Vertical Communication

Vertical Communication consists of communication up and down the organizations chain

of command. Downward communication starts with top management and flows down
through management levels to line workers and non-supervisory personnel. The major
purposes of downward communication are to advise inform direct instruct and evaluate
employees and to provide organization mem!ers with information a!out organizational
goals and policies. This is what "ockaday is doing at "allmark. The main function of
upward communication is to supply information to the upper levels a!out what is
happening at the lower levels. This type of communication includes progress reports
suggestions e#planations and re$uests for aid or decisions. %t "allmark "ockaday
participates in !oth downward and upward communication processes.
&n some companies hotlines provide vehicles for additional upward and downward
communication. 'ore than ()) companies now offer hotlines such as *"elpline+ at
,aste 'anagement *-uideline+ at .yne# *,e Care "otline+ at %merican -reetings
and *the /)) num!er+ at 0aytheon. 1uch hotlines are used for different purposes though
many are used to inform managers of situations involving employees such as allegations
of se#ual harassment. &n the light of the federal sentencing guidelines that mandate stiff
fines for corporate crimes it pays for companies to offer such services often toll free and
anonymous !ecause fines are decreased for companies who can prove that they teach
employees a!out ethics.
%t 2gilvy 3 'ather on line information is availa!le through *2gilvy 2n4ine+ which
works as a kind of corporate culture machine. % menu ena!les employees and guests to
scan up-to-date information a!out the company its client and the industry and to hear
from the companys legendary founder David 2gilvy. "e is a passionate man and it is
wonderful to hear the words coming out of his mouth. 2ne month he is doing something
on direct marketing another month he is in &ndia. "is perspective is what started it all. %
V.5 says they make an effort to maintain what David 2glivy started in terms of the
2gilvy culture. "e has particular views on very on every aspect of communication 6and
on conducting7 !usinesses in a gentlemanly manner. -etting some of him on film is very
meaningful. &ts a great way to keep in touch with the client stories.
5ro!lems of vertical Communication8 Downward communication is likely to !e filtered
modified or halted at each level as managers decide what should !e passed down to their
employees. 9pward communication is likely to !e filtered condensed or altered !y
middle managers who see it as part of their jo! to protect upper management from
nonessential data originating at the lower levels. &n addition middle managers may keep
information that would reflect unfavora!ly on them for reaching their managers. Thus
vertical communication is often at least partially inaccurate or incomplete.
5ro!lems in downward communication e#ist when managers do not provide employees
with the information they need to carry out their tasks effectively. 'anagers are often
overly optimistic a!out the accuracy and completeness of their downward
communication. &n fact they can fail to pass on important information :such as a higher
level change in policy; or to instruct employees ade$uately on how to perform their
duties. This lack of communication is sometimes deli!erate as when managers withhold
information to keep employees dependent on them. The net effect of incomplete
downward communication is that employees can feel confused uniformed or powerless
and might fail to carry out their tasks properly.
The auto-repair service of 1ears 0oe!uck 3 Company provides one e#ample of
downward vertical communications going awry with ethical implications. &n (<<= 1ears
was inundated with complaints that consumers had !een misled a!out needed automotive
repairs. ,hat appears to have created the situation is the communication of increased
work of increased work $uotas and the introduction of productivity incentives for
mechanics. %t the time 1ears was facing declining revenues and looking for a means to
spur performance. 9nfortunately some employees judgment suffered and management
failed to clarify the line !etween unnecessary service and legitimate preventive
maintenance. This situation coupled with customer ignorance created a vast gray area
su!ject to a wide range of interpretation.
Lateral and Informal Communication
4ateral communication usually follows the pattern of work flow in an organization
occurring !etween mem!ers of work groups !etween one work group and another
!etween mem!ers of different departments and !etween line and staff employees. The
main purpose of lateral communication is to provide a direct channel for organizational
coordination and pro!lem solving. &n this way it avoids the much slower procedure of
directing communications through the chain of command. %n added !enefit of lateral
communication is that it ena!les organization mem!ers to form relationships with their
peers. %s we have seen these relationships are an important part of employee
satisfaction.
The large amount of lateral communication that takes place outside the chain of
command often occurs with the knowledge approval and encouragement of managers
who understand that lateral communication may help relieve their communication !urden
and also reduces inaccuracy !y putting relevant people in direct contact with each other.
2ne type of informal communication not officially sanctioned is the grapevine. The
grapevine within organizations is made up of several informal communication networks
that overlap and intersect at a num!er of points that is some well informed individuals
are likely to !elong to more than one informal network. -rapevines circumvent rank or
authority and can link organization mem!ers in any com!ination of directions >
horizontal vertical and diagonal. The grapevine flows around water coolers down
hallways through lunch rooms and wherever people get together in groups.
&n addition to its social and informal communication functions the grapevine has several
work related functions. ?or e#ample although the grapevine is hard to control it often
operates much faster than formal communication channels. 'anagers may use it to
distri!ute information through planned *leaks+ or judiciously placed *just-!etween-you-
and-me+ remarks.
Davis identified four possi!le types of grapevine chains. &n the single strand chain
person % tells something to person @ who tells it to person C and so on down the line.
This chain is least accurate at passing on information. &n the gossip chain one person
seeks out and tells every one the information he or she has o!tained. This chain is often
used when information of an interesting !ut non-jo! related nature is !eing conveyed. &n
the pro!a!ility chain &ndividuals are indifferent a!out whom they offer information to.
They tell people at random and those people in turn tell others at random. This chain is
likely to !e used when the information is mildly interesting !ut insignificant. &n the
cluster chain person % conveys the information to a few selected individuals some of
whom then inform a few selected others.
Davis !elieves that the cluster chain is the dominant grapevine pattern in organizations.
9sually only a few individuals called *liaison individuals+ pass on the information they
have o!tained and they are likely to do so only to people they trust or from they would
like favors. They are most likely to pass on information that is interesting to them jo!
related and a!ove all timely
Communication !y organizations8
2rganizations also pay attention to the messages they send to e#ternal stakeholders such
as customer. The &talian Chemical Compnay AniChem 5olimeri instituted a 0esponsi!le
Care 5rogram to communicate to !oth the community and its employees its corporate
commitment to the environment. The program has opened an internal dialogue with
company employees and has amplified e#ternal relations to create greater awareness of
environmental concerns.
Communication with customers is vital. 1chummel .ovelty 5roducts &nc. which e#ports
plastic ta!le cloths that can !e colored !y children erased with a rag and colored again
emphasizes attention to detail especially during international transactions. ?or this
reason 1chummel is careful to fa# to its overseas customers precise shipment
information including flight and time of arrival. &n addition the company reaches most of
its overseas customer !y advertising in the Commerce Departments catalog magazine
Commercial .ews 91% and sending !rochures price lists and ordering information to
anyone who answers the ad. B
Actuarial aspirations
The term actuary commonly referred to as insurance is a promising area for those with
an affinity for the financial sector. %ctuarial science deals with the application of
mathematics principles to assess risks of insurance and premium and actuaries are
organizations that provide services to sectors like finance and investment insurance
:health life general; and several !enefit plans with reference to employee retirement.
%ctuarial science includes a num!er of interrelating disciplines including pro!a!ility and
statistics finance and economies. &nsurance or actuary is now !eing considered as a very
proficient course unlike its earlier image of !eing the common mans cup of tea.
'oreover in recent times due to advancement in technology and use of high speed
computers and the synergy of stochastic actuarial models are used with modern financial
theory.
(. 1tarting pay package after a course in actuary from institute8 0s (C))) to 0s =C)))
p.m
=. 1enior level pay package 8 0s seven to eight lakh per annum
D. 5ackage after clearing all (C %1&-approved papers8 0s =C to 0s EC lakh per annum
E. 5ackage after clearing a couple of %1& papers8 0s seven to eight lakh per annum
Aligi!ility Avaluation8
The innumera!le courses on actuarial science that have mushroomed are in fact
testimonies to the !oom !eing witnessed in this area. These courses provide students with
valid certifications to take a lead in this profession. '.1 who teaches actuary at a Delhi-
!ased private institute informs *%ctuary is taught in &ndia as a three year degree course
though several short term courses are also offered !y many institutions. The courses on
actuary are @% :insurance; @% with insurance as a su!ject 5- Diploma 'anagement
and a certificate course in intermediaries in specific insurance su!jects. %lso there are
several courses for insurance agents insurance managers foundation in financial
planning etc.
&t is very important for students to know that the courses offered !y private colleges in
actuary in spite of their valid recognition are neither at par with the %1& :%ctuary
1ociety &ndia; certification nor can they provide a similar kind of professional standing.
Thus it is crucial for a serious student to take up the (C papers of %1& in addition to the
institutional teaching to !ecome a fully accredited actuary.
The %1& papers can !e taken at different academic levels and the general $ualification
parameters are that the person is eligi!le to !e considered for admission if he or she has
completed (/ years of age has passed ()F= or an e$uivalent with at least /C percent in
mathematics Gstatistics or graduated or completed post-graduation with mathematical
su!jects or specialized in any of the mathematics !ranches or statistics or applied
statistics or econometrics. "e also e#plains that one has to clear the following stages in
order to !ecome a full fledged actuary. The stages comprise the core technical stage core
applications stage specialist technical stage and specialist application stage. &f you have a
5- degree in actuary from a private or -overnment university you need to meet the
minimum $ualifications of the concerned university.
&nstitute ,atch8
(. %ctuary 1ociety if &ndia 'um!ai
=. &nstitute of Certified 0isk and insurance 'angers "ydera!ad
D. 9niversity of Delhi Delhi
E. The College of Vocational 1tudies :9niversity of Delhi;.
C. %cademy of insurance 'anagement %sia 5acific institute of 'anagement .ew Delhi
H. @irla &nstitute of 'anagement Technology .ew Delhi
I. -oa 9niversity -oa
/. Jurukshetra 9niversity
<. 9niversity of @om!ay 'um!ai
(). 9niversity of 5une
((. 9niversity of Chennai
(=. 9niversity of Jalyani
%n aspirant who intends to !ecome an %ctuary with &nsurance companies must have an
aptitude for 'athematics and must also !e !rilliant in the su!ject. ?or a good pay and
reaching senior level positions he must aim to complete 5ost graduation in the su!ject.
Ideas developed must be executed
There is a very good ma#im a!out creativity in advertising and that is its /)K idea. @ut
its also /)K e#ecution. ,hat this contradictory statement is telling us is ideas and
e#ecutions cant e#ist without each other. %n idea is only as good as the way it has !een
e#pressed. %nd this is where e#ecution is fundamentally important.
The need to craft an idea so its e#pressed with clarity and power is as important as the
idea itself. Creating ideas that connect with people isnt only to !e found in the power of
the idea8 its also in the manner of its telling.
,hy does one idea work !etter than anotherL ,hy does a seemingly o!vious idea end up
!eing more powerful than one that at first seems more profoundL This of course is a
de!ate that will always e#ist. @ut one thing that gets over looked in this de!ate is the
philosophical intent of an idea. Crafting a great idea is not just a!out selecting the right
type face or layout or engaging the most e#pensive director.
&ts a!out understanding the philosophical forces that drive a concept. ,e more often
refer to it as the MTone of Voice !ut it goes deeper than that. ,hen a great writer painter
or director talks a!out their work they more often than not talk a!out the philosophical
forces that drive their thinking. &t is that which empowers their creative decision making
process. %nd so it is for managers in advertising.
,hen an ad man comes to craft an idea the means !y which he does so not only captures
the viewers attention !ut also enhances the idea itself. % piece of communication needs
to have its idea running throughoutN its not just the clever way the headline is written !ut
in the design of the typography and its imagery too.
Averything a!out the e#ecution needs to have a reason. That is the function of crafting.
To understand what drives the idea. @ut what makes one piece of work greater than
anotherL ,hy do some ideas stand the test of time while others date and soon look
clumsyL
The truth of that is locked into the power of the concept itself like it must !e fresh
profound and simple or appropriate. @ut an idea does not e#ist in a vacuum. &t has to !e
e#pressed. &t has to e#ist somewhere so we can enjoy it and share it. %nd this is where
craft and e#ecution elevate the status of the idea. %nd turn good into great.
Time of course is creativitys greatest critic and sometimes its instructive to look !ack to
try and understand what separates great from just good. @ut as our work increasingly
lives in a multitude of evolving media platforms its essential we also look ahead. ,e
must appreciate how ideas move from one medium to another and yet stay consistent all
the while understanding how to create a genuine !ond !etween the e#ecution and the
consumer.
,hat marks a campaign as great is when it is crafted with a complete understanding of its
purpose and what it is a!out its idea that will make it stand out. Aach element needs to
compliment the ne#t creating an e#perience that stands the test of time.
There is a seamlessness !etween creation and e#ecution. %part from an ads commercial
success and therefore effectiveness greatness is found in its e#istence as a !ody of work
that employed the aforementioned principles and that elevates good to outstanding.
To really do this we have to understand the philosophical forces that drive our ideas and
their e#ecution.
the 5ower of &deas
&deas are everywhere they are omnipresent !ut it takes practice to develop an idea.
%ny!ody can get a good idea !ut whether its a !ig idea is not known. % good idea is like
a diamond which has to !e polished continuously to give it the right shine and to make it
shine from every angle. ,hen the idea goes out there it should look its !est just like the
diamond looks its !est in the showroom and to make an idea the !est is a challenge.
,hen someone is suggesting an idea hear it patiently and attentively B never confuse
him or the idea he has may !e lost. "ear the idea as it is nurture it and something that
appeared like a good idea in the !eginning with the right amount of polishing could
!ecome a !ig idea.
0espect every idea shape the idea implement it and choose a way of e#pressing it in a
way that shows it in the !est light. &t is very important to encourage people !ecause only
when a person is unafraid to think of ideas he can dream !ig. &f there is lack of
encouragement then young people may fear voicing their ideas and the fear of unknown
may result in many ideas not seeing the light of day.
The world is full of ideas they are everywhere. %n idea which has taken this form todayN
mo!ile phones i5ods the internet are all !ig ideas. They pro!a!ly started as a germ of an
idea in some!odys head someone pursued it improved upon it and now it is in front of
us in its !est form. &f it wasnt for ideas then life would have !een the same over the
centuries. ,e would still have !een living like the people !ack in the (Eth century.
%t least right now we have no fear of e#pressing our ideas !ut people in the past would
get killed or !utchered for their ideas. There is no such fear now. -ood ideas are
everywhere they just need to !e spotted and polished to make it a great idea.
Negotiating to manage Conflicts
,e each must deal with conflict in our personal lives and organizational activities.
Conflict involves a disagreement a!out the allocation of scarce resources or a clash of
goals statuses values perceptions or personalities. 'uch of the conflict we e#perience
arises from our communication of our wants needs and values to others. 1ometimes we
communicate clearly !ut others have differing needs. 1ometimes we communicate
poorly and conflict emerges !ecause others misunderstand us. 'anagers can of course
use dominance and suppression in handling conflicts with employees. @ut negotiation can
help us manage conflicts of all types in a more effective and mutually satisfying way.
.egotiation is a process !y which two parties interact through various communications
channels to resolve a conflict jointly.
.egotiation is a very important communication process. &t is part of every managers jo!
> as an interpersonal role per 'intz!ergs categories. .egotiations are perhaps most
visi!le in the conte#t of la!or management relations. 4ater in this article we cite a num!er
of e#amples taken from the conte#t of la!or management relations in the 9nited 1tates
today.
Daily life offers countless e#amples of negotiation. ,e negotiate with a car dealer to !uy
a car. ,e negotiate with friends a!out which recreational activities to pursue. ,e
negotiate with our !oss a!out working hours and conditions. Top ranking managers
negotiate with ,all 1treet analysts over earnings e#pectations with union leaders over
contract provisions with environmentalists over the *!est+ way to prevent or clean up
pollution and with employees over particular work assignments. %ll these *negotiation
situations+ are defined !y three characteristics.
(. There is a conflict of interest !etween two or more partiesN that is what one wants is
not necessarily what the other one wants.
=. Aither there is no fi#ed or esta!lished set of rules or procedures for resolving the
conflict or the parties prefer to work outside of a set of rules and procedures to invent
their own solution to the conflict.
D. The parties at least for the moment prefer to search for agreement rather than to fight
openly to have one side capitulate to !reak off contact permanently or to take their
dispute to a higher authority for resolution.
'any factors are important to successful negotiating as shown. The actual negotiation
process > the series of offers and counteroffers that we think of as the heart of the
negotiation depends on8 :(; whether the parties see their interest as depending on each
other :regardless of whether they actually do or not;N :=; the e#tent of trust or distrust
!etween the partiesN :D; each partys a!ility to communicate clearly and to persuade or
coerce the other party to accept its point of viewN :E; the personalities and idiosyncrasies
of the actual people involvedN and :C; the goals and interests of the parties.
.egotiation is a comple# communication process all the more so when one round of
negotiations is just an episode in a longer term relationship. 1uch is often the case in
la!or management relations. 5reparation is a key concern for the negotiator. That
preparation should include a review of the history of previous negotiating sessions and
pervious negotiated outcomes. The negotiator risks a great deal if he or she acts as if
history is unimportant to the other party. This entanglement of relationships and time in
the negotiating process is clear in the guidelines offered !y 0eed 0ichardson for
conducting negotiations.
.ot too how often the value of planning is implied in the list of guidelines.
2rganizational strategies and functional plans serve as standards and thresholds that set
limits on what a negotiator should and should not do.
"Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else." Peter F.Drucker
Time is the scarcest resource, unless it is managed, nothing else can be managed.
Time unlike other resources cannot be saved for a rainy day or accumulated. In spite
of time being so precious, most of us waste nothing so quite thoughtlessly as time.
Although all people have different talents, skills and personalities, each has exactly
the same amount of time.
Effective Time Management
Obectives
Planning
rgani!ing
Prioriti!ing
"cheduling
#sage f Planning Tools
!ourse !ontents
"#$%& 'M()$*)PM+
$inding time stealers
%ategories of time use&
Planning and priority setting
'elegation
(oal)setting
Procrastinations * Interruptions * +ental blocks.
"aying ,-o,.
Pareto.s principle
Parkinson.s law
/reaking the habit of procrastination
'istinguish between tension)relieving and result)achieving activities
Personal time value and use of Prime time
+aking best use of your odd moments
#sing time to produce results
Take decisions and delegate effectively
'ifferentiate between important and urgent tasks
Plan more effectively.
+anage stress more effectively by meeting deadlines.
Inspire and motivate people
0licit high levels of involvement in work
1elp people eliminate dysfunctional behaviors , beliefs, habits
1elp people increase efficiency, effectiveness, and excellence
Trigger their %reativity to solve problems