Arba Minch Polytechnic College

Module Handout
On

Leading Workplace Communication

MNF GMFA3 M10 0113

Genera Metal fabrication and Assembly

(Level III)

February 2013
Arba Minch

Prepared by- Mohammed K. 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Table of
Contents
Introduction........................................................................................................................2
1. METHODS OF COMMUNICATION........................................................................4
1.1 Non – verbal communication.......................................................................................4
1.2 Verbal communication...........................................................................................................6
1.3 Face to face communication..................................................................................................8
1.4 Formal/Informal communication.......................................................................................8
Formal Communication........................................................................................................8
Informal Communication......................................................................................................9
2. COMMUNICATION SKILLS...................................................................................10
2.1 Assertive communication skills......................................................................................10
2.2 Presentation Skills............................................................................................................12
2.3 Nonverbal communication skills.....................................................................................13
2.4 Listening skills...................................................................................................................14
3. QUESTIONING TECHNIQUES..............................................................................15
4. HOW TO LEAD DISCUSSION................................................................................15
6. HOW TO SOLICIT RESPONSE............................................................................17
7. IDENTIFY PROBLEMS, ORGANIZE INFORMATION AND SOLVING
PROBLEMS.....................................................................................................................19
7.1 Problem recognition, definition and analysis......................................................................21
7.2 Implementation and Evaluation......................................................................................22
8. COMMUNICATION BARRIER AFFECTING WORKPLACE
COMMUNICATION.........................................................................................................23

Introduction

This module is prepared for level three TVET students and introduces how to
lead workplace communication.

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 Leading workplace communication involves understanding methods of
communication, communication skills, leading discussions, identifying
problems and tactical way of solving problems. In general, to become good
leader, one should bear in mind the tactical way of handling employees
before the matter gets worse. In order to do this, some skills have to be
mastered. Speaking skills, listening skills, presentation skill and leading
discussions are some of the skills required in the area.
Listening is a fundamental communication skill for understanding both the
verbal content and the underlying feelings embedded in the message.
Listening is an important skill for leaders. Listening while showing empathy
for and understanding of the speaker's perspective, even if it is different from
the leader’s own position is an important attribute of leaders.
Using good and organized questioning one can extract valuable information
which can be applied to resolve conflict and manage workplace
communication. Open or closed type of questions can forwarded depending
on the information needed.
This handout was prepared by a group of experts during the curriculum
development workshop as a handout for both the learner and trainer; hence
by no means this document serves as a standard reference for the module.
So the trainer is expected to prepare and provide and intensive learning and
teaching material as required.

Learning Objective
After completion of this course the learner will understand:
 Methods of communication
 Communication skills
 Questioning techniques
 Techniques of discussion
 How to lead discussion
 How to solicit response
 How to Identify problems organize information & solving problems
and
 Communication barriers affecting workplace discussion

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1. METHODS OF COMMUNICATION

1.1 Non – verbal communication

Effective communication involves more than words. Nonverbal commu-
nication is sending and decoding messages with emotional content.
Friendliness, respect, acceptance, rejection, dominance, submissiveness,
anger, fear, and humor are conveyed primarily by nonverbal signals. When
the verbal and nonverbal messages disagree, the receiver is likely to
discount the verbal message and believe the nonverbal message. For
example, a sender who verbally promises to act in good faith but does not
make eye contact and keeps glancing at a wristwatch is indicating lack of
respect for the receiver. Important dimensions of nonverbal communication
include body movements and gestures, eye contact, touch, facial ex-
pressions, and tone of voice.

Body Movements and Gestures

Posture can indicate attentiveness or lack of interest in a conversation. In a
job interview, an interviewee should lean slightly forward to indicate that he
or she is attentive to the interviewer. Gestures can add or detract from the
verbal message. Hands gestures help emphasize points, but restlessness
sends the message that the speaker is nervous and lacks confidence.
Different cultures place different meanings on gestures.

Eye Contact
Attentiveness or lack of interest on the part of the sender or receiver in face-
to-face communication is conveyed by eye contact. In business
communication, it is important for both parties to make some eye contact,
but prolonged eye contact may be interpreted as aggressiveness or
inappropriate intimacy. Use eye contact carefully in business conversations.

Touch

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 A firm handshake is an enthusiastic greeting, but a weak handshake sends
a negative signal, indicating low enthusiasm. Touch signals liking,
acceptance, and friendship. Even more than eye contact, touch should be
used carefully in business situations.

Facial Expressions
Emotions such as happiness, satisfaction, anger, fear, and confusion are
signaled by facial expressions. A confused look is feedback that the verbal
message was not clearly received. Smiling conveys happiness and warmth.
Along with the handshake, a smile is probably one of the most effective
ways to establish a positive connection with a new acquaintance.

Tone of Voice
Emotions such as attentiveness, friendliness, anger, or fear are transmitted
by the tone in a voice. Aspects of the tone of voice that communicate
different emotional states include pitch, loudness, speed, clarity of speech,
and inflection. In a business setting, it is important to communicate
confidence in order to establish credibility. Therefore, it is a good practice to
speak clearly, emphasize key words, and use variable speed and inflection
at appropriate times to keep the audience interested.

1.2 Verbal communication

Written communication
Written communication includes memos, policy manuals, employee hand-
books, company newsletters, bulletin boards, letters, and fliers. Written
documents have an advantage over face-to-face communication, because
messages can be revised, stored and made available when needed, and
disseminated in identical copies so the same message is received by all.
Written communication can be personalized for a small audience or written
a generic style that accommodates a larger audience. The limitations of
written communication are that there are no provisions for feedback, and the
sender may not be certain if the message was received, read, and/or un-
derstood.

Two popular forms of written communication are memos and letter &
newsletter.

A MEMO (Office Memorandum) is a short business messages that provide

information to employees are sent in memos. They can be used to inform
employees about the agenda, time, and place of a meeting; to schedule

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work; or to describe a change in an employment policy.
A memo should be brief and to the point. Also,
 Make sure that the heading indicates:

(1) The intended audience;

(2) The subject of the memo;

(3) The name of the sender; and

(4) The date that the memo was written.

 Revise and edit the memo to eliminate misspellings and poor
grammar. Make sure the message is clear and unambiguous.
 Add the names of people who need to be aware of the
communication to a copy list at the end of the memo.
 Avoid sending memos to people who do not need to know about
the content. Employees should not waste time reading memos
that are not important.
A LETTER is the most used form of written communication and mostly used
for external communication.
Letter should be:
 Well presented
 Brief and to the point
 Accurate
 Easy to read and understand

When writing a letter decide first on the purpose of your letter and what you
want to achieve. Then make a short list of the points to be covered and
prepare a rough draft. Start a new paragraph for each new topic.
Your letter should contain an opening paragraph which sets the scene of the
rest of the letter. The main Points to be covered should be sub-divided into
further paragraphs. The final paragraph normally contains a summing- up of
the contents and any recommendations. Try not to make your sentences or
paragraph too long.
Notice is required to inform the whole works in the organization or company
and most common method of mass communication. It should be simple,
short and understandable for every worker. It must contain all relevant
information, appropriately worded and any action to be taken should be
clearly explained.
NEWSLETTERS
Many companies have short monthly or quarterly publications designed to

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keep employees informed of important events, meetings, and transitions
and to provide inspirational stories about employee and team contributions
to the business. Newsletters help foster community spirit by keeping
everybody informed about what others are doing.

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION
Advances in electronic technology make interactive communication possible
between senders and receivers, even when they are separated by physical
distance and busy schedules. Electronic communication channels vary in
the richness of the information that is transmitted and can include text,
voice, graphics, or video.

Two important forms of electronic communication are voice mail and e-mail.

THE INTERNET
The Internet is a computer network with multimedia communication
capabilities. A combination of text, voice, graphics, and video can be sent to
a receiver over the Web. Companies' sites On the World Wide Web are
places where potential customers can learn about products and services
and place orders. The use of the Internet makes it possible for companies to
serve international customers.

1.2 Face to face communication

Rich information content is possible in face-to-face communication, because

there is a high level of interactivity between the sender and the receiver. Job
interviews are likely to be done face-to-face. One of the most important
types of face-to-face communication is the meeting.

Meetings, or gatherings of organizational members, are held to inform and

train participants, solve problems, monitor and coordinate activities,
delegate tasks, and create social bonds between diverse organization
members.

Staff meetings allow managers to coordinate activities with subordinates.

Corporate or business-unit meetings address strategic issues and involve
executives who formulate long-range goals.

Task force meetings are held to discuss goals that affect a broad range of
employees such as diversity in the workplace or safety.

Team meetings are used to coordinate the work activities of members of a

self-managed team, including performance goals, training new members,
scheduling work, and suggesting improvements in work methods. The
application of multimedia technologies that transmit video, voice, and text
over Satellite networks have made face-to-face meetings with globally dis-

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 persed people possible.

1.4 Formal/Informal communication

Formal Communication

The formal channel, as the name implies, is deliberately, officially prescribed

path for flow of communication among the various positions in the
organization. It is a deliberate attempt to regulate the follow of
organizational communication so as to make it orderly and thereby to
ensure that information flows smoothly, accurately and timely to the
points to which it is required .

The channel of communication under this system is, no doubt, narrow, but
ordinarily, it does allow for flow of essential information. Besides, it is easy
to maintain, supports the authority of the superiors and provides for
closeness of contact thereby reducing channels of miscommunication. It
helps in exercising control over subordinates and in fixation of responsibility
in respect of activities carried out by a person in the organization.

It has certain basic limitations as well such as, bottlenecks in the flow,
enhancing organizational distance, greater possibilities of transmission
errors, screening at various filtering points, etc. These limitations can be
overcome by providing a number of communicating channels linking one
position with various other positions, the system of multiple channels. An
unlimited use of this system may however cause confusion and also
undermine the superior's authority.
Informal Communication

The informal channel of communication, also known as grapevine, is the

result of the operation of social forces at work place. While formal
communication exists to meet the utilitarian needs of the organization,
informal communication is the method by which people carry on social, non-
programmed activities within the formal boundaries of the system. It, thus,
exists outside the official network, though continuously interacting with it.
This informal channel is generally multiple in natures: same person having
social relationships with a number of people working in the same
organization.

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 Types of Grapevine

 Single strand network -the individual communicates with other individuals’

through intervening persons.

Y X
 gossip network- the individual communicates non-selectively

 probability network -the individual communicates randomly with other

individuals according to the law of probability

 X the -individual communicates with only those individuals

cluster network
whom he trusts

2. COMMUNICATION SKILLS
One of best to ways to ensure effective communication is to provide
opportunity for employees to develop communication skills. Skill in sending
and receiving message greatly reduces the possibility that a distorted
message will be transmitted. The following are the four key communication
skills:
 Assertive communication skills
 Presentations skills
 Nonverbal communication skills and
 Listening skills

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2.1 Assertive communication skills
Assertive communication skills enable an individual to communicate in ways
that meet her or his own needs while at the same time respecting the needs
and right of others. A person who displays these skills states exactly what is
wanted or needed from individuals being targeted for the message.
Speaking calmly, directly and confidently without instilling fear or anger in
the other person is being assertive. The goal is to respond directly and
outwardly to a problem.
A person who communicates assertively sticks to the fact, and does not
communicate in critical, subjective way. Assertive communication involves
giving facts, feedback or information that makes clear the communicator’s
wishes, needs, wants, beliefs, or feelings. Here are some examples of
speaking directly in a factual manner.
 “I would like you here eight o’clock.”
 “I am quite pleased with the way the situation has been resolved.”

Assertive communication includes obtaining honest feedback from others.

The individual will ask direct questions or make direct statements to find out
the other person’s views, wants, and feelings to make sure there is no
misunderstanding between the two parties. Here are some examples of
ways to receive direct feedback:
 “What would you prefer to do?”
 “I would like to hear your views on this.”
 “What are the pro and cons on this idea from your point of view?”

There are several less effective communication styles that people use in
work place. This is because the communicator is either indirect or is not
mindful of the needs of others or of her or his own needs.
These dysfunctional communication styles include:
(1) passive,
(2) aggressive, and
(3) passive-aggressive communication.

An individual who engages in passive communication does not let others

know directly what he or she wants or needs. A passive communicator
hopes that his or her needs will be met without asking. Others are expected
to figure out what is needed, and, if they fail, the passive communicator
becomes resentful.

An aggressive communication style is a forceful approach to com-

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 municate with others which expresses dominance and even anger. An ag-
gressive communicator ignores the needs and rights of others, and loudly
proclaims what he or she wants. The aggressive communicator may coerce
others by using threatening words until he or she gets what is wanted.

A passive-aggressive communication style avoids giving direct re-

sponses to others' requests or feedback. Instead the passive-aggressive
communicator tries to "get even" with others later for real or imagined
injustices. This individual fears giving direct feedback to others for the same
reasons that the passive communicator does.

If a person becomes aware of a tendency to communicate in one of these

three dysfunctional styles, he or she should learn and practice honest,
assertive communication skills.

2.2 Presentation Skills

Presentation skills are critical in almost every job. Engineers need to

present ideas persuasively to the managers who control funding. Managers
must present performance results to executives, and team members may
need to present ideas for quality improvement at staff meetings. Managers
and team leaders often need to persuade the team or employees to do
something or to accept a new policy. Basic guidelines for developing
effective presentation skills include the following:

Prepare objectives for your presentation. Know what you want the
audience to do. Do you want them to buy a product? Invest in a new
technology? Implement a new policy that controls travel expenses?

Organize the presentation into several key ideas, no more than five,
which will persuade the audience to act in the way you, want them to.
Organize your ideas in a logical sequence based on the relative importance

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of each idea. Use a mix of information to support your ideas, including
publications, statistics, quotes from famous people, and personal stories
that you share with the audience.

Structure the presentation into three parts: introduction, body, and

conclusion.
 The introduction tells the audience what the presentation is about
and what benefits they should get out of it. It should begin with a
good opening, such as a story or declarative statement that grabs
the audience's attention and sustains it through the rest of the
presentation.
 The body is the main message and idea of the presentation.
 The conclusion summarizes the key takeaway points that the
speaker wants to emphasize so that the audience will be
persuaded to act.

Tailor the presentation to the needs of the audience. Find out in

advance who will be attending the meeting, anticipate the motivations and
interests of the audience, and design the presentation to meet some of
those needs and interests.

Establish your credibility if the audience is not familiar with your

credentials. An effective leader will introduce the speaker to establish the
speaker's credentials.

Speak in a responsive and conversational style that engages listeners.

Nobody wants to hear a speaker read aloud or make a programmed
presentation that sounds like it was memorized. Treat the audience as if you
developed the presentation just for their benefit.

Use visual aids such as overhead slides, charts, exhibits, or colorful

posters that reinforce the verbal message. Computer programs that

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 combine text, graphics, and color to make overhead slices are a basic part
of the professional's toolkit.

Practice your presentation skills, which, as all performance skills,

improve with effort and practice. Look for opportunities to make
presentations and receive feedback. Making a presentation to a school
group or a social organization or teaching a class is a good way to get
additional experience.

Restate the key ideas you want the audience to remember when
concluding the presentation. Summarize the objectives and purpose of the
talk. End the presentation with an audience appeal for action if appropriate.
2.3 Nonverbal communication skills.
Nonverbal communication is sending and decoding messages with
emotional content. Friendliness, respect, acceptance, rejection, dominance,
submissiveness, anger, fear, and humor are conveyed primarily by
nonverbal signals. The details will be discussed in methods of
communication.
2.4 Listening skills
Listening is a fundamental communication skill for understanding both the
verbal content and the underlying feelings embedded in the message.
Listening is an active, not a passive activity. It requires the listener to be
involved in the communication process. The listener should try to avoid
judging the speaker or the message being given. Instead, the listener
should focus attention on trying to understand the content of the message.
An active listener indicates both verbally and nonverbally that he or she is
engaged in the conversation. When the speaker is communicating a feeling,
the listener can restate what the speaker is expressing, asking for
confirmation. The speaker will either confirm the impression or clarify it.

In either case, the speaker will be encouraged to continue the conversation.

Also, by using nonverbal indicators of listening-making eye contact, nodding
the head, and leaning forward, for example-the listener is encouraging the
speaker to continue. Lack of feedback from the listener can discourage the
speaker from sharing opinions or feelings. Passively listening may
unintentionally short-circuit a conversation.

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When listening to another person, the speaker's tone of voice often
discloses his or her emotional state, which helps the listener understand the
feelings behind the words. Aspects of the speaker's tone of voice to listen
for include the pitch, loudness, and speed of the verbal message. By
decoding the meaning of the speaker's tone of voice, the listener can
provide feedback to the speaker that can improve the quality of
communication between the two parties.
Here are some examples of how to interpret and respond to a speaker's
tone of voice.

 If a speaker's pitch of voice is high and strained, it indicates feelings

of nervousness. Calm, reassuring response from the listener
encourages the speaker to proceed speaking. On the other hand, a
quick, jerky response from the listener may cut the speaker short
and disrupt the speaker's train of thought. Speaking in a lower pitch
that is unstrained indicates the speaker is feeling confident and has
emotional composure.

 If the speaker's tone of voice is shaky and hesitant with numerous

pauses, it indicates a lack of confidence and doubt. By maintaining
eye contact and offering reassuring gestures such as nodding one's
head, the listener encourages the speaker to go on and complete
the message.

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3.

1.
QUESTIONING TECHNIQUES

There are many types of questions that are useful for promoting dis-

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 cussions. In general, open-ended questions encourage discussion, whereas
closed-ended questions (e.g., yes/no questions) tend to limit discussion. It is
better to ask workers to discuss the pros and cons of an idea rather than to
just ask them whether they agree or disagree with it. After someone has
answered a question, it often is useful to ask follow-up questions to clarify
the issues. When questions are addressed to the leader, they often should
be redirected back to participants to promote discussion.

Being asked a direct question by the leader can be a threatening experience

that reduces discussion. Leaders 'should try to ask questions of the entire
group whenever possible. After asking a question, the leader should re-
member to give the group members sufficient time to respond. The leader
should reward participation by acknowledging responses. If no one re-
sponds, the leader should try rewording the question or going around the
room and having everyone comment on it. A lack of response might mean
that the question has a bias or is putting some of group members on the de -
fensive.

4. HOW TO LEAD DISCUSSION

The discussion starts with a review of the agenda and warm-up activities
designed to get people talking socially. The main body of the discussion
focuses on managing the communication process and making decisions.
The discussion ends with a summary of decisions and assignments and an
evaluation of how well the group is operating.
Although the discussion leader is the primary facilitator of group discussion,
all of the members have a responsibility to help facilitate group meetings.
The following is a description of the five main communication activities of
the facilitator.

FACILITATE
START –UP DISSCUSSION WRAP-UP

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Agenda: Maintain Open Tie up loose ends
Purpose and Climate Check Results
Desired against Desired
 Brief Worm-up Manage Differences Group Process
Session Summarize Important
Decisions

Maintain an open and collaborative climate. When discussing the topics

of the meeting, the discussion should focus on the issues, not on people's
personalities or behaviors. Focusing on the behaviors of individuals rather
than on issues can make the participators defensive and reduce communi-
cation.

Manage disruptive behaviors. When participators are being disruptive, the

leader needs to be firm but friendly in confrontations. Disruptive participators
may be dominating the discussion, overly talkative, or rude to other
participators. All participators share responsibility for handling difficult
members; it is not just the job of the leader to maintain the flow of the
discussion. The leader should acknowledge and verbally reward acceptable
behaviors.
Manage differences. Differences can be a constructive force because they
can encourage critical thinking, creativity, and healthy debate. Differences
are constructive when issues (and not people) are attacked, team spirit is
increased, understanding is enhanced, and achievement takes place. Dif-
ferences also can be a destructive force. Differences can be managed by
clarifying the various points of view, defining areas of agreement and
disagreement, and taking steps to resolve differences through problem-
solving techniques and consensus decision making.

Summarize important decisions. The leader needs to keep the

participators focused on the agenda topics. To help keep the group process
flowing, the leader should stop after major agenda items and summarize
participator’s conclusions. This allows for a check on whether all

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 participators agree with what has happened at the meeting.

Evaluate the group process. The leader should hold a group process eval-
uation at the end of each group discussion to discuss how the discussion i
operated and areas for improvement. These group process evaluations
provide feedback to the team about its performance. This helps to deal with I
problems before they get emotionally out of hand.
I

6. HOW TO SOLICIT RESPONSE I

Important decisions are made with input from others. Leaders need to solicit I
input before making decisions for a variety of reasons:
 to obtain critical input,
 to build commitment in others,
 to develop others,
 to show respect for others' opinions, and
 to foster open communication and problem sharing.
The following guidelines suggest ways to solicit input for the decision
making process:

 When you first learn that you must make a decision, determine who
has the information you need to make a good decision, who you
need to involve to get buy-in, and who you think should be involved.

 You can involve others in any phase of the process: defining the
problem or opportunity, identifying other ways of looking at the
problem, generating optional approaches, selecting criteria for
making a final decision, making the final call, or planning
implementation. You may involve everyone in every phase or
engage different people in each, depending on the decisions and
input needed.

Options for soliciting input include:

 One-to-one conversations

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  Group discussions
 Memos requesting input
 Electronic mail discussion (internal communications on computer)

When appropriate, pull people together as a group so that individuals can

work together to define the opportunities goals, and best course of action.

If you anticipate that people will have difficulty working together:

 Talk with them individually first to solicit their cooperation.
 Deal respectfully with their concerns.
 Develop supporters in the group who will help you keep it focused
and working constructively.
 Be clear about what you want, particularly with those you will rely
upon as supporters.
When interviewing others to gain information for problem solving:
 Use open-ended questions and active listening.
 Take care not to judge others' suggestions or to convey, verbally or
nonverbally, that you disapprove of their ideas.
 If you do not remain open to the information you solicit, others will
sense that their input is not really important and will stop
communicating with you.

7. IDENTIFY PROBLEMS, ORGANIZE INFORMATION AND SOLVING

PROBLEMS

Problem solving has been studied by looking at three different approaches:

how one actually go about solving their problems, what types of behavior
contribute to effective problem solving, and what techniques can be used to
improve problem solving. Supervisors should base their problem-solving
approaches on a rational model of the process including six stages:
 problem definition
 evaluation of the problem
 generating alternatives
 selecting a solution
 implementation, and
 evaluation of the results
Factors that improve group problem solving
An effective group should include intelligent problem solvers (or vigilant
critical thinkers). The group should analyze the problem, develop alter-
natives, and select the best solution. The problem-solving process should
be relatively free of social, emotional, and political factors that disrupt a

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rational approach to problem solving.

This can be taken as factors that improve group problem solving:

 Skilled problem solvers view problems from a variety of viewpoints to

better understand the problem.
 Rather than relying on its own opinions, an effective group gathers
data and research a problem before making a decision.
 A successful group considers a variety of options or alternatives
before selecting a particular solution.
 An effective group manages both the task and relational aspects of
problem solving. It does not let a problem damage the group's ability
to function effectively in other areas.
 A successful group's discussion is focused on the problem. Too
often, groups have difficulty in staying focused on the issues,
especially when there are conflicts.
 An effective group listens to minority opinions. Often, the solution to a
problem lies within the knowledge of a group member but is ignored
because the group focuses on the opinions and ideas of the majority.
 Skilled problem solvers test alternative solutions relative to
established criteria. The group defines what criteria a good solution
must meet and uses those criteria when examining alternatives.

Factors that hurt group problem solving

The groups do not discuss their problem-solving strategies or develop plans
to follow. Typically, they try to apply solutions that have worked in the past.
When groups spend time developing and following a structured approach to
problem solving, their decisions are better and members are more satisfied
with the problem-solving process.

There are many reasons why groups do not follow a logical structured
approach to problem solving. There may be constraints on the problem
solving process such as limited time, money, and information. Because of
these constraints, groups often seek "satisfying" solutions rather than opti-
mal solutions. Perfection is expensive and time-consuming. Collecting all of
the relevant information to solve problems may take longer than the time or
resources available to groups. In most cases, groups try to find acceptable
solutions (which meet their basic needs) given the time and information
constraints of the situations.

In addition, it often is difficult to determine what the best solution is. There
are trade-offs such as cost versus effectiveness of the solution. Solutions
differ according to their probabilities of success, the availability of resources

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 to implement them, and the politics of actually implementing them. These
trade-offs do not have correct answers; they rely on the judgments of the
group members. This limits a group's ability to objectively select the best
solution.

A group's problem-solving process can be disrupted by a number of non-

task-related factors. Group members may support a position because of
their desire to reduce uncertainty or avoid social conflict. Groups are better
able to solve problems when power is relatively equal among group
members. This encourages more open communication and critical
evaluation. Groups are better at problem solving when power is based on
competence or knowledge rather than on formal authority or control of
resources.

Problem Analysis
Problem Recognition and Definition Generate alternative solutions
Select solutions Implement solution

Evaluate outcome
7.1 Problem recognition, definition and analysis

Problem recognition, definition, and analysis are key processes in effective

problem solving. However, groups often rush through these stages of the
problem-solving process. In their desire to develop solutions quickly, groups
If successful, next
often focus onIf not
thesuccessful,
symptomsfeedback
of the problems rather than trying to
understand the real causes of the problems.

Unfortunately, even when a group takes the time to identify and analyze a
problem, the group may misinterpret the problem and its causes. There are
many things that can go wrong in the problem analysis process. The ability
to successfully identify and analyze a problem depends on characteristics of
the problem, the group, and the environment.

Problems vary in their levels of severity, familiarity, and complexity. The

more severe a problem is, the more likely it is to be identified as a problem.
Acute problems with identifiable onsets and impacts often are recognized
and addressed, whereas chronic problems that are less visible and more
on going often are ignored. Problems that are familiar are more likely to be
recognized by groups. Novel problems are more difficult to interpret, and
groups might assume that they are unique one-time events that will go away

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 by themselves. Complex problems are difficult to analyze and interpret. It is
common for a group to select just part of a complex problem to analyze and
solve so as to simplify the situation (although this might not be an effective
way in which to actually resolve the problem).

Groups vary in their levels of desire and ability to identify problems. Group
norms can have a strong effect on' problem identification. Groups with
norms supporting communication and positive attitudes toward conflict are
more likely to identify and discuss problems. Groups vary in how open they
are to the environment. Closed groups that are internally focused are less
likely to be aware of problems in the environment. Open groups monitor
what is happening in the environment, so they are better able to prepare for
problems in the future because they have identified the issues beforehand.

Group performance also affects the problem identification process. Groups

that are performing successfully sometimes will ignore problems. From the
perspective of successful groups, the problems cannot be very important
because the groups currently are successful. Unsuccessful groups also
have a tendency to ignore problems. These groups must focus on their main
performance problems, so they are less likely to see other problems that are
affecting the group. The notion of continuous improvement is a teamwork
concept designed to help deal with this issue. In continuous improvement,
teams assume that part of their function is to improve their operations. In
essence, successful and unsuccessful teams are required to identify
problems and work to solve them on an ongoing basis.

Characteristics of the environment also affect groups' ability to identify and

analyze problems. Many modern environments (e.g., political, business,
technological) have substantial amounts of change and uncertainty. The
high amount of change creates the need to stay alert and prepare for future
problems, whereas the amount of uncertainty makes this more difficult to
do. Groups vary in their relations to the outside environment.

Once a group identifies a problem, it might not decide to solve it. There are
a number of other alternatives. The group could decide to deny and distort
the problem so that it has a good justification to ignore it. The group may
decide to hide from the problem given that problems sometimes go away by
themselves. If the problem is difficult for the group to understand (due to
novelty or complexity), then it may decide to just monitor the problem for the
time being. Working collaboratively to solve a problem, or obtaining outside
help to solve a problem, requires identification, belief that the problem is
solvable, and motivation to solve the problem. These are the necessary
conditions for the first two stages of the rational problem-solving process.
7.2 Implementation and Evaluation

A solution is not a good one unless it is implemented. This requires com -

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 mitment from a group to support and enact its solution. One of the benefits
of group decision making is that participation in the decision helps to create
a sense of commitment to it.

One of the obligations of a problem-solving group is to think about im-

plementation issues when making a decision. It is not useful to agree on a
solution that the group cannot implement. This means that the group should
plan how the solution will be implemented. Planning includes consideration
of the people, time, and resources needed to implement the solution. The
group also needs to develop instructions on implementation and a rationale
justifying its solution if the group will not be the implementers. It also may be
useful to bring the people who will be affected by the decision into the
decision-making process so as to encourage their acceptance of the
solution.

Evaluation requires examining how the solution was implemented and what
the effects were (sometimes called process evaluation versus outcome
evaluation). This often requires that the group provide a definition of a suc-
cessful outcome, something that it should have done during the problem
identification stage.

Sometimes, even when the solution resolves the problem, the undesirable
situation does not change significantly. This happens when a group solves
only part of a larger problem, so the rest of the problem comes to the
foreground because a part of it has been solved. By taking a larger perspec-
tive on the problem, the group might be able to determine the more critical
parts of the problem that should be solved. The evaluation stage can help to
provide information for future problem identification and solving.

8. COMMUNICATION BARRIER AFFECTING WORKPLACE

COMMUNICATION

For communication to be effective, the receiver must be able to decode the

message and understand its true meaning. Decoding means translating the
symbolic, verbal, written, or visual symbols into an undistorted clear
message. The receiver may misinterpret the message if unable to decode it,
perhaps because the receiver does not have the necessary skills in
language or culture. The following are communication barrier:

1. Sender barrier. The sender may send a message to an audience

that is not interested in the
content of the message.
2. Encoding barrier. The sender uses a vocabulary that is too
technical for the audience.
3. Communication channel barrier. The sender selects a
communication channel that is too lean to provide the richness of

Prepared by- Mohammed K. 23

 information receivers need to decode the message. For example,
a written memo is inadequate for explaining a change in the
employee retirement plan.
4. Decoding barrier. The receiver does not have the decoding skills
necessary to understand the message. For example, poor reading
skills can prevent employees from using manuals and other
reference materials.
5. Receiver barrier. The receiver is too busy focusing on other
things to be able to accurately listen to and understand the verbal
or nonverbal content of the message.
6. Feedback barrier. The organization has few formal
communication channels with feedback loops to give lower
echelon employees the opportunity to communicate their true
feelings about policies.
7. Noise barrier. The receiver does not understand how to use time-
saving feature of e-mail and voice mail, resulting in message
overload and unacceptable delays in responding to message of
customer and coworker.
8. Perception barriers. Perception barriers occur when two
individual experiences the same message differently because
their mental images of the message are not identical. A receiver
will fit a message into an existing pattern of experiences to make
sense out of it. Sometimes the message becomes distorted
during this sense making process. One type of perception barrier
is selective perception, whereby the receiver focuses on the parts
of the message that are most relevant to his or her interests and
ignores other parts that are viewed as not relevant. For example,
an employee interested in a job vacancy may use selective
perception to discount the fact that the job requires more work
experience than the employee currently has accumulated. The
result is a personal disappointment when the employee is not
chosen for the job.

Another important type of perceptual barrier is prejudgment, which

involves making incorrect assumptions about a person due to membership
'in a group (based on age, race, gender or ethnicity) or about a thing (such
as performance evaluation) based on earlier positive or negative
experiences.

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 Large, complex organizations
Communication are lean
channels from likely (memos
to have many
or policy
barriers.
manuals) to rich videoconference and multimedia) so that
These barriers can be managed by using various
senders
managementcan match the channel
practices.
Senders should be educated about the necessity of
learning the back
ground of intended audiences and should gain firsthand
familiarity with
Large, complex organizations are likely to have many
barriers.
These barriers can be managed by using various
management practices.
Senders should be educated about the necessity of
learning the back
ground of intended audiences and should gain firsthand
familiarity with
audiences prior to initiating communication. All members
of the organi
References zation should be trained in the effective use of
communication technolo
 Anthony G.King : gies to manage the flow of information. There should be a
diverse mix of
Effective Communication, communication channels from lean (memos or policy
manuals) to rich

Blackstone press limited,1992

 Chris Simons and Blenda Naylor-Stables ,Effective Communication for

Managers,1997

 Ann Dobson, Communication at work, How To Books Ltd,1995

 Indra Gandhi National Open University, Organization Theory and

Behavior,2005

 Daniel Levi ,Group Dynamics For Teams, Sage Publications,2001

 Brian L. Davis ,Successful manager’s Handbook, Personnel Decisions

International, 1996

Prepared by- Mohammed K. 25

 Stephen E. Lucas, The art of Public Speaking, McGraw_ Hill

Companies,2001

Prepared by- Mohammed K. 26