OB Chpt 11
channel
The channel is the medium through which the message travels.
Lying
The final barrier to effective communication is outright misrepresentation of information, or lying. - many lies are embedded in truths; liars usually give a somewhat true account with just enough details changed to avoid detection.
the grape vine
The informal communication network in a group or organization is called the grapevine. Although the rumors and gossip transmitted through the grapevine may be informal, it's still an important source of information.
communication process.
The key parts of this model are (1) the sender, (2) encoding, (3) the message, (4) the channel, (5) decoding, (6) the receiver, (7) noise, and (8) feedback.
Encoding
The message is the actual physical product of the sender's encoding
the reciever
The receiver is the person(s) to whom the message is directed, who must first translate the symbols into understandable form.
low-context cultures.
They rely essentially on spoken and written words to convey meaning; body language and formal titles are secondary.
decoding
This step is the decoding of the message.
lateral communication.
When communication takes place among members of the same work group, members of work groups at the same level, managers at the same level, or any other horizontally equivalent workers, we describe it as lateral communication.
information overload.
When the information we have to work with exceeds our processing capacity, the result is information overload.
the message
When we speak, the speech is the message.When we write, the writing is the message. When we gesture, the movements of our arms and the expressions on our faces are the message.
Filtering
refers to a sender's purposely manipulating information so the receiver will see it more favorably. A manager who tells his boss what he feels the boss wants to hear is filtering information.
The wheel
relies on a central figure to act as the conduit for all the group's communication; it simulates the communication network you would find on a team with a strong leader.
Noise
represents communication barriers that distort the clarity of the message, such as perceptual problems, information overload, semantic difficulties, or cultural differences.
The chain
rigidly follows the formal chain of command; this network approximates the communication channels you might find in a rigid three-level organization.
Sender
sender initiates a message by encoding a thought.The channel is the medium through which the message travels.
important messages of body language
(1) the extent to which we like another and are interested in the other person's views and (2) the perceived status between a sender and receiver.
informal channels
, which are spontaneous and emerge as a response to individual choices.
risk with email
-Risk of misinterpreting the message - Drawbacks for communicating negative messages -Time-consuming nature -Don't check e-mail in the morning -Check e-mail in batches -Unsubscribe. Stop sending e-mail -Limited expression of emotions - Privacy concerns.
advantages of oral
-speed and feedback
effective upward communication
-try to reduce distractions -communicate in headlines not paragraphs -support your headlines with actionable items -prepare an agenda to make sure you use your boss's attention well
a cultural guide
1)Assume differences until similarity is proven 2)Emphasize description rather than interpretation or evaluation 3) Practice empathy. 4) Treat your interpretations as a working hypothesis
cultural barriers
1)barriers caused by semantics. Words mean different things to different between cultures. 2) barriers caused by word connotations. Words imply different things 3)barriers caused by tone differences. In some cultures, language is formal; in others, it's informal. In some cultures, the tone changes depending on the context: 4) differences in tolerance for conflict and methods for resolving conflicts. Individuals from individualist cultures tend to be more comfortable with direct conflicts and will make the source of their disagreements overt. Collectivists are more likely to acknowledge conflict only implicitly and avoid emotionally charged disputes.
Reducting the Negative Consequences of Rumors
1. Provide information—in the long run, the best defense against rumors is a good offense 2. Explain actions and decisions that may appear inconsistent, unfair, or secretive. 3. Refrain from shooting the messenger—rumors are a natural fact of organizational life, so respond to them calmly, rationally, and respectfully. 4. Maintain open communication channels—constantly encourage employees to come to you with concerns, suggestions, and ideas.
rumor persistence
A rumor will persist until either the wants and expectations creating the uncertainty are fulfilled or the anxiety has been reduced. -The grapevine also serves employees' needs: small talk creates a sense of closeness and friendship among those who share information, although research suggests it often does so at the expense of those in the "out" group.
downward communication
Communication that flows from one level of a group or organization to a lower level is downward communication
E-mail uses the Internet to transmit and receive computer-generated text and documents
global implications
Effective communication is difficult under the best of conditions. Cross-cultural factors clearly create the potential for increased communication problems. A gesture that is well understood and acceptable in one culture can be meaningless or lewd in an- other.
language
Even when we're communicating in the same language, words mean different things to different people.
Feedback
Feedback is the check on how successful we have been in transferring our messages as originally intended. It determines whether or not understanding has been achieved.
Downward communication
Group leaders and managers use it to assign goals, provide job instructions, explain policies and procedures, point out problems that need attention, and offer feedback about performance. -managers must explain the reasons why a decision was made. Evidence clearly indicates, though, that explanations increase employee commitment and support of decisions
social network
In a desire to maintain control over employee use of social networking for professional purposes, many organizations have developed their own in-house social networking applications
selective perception
It appears again here because the receivers in the communication process selectively see and hear based on their needs, motivations, experience, background, and other personal characteristics.
silence
It's easy to ignore silence or lack of communication, precisely because it is defined by the absence of information -silence is likely where minority opinions are treated with respect, work group identification is high, and high procedural justice prevails
emotions
People in negative moods are more likely to scrutinize messages in greater detail, whereas those in positive moods tend to accept communications at face value.
Formal channels
are established by the organization and transmit messages related to the professional activities of members. They traditionally follow the authority chain within the organization.
communication apprehension
communication apprehension, or social anxiety.43 These people experience undue tension and anxiety in oral communication, written communication, or both.
Upward communication
flows to a higher level in the group or organization. It's used to provide feedback to higher-ups, inform them of progress toward goals, and relay current problems. Upward communication keeps managers aware of how employees feel about their jobs, co-workers, and the organization in general
Written communications
include memos, letters, fax transmissions, e-mail, instant messaging, organizational periodicals, notices placed on bulletin boards (including electronic ones), and any other device that transmits via written words or symbols. -written communications are more likely to be well thought out, logical, and clear.
instant messaging
instant messaging (IM) and text messaging (TM) use electronic media. Unlike e-mail, though, IM and TM either occur in real time (IM) or use portable communication devices (TM) - IM is preferable for one- or two-line messages that would just clutter up an e-mail inbox.
Videoconferencing
permits employees in an organization to have real-time meetings with people at different locations. Live audio and video images let participants see, hear, and talk with each other without being physically in the same location.
A blog (web log)
is a website about a single person or company. -Twitter is a hybrid social networking service that allows users to post "micro- blog" entries to their subscribers about any topic, including work. Many organizational leaders send Twitter messages ("tweets"), but they can also come from any employee about any work topic, leaving organizations with less control over the communication of important or sensitive information.
communication
must include both the transfer and the understanding of meaning. - The sender encodes the message (converts it to a sym- bolic form) and passes it through a medium (channel) to the receiver, who decodes it
The all-channel network
permits all group members to actively communicate with each other; it's most often characterized in practice by self-managed teams, in which all group members are free to contribute and no one person takes on a leadership role.
high-context cultures
such as China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, people rely heavily on nonverbal and subtle situational cues in communicating with others, and a person's official status, place in society, and reputation carry considerable weight.
oral communication
the chief means of conveying messages is oral communication. speeches, formal one on-one and group discussions, and the informal rumor mill or grapevine are popular forms of oral communication.
disadvantages of oral
the more people, the greater the potential distortion
disadvantages of written comm
time consuming lack of a built-in feedback mechanism
nonverbal communication
—which includes body movements, the intonations or emphasis we give to words, facial expressions, and the physical distance between the sender and receiver.