Managerial Communication Sr.

Prof B D Singh
We live in groups transact our business in teams/departments seek help, support, cooperation aspect favorable, positive, intended response some times we get & some times we do not. Interpersonal relation is the process of relating with other person(s) & some media of communication is involved. Communication is the transfer and exchange of information and understanding from one person to another through meaningful symbols

Communicator the person originating a message. Receiver the person receiving a message. Perceptual screen A window through which we interact with people that influences the qualify, accuracy, and clarity of the communication. Message The thoughts and feelings that the communicator is attempting to elicit in the receiver

feedback loop the pathway that completes two-way communication. We choose our own media to impact the opposite side most favorably. Some times we adopt formal media like notes, letters, memos, circulars, adds etc,. We use technology & go for online communication e.mail, sms, visiting sites etc - the purpose of formal communication is official -to keep record, follow on, achieving results etc. Most of the time, we follow non formal/informal means of communication

Information Richness of Channels Information channel

Information Richness

Face-to-face discussion Telephones Electrical Mail individual letter Formal written report Flyers or bulletin Formal numeric report

Highest Highest Moderate Moderate Low Low Lowest Lowest

downward communication / One way communication upward communication / Two way communication Horizontal / Lateral communication Informal / Non formal communication Communication Grapevine Rumor Social Channel

Non verbal communication like body language etc. Managers who are sensitive and responsive in communicating with employees encourage the development of trusting, loyal relationships. Managers and employees alike benefit from secure working relations. Managers who are directive, dictatorial, or overbearing with employees, in contrast, are likely to find such behaviour counterproductive, especially in periods of change. Managers benefit form sensitivity to employees nonverbal behaviour and territorial space, recognizing that understanding individual and cultural diversity is important in interpreting a persons nonverbal behaviour. Seeking verbal clarification on nonverbal cues improves

The accuracy of the communication and helps build trusting relationships. In addition, managers benefit from an awareness of their own nonverbal cues improves the accuracy of the communication and helps build trusting relationships. In addition, managers benefit from an awareness of their own nonverbal behaviours. Seeking employee feedback about their own non-verbal behaviour helps managers provide a message consistent with their intentions.

Effective Listening
Too many people take listening skills for granted. They confuse hearing with listening. Whats the difference? Hearing is merely picking up sound vibrations. Listening is making sense out of what we hear. That is, listening requires paying attention, interpreting, and remembering sound stimuli. The average person normally speaks at the rate 125 to 200 words per minute. However, the average listener can comprehend up to 400 words per minute. This leaves a lot of time for idle means theyve acquired a number of bad listening habits to fill in the idle time

The following behaviours are associated with effective listening skills. If you want to improve your listening skills. Look to these behaviours as guides: Make eye contact: How do you feel when somebody doesnt look at you when youre speaking? If you are like most people, youre likely to interpret this as aloofness or disinterest. We may listen with our ears, but others tend to judge whether were really listening by looking at our eyes. Exhibit affirmative head nods and appropriate facial expressions: The effective listener shows interest in what is being said. How? Through non-verbal signals. Affirmative head nods and appropriate facial expressions, when added to good eye contact, convey to the speaker youre listening.

Avoid distracting actions or gestures: the other side of showing interest is avoiding actions that suggest your mind is somewhere else. When listening, dont look at your watch, shuffle papers, play with your pencil, or engage in similar distractions. They make the speaker feel youre bored or uninterested. Maybe more importantly, they indicate you arent fully attentive and may be missing part of the message the speaker wants to convey. Ask questions: the critical listener analyzes what he or she hears and asks question. This behaviour provides clarification, ensures understanding, and assures the speaker youre listening. Paraphrase: Paraphrasing means restating what the speaker has said in your own words. The effective listener uses phrases like What I hear you saying is. or do you mean?

Avoid interrupting the speaker: Let the speaker complete his or her thought before you try to respond. Dont try to second-guess where the speakers thoughts are going. When the speaker is finished, youll know it. Dont over talk: Most of us would rather speak our own ideas than listen to what someone else says. Too many of us listen only because its the price we have to pay to get people to let us talk. While talking may be more fun and silence may be uncomfortable, you cant talk and listen at the same time. The good listener recognizes this fact and doesnt over talk. Make smooth transitions between the roles of speaker and listener: When youre a student sitting in a lecture hall, you find it relatively easy to get into an effective listening frame of mind.

Why? Because communication is essentially one way: the teacher talks and you listen. But the teacher-student dyad is atypical. In most work situations, youre continually shifting back and forth between the roles of speaker and listner. The effective listener, therefore, makes transitions smoothly from speaker to listener and back to speaker. From a listening perspective, this means concentrating on what a speaker has to say and practicing not thinking about what youre going to say as soon as you get your chance.

Why Listening
An open ear is the only believable sign of an open heart. Listening is a caring attitude Listening /Hearing is done through the ears while listening is through an intellectual and emotional process that integrates physical and emotional inputs in search of meaning and understanding. An effective listener listens not only to the words but to the hidden meaning behind the words. Effective listening is not a passive process. It plays an active role in the process of communication. Listener should have reason or purpose of listening It is important for the listener to suspend judgement The listener should resist distractions. The listener should wait before responding to the speaker

The listener should repeat verbatim what the speaker says. The listener should rephrase in his own words the contents and feelings of what the speaker says, to the speakers satisfaction. The listener should use the time differential between the rate of speed (speak 100-150 wpm) and rate of speed (Listen 400-500 wpm) to reflect upon the content and research for meaning The listener should be ready to respond to the speakers comment.

Feedback
Feedback is the receivers response to the senders message. The communication cycle isnt complete until the sender receives feedback from the receiver. Its the best way to show that a message has been received and to indicate whether it has been understood.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Feedback- Feedback is transmitting information from one part of system to another part to do corrective action or initiate new action. Self feedback is highly desirable feature of PMS but there is always need for managers, colloquies, inter and external customers to provide feedbacks based on their observation (360 feedback). Feedback is considered positive because it is developmental build feedback in to the job on the actual event describe do not judge refer specific behavior be positive suggest correction

According to these guidelines, feedback should have the following characteristics. It should be helpful. If the receiver of the message provides feedback that adds to the senders information, the feedback is likely to be seen as constructive. If the receiver responds to the message in a descriptive manner, the feedback is likely to be ineffective. If the receiver is highly critical (or judgmental), the feedback is likely to be ineffective or even cause a breakdown in communication. It should be specific rather than general. The receiver should respond specifically to points raised and questions asked in the message. If the receiver responds in generalities, the feedback may indicate evasion or lack of understanding.

It should be well timed. The reception and thus the effectiveness - of feedback is affected by the context in which it occurs. Giving performance feedback to a person during a round of golf or at a luncheon is different from giving the same person this feedback in the office. Informal settings usually are reserved for social as opposed to performance based feedback. It should not overwhelm. Spoken communication depends heavily on memory. Accordingly, when large amounts of information are involved, spoken feedback is less effective than written feedback. People tend to tune in and out of conversations. They may fail to grasp what the speaker is saying if the message is too long and complex.

A case of performance feedback in a company

Conditions for effective feedback discussions

a. General climate of openness & mutuality: A climate of minimum trust & openness is essential for effective Feedback discussion. Building a psychological safe environment. b. General helpful & empathic attitude of management: Feedback discussion involves effective helping which is not possible unless the appraiser has a helping attitude and has empathy for the appraise. c. Sense of uninhibited participation by the subordinates in the performance review process: It is a process of developing dialogue which eventually contributes to better understanding on the part of appraise.

Objective/ importance of feedback discussion.

Feedback session aims at development of appraise as well as appraiser. However, it focuses more on appraise. Helping him to realize his potential as a manager or a leader etc. Helping him to understand himself his strengths & his weakness. Providing him an opportunity to acquire more insight into his behavior and analyze the dynamics of such behavior. Helping him to have better understanding of environment. Increasing his personal and inter-personal effectiveness by giving him feedback about his behavior & assisting him in analyzing his interpersonal competence.

Encouraging him to set goals for further improvements Encouraging him to generate alternatives for dealing with various problems. Creating an empathic atmosphere to share and discuss his tensions, conflicts, concerns & problems. Helping him to develop various action plans for further improvement. Helping him to review in a nonthreatening way his progress in achieving various objectives.

The main objective of performance counseling is to help the employee to overcome his weaknesses and to reinforce his strength. In this sense it is a developmental process where the supervisor and the subordinate discuss the past performance with a view to help the subordinate to improve and become more effective in future. Appraisal reports serve as spring board for discussion. One of the fallout effects of this dyadic interaction is the identification of training needs. Counseling provides an opportunity to the supervisor to give feedback to the subordinate on the performance and performance related behavior. Feedback can be an effective tool provided:

(a)

Both negative and positive feedback are communicated. (b) It is not just an opinion but is backed by data. In other words it should be descriptive and not evaluative. (c) It focuses on behaviour rather than on the individual. (d) It is timely. Delayed feedback is neither helpful nor effective. On the other hand, it might be seen as criticism which may further deteriorate the distortions. For appraiser it helps To know more about appraise To know conditions at work (task clarity, ability, motivation, organizational support) Enables appraiser to influence appraise in terms of opportunity to make an impact & prove himself. to know / develop leadership style

d. Dialogic

relationship in goal setting & performance review : joint participation by the employee and his reporting officer is necessary both in goal setting as well as in the performance review. Without such a collaborative effort, Feedback discussion does not achieve its purpose. e. Focus on work oriented behaviour: The main purpose of feedback discussion is to help the employee in improving his performance. f. Focus on work related problems & difficulties: Analysis of performance, therefore, becomes the basis of feedback discussion.

g. Avoidance of discussion of salary & other rewards: the main purpose of Feedback discussion is to use performance appraisal in planning & improvement of the employee, rather than understanding relationship between performance & reward. Bringing such a discussion into the feedback discussion may vitiate its main purpose. Feedback discussion is a means & not the end in itself Performance improvement & development requires congenial culture & involvement of employees While giving feedback, facilitating climate is require to be created

Different types of feedback interviews Tell & Sell Tell & Listen Problem solving. Tell & Sell In a tell & sell feedback interview, the supervisor tells the employee how good or bad the employees performance has been and then attempts to persuade the employee to accept this judgment. The employee has no input into the evaluation. Because it is very directive & one-sided, the tell -and-sell feedback can lead to defensiveness, resentment, and frustration on the part of the subordinate. The employee may accept the results of the interview and may not be committed to achieving the goals that are set. This may lead to poor performance in the future.

Skill requiredDirective leadership Persuade and secure workable acceptance Show restrain caution, control Effectively use influence and power Motivate employee to accept Deal with and soften resistance Show patience, retain control Manage unexpressed conflicts Effectively use influence and power Motivate manages through authoritarian leadership

This type is used for young, new, in experienced employee- who are in search of a father figure in position of authority mediocre willing to follow authority In terms of time and effort, this type of discussion is efficient and economical; and can produce positive results under the right conditions.

Tell & Listen In the tell and listen approach to the feedback interview, the supervisor tells the employee what has been right and wrong with the employees past performance but then gives the employee a chance to react. The extent of the subordinates participation in the interview can vary widely. The subordinate may simply be given an opportunity to react to the supervisors statements or may be permitted to offer a full selfassessment, challenging the supervisors assessment.

This type provides for in-depth exploration The manager communicates his conclusions or feedback to the managee, and then provides an opportunity for his to respond. The manager patiently listens to the managees facts and arguments without interrupting or refuting him. In the active-listening mode, he in fact prompts and encourages the managee to bring out any frustration and negative feelings. Manager assumes the roll of a counselor 1. Active listing- to understand the managees point of view, feelings and attitudes. 2. Patience- to provide space and opportunity to the managee for fully expressing herself without inhibition or embarrassment.

3.

Empathy- understanding managee feelings, and communicating understanding. 4. Summarizing feelings and content- to indicate progress, and to emphasize certain benchmark points during the discussions and in conclusion. 5. The ability to stay open- not to become defensive 6. The ability not to dwell on face-savers that can frustrate the value of feedback. 7. The ability to keep an open mind, such that managees legitimate facts and logic can duly influence the managers conclusions. Managees can be effectively motivated if the discussion leads to: a. Solving some job and role-task problems. b. Improving dyadic understanding and chemistry between manager and the managee.

c.

d.

Creating a better understanding of, or solving, some personal issues of either the manager or the managee. Bringing about improvements in the work climate and context.
Some other positive outcomes for the managee can be a. Changes in job assignments and performance standards or expectations b. Modifications in assessment of various factors impacting managee performance, based on facts and logic presented by the managee, c. Greater interest towards initiatives for managee development.

This type also has potential for the manager receiving feedback from the managee in the form of facts and logic that the managee presents along with other verbal or non-verbal communication. This can result in efforts to improve performance through: a. b. c. d. e. Supervision that is more managee- centered. Work methods that are more efficient. Job assignments that are more suited to the managees talent. Performance expectations for the future that are more realistic to fulfill. Stronger faith in upward communication.

Tell and Listen discussion provides an opportunity for the manager to get an insight into the managees needs- Social / personal - Psychological - Work-related - Interest-related. Problem-solving Type: Recent trends show a shift favouring a problem solving approach to performance discussions, with emphasis on managee development. Unlike Tell and Sell and Tell and Listen types, in Problem-solving discussion feedback is not directly communicated to the managee. The manager stimulates the managee to review performance and to

discuss opportunities and enabling factors as well as problems and hindering forces in his work context. He is encouraged to share his satisfactions and frustrations, personal and professional strengths and weaknesses, high and low points during the performance period, achievements and innovations, additional support needed for future performance, etc. In this type, manager doesnt play the judge at all; rather he assumes the role of what Maier calls the helper. This is so, because this type holds managee development as its primary objective, rather than communicating feedback.

Given a degree of initial rapport the goal of managee development establishes an almost instant mutual agenda for both manager and the managee, with the managee implicitly relating with the helping role of the manager. This facilitates the managee accepting reality and sharing his performance problems and difficulties with the manager. The manager can fortify this rapport into a more enduring helping relationship by showing his eagerness to discover managee interests also to examine the various ideas and suggestions for improvement that the managee comes up with and prompting him to examine and reality-test these ideas and suggestions.

Where the mangee comes up with half-baked ideas or makes nave suggestions, problem-solving discussion is the best-perhaps the only way to help him explore more deeply, by stimulating the rational and the analytical in his frame. The managers knowledge and experience can help a managee see and overcome her shortcomings only if the manager is able to share these positively and constructively with the managee. As the title suggests, this type extensively involves generating alternate solutions, and then exploring and evaluating these alternatives to arrive at the most suitable and feasible alternative. It is a creative process.

Problem-solving discussion uses most skill applicable to the Tell and Listen type. When the managee comes up with several ideas and suggestions, it is helpful if the manager jots them down. This can aid in summarizing, and also manifest the managers seriousness and interest. Skillful questioning- intended to help the managee examine his idea, suggestions, or plansusually conveys that the manager wants to get the complete picture. Problem-solving discussion, like the Tell and Listen type promotes upward communication; thereby pooling the contribution of people with two different perspectives on the same situation. This sets the stage for decisions, which have both high quality, and high acceptance.

Problem-solving approach can work only if the managee actively participates in it. It cannot work where he remains passive; and the manager may have no option but to call upon one of the other two types.

c.

d.

Creating a better understanding of, or solving, some personal issues of either the manager or the managee. Bringing about improvements in the work climate and context.
Some other positive outcomes for the managee can be a. Changes in job assignments and performance standards or expectations b. Modifications in assessment of various factors impacting managee performance, based on facts and logic presented by the managee, c. Greater interest towards initiatives for managee development.

This type also has potential for the manager receiving feedback from the managee in the form of facts and logic that the managee presents along with other verbal or non-verbal communication. This can result in efforts to improve performance through: a. b. c. d. e. Supervision that is more managee- centered. Work methods that are more efficient. Job assignments that are more suited to the managees talent. Performance expectations for the future that are more realistic to fulfill. Stronger faith in upward communication.

Tell and Listen discussion provides an opportunity for the manager to get an insight into the managees needs- Social / personal - Psychological - Work-related - Interest-related. Problem-solving Type: Recent trends show a shift favouring a problem solving approach to performance discussions, with emphasis on managee development. Unlike Tell and Sell and Tell and Listen types, in Problem-solving discussion feedback is not directly communicated to the managee. The manager stimulates the managee to review performance and to

discuss opportunities and enabling factors as well as problems and hindering forces in his work context. He is encouraged to share his satisfactions and frustrations, personal and professional strengths and weaknesses, high and low points during the performance period, achievements and innovations, additional support needed for future performance, etc. In this type, manager doesnt play the judge at all; rather he assumes the role of what Maier calls the helper. This is so, because this type holds managee development as its primary objective, rather than communicating feedback.

Given a degree of initial rapport the goal of managee development establishes an almost instant mutual agenda for both manager and the managee, with the managee implicitly relating with the helping role of the manager. This facilitates the managee accepting reality and sharing his performance problems and difficulties with the manager. The manager can fortify this rapport into a more enduring helping relationship by showing his eagerness to discover managee interests also to examine the various ideas and suggestions for improvement that the managee comes up with and prompting him to examine and reality-test these ideas and suggestions.

Where the mangee comes up with half-baked ideas or makes nave suggestions, problem-solving discussion is the best-perhaps the only way to help his explore more deeply, by stimulating the rational and the analytical in his frame. The managers knowledge and experience can help a managee see and overcome her shortcomings only if the manager is able to share these positively and constructively with the managee. As the title suggests, this type extensively involves generating alternate solutions, and then exploring and evaluating these alternatives to arrive at the most suitable and feasible alternative. It is a creative process.

Problem-solving discussion uses most skill applicable to the Tell and Listen type. When the managee comes up with several ideas and suggestions, it is helpful if the manager jots them down. This can aid in summarizing, and also manifest the managers seriousness and interest. Skillful questioning- intended to help the managee examine his idea, suggestions, or plansusually conveys that the manager wants to get the complete picture. Problem-solving discussion, like the Tell and Listen type promotes upward communication; thereby pooling the contribution of people with two different perspectives on the same situation. This sets the stage for decisions, which have both high quality, and high acceptance.

Problem-solving approach can work only if the managee actively participates in it. It cannot work where he remains passive; and the manager may have no option but to call upon one of the other two types. Content of Stocktaking Discussions: A comprehensive discussion looks at: a) Achievement or non-achievement of performance goals and extent of shortfall, if any.