CHAPTE

7
Communication

Copyright 2016 Pearson Canada

Inc.

Chapter Outline
The Communication Process
Choosing a Channel

Barriers to Effective Communication

Filtering
Selective Perception
Information Overload
Emotions
Language
Silence
Nonverbal Communication
Lying
Copyright 2016 Pearson Canada
Inc.

Chapter Outline
Organizational Communication

Direction of Communication
Small-Group Networks
The Grapevine
Electronic Communications

Copyright 2016 Pearson Canada

Inc.

Learning Outcomes
1.
2.

Explain the communication process and the elements involved .

Discuss the implications of barriers to effective communication such as filtering,
selective perception, defensiveness, information overload, language and
communicating under stress.
3. Explain how the following different types of organizational
communication aid or hinder organizational effectiveness communication direction, small groups, the grapevine and, electronic communication.
4. Discuss the implications of the following communication issues: nonverbal
behaviour or signals, silence, gender differences
and, cultural differences.

1. Contrast downward, upward, and lateral communication.

2. Compare and contrast formal small-group networks and the grapevine.
3. Show how to overcome the potential problems in cross-cultural communication.
Copyright 2016 Pearson Canada
Inc.

Learning Outcomes
5. Describe how to combine the concepts of
communication to improve individual, group and
organizational effectiveness.
6. Describe how to manage information given
current technology.
7. Explain how global factors influence
communication.
Good communication skills are very important
to your career success.

Copyright 2016 Pearson Canada

Inc.

Communication Channels
Formal channels
Traditionally follow the authority chain
within the organization
Transmit messages related to the
professional activities of members

Informal channels
Personal or social messages which are
spontaneous and emerge as a response
to individual choices
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Communication Terms
Encoding
Converting a message to symbolic form.

Decoding
Interpreting a senders message.

Message
What is communicated.

Channel
The medium through which a message
travels.
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Communication Terms
Noise
Communication barriers that distort the
clarity of the message

Feedback
Checks how successful we have been in
transferring our messages as originally
intended.
Has an understanding been achieved?
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Exhibit 7-1 The Communication Process

Model

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Choosing Channels
Channel
The medium through which a message travels
Such as a phone call, face-to-face, text
message

Communication apprehension
Undue tension and anxiety about oral
communication, written communication, or
both.

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Choosing Channels
Channels differ in their capacity to
convey information.
Rich channels have the ability to:
Handle multiple cues simultaneously.
Facilitate rapid feedback.
Be very personal.
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Exhibit 7-2 Information Richness of Communication

Channels

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Barriers to Effective Communication

Filtering
The sender manipulates information so that it
will be seen more favourably by the receiver.

Selective Perception
The receivers selectively sees and hears
based on their needs, motivations,
experience, background, and other personal
characteristics.
Copyright 2016 Pearson Canada
Inc.

Barriers to Effective Communication

Information Overload
Occurs when the information we have to work with exceeds
our processing capacity.
With emails, phone calls, faxes, meetings, and the need to
keep current in ones field, more employees are suffering
from too much information.

Emotions
Individuals may interpret the same message differently when
you are angry or distraught than when you are happy
Depression will most likely hinder effective communication

Copyright 2016 Pearson Canada

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Barriers to Effective Communication

Language
Words mean different things to different
people.
Age and context are the two biggest factors that
influence such differences

Silence
Defined as an absence of speech or noise.
Not necessarily inactioncan convey:
Thinking or contemplating a response to a
question.
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Anxiety aboutCopyright
speaking.
Inc.

Barriers to Effective Communication

Silence (Contd)
Individuals should be aware of what silence
might mean in any communication
Can be problematic and is common in the
workplace
Employees who are silent about important
issues may also experience psychological
stress

Silence is less likely where minority

opinions are treated with respect
Copyright 2016 Pearson Canada
Inc.

Barriers to Effective Communication

Nonverbal Communication
Includes body movements, facial
expressions, and the physical distance
between sender and receiver.
Two important messages body language
conveys
Extent to which an individual likes another and
is interested in his or her views
Relative perceived status between a sender
and receiver (i.e. how emotionally close they
are to each other)
Proxemics
The study of
physical
in interpersonal
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2016space
Pearson Canada
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relationships.

Barriers to Effective
Communication
Lying: outright misrepresentation
of information
Deliberately withholding information
People are more comfortable lying
over the phone than face-to-face
Most people are not very good at
detecting deception in others
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Organizational Communication Direction of

Communication
Downward
Communication that flows from one level of a group to
a lower level.
Managers to employees
Upward
Communication that flows to a higher level of a group.
Employees to manager
Becoming increasingly difficult
Lateral
Communication among members of the same work
group, or individuals at the same level.

Copyright 2016 Pearson Canada

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Small- Group Networks

Connections by which information flow.
Formal Networks
Task-related communications that follow
the authority chain, and are typically
vertical
The Grapevine Informal Networks
Communications that flow along social
and relational lines
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The Grapevine
75 percent of employees hear about matters first
through rumours (the grapevine).
The grapevine has three main characteristics:
Not controlled by management.
Most employees perceive it as being more believable
and reliable than formal communication.
Largely used to serve the self-interests of those people
within it.

Copyright 2016 Pearson Canada

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Electronic Communications
Email
Instant Messaging and Text
Messaging
Social Networks

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E-mail
Corporate employees send and receive
an average of 105 emails each day
Many managers report spending too
much time on email
Corporations lose $650 Billion each
year from time spent in processing
unnecessary emails
Privacy concerns.
Copyright 2016 Pearson Canada
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Instant Messaging (IM) & Text Messaging

(TM)
Instant Messaging (IM)
Usually done via computer
Synchronous technology you have to be
there to receive the message and respond

Text Messaging (TM)

Usually done via cell phone
Also synchronous technology, although the
text message will be stored (like email) until
read
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Social Media
Nowhere has communication been
more transformed than in social
networking.
Social media platforms

Facebook
LinkedIn
XING
ZoomInfo
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Cultural Barriers to
Communication

Sources of barriers:
Semantics
Word connotations
Tone differences
Differences in tolerance for
conflict and methods for resolving
conflicts
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Cultural Barriers to Communication

Cultural Context: Cultures differ in the

importance of the context in influencing
the meaning that individuals take from
what is actually said or written vs. who
the other person is.
High-context cultures
Cultures that rely heavily on nonverbal and subtle
situational cues in communication.

Low-context cultures
Cultures that rely heavily on words to convey meaning in
communication.
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Exhibit 7-5 High- vs. Low-Context Cultures

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A Cultural Guide
Know yourself
Foster a climate of mutual respect,
fairness, and democracy
Learn the cultural context of each person
When in doubt, listen
State facts, not your interpretation
Consider the other persons viewpoint
Proactively maintain the identity of the
group
Copyright 2016 Pearson Canada
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Summary
1. Just because something is said, it does not
mean that it was heard.
2. Communication is rarely objective. Both
the senders and receivers reality affects
the framing and understanding of the
message.
3. Information overload is a serious problem
for most individuals.

Copyright 2016 Pearson Canada

Inc.

OB at Work: For Managers

Remember that your communication
mode will partly determine your
communication effectiveness.
Obtain feedback from your employees to
make certain your messageshowever
they are communicatedare understood.
Remember that written communication
creates more misunderstandings than
oral communication; communicate with
employees through inperson meetings
when possible.
Copyright 2016 Pearson Canada
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OB at Work: For Managers

Make sure you use communication
strategies appropriate to your
audience and the type of message
you are sending.
Keep in mind that culture can be a
communication barrier.

Copyright 2016 Pearson Canada

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Breakout Group Exercises

Form small groups to discuss the
following topics:
1. What differences have you observed in the
ways that men and women communicate?
2. How do you know when a person is listening
to you? When someone is ignoring you?
3. Describe a situation in which you ignored
someone. What impact did it have on that
persons subsequent communication
behaviours?
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Effective Listening
If you want to improve your listening skills,
look to these behaviours as guides
1. Make eye contact.
2. Exhibit affirmative head nods and appropriate
facial expressions.
3. Avoid distracting actions or gestures.
4. Ask questions.
5. Paraphrase.
6. Avoid interrupting the speaker.
7. Dont over-talk.
8. Make smooth transitions between the roles of
speaker and listener.
Copyright 2016 Pearson Canada
Inc.