Chapter 1

Communicati
ng in
Todays
Workplace
Business
Communication:
Process and Product,
6e

Communicating in the
New Workplace
Skills for
Career Success

The Communication
Process

Organizational
Communication

Ethical Business
Communication

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
2

Why You Need to Build

Career
Skills
Strong communication skills are
necessary for hiring.
top skill set sought by employers.
critical for promotion.
essential for effective job
performance.
more important now as a result of
technology.
learned through instruction and
practice.
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:
Ch. 1, Slide

Process and Product, 6e

Ensure Your Success as a

Knowledge Worker
In todays Information Age,
expect to
work with words, figures, and
data
think critically
make decisions
take charge of your career
continue learning all your life

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
4

Get Ready for Critical

Thinking,
Decision Making, and
Problem Solving
Identify and
clarify

Proble
m

Gather
information
Evaluate
evidence
Consider
options
Test best
option

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
5

Factors that Affect You in

the New Workplace
Heightened global
competition
Flattened management
hierarchies
Expanded team-based
management
Innovative communication
technology
Mary Ellen
Guffey, Business Communication:
Ch. 1, Slide

New
work
environments
Process and Product, 6e
6

 Jean-Louis Bellurget RF/ Pixland / Jupiterimages

Success for YOU in the

new global
and diverse workplace
requires excellent
communication skills!

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
7

The Communication
Process Basic Model

Noise
Noise

Noise

Message
travels
over
channel

Possible
additional
feedback
to receiver

4
Receiver
decodes
message

Noise
6

Sender
has idea

Sender
encodes
idea in
message

Noise

Noise

Feedback
5 travels to
sender

Noise

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Process and Product, 6e

Noise
Ch. 1, Slide
8

The Communication Process

Expanded
Model
Stimulus
Sending Channel

Understanding

BARRIERS

Encoding

Encoding

Understanding
Decoding

Decoding
Feedback Channel
Person A

Person B

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
9

Understanding Is
Shaped by

Communication climate
Context and setting

Background, experiences
Knowledge, mood
Values, beliefs, culture
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:
Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
10

Barriers That Create

Misunderstandings
Bypassing
Poor listening skills
Differing frames of
reference
Lack of language skills
Emotional interference
Physical distractions
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:
Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
11

Overcoming Barriers That

Cause Misunderstandings
Realize that communication is

imperfect.
Adapt the message to the receiver.
Improve your language and listening
skills.
Question your preconceptions.
Encourage feedback.
Pixland /
Jupiterimages

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
12

Organizational
Communication
Functions
Internal

External
New emphasis
Interactive

Mobile
Instant

Forms
Oral
Written
Delivery
Electronic
Hard copy

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
13

Communication and
Formal
Written Channels
Oral
Memos, letters
Annual report
Company newsletter
Bulletin board postings
Orientation manual

Telephone
Face-to-face conversation
Company meetings
Team meetings

Electronic
E-mail, Instant messaging
Voicemail, Videoconferencing
Intranet
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:
Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
14

Information Flow in
Organizations - Formal
Managers Supervisors
Channels
Coworkers

Coworkers

Upward flow

Horizontal flow

Downward flow
Subordinates

Supervisees

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
15

Information Flow in
Organizations - Formal
Managers Supervisors
Channels
Job plans
Policies
Instructions
Procedures
Flows from
decision makers
to workers
Downward
Subordinates

Supervisees

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
16

Information Flow in
Organizations
Formal
Managers Supervisors
Channels
Upward

Feedback
Progress
Problems
Suggestions
Flows from
employees to
decision makers
SubordinatesSupervisees
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:
Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
17

Horizontal flow
Shared information to coordinate
tasks, solve problems, resolve conflict
Flows among workers
at the same level

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Process and Product, 6e

Coworkers

Coworkers

Information Flow in
Organizations - Formal
Channels

Ch. 1, Slide
18

Information Flows in
Organizations - Informal
Channels

The grapevine, gossip from the

break room to the water cooler
Carries unofficial messages
Flows haphazardly
Can be remarkably accurate
Is mostly disliked by management
Thrives where official information
is limited
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:
Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
19

Barriers to the Flow of

Organizational Information
Lack of trust, turf wars, fear of
reprisal
Uneven reward systems
Closed communication climate
Top-heavy organizational structure
Filtering, prejudice, ego
involvement
Ellen
Poor
communication
skills Ch. 1, Slide
Mary
Guffey,
Business Communication:
Process and Product, 6e

20

Overcoming Barriers to
Effective Communication

Encourage open, trusting

environment for interaction and
feedback.
Provide more information through
formal channels.
Train managers and employees to
improve communication skills.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
21

Overcoming Barriers to
Effective Communication

Flatten the organizational

structure.
Establish hotline and ombudsman
programs.
Establish fair reward system for
individual and team achievement.
Encourage full participation in
teams.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
22

Understanding Ethical
Behavior on the Job
What is ethical
behavior?
Doing the right thing
given the
circumstances
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:
Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
23

Five Common Ethical Traps

to
Avoid
on
the
Job
1. The false necessity trap
Convincing yourself that no other
choice exists
2.

The doctrine of relative filth

Comparing your unethical behavior
with someone elses even more
unethical behavior

3.

The rationalization trap

Justifying unethical actions with

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:
Ch. 1, Slide
excuses
Process
and Product, 6e
24

Five Common Ethical Traps

to Avoid on the Job
4.

The self-deception trap

Persuading yourself, for example,

that a lie is not really a lie
5.

The ends-justify-the-means
trap
Using unethical methods to
accomplish a desirable goal

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
25

Goals of Ethical Business

Communicators

Abide by the law.

Tell the truth.
Label opinions.
Be objective.
Communicate clearly.
Use inclusive
language.
Give credit.

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:

Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
26

Tools for Doing the Right

Thing
Is the action you are

considering legal?
How would you see the
problem if you were on the
opposite side?
What are alternate solutions?
Can you discuss the problem
with someone you trust?
How would you feel if people
you care about learned of your
action?
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:
Ch. 1, Slide
Process and Product, 6e

27

End
Mary Ellen Guffey, Business Communication:
Process and Product, 6e

Ch. 1, Slide
28