CHAPTER 8
Sometimes the feedback will also come
Communication- The sharing of information between two or
more people to achieve a common understanding about an
object or situation. Success occurs when the person
receiving the message understands it in the way the sender
intended.
Sender – the person who wishes to communicate a
message
Receiver – the person with whom the sender wishes to
communicate
Encoding – the process whereby a sender translates the
information he or she wishes to send into a message
Communication medium or channel – the manner in which a
message is conveyed
Decoding – the process whereby a receiver perceives a sent
message and interprets its meaning
Feedback – the process whereby a receiver encodes the
message received and sends it back to the original sender
Organizational Communication-
• Patterns of communication at the organizational
level – formal and informal
• Purpose to facilitate achievement of organizational
goals
• Involves the use of communication networks,
policies, and structures
Two-way Communication – communication that includes
feedback and an exchange of information between two or
more parties
One-way Communication – communication that does not
include feedback
Communication Network:
 Centralized networks – all communications pass
through a central point or points so that each
member of the network communicates with only a
small number of others – the Y and the Wheel
 Decentralized networks – many people or units can
communicate with many others – the Circle and the
All-Connected
DIRECTION OF COMMUNICATION
 Downward - From supervisor to subordinate job
instructions, Information on organization policies,
Performance feedback, Inform associates about the
organization’s goals and changes
 Upward - From subordinate to supervisor
Grievance procedures, Departmental
meetings, Participation in decisions, and
others
 Horizontal - Between associates at the same level.
Facilitates coordination among organizational units,
May arise from integrating positions (boundary-
spanning positions), 360-degree performance
feedback, sometimes referred to as lateral
communication
 360 Degree Feedback – feedback and appraisals
from a variety of levels – peers, subordinates, and
supervisors.
from customers, clients, suppliers, and others who
have contact with the individual.
 Interpersonal Communication- Direct verbal or
nonverbal interaction between two or more active
participants
 Formal – communication that follows the formal
structure of the organization – supervisor to
subordinate and communicates organizationally
sanctioned information. It can be slow
 Informal - involves spontaneous interactions
between two or more people outside the formal
structure, may reach more associates, can help
build cohesion and friendship among associates,
may include untrue rumors and gossip
 Rumors – unsubstantiated information of universal
interest, often created to deal with uncertainty
 Gossip – information that is presumed factual and
communicated in private or intimate settings, often
not specifically work related and focuses on such
things as others’ personal lives.
Communication Media
Richness depends on:
• The availability of feedback
• The use of multiple cues
• The use of effective language
• The extent to which the communication has a
personal focus
Richness - describes the amount of information a
medium can convey.
Equivocal messages are those that can be interpreted in
multiple ways
Richest: Face to face
Telephone
Electronic Messages
Personal Written Letters
Formal Written Letters
Least Rich: Formal numeric text
Nonverbal Communication- Communication that takes
place without using language, such as facial expressions
or body language
Body language (kinesics) - Facial expressions, Use of
hands, arms, legs and posture
Paralanguage (How something is said) - Tone and pitch
of voice, Use of silence
Gestures - Hand signals, shrugging one’s shoulders
Barriers to Effective Communication
 Organizational barriers – information overload,
noise, time pressures, breakdown in the
communication network, information
distortion, and cross-cultural barriers
 Individual barriers – differing perceptual bases,
semantic differences, consideration of self-
interest, personal space, and poor listening
skills
 • Know your audience
Organizational Barrier • Select an appropriate communication medium
Information Overload – receiving more information than • Encourage feedback
can be reasonably processed. • Regulate information flow and timing
Noise – Anything that disrupts communication or • Listen actively
distorts the message. Noise can be either an Steps to Effective Listening
organizational-level barrier or an individual-level 1. Listen empathetically
barrier. 2. Pay attention
Time Pressures – In most organizations work needs to 3. Stop talking
be done under deadlines, which create time pressures 4. Hear before evaluating
and constrain an individual’s ability to communicate. 5. Listen to the whole message
Network Breakdowns – Breakdowns in the 6. Send feedback
communication network frequently occur in large
organizations because so much information flows
through those networks.
Specialty Area Jargon – One problem in large, complex
organizations concerns the proliferation of specialists.
Specialists are highly knowledgeable within their own
fields but frequently have limited understanding of
other fields. In addition, they often have their own
“language,” or jargon
Information Distortion – It is common for information to
be distorted, either intentionally or unintentionally.
Unintentional distortion can occur because of various
problems, such as time pressures, or because of
perceptual differences. However, intentional distortion
often occurs because of competition between work
units in an organization.
Cross-Cultural Barriers - Cross-cultural barriers occur for
two general reasons: lack of language fluency and lack
of cultural fluency.
Cultural fluency – the ability to identify, understand,
and apply cultural differences that influence
communication.
COMMUNICATION AUDIT- Analysis of an organization’s
internal and external communication to assess
communication practices and capabilities and determine
needs
Recommended Audit Methodology
• Hold a planning meeting – approach and
commitment
• Conduct interviews with top management
• Collect, inventory, and analyze material
• Conduct associate interviews
• Prepare and administer a questionnaire to measure
attitudes toward communication
• Communicate survey results

Communication Climates- Associates’ perceptions regarding

the quality of communications within the organization.
Organizations can overcome communication
barriers by establishing mutual trust between
senders and receivers, communication credibility is
present, and feedback is encouraged
Individual Actions