CHAPTER 13: MANAGING COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION

Communication:
A transfer of understanding and meaning from one person to another.
Communication Process:
The seven-part process of transferring and understanding of meaning.

Sender: The communication source

Encoding: Converting intended message into meaningful symbols (verbal,
visual and/or nonverbal).
Message: Points to be conveyed.
Channel: The medium by which a message travels (email, memo, letter, fax,
website, meetings).
Decoding: Receiver interprets a received message.
Receiver: The person to whom the message is directed.
Feedback: Checking to see how successfully a message has been transferred.

Written Communications
memos, letters, e-mail, organizational periodicals, bulletin boards, etc.
tangible, verifiable, and more permanent
Oral Communications
allow receivers to respond to what they hear.
presents feedback evidence that the message has been received and
understood.

Grapevine:
An unofficial channel of communication that take place in an organization.
Word of mount, emails etc
Nonverbal communication

Body Language: Nonverbal communication cues such as facial expressions,

gestures, and other body movements.
Verbal Intonation: An emphasis given to words or phrases.
Barriers to Effective Communication
Filtering: A sender manipulates information to make it appear more favorable
to the receiver.
Selective Perception: Selectively perceiving/hearing a communication based on
your own needs, motivations, experiences, or other personal characteristics.
Information Overload: Information exceeds processing capacity.
Emotions: How a receiver feels when a message is received influences how
he/she interprets it.
Language (Jargon): Words may have different meaning to different people,
Senders and receivers may not share similar interpretation.

Gender: How male and female react to communication may be different, and
they each have a different communication style.
National culture: Communication differences arising from the different
languages that individuals use to communicate and the national culture of
which they are apart.
Overcoming Communication Barriers
Use Feedback: Many problems are attributable to misunderstanding.
Use Simplified Language: communicate in clear, easily understood terms.
Listen Actively: Listening is an active search for meaning, whereas hearing
is passive.
Constrain emotions
Emotions can cloud and distort communication.
Need to recognize when your emotions are running high. When they are,
do not communicate until you have calmed down.
Emphasis on non-verbal cues
Actions speak louder that words.
Important to make sure action and words are aligned.
Effective communicator watches his/her non-verbal clues.
Technology and Communication

E-mail
Instant messaging
Voice Mail System
Fax machines
Teleconferencing
Videoconferencing
Intranet/internet