Exam 3, Chapter 15

vertical communication

the flow of messages up and down the hierarch within the organization the more management levels through which the message passes=the more prone it is to some distortion

medium

the pathway by which a message travels

receiver

the person for whom the message is intended

sender

the person wanting to share information (called the message)

feedback

the receiver expresses his/her reaction to the sender's message

feedback barrier

the recipient doesn't respond enough

communication

the transfer of information and understanding from one person to another

grapevine

the unofficial communication system of the informal organization, a network of in-person and online gossip/rumor

what do small businesses rely on external communication for

to help grow their businesses

encoding

translating a message into understandable symbols/language

variations in the way we process/interpret information

use different frames of reference/experiences to interpret the world around you and selective in what you hear/what they mean these differences affect what we think we hear- different ethnic backgrounds i.e.

types of formal communication channels

vertical, downward, upward, horizontal, and external

informal communication channels

develop outside the formal structure and do not follow the chain of command- they're spontaneous, can skip management levels, and can cut across lines of authority

facial expressions of Japan

doesn't show as much expression

characteristics of grapevine and when is rumor mill more active

never silent and not always accurate more active when official communication is lacking

does age have any impact on media richness preference

no

sender barrier

no message gets sent

receiver barrier

no message is received

variations in trustworthiness/credibility

no trust=too much focus on defense tactics while communication low trust damages communication, which reduces outcomes like job satisfaction, creativity, collaboration, and performance (you should work on relationships first)

what can the message or the feedback be interrupted by

noise (static, slurring)

paraphrasing

occurs when people restate in their words the crux of what they heard/read (clarifies a message was accurately understood by asking them to paraphrase what you said)

disadvantages of written communication

often fail to convey nuances of meaning through tone of voice and body language (misinterpretation)- phone calls can cut through this

body movements and gestures open body, closed, or angling away

open body positions=express openness, warmth, closeness, and availability for communication closed=represent defensiveness angling away=looking disinterested

variable skills in communicating effectively

vocabulary, writing ability, speaking skills, facial expressions, eye contact, the dramatic ability, and social skills natural for some, learned for others

eye contact westerners, asians, and latin cultures

westerners do it to reflect interest/attention and convey honesty/respect Asians lower their eyes to show respect latin cultures lower their eyes to show remorse

when may information oversimplification happen

when using a lean medium for non routine matters

when may information overloading happen

when using a rich medium for routine matters (i.e. monthly sales reports)

how to be an effective communicator

when your intended message is accurately understood by the other person (maximize message with meaning)

gender differences in communication in the brain

women and men process language in different parts of the brain

what is the challenge in 2-way communication

more time, energy, and intimacy

types of downward communication

-instructions related to particular job tasks -explanations about the relationship between 2+ tasks -explanations of the organization's policies, practices, and procedures -a manager's feedback about a subordinate's performance -attempts to encourage a sense of mission and dedication to the organization's goals notes say: -long term strategies -competitive information about the external environment -policies, directives, goals, plans

faulty listening skills

-mindlessness -cell phones are a barrier to listening -tendency to judge others' messages -generational differences

overcoming interpersonal communication barriers

-realize that communication is imperfect -adapt the message to the receiver -improve your listening/language skills -question your preconceptions -plan for feedback -realize that communication is 2-way, not 1 -be objective with negative information, be subjective with positive information

types of upward communication

-reports of progression of current projects -reports of unsolved problems requiring help from people higher -new developments affecting the work unit -suggestions for improvements -reports on employee attitudes/efficiency notes say: -suggestions -feedback day to day detail -product/customer information

types of horizontal communication

-task coordination -problem solving -conflict resolution

what 3 ways can horizontal communication be embedded

1. by specialization that makes people focus on only their jobs 2. by rivalry between workers/work units (prevents sharing of information) 3. by lack of encouragement from management

barriers to interpersonal communication

1. bypassing (not being specific enough) 2. limited frame of reference (how you've lived) 3. lack of language skills 4. lack of listening skills 5. emotional interference

barriers to organizational communication

1. closed communication climate 2. top-heavy organizational structure 3. long lines of communication (too many manager telling too few workers what to do) 4. lack of trust between management and employees 5. competition for power, status, rewards 6. fear of reprisal for honest communication 7. differing frames of reference among communicators 8. lack of communication skills 9. ego involvement 10. turf wars

types of nonverbal communication

1. eye contact 2. facial expressions 3. body movement and gestures 4. touch 5. vocal tone, volume, word choice 6. appearance of people 7. time 8. space/territory 9. appearance of documents

basic principles to making the most of face-to-face communication in the work environment

1. make time for face-to-face 2. listen more and talk less 3. deliver good news up front; lead into bad 4. hold employee town hall meetings 5. use webcasts when you can't be there

process of communication

1. sender: encodes message, selects medium 2. message: is transmitted through a medium 3. receiver: decodes the message, decides if feedback is needed 4. feedback: receiver expresses reaction through a medium

personal barriers: individual attributes that hinder communication

1. variable skills in communicating effectively 2. variations in the way we process and interpret information 3. variations in trustworthiness and credibility 4. oversized egos; our pride, self-esteem, arrogance 5. faulty listening skills; i.e. mindlessness 6. tendency to judge others' messages 7. generational differences

how much time, as a manger, will you spend in horizontal communication

1/3

what percentage of what we communicate is nonverbal

55%

how much is interpreted 1-way vs. 2-ways

60% is interpreted 1-way, the other 40% is 2-ways

how much of all organizational communication is through grapevine

70%

jargon

a language barrier that's terminology specific to a particular profession/group can be nonverbal

what does the communication process described

a process consisting of a "sender transmitting a message through media to a receiver who responds)

mindlessness

a state of reduced attention- it's expressed in behavior that's rigid, or thoughtless

what does face-to-face presence allow the receiver and sender to do

allows receiver to observe multiple cues such as body language and tone of voice, allows sender to to get immediate feedback to see how well the receiver comprehended the message

noise where can noise occur

any disturbance that interferes with the transmission of a message can occur in the medium (static, fadeout, or loud music) or can occur in the encoding/decoding (languages) or not being specific)

1-way communication trap

appears to be better route (get more done), but it's not

components of texts, tweets, and emails be

be brief and they provide a record of the communication that in-person and phone communication don't they can also be sent without regard to time-zone differences

why is external communication increasingly important

because organizations desire to communicate with other stakeholders- customers, suppliers, shareholders, or other owners- in pursuit of their strategic goals

how do email, FB, and twitter messages vary in media richness

being leaner if they impersonally blanket a large audience and richer if they mix personal textural and video information that prompts quick conversational feedback

what does face time build

builds relationships and trust, shows respect for employees as individuals, and thus is highly motivating

what can oversized egos do

can cause political battles, turf wars, passionate pursuit of power (credit/resources-influence how we treat each other and how we're influenced by others)

why do we use nonverbal communication

comblement and illustrate reinforce and accentuate replace and substitute control and regulate contradict lasts longer (we remember)

medium barrier

communication channel is blocked

culture

comprises the idea, values, practices, and material objects that allow a group of people, even an entire society, to carry out their collective lives in relative order and harmony naturally effects the way we communicate language barriers often exist (i.e. jokes) nonverbal signs/symbols have different meanings (thumbs-up, crossed fingers, etc.)

nonverbal communication

consists of messages sent outside of the written or spoken word

what does effective upward communication depend on

depends on an atmosphere of trust

what should you not do for nonverbal communication

don't look away from the speaker, turn away from the speaker, speak too quickly/slowly, speak in an unpleasant tone, yawn excessively, close your eyes, or lick your lips, bite nails, or play with hair

face-to-face

employees value authentic human time with the boss

media richness from high to low examples

face-to-face presence, video-conferencing, telephone, personal written media (email, texts, memos, letters), and impersonal written media (newsletters, fliers, general reports)

external communication

flows between people inside and outside the organization

horizontal communication

flows within and between work units; it's main purpose is coordination sharing information, coordinating tasks, solving problems, resolving conflicts, and getting support of your peers

formal communication channels

follow the chain of command and are recognized as official

upward communication

from bottom to top- flow from a lower level to a higher level(s)

downward communication

from top to bottom-flows from a higher level to a lower level (or levels)

2 types of informal communication

grapevine and face-to-face

persuasive communication

having others accept, support, and act on message with meaning

high media richness vs. low media richness (when are each best)

high is best for non-routine, ambiguous situations (and it's the most personal) low is best for routine, clear situations (1 cue, no feedback)

media richness

indicates how well a particular medium conveys information and promotes learning (proposed by Richard Daft and Robert Lengel) richer=better at conveying information

decoding

interpreting and trying to make sense of the message

informational oversimplification

it doesn't provide enough of the information the receiver needs/wants

touch Asia and women

kissing on the cheek, patting on the shoulder, and embracing are offensive in Asia women touch more

what should you do for nonverbal communication

maintain eye contact, lean toward the speaker, speak in a quiet, reassuring tone, smile and show animation, occasionally nod head in agreement, and be aware of your facial expressions

official communications

memos, letters, reports, announcements

focus of messaging: gender and communication differences

men= focused on self and more lily to mention "me" or "I" women= focused on other person and more likely to mention "we" or "you"

taking credit: gender and communication differences

men= greater use of "I" statements; boast about achievements women= greater use of "we" statements; less likely to boast

nonverbal patterns: gender and communication differences

men= less expressive (smile less) and focus more on words than nonverbal cues, less likely to touch women= more expressive and skilled at deciphering nonverbal cues, more likely to touch

displaying confidence: gender and communication differences

men= less likely to indicate they're uncertain about an issue women= most likely to indicate a lack of certainty about an issue

talking patterns: gender and communication differences

men= more apt to interrupt women/talk over others women= less apt to interrupt men/talk over others

being polite: gender and communication differences

men= more likely to appear certain and definitive women=greater use of qualifiers and hedging

listening: gender and communication differences

men= more likely to take in words and content, less likely to use positive overlaps such as "yea" or "I see" to demonstrate listening women= more likely to hear words and emotions behind them, more likely to use positive overlaps such as "I agree" or "that's right" to demonstrate listening

encoding barrier

message is not expressed correctly

1-way communication

quick and easy, but receiver is less confident/accurate intention is not equal to interpretation

how do receivers interpret messages; what has this led to

receivers interpret messages by cognitively processing them has led to development of a perceptual model of communication that depicts it as a process in which receivers create meaning in their own minds

decoding barrier

recipient doesn't understand the message

barriers (1+ blocked step) to communication

sender barrier, encoding barrier, medium barrier, decoding barrier, receiver barrier, and feedback barrier

2-way communication

slow and hard, but receiver is more confident and accurate in executing intention=interpretation

what may smaller organizations vs. larger organizations do in downward communication

smaller organization may be face-to-face;larger organization is through meetings, email, official memos, and company publications

why is feedback essential

so that the person sending the message can kwon whether the receiver understood in the same way the sender intended and whether they agree or not component of communication accuracy and can be facilitated by paraphrasing

physical barriers

sound, time-zone differences, telephone-line static, and crashed computers+office design (space) (if it isolates people in cubicles or surrounds them with noisy open space) -Amazon's design with exotic plants

what does stress do to men vs. women

stress heightens different hormones in men and women-men tend to withdraw and isolate when problem solving; women seek out others for support and can interpret men's withdrawing as lack of caring

information overloading

the delivery of more information than necessary

how do women communicate vs. men

women view questioning as their best contribution and use questions to spark ideas, build consensus, and show concern for others men think women ask too many questions women feel excluded during meetings/discussions, but 90% of men feel women have equal opportunities to contribute women prefer to be asked to participate, men assume someone who doesn't voluntarily speak up has nothing to say

how to be an efficient communicator

you're efficient when you can transmit your message accurately in the lease time (minimize cost/time)

generational differences

young people differ in preferences for communication old people have technology problems