Topic 2:

Communication in the
Workplace
FIA 1383: BUSINESS COMMUNICATION
The Communication Process

 All organizational communication is on a continuum

Interpersonal

Half-listening to your significant other because

you’re distracted thinking about a big test you
have to take tomorrow

Impersonal
2.1 Interpersonal Communication
 Interpersonal communication is like breathing : it is a requirement for
life and is inescapable.
 Unless you live in isolation, you communicate interpersonally EVERY
day!
 Interpersonal communication takes place in the workplace whenever
two or more people interact with each other or in small groups.
 When two or more people are in the same place and are aware of
each other’s presence, then communication is taking place, no matter
how subtle or unintentional.
 Even without speech, an observer may be using cues of posture,
facial expression, and dress to form an impression of the other
person’s role, emotional state, personality and/or intentions. Although
no communication may be intended, people still receive messages
through such forms of non-verbal behavior.
• Definition: Interpersonal communication is the process by which people
exchange information, thoughts, feelings, and meaning through verbal and
non-verbal messages in order to create and sustain shared meaning.
• ___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
• Interactions include:
___________________________________________________________
• Formats include:
___________________________________________________________
• Response from receiver necessary for effectiveness
• GOAL: treat one another as PEOPLE and respond as unique individuals
Uses of Interpersonal Communication
 Most of us engage in some form of interpersonal communication on a regular
basis, how well we communicate with others is a measure of our interpersonal
skills.
 Interpersonal communication is a key life skill and can be used to:
a) ____________________________________________________________
b) Influence the attitudes and behavior of others
c) Form contacts and maintain relationships
d) Make sense of the world and our experiences in it
e) Express personal needs and understand the needs of others
f) ____________________________________________________________
g) Make decisions and solve problems
h) Anticipate and predict behavior
i) ____________________________________________________________
Interpersonal Skills
 Interpersonal skills are the life skills we use every day to communicate
and interact with other people, both individually and in groups.
 People who have worked on developing strong interpersonal skills are
usually more successful in both their professional and personal lives.
 Employers often seek to hire staff with ‘strong interpersonal skills’ –
they want people who will work well in a team and be able to
communicate effectively with colleagues, customers and clients.
 Interpersonal skills are not just important in the workplace, our
personal and social lives can also benefit from better interpersonal
skills.
 People with good interpersonal skills are usually perceived as
optimistic, calm, confident and charismatic – qualities that are often
endearing or appealing to others.
 Interpersonal skills include:
a) ______________________– what we say and how we say it
b) Non-verbal communication – what we communicate
without words (e.g. body language)
c) Listening skills – how we interpret both the verbal and non-
verbal messages sent by others
d) _________________________– working with others to find
a mutually agreeable outcomes
e) Problem solving – working with others to identify, define
and solve problems
f) Decision making – exploring and analyzing options to make
sound decisions
g) _________________________– communicating our values,
ideas, beliefs, opinions, needs and wants freely
You Already Have Interpersonal Skills
 We’ve all been developing our interpersonal skills since
childhood – usually subconsciously
 Interpersonal skills become so natural that we may take them
for granted, never thinking about how we communicate with
other people.
 Good interpersonal skills can improve many aspects of your life
– professionally and socially – they lead to better understanding
and relationships at home, at school, at work and socially.
 Interpersonal skills are also sometimes referred to as social
skills, people skills, soft skills, communication skills or life skills.
 Through awareness of how you interact with others – and with
practice – you can improve your interpersonal skills.
Interpersonal Skills Self-Assessment
 Discover your interpersonal skills strengths and weaknesses
 The free self-assessment covers listening skills, verbal
communication, emotional intelligence and working in groups.
 This interpersonal skills self-assessment questionnaire will help
you to understand how well developed your interpersonal skills
are and identify areas that you can practice and improve.
 Take the test :
http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ls/index.php/343479/
Develop Your Interpersonal Skills
 There are a variety of skills that can help you succeed in
different areas of life.
 However, the foundations for many other skills are built on
strong interpersonal skills since these are relevant to our
personal relationships, social affairs and professional lives.
 Without good interpersonal skills, it is often more difficult to
develop other important life skills.
 Unlike specialized and technical skills (hard skills),
interpersonal skills (soft skills) are used every day and in
every area of our lives.
You can develop your interpersonal skills by taking the following
actions:
a) _________________________________– listening is not the
same as hearing. Take time to listen carefully to what others are
saying through both their verbal and non-verbal communication.
b) _______________________________________– be aware of
the words you are using when talking to others. Could you be
misunderstood or confuse the issue? Practise clarity and learn to
seek feedback to ensure your message has been understood.
Encourage others to engage in communication and use
appropriate questioning to develop your understanding.
c) Understand why communication fails – communication is
rarely perfect and can fail for a number of reasons. Learn about
the various barriers to good communication so you can be aware
of – and reduce the likelihood of – ineffective interpersonal
communication and misunderstandings.
d) Relax – when we are nervous we tend to talk more quickly
and therefore less clearly. Being tense is also evident in our
body language and other non-verbal communication.
Instead, try to stay calm, make eye contact and smile. Let
your confidence shine.

e) _____________________________– show an interest in

the people you talk to. Ask questions and seek clarification
on any points that could be easily misunderstood.

f) Be positive – try to remain positive and cheerful. People

are much more likely to be drawn to you if you can
maintain a positive attitude.
g) Empathise – understand that other people may have different
points of view. Try to see things from their perspective. You may
learn something whilst gaining the respect and trust of others.

h) Understand stress – learn to recognize, manage and reduce

stress in yourself and others. Although stress is not always bad, it
can have a detrimental effect on your interpersonal
communication. Learning how to recognize and manage stress, in
yourself and others, is an important personal skill.

i) __________________________________– you should aim to be

neither passive nor aggressive. Being assertive is about
expressing your feelings and beliefs in a way that others can
understand and respect. Assertiveness is fundamental to
successful negotiations.
j) ______________________________________– think
about previous conversations and other interpersonal
interactions; learn from your mistakes and successes.
Always keep a positive attitude but realise that you can
always improve our communication skills.

k) Negotiate – learn how to effectively negotiate with others

paving the way to mutual respect, trust and lasting
interpersonal relations.

l) Working in groups – we often find ourselves in group

situations, professionally and socially. Learn all about the
different types of groups and teams.
Principles of Interpersonal Communication
i. ________________________________________________________
• We interact with other people every day
• Interpersonal communication is inescapable and that
communication connects us to others
• We are like “transmitters” constantly transmitting messages at all
times
• We cannot voluntarily stop communicating
• Even if we consciously decide not to respond, not moving a muscle
or utter a sound, our stillness and silence are still considered as
responses by other people

ii. Communication is irreversible

• Once we have said or done something to another, we cannot erase
its impact
• We cannot rewind or restart communication as we can do to a
recorded TV show
• Once created, communication has the physical property of matter; it
can’t be uncreated - we cannot unhear the words, unsee the sights,
or undo the acts
iii. Communication is complicated
• Every personal contact is unique and no form of communication is simple
• There are many variables involved in interpersonal exchanges
• When we communicate, we interpret information from others as symbols
(word, sound, visual image, etc) – the reliance on symbols poses a
communication challenge in which your message may be misinterpreted
if the receiver does not understand the code
• E.g.: only if you are up to date on contemporary slang will you know that
“fo’shizzle” means “certainly”

iv. ____________________________________________________________
• Rule = a followable prescription that indicates what behavior is obligated,
preferred or prohibited in certain contexts
• Interpersonal communication rules are developed by the people involved
in the interaction and by the culture in which the individuals are
communicating
• Communication rules are learned from experience, observation and
through interactions with others
• E.g.: look the other person in the eyes when talking to them, do not use
your handphone during class, do not reveal each other’s secrets, etc
v. All communications have both content and relationship
dimensions
• The content dimension of a message refers to the information
contained and involves the expected response
• The relationship dimension indicates how you want the receiver of
the message to interpret your message and reveals what one party
to the interaction thinks of the other
• What you say (your words) and how you say it (tone of voice, eye
contact, facial expression and posture) can reveal much about the
true meaning of your message
• E.g.: A father says to his son, “Get over here right now.” – The
content dimension, or expected response is that the son will
approach immediately, but the message can be delivered in a
number of ways: as an order, a plea, a persuasion, etc.
• Each manner of delivery suggests a different kind of relationship
(authoritative, doting, loving, playful, etc).
• It is through such variations that we offer clues to another person
regarding how we see ourselves in relationship to that person
Understanding Interpersonal Communication
Principles Can Help Overcome Interpersonal Myths
Principle Myth Reality
Interpersonal communication All interpersonal relationship We may understand what someone means
connects us to others problems are always and feel connected to them, but we may
communication problems still disagree with them
Interpersonal communication A message can be taken We can’t simply hit ‘delete’ and erase com
is Irreversible back munication. Communication is more than
the information in a message, it creates
meaning for others
Interpersonal communication There are always simple Because of the complicated nature of how
is complicated solutions to all meaning is created, there are not always
communication problems simple ways to untangle communication
problems. It often takes time, skill and
patience to enhance communication
Interpersonal communication One person can resolve The communication rules are developed
is governed by rules interpersonal mutually between all people in the relation
communication problems ship. Understanding how the rules are
developed and interpreted can help
minimize misunderstandings
Interpersonal communication Meanings are in words and Meanings reside within a person based on
has both content and gestures the interpretation of both the content and
relationship dimensions the relationship dimensions of a message
and how the message is interpreted
2.2 Impersonal Communication

What is impersonal communication?

 It is a type of communication or interaction that is based
specifically on social roles – when you treat others as objects or
respond to their roles rather than who they are as unique
persons
 E.g.: Communication between a sales representative and a
potential customer or when you ask a waiter in a restaurant for a
glass of water
 The manner of communication is informal and superficial,
covering topics necessary to instigate a sale or similar
transaction.
 Limited knowledge of other person and/or situation
 One-way information giving process

 Transmit or transfer of information

 When you talk with a person you do not really

know/care about

 Used to give basic information:

____________________________________

 Methods include:
____________________________________
• Advantage:
– easy ways to get the word out

• Limitations:
– limited feedback from receiver
– understanding of message not known
– timing of message not controlled
I–It vs I–Thou Relationships
 I-It relationship
 Impersonal, in which the other person is viewed as an “It” or object,
rather than as an authentic, genuine person
 There is no personal, intimate dialogue
 The interaction is mechanical and stilted (stiff / unnatural) rather
than honest sharing of feelings.

 I-Thou relationship
 Occurs when you interact with another person as a unique, authentic
individual rather than as an object or an “It”
 There is a true, honest dialogue that results in authentic
communication
 The communicators are patient, kind, honest, open, spontaneous, non-
judgmental and forgiving
 More intimate and reveals more about the people involved
 Interpersonal vs Impersonal Communication

Interpersonal Communication Impersonal Communication

People are treated as unique individuals People are treated as objects
People communicate in an “I-Thou” People communicate in an “I-It”
relationship. Each person is special relationship. Each person has a role to
(friends, lovers, parents, children, cousins). perform (server – customer, taxi driver –
passenger).
There is a true dialogue and honest There is mechanical, stilted interaction
sharing of self with others. Broad topic of rather than honest sharing of feelings.
messages – food, self, family – with much Interaction is according to social rules that
emotions define the interaction (e.g. waiter would
greet the customer, hand them menus, etc)
Interpersonal communication often Impersonal communication involves
involves communicating with someone you communication with people such as a
care about. sales clerk – someone you have no
history with and expect no future with them
2.3 Intercultural Communication

“The reasonable person adapts himself to

the world, while the unreasonable one
persists in trying to adapt the world to
himself”
Definition:
 Culture is the “lens” through which you view the world. It is
central to what you see, how you make sense of what you
see, and how you express yourself

 Intercultural communication is the process of sending and

receiving messages between members of different groups,
which differ from each other in respect of the knowledge
shared by their members and in respect of their linguistic
forms of symbolic behavior

 In short, _______________________________________
______________________________________________
Need for Intercultural Communication in Business

 The world is increasingly becoming a global village and every country

has people of various ethnicities - cultural diversity is perceived around
the world with the change in geography, climate, countries, states,
religion, language, race and gender

 Globalization: Cross border movement of people, goods and data brings

more and more cultures into contact with one another and increases the
potential of cross culture communication.

 For a business to develop in a competent and advanced global village, it

is important to note differences in the communication practices of
different cultures in order to maintain intercultural harmony and
understanding
Purpose of Intercultural Communication in Business
a) To create cultural synergy between people from different
cultures within a business
b) To avoid problems stemming solely from misinterpretation
when coming across people from different culture and society
in the large expanding business globally
c) Communicating across cultures effectively improves your
productivity and efficiency
d) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
e) Cross-cultural proficiency increases the effectiveness of
meetings and other encounters in international business
Why Culture Matters in Intercultural Business
 ______________________________________________
 Communicating and interacting with foreign business
partners
 Screening and selecting foreign distributors and other
partners
 ______________________________________________
 Interacting with current and potential customers from
abroad
 Preparing for overseas trade fairs and exhibitions
 ______________________________________________
Problems of Cultural Differences

 People in different countries have different ways to

interpret events as they have different habits, values and
ways of relating to one another.
 When they come across, problems may come up.
 People tend to view their cultural practices as right, while
other practices as wrong or peculiar. This is called
ethnocentrism.
 Gestures and body movements, and beliefs and practices
related to human relationships are the two main factors
that impact communication.
High Context and Low Context Cultures

__________________:- Cultures that

rely heavily on non-verbal and subtle
situational cues in communication.

__________________:- Cultures that

rely heavily on words to convey
meaning in communication.
Eye Contact

In some cultures, looking people in the eye is assumed to

indicate honesty and straightforwardness; in others it is
seen as challenging and rude.
 In USA, the cheapest, most effective
way to connect with people is to
look them into the eye.

 Most people in Arab culture share a

great deal of eye contact and may
regard too little as disrespectful.

 In English culture, a certain amount

of eye contact is required, but too
much makes many people
uncomfortable.

 In South Asian and many other

cultures direct eye contact is
generally regarded as aggressive
and rude.
Gesture:
•A motion of the hands, head or body to emphasize an idea or emotion.
How the same gesture is treated differently in different
cultures
CULTURE HANDSHAKES

• Americans • Firm
• Germans • Brusque, firm, repeated
• French • Light ,quick, not offered to su
periors, repeated
• British • Soft
• Hispanics • Moderate grasp, repeated fre
quently.
• Latin Americans • Firm, long lasting.
• Middle Easterners • Gentle, repeated frequently.
• Asians • Gentle: for some shaking han
d is unfamiliar and uncomfort
able.
• Koreans • Firm
• Arabs • Gentle, kisses on both cheeks.
Beliefs and Practices
 While there are many beliefs and practices carried out in different parts
of the world few has been illustrated here to let us know the contrast
among different cultures.

__________________
 In some countries like China and Japan, punctuality is considered
important and being late would be considered as an insult.
 However, in countries such as those of South America and the Middle
East, being on time does not carry the same sense of urgency.

___________________
 The concept of "personal space" also varies from country to country.
 In certain countries it is considered respectful to maintain a distance
while interacting. However, in other countries, this is not so important.
______________________
 North Americans tend to be frank or explicit, quickly getting to the point.
 Germans and Israelis are even more frank than American.
 Asian tends to be more reticent and implicit.

______________________
 Asian cultures strongly frown upon public display of affection whereas
Westerners accept moderate display of affection.
 Eastern culture sorrow is expressed with loud, seemingly uncontrolled
wailing whereas westerners typically respond with subdued and controlled
emotions.

_____________________
 American believes if one puts hard work ahead of pleasure, success will
follow.
 North Americans expect to change their companies number of times and
also expects companies to fire them as per their needs.
 While in Japan, employment tend to be for lifetime. The company is viewed
like a family. Loyalty are expected from employees as well as employers.
Problem of Language
• There are more than 3000 languages in
use on earth.
• More than 200 languages are used in
India alone.

“If you speak to a man in a language he

understands, you speak to his head. If
you speak to a man in his own language
, you speak to his heart.”
– Nelson Mandela
Age & Gender Differences

• Emphasis on youth versus older generation

• Perception of men & women
Blocks to Cultural Communication

1. __________________: Inability to accept another culture's

world view; “My way is the best."

2. Discrimination: Differential treatment of an individual due to

minority status; actual and perceived;
E.g.: “We do not serve dark-skinned people."

3. ____________: Generalizing about a person while ignoring

presence of individual difference;
E.g.: “She's like that because she's Asian – all Asians are
quiet."
4. Cultural Blindness: Differences are ignored and one
proceeds as though differences did not exist;
E.g.: “There's no need to worry about a person's culture”

5. ___________________: Belief that everyone should conform

to the majority;
E.g.: “We know what's best for you, if you don't like it you can
go elsewhere."

6.Tone Difference: Formal tone change becomes embarrassing

and off-putting in some cultures.
Pre-cautions in Cultural Communication

1. Speak slowly & clearly

2. Use simple & clear language
3. Be brief
4. Separate questions
5. Avoid negative questions
6. Take turns
7. Write it down
8. Be supportive
9. Check meanings
10. Avoid slangs, idiomatic phrases & business jargons
11. Watch the humor
12. Maintain etiquette
Skills To Overcome Differences
 Respecting differences and working together

 Building trust across cultural boundaries

 Understanding body language

 Connecting with people

 Master the language of the speakers with whom you communicate

 Being aware of the problem caused by language differences.

 Ask questions carefully to make sure you understood the message.

2.4 Ethics in Communication
 Ethical issues may arise in human behavior whenever that
behavior could have significant impact on other persons, when
the behavior involves conscious choice of means and ends, and
when the behavior can be judged by standards of right and
wrong
 Definition: Ethics is __________________________________
___________________________________________________
 It is a type of moral principles in decision making, determined in
large part by society
 GOAL: to establish moral standards, behavioural norms, and
appropriate constraints on ourselves
 Acting ethically is critical in communication – to act ethically to
strive to act in ways that do not hurt other people, that respect
their dignity, individuality, and unique moral value, and that treat
others as equally important to oneself
Characteristics of Ethical Communication

1. Conveying the point without offending the audience

 Conveying the desired message to audience in a significant
manner is of primary importance while communicating
 The employees in a company can be asked to increase their
efficiency in a demanding manner
 Managers and executives will feel offended if the same tone
is used on them
 There are different ways to explain the exact things in a much
smoother manner
2. Maintain a relationship with the audience
 Maintaining the same wavelength with the audience is very
important for communicator to ensure the audiences feel at home
 Experienced communicators immediately build a relationship based
on trust with the audience

3. Avoid withholding crucial information

 Information is vital for all decisions
 It is important for any organization to be cautious when
communicating with the public
 All vital information must be conveyed appropriately
 Withholding crucial information might result in the public conceiving
a bad image
4. Well organized value system
 Well-organized value system must be established throughout the
organization by the top management
 Mutual respect between them will be present if an organization
functions on the base of value systems common to both the top
management and the employees
 A sound and healthy value system can make way for ethical
communication

5. Accuracy of information is necessary

 Any information that is to be passed on must be true and accurate
 Communicating without checking the truth of the information can be
highly dangerous
 Identification of the source and testing the information is necessary
before communicating
Corporate Codes of Ethics
1. ______________________
 Professional communicators are honest, accurate and candid
in all communications
 This practice encourages the free flow of important
information in the interest of the public

2. ______________________
 Protecting the confidences and privacy rights of employees
and customers is the duty of professional communicators
 Employees must abide by legal requirements for disclosing
information that affect the welfare of others
3. _________________
 Give due credit to those who you get ideas from

4. _________________
 Principles of free speech and free ideas should be
encouraged

5. __________________
 Sensitivity to cultural values and beliefs are crucial
Communicating Ethical Values
• Key words or stories
• Key decisions
• Responses to letters and Questions
• Written Philosophy
• ____________________
• Policy statements
• Performance evaluations systems
• Rewards and penalties
• ____________________
• Education and training
• Personal example
Examples of Unethical Communication

Type Example
Plagiarism Stealing someone else’s work and claiming it as your own
Selective Deliberately omitting damaging or unflattering comments to
misquoting paint a better (but untruthful picture) of you or your company
Misrepresenting Increasing or decreasing numbers, altering statistics or
numbers omitting numerical data
Distorting visuals Making a product look bigger or changing the scale of graphs
and charts to exaggerate or conceal the differences
Coercive Intimidation and threatening others
Destructive Backstabbing and inappropriate jokes
Deceptive Euphemism and lying
Intrusive Eavesdropping, tapping telephones, or monitoring Internet use
Secretive Hoarding information and cover-ups
Manipulative Acts which attempt to gain compliance or control through
exploitative exploitation
 Freedom of Expression
• Freedom of Expression is a basic human
right.

• It refers to right to freedom of expression,

including the freedom to seek, receive,
and impart information and opinions of any
kind in any form.

• Internationally, freedom of expression is

protected under the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights and the International
Covenant of Civil and Political Rights.

• Used to seek answers and express

opinions
Ethical Freedom of Expression

• Freedom of Expression must be balanced

against society’s need to maintain order,
protect general welfare and public morality

• There should be limits to free expression,

but only when it involves harm to others

• People should refrain from hate speech,

the public use of derogatory and offensive
language denigrating others, particularly
on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender and/
or sexual orientation.