Chapter 4

Coordinating Office
Communication
Part I

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
1 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Variables Affecting the Communication Process

1. Nature of the message

2. Background of sender
3. Background of receiver
4. Relationship between sender and receiver
5. Time of day
6. Unusual circumstances of those communicating

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
2 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Elements of the Communication Process

Noise Sender

Feedback Receiver

Channel Message

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Is a process that involves
translating the thoughts or
Encoding information into words,
signs, or symbols.

Occurs when the receiver

interprets the message
Decoding and gives it meaning
from his or her own
perspective.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
4 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 4.1 Communicating in the Office
Why we communicate?
• To get something done. People in authority can
command, instruct or request their subordinates to
carry out actions. If they did not communicate their
needs and requirements nothing would get done.
• Subordinates also need to communicate to get
things done.
– To motivate employees to perform
– To understand verbal and nonverbal cues in their work
– To call to action or to inform.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 To Persuade

To Inform
To Evaluate

PURPOSES OF
COMMUNICATION

To Meet Human &

To Instruct Cultural Needs

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by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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 Factors to Consider in Selecting Appropriate
Communication Channels

a. Permanency of record
b. Immediacy or Speed of transmission.
c. Need for evidence of understanding or feedback.
d. Appropriateness to employee level.
e. Nature of information to be transmitted – good news or
bad news.
f. Formality – If the communication is more formal than
informal, then written communication needs to be used.
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
7 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Communication Flows

Horizontally
Upward (Laterally) Downward
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
8 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 1. Downward Communication

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
9 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 a) Downward Communication

Flows vertically from TOP of org to one or

more levels BELOW
Is used by administrative office managers to:
1. Keep their subordinates informed.
2. Give them job-related instructions.
3. Provide subordinates with feedback
regarding their job performance.
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
10 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 b) Factors That Affect the Success of
Downward Communication

1. Appropriateness of communication channel

2. Timing and clarity of the message
3. Attitudes of those involved in the communication
process

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
11 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 c) Types of Downward Communication

– Job Instructions
– Job Rationale
– Procedures & Practices
– Feedback
– Indoctrination

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
12 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 2. Upward Communication

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
13 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 Flows vertically from one level in the org to
one or more levels above

Is used by employees to convey to their supervisors

their feelings, ideas, aspirations, and attitudes

a. Upward Communication

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
14 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
b. Upward Communication channels are used in the office mainly:

To provide the OM or supervisor with feedback

indicating whether the messages transmitted
downward have been received and understood.

To transmit information needed for higher level

decision making.

To pass along suggestions for systems

improvements and changes in policies.

To give office employees an opportunity to ask

questions, to make complaints, and to express
satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the way office
activities
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are being
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 c. Variables That Affect the Success of
Upward Communication

1. The nature of the relationship between the

subordinate and the manager.
2. The quality of the subordinate’s presentation
of the message.
3. The extent to which the content of the message
is positive or negative.
4. The timeliness of the message.
5. The extent to which the substance of the message
is useful.
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
16 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 d. PROBLEMS IN UPWARD COMMUNICATION

Unwillingness or inability of supervisor to encourage feedback of

employees’ viewpoints and reactions.
Supervisors or managers lack empathy.

The organization may have failed to provide managers and

supervisors with an adequate understanding of the importance of
communication and sufficient training in developing a high level of
communication skill.

Supervisors may stifle complaints or block reports of dissatisfaction

from employees.

The supervisor or manager may be poor listeners and hear only what
he or she wants to hear.
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
17 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 e. Formal upward communication channels that
minimize upward communication problems

1. Employee Suggestion Systems

It is a channel of upward communication in which
employees offer ideas that result in cost reduction and
eliminate inefficiency and waste.
It is used as a means of building morale among office
workers and of getting workers to think more seriously
about their jobs.
Most employees are eligible to participate in the
suggestion system.
Employees are normally rewarded for each suggestion
accepted and implemented.
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
18 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
2. Grievance-Handling Procedure
A grievance is an employee’s complaint about a work-
related matter.
Grievance-handling procedure is a channel whereby
employees’ complaints can be officially investigated
and attended to.
This procedure assures the employees that their
complaints are taken seriously by management.
The organization also recognizes that complaints do
exist in the office and that they should be considered a
normal part of supervising office work.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
19 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 3. Horizontal Communication

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
20 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 a. Horizontal Communication

Flow between individuals of equal hierarchical

rank and is informal than either downward or
upward communication

Takes place between individuals of equal

hierarchical rank and is more informal than
either downward or up communication.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
21 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
b. Purposes of Horizontal Communication

– Task Coordination
– Problem Solving
– Sharing Information
– Conflict Resolution
– Building Rapport

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
22 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 c. Functions of Horizontal Communication

1. It helps employees fulfill their socialization

needs.
2. It helps employees and departments coordinate
their activities with one another.
3. It helps others better understand individual and
departmental responsibilities.
4. It helps individuals solve their own problems
before others have to become involved.
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by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
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Diagonal vs Vertical vs Horizontal Communication

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
24 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 4. Diagonal Communication

• Communication that cuts across existing vertical and horizontal channels.

• Diagonal communication refers to communication between managers and
workers located in different functional divisions (Wilson 1992).
• Occurs when low-level of staff department communicates with the high level
staff of the other department and vice versa.

• For examples:
 a junior staff member may ‘go over the head’ of his or her immediate
superior by telephone, email or visit a senior technical expert in another
area to get information. (usually in informal organization)
 When the human resources assistant speaks with the marketing manager
about the hiring of a new employee in marketing, this would be considered
diagonal communication.
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
25 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 4.2 Communication with
visitors and clients

• Make eye contact

• Smile
• Maintain an appropriate distance
• Call the customer by name
• Listen to the customer
• Use language effectively
• Use empathy statements
• Explain the situation
• Use a pleasant and friendly tone of voice
• Use correct English
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
26 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 4.2 Communication with
visitors and clients

• Speak at an appropriate volume and speed for your speech

• Listen carefully
• Ask questions tactfully
• Respond calmly to a loud or angry voice

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
27 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 WORKPLACE VISITORS

a. Keep a register with:

• The name of the visitor
• Company affiliation
• Nature of the visit
• Person the visitor wishes to see
• Date of the visit

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
28 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 b. Techniques for Receiving Visitors
Know your expectations.
Ask yourself with questions like:
• Will you see certain people immediately, regardless of
how busy you are?
• Will you see friends or relatives immediately?
• Will you not see certain people under any
circumstances?
• Do you set aside a particular time of day for seeing
visitors?
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
29 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
c. Greet the Visitor
• Welcome the visitor to the organization. Greet the
person with a simple “Good Morning” or “Good
Afternoon” or “Assalammualaikum”.
• Use the visitor’s name if you know it.
• If you never met the visitor, introduce yourself.
• Shake hands, and then ask the visitor to be seated.
• As you shake hands, look the person in the eye, smile,
and say, “I’m happy to meet you.”
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
30 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 • Always extend your hand first to the visitor.
• Always give a visitor your immediate attention.
Keep Confidential Information Confidential
• Be certain the visitor cannot read the information.
Determine the Purpose of the Visit
• Find out why the person is calling. Initial greeting may
be “Good Morning of Good Afternoon. How may I
help you?” Avoid blunt questions such as:
– What is your name?
– What do you want?
– Where do you work?
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
31 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
• Ask the visitor to record the necessary information on
the register. The register should have a place for the
date, time, visitor’s name and affiliation, person
visited, and purpose of the call.
• Ask for the person’s business card.
Remember Names and Faces
• Listen carefully to the person’s name when it is
pronounced.
• If you do not understand a name, ask the person to
repeat it.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
32 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
 • Write the name phonetically if the pronunciation is
difficult.
• Use the person’s name when you first learn it.
• Use the person’s name again before he or she leaves.
• Ask the person for a business card.
• If you receive a visitor who has been in the office
before but whose name you have forgotten, be tactful
and say, “It’s good to see you again.”

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
33 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
d. Make the Wait Pleasant
• If coffee or tea is available, offer the person a cup.
• Explain the reason for the delay.
• Offer the visitor something to read.
• If the wait is going to be longer than anticipated, tell
the person.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
34 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
e. Make Introductions
i. One basic rule: The most important person is
named first, regardless of gender.
• A customer/client is more important than your
supervisor.
• A government official is more important than your
supervisor.
• Your supervisor is more important than a new
employee who is at a lower level on the organization
chart.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
35 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
• When introducing people of equal rank in business
situations, the social rules for introductions apply:
A man is introduced to a woman, and a younger
person is introduced to an older person.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
36 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
2. Steps when introducing people:
– Stand up.
– Make eye contact with the person, and move toward the
person.
– Use a firm but not crunching handshake.
– Repeat the person’s name when you are introduced.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
37 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
f. Handle Interruptions
• Interrupt your supervisor with a message when
visitors are present.
• If you knock on the door, hand your supervisor a
note; never give the information verbally. This
approach can also be used if a visitor overstays the
time allocated.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
38 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
g. Handle the Difficult Visitor
• Your role as an ambassador of goodwill.
• If the visitor refused to reveal the purpose of the visit,
offer him/her a sheet of paper and suggest that he/she
write a note to the executive; then take the note to
your supervisor.
• Do not disclose specific information to unidentified
visitors.
• Let the visitor talk. Listen.

Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.

by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
39 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
Administrative Office Management, 8/e ©2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
by Zane Quible Pearson Prentice Hall
40 Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458