “cube farm”.
x o Policy Manual-Their main use is to communication ○ Individual work units are separated into cubicles by
importants
rules an work-related opportunities such as scholarships, optional such items as plants, bookcases, desks, and partitions. The
regulation
meetings, and items for sale. idea behind this design is that employees will communicate
v o Employee Handbook better with one another and be easier to supervises and help
minimal/lesque of
the
, without the physical barriers of walls. Problem Area 1: Intended Message Versus Message Sent
for effective communication.
4. Informal Communication/ Grapevine ○ the sender must know what she wants to say and how
○ It is a term that can be traced back to the Civil War she wants to say it. Interpersonal communication problems
when loosely hung telegraph wires resembled grapevines. can occur when the message a person sends is not the
The communication across these lines was often distorted. message she intended. There are three solutions to this
○ It is common because they provide employees with problem:
information, power, and entertainment. Thinking about What You Want to Communicate
Practice What You Want to Communicate
Learn Better Communication Skills
Problem Area 2: Message Sent Versus Message Received
Even though an individual knows what she wants to say and
says it exactly as she planned.
Factors:
The Actual Words Used: the particular word may
mean one thing in one situation but something else in
another. Communication can be improved if we choose
our words carefully and ask, “ How might the other
person interpret what I am about to say?”, what word
PEOPLE IN INFORMAL COMMUNICATION could I use that would be better? Communication
○ Isolates- employees who received less than half of the Channel Problems in communication can occur as a
information result of the communication channel through which
○ Liaisons- employees who both received most of the the message is transmitted. Information can be
information and passed it on to others communicated in a variety of ways, such as orally,
○ Dead-enders- those who heard most of the information nonverbally, through a second party, or a written
but seldom passed it on to other employees. medium such as a letter or memo.
Noise. The noise surrounding a transmission channel
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION can also affect the way a message is received. Noise
○ Involves the exchange of a message across a can be defined as any interference that affects the
communication channel from one person to another. The proper reception of a message.
interpersonal communication process begins with a sender Nonverbal Cues. Much of what we communicate is
encoding and transmitting a message across a conveyed by nonverbal means. Our words often say
communication channel (e.g., by memo, orally, nonverbally) one thing, but our actions say another.
and ends with another person (the receiver) receiving and Body Language. How we move and position our body.
decoding the message. Our body language communicates much to other
○ Although this seems like a simple process, there are people.
three main problem areas where things can go wrong and Use of Space. The ways people make use of space also
interfere with the accurate transmission or reception of the provide nonverbal cues about their feelings and
message. personality. Dominant people or those who have
authority are given more space by others and at the
Problem Area 1: Intended Message Versus Message Sent same time take space from others.
for effective communication. ○ The intimacy zone extends from physical contact to 18
Problem Area 2: Message Sent Versus Message Received inches away from a person and is usually reserved for close
Even though an individual knows what she wants to say and relationships such as dates, spouses, and family.
says it exactly as she planned. ○ The personal distance zone ranges from 18 inches to 4
Problem Area 3: Message Received Versus Message feet away from a person and is the distance usually reserved
Interpreted. for friends and acquaintances.
-------- ○ The social distance zone is from 4 to 12 feet away. and is
