Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Effective Communication
Dr Ali Sajid, PhD,
PEC,
ISLAMABAD
Sharing of Resources
Doing is Believing
Communication
New Style?
Test of Intellect
"Whoever in debate
quotes authority
uses not intellect,
but memory."
(Leonardo Da Vinci)
Good Writing
"What is written without
effort is in general read
without pleasure."
(Samuel Johnson.)
A single conversation
with a wise man is better
than ten years of study.
--Chinese Proverb
Light
Be a light, not a judge.
Be a model, not a critic.
- Stephen Covey
Challeng
eEFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Planning
Organizing
Management Process
Leading
Communication
External Environment
Customers
Suppliers
Stockholders
Governments
Community
others
Controlling
Goals-related
behavior
Communication
network objectives
Communication
activities
Communication
policies
Manager as monitor
Gathers internal info
(through leader role)
Form subordinates
Mgr as disseminator
Distributes information
to subordinates
Mgr as spokesperson
Interpersonal Communication
Three Broad Types
Oral, Written, Nonverbal
Oral Communication: Consists of all forms of spoken info\
Most preferred type of communication used by mgrs.
Mgrs prefer face-to-face & telephone communication to
written communication because it permits immediate
feedback.
Written Communication: letters, memos, policy manuals,
reports, forms, & other documents used to share info in org.
Nonverbal Communication Involves all messages non
language responses. Anything that sends message.
Mgrs often underestimate its importance. Hidden messages & can
influence process & outcomes of face-to-face communication.
Cost of Correspondence
One page business letter that took 10
minutes to dicate cost between $13.60
and $20.52 in 1996.
Poor writing costs even more since it
Waste Time.
Wastes Effort.
Jeopardizes goodwill.
Communication is shared
feelings/shared
understanding.
If you can honestly achieve
that goal, you are
communicating.
Who Is
Responsible?
The Communicator.
Percent!
36
37
talk
38
Why is
communication
Inspires confidence
important
?
Builds respect
Helps make friends
Reveals your ability to others
Develops a distinct personality
39
We need to
improve communication... as
70 % of our communication efforts are:
misunderstood
misinterpreted
rejected
distorted or
not heard
May 31, 2015
40
Communication in Organizations
Chief Executive Officer
Sales
Manage
r
Legal
Plant
Manager
Production
Plant
Manager
Financal
Enginering
HR
Plant
Manager
Diagonal communication
Horizontal or lateral
communication
Upward and downward
communication
Copy Rights Dr Sajid
42
43
SUCCESS IS ENSURED.
44
45
INTO ACTION
May 31, 2015
47
LISTEN TO,
OBSERVE &
INTERPRET
ALL FORMS OF LANGUAGE
IS ESSENTIAL FOR
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
May 31, 2015
48
Communication
is a two-way process
of giving and receiving info
through one or more
number of channels.
Communication
Communication
is the process of sending and
receiving
messages
Importance Of Communication
Organizational / Functional: greater info
access & awareness
Improves coordination: reduces logical gaps
Encourages cooperation: helps bring everyone
in th mainstream
Gives a direction: to tasks and activities
Morale and empowerment
Decision making aid
Speeds up orgal processes
Better focus on customer requirements
Generates a greater sense of orgal
commitment & involvement
A Problem Solving Tool: by clarity,
preciseness &
feedback
Information/data
Attitudes
Values
Moods
Emotions
Developing
Reward systems &
interacting with subordinates
as part of Leading function etc
Impossible w/o some form of
communication
Communication in Org
In Enterprises, info must flow faster.
Short stoppage on fast-moving production line costly - lost output.
Production Problems communicated quickly for
corrective action
Info increased - frequently causing info overload.
Need more relevant info.
Necessary to have for effective decision making.
Getting info from mgrs superiors &
subordinates - from depts & people elsewhere org.
Communication
skills can make or
break career of
org.
Elements of Communication
Encoding
Perception &
Interpretation
Message
Nonverbal
Communication
s
Channel
Communicator
COMMUNICATION PROCESS
Stimulus
Feedback
Destination
Filter
Message
Medium
Communication Process
Social Context
Sender
Encodes
Medium
Decodes
Receiver
Feedback
Noise
Noise
Original Message
Percentage of Understanding lost in communication
100 Percent
Top mgts understanding
63 percent
VP Understanding
56 percent
General mgrs understanding
Average
40 percent
Division mgrs understanding
Average
Information
30 percent
Unit mgrs understanding
Information
Loss
20 percent
Employees understanding
Loss
FEEDBACK:
Through feedback,
communication becomes
dynamic, two-way Process
rather than just event.
Meant To avoid
communication failure as it
provides preliminary info to
sender.
Key to Understand
MgrListening:
must avoid
interrupting
subordinates
& putting them on defensive.
To elicit honest feedback,
mgr should develop atmosphere
of trust & confidence
& Supportive Leadership Style,
With de-emphasis on status.
Ineffective Feedback
2. Specific.
2. General.
3. Descriptive.
3. Judgmental.
4. Useful.
4. Inappropriate.
5. Timely.
5. Untimely.
7. Clear.
7. Not understandable.
8. Valid.
8. Inaccurate.
Noise
Internal or external interference with
or distraction form intended
message.
Can cause distortion in sending &
receiving of messages. In addition to
physical
conditionsmake
communication more difficultEmotional states can also create
noise.
Voice Quality
Talking Style
Word Choice & Vocabulary
Listening: Key to Understand
Rushed, Never-listening mgr will
Seldom Get Objective View of
Function of Org.
How to overcome
Communication Roadblocks ?
Effective Listening
Reading body language
Effective Speaking
Skill Training
Types of Listening
Active vs. Passive
Positive vs. Negative
What Kind is it?
Appreciative
Empathic
Discriminative
Analytical
Effective Listening
Behaviors that support
effective listening
Behaviors that hinder
effective listening
Effective Listening
Effective Listening
Importance of Listening
"There is none so
blind as those who
will not listen."
(William Slater)
Test of Listening
"Do
Importance of Listening
Exists as first verbal skill people learn
Accounts for most of communication
time
Ranks hi in business
Requires high in business
Requires clear thinking, patience
motivation, & hard work
Often overestimated in effectiveness
Nature of Listening
Sensing
Filtering
Remembering
"Remember that
silence is
sometimes the
best answer."
- Dalai Lama
Pays attention
Easily distracted
Asks questions
Asks no question
Has preconceptions
Assimilates
information
Disregards
information
Non-listening
Active Listening
Commit to improve
Focus attention
Cultivate accuracy of filtering
Concentrate on remembering
Apply techniques
Stop talking
Put talker at ease
Show talker you want to listen
Remove distractions
Empathize with talker
Be patient
Hold your temper
Go easy on argument and criticism
Ask questions
Stop talking
Writing is thinking
on paper. Anyone
who thinks clearly
should be able to
write clearly about
any subject at all.--William Zinsser, Author
On Writing Well
Orgl Skills
Three orgl skills - Enhance comm effectiveness for both
sender & receiver
a. Follow up
b. Regulating info flow
c. Understanding richness of different media.
Following up simply involves checking at later time
to be sure that message received & understood.
Regulating information flow sender or receiver takes steps to
ensure that overload does not occur.
Flow of communication
At the workplace
* Upward
From subordinates to superior
* Downward
From superiors to the subordinates
* Lateral
From one employee to another
Types of communication
Formal
Informal
COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
Formal communication network :
follows the hierarchical structure
of the organization,
or the "chain of command."
Formal Communication
Information
Managers
Workers
Workers
Managers
Workers
Efforts at coordination
Workers
HEAD
Formal Communication
Channels.
Downward information flow.
Upward information flow.
Horizontal information flow.
Downward communication
flows from upper management down
to the employees at lower ranks.
Job instruction
Ideology
Information
Feedback
Upward communication
is initiated by those at the lower levels of the organization
positive
timely
support current policy
Downward Communication
Flows from people at hi to lower levels in org hierarchy.
Esp. in org with Authoritarian Atmosphere.
Media for oral downward communication- instructions,
speeches, meetings, telephone, loudspeakers, even grapevine.
Memo, letters, handbooks, pamphlets, policy statements,
procedures, electronic news displays.
Info lost/distorted -comes down chain of command.
Top mgt issuance of policies- does not ensure communication.
Directives -not understood or read.
Feedback essential for finding out whether info perceived as
intended.
Downward flow of info through org- time-consuming.
Delays - frustrating - top mgrs insist info sent directly to
person requiring it.
Upward Communication
From subordinates to superiors - continues up hierarchy.
Hindered by mgrs in communication chain - filter messages transmit info- unfavorable news to bosses.
Objective transmission of info essential for control.
Upper mgt needs to know production performance, marketing
info, financial data, what lower-level employees thinking.
Primarily nondirective - found in participative -democratic
orgs.
Suggestion systems- appeal - grievance procedures,
complaint Systems,
Counseling sessions, joint setting of objectives,
Grapevine, group meetings, practice open-door policy,
oral Questionnaires, exit interviews, ombudsperson.
Upward Communication
Ombudsman-. Originated in Sweden, - civil servant to
investigate complaints about fed bureaucracy.
Companies established position for person - investigates
employees concerns.
Anheuser-Busch, Control Data, GE, McDonnell Douglas & AT&T
few companies using ombudsperson in 1986, suggesting
workers trust person.
Position provide Valuable Upward Communication Link front-page scandals & legal costs by grinning improprieties attention of appropriate person before problems.
Effective communication requires environment subordinates feel to communicate.
Org climate influenced by upper mgt, creating free flow
communication rests with superiors.
CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION
Face to Face
Interactive TV - high speed connections (two way)
Video-Voice / Data Channel (one way)
Telephone
E-mail
Personal written correspondence
Formal written message
Public speaking
Data Reports
Broadcast e- mails / reports
Formal&InformalCommunnetworksina
DivofaSmallMnfgCompany
Department
Manager
Supervisor
Supervisor
Gossip Chain
(One person tells many)
Cluster Chain
(Many people tell few)
COMMUNICATION PATTERNS
Vertical:
Downward
rationale for doing jobs
organizations policies, practices
performance appraisals
sense of mission
Vertical: Upward
Horizontal
task coordination
information sharing
problem solving
conflict resolution
peer support
TM 14-6
Chain
All-channel
Devolution of responsibility.
Performance based reward system.
Quality teams.
Suggestion schemes.
Special newsletters.
CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION
VOCAL
NON-VOCAL
VERBAL
SPOKEN WORDS
WRITTEN WORDS
NONVERBAL
SIGH
FACIAL EXPRESSION
GRUNT
POSTURE /
GESTURE
INFLECTION
SPATIAL
RELATIONSHIP
Non-Verbal Communication:
People send messages to each other
without talking.
They communicate through
facial expressions,
head positions,
arm and hand movements,
body posture,
positioning of legs & feet, and
the way people use space
Body Language
Types of Nonverbal
Communication
Body Language
Space
Time
Para language
Color
Layout and Design
Unspoken message
Behavior
Im nervous
Clearing throat
Expelling air (such as Whew!)
Placing hand over mouth while speaking
Hurried cigarette smoking
Im superior to you.
Interpersonal Communication
From
Advantages
Oral
1.
2.
Promotes feedback
& interchange.
It easy to use
Disadvantages
1.
2.
3.
Written
1.
2.
Tends to be more
accurate.
Provides record of
communication.
1.
2.
May
suffer
form
inaccuracies.
Leaves no permanent
record.
Seldom
time
for
thoughtful response.
Inhibits feedback &
interchange.
Is more difficult & time
consuming.
Communication Audit
One way to improve communication in org is to
conduct communication audit.
Such audit is tool for examining
communication policies, networks & activities.
Organizational communication is viewed as
group of communication factors related to
organizational goals.
Communication Audit
One way to improve communication in org is to
conduct communication audit.
Such audit is tool for examining
communication policies, networks & activities.
Organizational communication is viewed as
group of communication factors related to
organizational goals.
E-mail.
Electronic meeting software.
Video conferencing software.
Whiteboard software.
Group scheduling software.
The Internet
Internet is a network of networks.
Network is a group of computers that are connected to share
the information.
LAN-WAN.
Communication -Barriers
Process Barrier
Every Step in Communication process is necessary
for effective communication.
Blocked steps become barriers.
Following situations:
Sender barrier. A management trainee with unusual
new idea fails to speak up at meeting for fear of
criticism.
Encoding barrier. A Boluchi-speaking factory worker
cannot get Sindahi-speaking supervisor to
understand grievance about working conditions.
Process Barriers
Medium Barrier. After getting no answer three times &
busy signal twice, customer concludes that a stores
consumer hot line is waste of time.
Decoding Barrier. A restaurant mgr does not understand unfamiliar
computer jargon during a sales presentation for laptop computers.
Receiver barrier.
A mgr who is preoccupied with preparation of budget asks clerk to repeat
earlier statement.
Feedback barrier.
During on-the-job training, failure of trainee ask any
questions causes mgr to wonder if any real understanding
what is being taken place.
Choosing appropriate medium is especially important for
mgrs who must overcome physical barriers.
A mgr with a soft voice can reach hundreds of people by
using a sound system.
Physical Barriers
Sometimes physical object blocks effective
communication.
For example, a Factory worker, who wears
ear protectors probably could not hear
someone yelling : Fire! Distance is
another physical barrier.
Thousand of miles between New York &
Islamabad & time-zone difference can
complicate communication in a global org.
Undermine communication.
In climate with forces, any message will be viewed
with skepticism.
Distrust can be result of inconsistent behavior by
superior, or it can be due to past experiences
-subordinate
punished for honestly reporting
unfavorable, but true, information to boss.
In light of threats whether real or imagined people
tend to tighten up, become defensive, & distort
information.
Inadequate
knowledge
V
E
R
B
A
L
Conflicting
signals
Differences
in interpretations
Language
differences
Inappropriate
Use of expressions
Differences in
perception
Inappropriate
emotions
Ambiguity
Distraction
Polarization
N
O
N
V
E
R
B
A
L
Info overload.
Message complexity.
Message competition.
Differing status.
Lack of trust.
Inadequate structures.
Closed communication climate.
Unethical communication.
Inefficient communication.
Physical distraction.
Incorrect choice of medium.
Media richness
Info Overload
Occurs when amount of info -process is
exceeded.
Mgrs responsibility in disseminator role is to filter large volumes of info &
distribute it appropriately.
Info overloaded lead to:
Failing to process or ignoring some of info.
Processing info incorrectly.
Delaying processing of info until info overload abates.
Searching for people to help process some of info.
Lowering quality of info processing.
Withdrawing from info flow.