CHAPTER 1 Communicating at Work

(I) VSQA 1. How are business communicators affected by the emergence of global competition, flattened management hierarchies, and expanded team-based management? Global competition means that communicators must develop new talents such as cultural knowledge and sensitivity, flexibility, patience, and tolerance. Flattened management hierarchies mean that nearly every employee must have highly developed communication skills. Increased emphasis on team-based management requires that workers be proficient in communication, interpersonal, negotiation, and collaboration skills. 2. How are business communicators affected by the emergence of innovative communication technologies, new work environments, and an increasingly diverse workforce? Innovative communication technologies (including e-mail, voicemail, fax, teleconferencing, presentation software, and so forth) mean that business communicators must develop new skills to use these tools effectively. Changing work environments bring telecommuting, tight working quarters, increased stress, and teamwork demands. These changes along with an increasingly diverse workforce mean that business communicators must learn techniques to work harmoniously and productively. 3. Define communication and explain its most critical factor. Communication is the transmission of information and understanding from one individual or group to another. The crucial factor is understanding. Unless the receiver understands the meaning intended by the sender, communication has not taken place. 4. Describe the five steps in the process of communication. The five steps of the communication process are as follows: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) The sender has an idea. The sender encodes a message. A channel carries the message. The receiver decodes the message. Feedback returns to the sender.

5. List four barriers to interpersonal communication. Four barriers to interpersonal communication include the following: (1) Bypassing. People misunderstand because words have different meanings for individuals. (2) Frame of reference. Everyone screens perception through a cultural, educational, and social filters. (3) Lack of language skill. Individuals without adequate language skills have difficulty encoding and decoding messages. (4) Distractions. Emotional distractions include joy, rage, and sorrow. Physical distractions include acoustics, noisy surroundings, poor printing, careless formatting, sloppy appearance, and poor proofreading. All distractions create noise in the communication process and disrupt transmission. 6. Name five specific ways in which you can personally reduce barriers in your communication. To reduce interpersonal communication barriers, you can do the following: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Recognize that the communication process is imperfect Adapt a message to the receiver Improve your language and listening skills Question your preconceptions Plan for feedback

7. What are the advantages of oral, face-to-face communication? The advantages of oral communication are as follows: (1) Misunderstandings are minimized. (2) Communicators see facial expressions and hear voice inflections, thus providing nonverbal cues. (3) Individuals can reach consensus. (4) Oral communication is easy, feels warm and natural, and promotes friendships. (5) Oral communication is safer for sensitive messages that could cause trouble if revealed publicly. 8. What are the advantages of written communication? The advantages of written communication are as follows: (1) It provides a permanent record. (2) It allows the writer to develop a well - considered message. (3) It may be composed when convenient and read when convenient.

9. Within organizations how do formal and informal channels of communication differ? Formal channels of communication include e-mail, newsletters, official announcements, voicemail, and company videos. Informal channels of communication include the grapevine, which carries unofficial information. 10. Describe three directions in which communication flows within organizations and what barriers can obstruct each? Downward communication, which includes information flowing from management to employees, may be distorted by long lines of communication. Upward communication, flowing from employees back to management, may be obstructed by mistrust, poor communication skills, differing frames of reference, and fear of reprisal for honest communication. Horizontal communication, which exists between coworkers at the same level, may be impeded by poor communication skills, prejudice, ego involvement, competition, and cold wars.

(II) SQA 1. Why should business and professional students strive to improve their communication skills, and why is it difficult or impossible to do it on their own? Business and professional students need superior communications skills because they are now part of a knowledge society where generating, processing, and exchanging information are critical functions of nearly every job. Developing communications skills is difficult unless one has model documents and presentations, excellent instructional materials, practice opportunities, and feedback from an expert. 2. Recall a time when you experienced a problem as a result of poor communication. What were the causes and possible remedies for the problem? Students answers will vary but should include some of the following concepts: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Incorrect/misleading word choice caused receiver to bypass intended meaning. Verbal message and nonverbal message did not agree. Hearing the message and listening to the message are entirely different. Too much noise or other distractions were present. Concentrating on evaluating the message rather than concentrating on the meaning of the message being communicated.