Understanding

Communication
GNE 301

Samar Mansour
 Understanding Business Communications

Communication in Organizations
 Communication is necessary if an organization is to
achieve its goals.
 A survey of 1000 workers found that the most frequent
cause of workplace resentment and misunderstanding
was poor communication.
 Poor written communication skills are the leading source
of dissatisfaction that employers have about their
employees.
 The Components of Communication

Communication is the sending and receiving of verbal and nonverbal

messages.
There are FIVE components to communication:

 The stimulus
An event that creates within an individual the need to communicate.
Can be internal (an idea in your mind) or external (through sensory
organs)
Response is by formulating a message: Verbal (written or spoken) or
nonverbal (non- written or non-spoken) or a combination of both.
 The Components of Communication

 The filter
Personal experiences that shape a person’s unique impressions of
reality.

Based on individual experiences, culture, emotions at the

moment, personality, knowledge, socioeconomic status…

Once the brain receives the message, it decodes it and decides how
to respond.
 The Components of Communication

 The message
An encoded (formulated) verbal or nonverbal response to a
stimulus.

Success of the message depends on: the purpose and content

of the message – how skillful you are at communicating –
how well you know your audience – how much you have in
common with your audience.
 The Components of Communication

 The medium
The means of transmitting the message.

Oral – meetings, conferences, phone conversations, voice

mail, gossip…

Written – memo, report, brochure, board notice, e-mail,

newsletter, policies manual…

Nonverbal – facial expressions, gestures, body movements.

 The Components of Communication

 The destination
Where the message is going.
Once the message reaches its destination, there is no guarantee
that communication will occur, but if successful then it is
perceived accurately by the receiver and then it becomes the
stimulus… the process begins.
Feedback is the response to a message once it reaches its
destination. It is the reaction which may lead to more
communication.
 Verbal Communication

What are the most common forms of written and oral communication???

 Oral Communication
One of the most common functions in business.

Allows for immediate feedback and more ways to get your message across.

For Oral communication to be effective – LISTENING is required. A

message cannot achieve its goal if the audience does not have effective
listening skills.

Research shows that 60% of all communication problems in business are

caused by poor listening skills.
 Verbal Communication

 Written Communication
More difficult than speaking - one chance to get your message
across correctly.
The sender does not have the advantage of immediate feedback
and verbal clarifications or nonverbal clues.
Writing in modern business is the major source of
documentation. It is the permanent record for all to refer to in the
future in case of forgetfulness or dispute.
Estimated that the average manager reads about a million words a
week (could lead to information overload).
 Directions of Communication

A. The Formal Communication Network

 Downward Communication – from superiors to subordinates
(problem is that management assumes that the message sent has
been received and understood, which is not always the case)
 Upward Communication – from subordinates to superiors (
important because it provides upper management with necessary
information for making decisions)
 Horizontal Communication – among people at the same level in the
organization (very important to create a cohesive work unit)
 Cross Channel Communication – among people in different
departments within the same organization ( usually used by HR)
 Directions of Communication

B. The Informal Communication Network

Grapevine: the transmission of information through non-official
channels within the organization (gossip, conversations…)
Characteristics of the Grapevine:
 Accurate – 80% of info is accurate
 Pervasive – exists at all levels of the organization
 Fast – rapid spread of news
 Active – very active when change is taking place
 Normal – necessary for every organization
 The Active Listener

To improve listening skills, we must first

recognize barriers that prevent effective
listening. Then we need to focus on specific
techniques that are effective in improving
listening skills.
 Barriers to Effective Listening

Barriers and noise can interfere with the communication

process. Have any of the following barriers and distractions
prevented you from hearing what’s said?

 Physical barriers. You cannot listen if you cannot hear

what is being said. Physical impediments include hearing
disabilities, poor acoustics, and noisy surroundings. It’s
also difficult to listen if you’re ill, tired, uncomfortable,
or worried.
 Barriers to Effective Listening

 Psychological barriers. Everyone brings to the communication

process a different set of cultural, ethical, and personal values.
Each of us has an idea of what is right and what is important.
If other ideas run counter to our preconceived thoughts, we
tend to “tune out” the speaker and thus fail to hear.
 Language problems. Unfamiliar words can destroy the
communication process because they lack meaning for the
receiver. In addition, emotion-laden or “charged” words can
adversely affect listening. If the mention of words such as
abortion or overdose has an intense emotional impact, a
listener may be unable to think about the words that follow.
 Barriers to Effective Listening

 Nonverbal distractions. Many of us find it hard to listen

if a speaker is different from what we view as normal.
Unusual clothing, speech mannerisms, body twitches, or
a radical hairstyle can cause enough distraction to
prevent us from hearing what the speaker has to say.

 Thought speed. Because we can process thoughts more

than three times faster than speakers can say them, we
can become bored and allow our minds to wander.
 Barriers to Effective Listening

 Faking attention. Most of us have learned to look as if

we are listening even when we’re not. Such behavior was
perhaps necessary as part of our socialization.

Faked attention, however, seriously threatens effective

listening because it encourages the mind to engage in flights
of unchecked fancy. Those who practice faked attention
often find it hard to concentrate even when they want to.
 Barriers to Effective Listening

 Grandstanding. Would you rather talk or listen?

Naturally, most of us would rather talk. Because our
own experiences and thoughts are most important to us,
we grab the limelight in conversations. We sometimes
fail to listen carefully because we’re just waiting politely
for the next pause so that we can have our turn to speak.
 Tips for Becoming an Active Listener

You can reverse the harmful effects of poor habits by

making a conscious effort to become an active listener. This
means becoming involved. You can’t sit back and hear
whatever a lazy mind happens to receive. The following
techniques will help you become an active and effective
listener.
 Stop talking. The first step to becoming a good listener is
to stop talking. Let others explain their views. Learn to
concentrate on what the speaker is saying, not on what
your next comment will be.
 Tips for Becoming an Active Listener

 Control your surroundings. Whenever possible, remove

competing sounds. Close windows or doors, turn off
TVs, unplug your iPod, and move away from loud
people, noisy appliances, or engines. Choose a quiet time
and place for listening.
 Establish a receptive mind-set. Expect to learn
something by listening. Strive for a positive and receptive
frame of mind. If the message is complex, think of it as
mental gymnastics. It’s hard work but good exercise to
stretch and expand the limits of your mind.
 Tips for Becoming an Active Listener

 Keep an open mind. We all sift and filter information

through our own biases and values. For improved
listening, discipline yourself to listen objectively. Be fair
to the speaker. Hear what is really being said, not what
you want to hear.

 Listen for main points. Heighten your concentration and

satisfaction by looking for the speaker’s central themes.
Congratulate yourself when you find them!
 Tips for Becoming an Active Listener

 Capitalize on lag time. Make use of the quickness of

your mind by reviewing the speaker’s points. Anticipate
what’s coming next. Evaluate evidence the speaker has
presented. Don’t allow yourself to daydream. Try to
guess what the speaker’s next point will be.

 Listen between the lines. Focus both on what is spoken

as well as what is unspoken. Listen for feelings as well as
for facts.
 Tips for Becoming an Active Listener

 Judge ideas, not appearances. Concentrate on the

content of the message, not on its delivery. Avoid being
distracted by the speaker’s looks, voice, or mannerisms.

 Hold your fire. Force yourself to listen to the speaker’s

entire argument or message before reacting. Such
restraint may enable you to understand the speaker’s
reasons and logic before you jump to false conclusions.
 Tips for Becoming an Active Listener

 Take selective notes. In some situations thoughtful note

taking may be necessary to record important facts that
must be recalled later. Select only the most important
points so that the note taking process does not interfere
with your concentration on the speaker’s total message.
 Provide feedback. Let the speaker know that you are
listening. Nod your head and maintain eye contact. Ask
relevant questions at appropriate times. Getting involved
improves the communication process for both the
speaker and the listener.
 Improving your nonverbal
communication skills

Understanding messages often involves more than merely

listening to spoken words. Nonverbal cues, in fact, can speak
louder than words. These cues include eye contact, facial
expression, body movements, space, time, territory, and
appearance. All these nonverbal cues affect how a message is
interpreted, or decoded, by the receiver.
Just what is nonverbal communication? It includes all unwritten
and unspoken messages, whether intended or not. These silent
signals have a strong effect on receivers. But understanding them
is not simple. Does a downward glance indicate modesty?
Fatigue? Does a constant stare reflect coldness? Dullness? Do
crossed arms mean defensiveness? Withdrawal? Or do crossed
arms just mean that a person is shivering?
 Improving your nonverbal
communication skills

Messages are even harder to decipher when the verbal codes and
nonverbal cues do not agree. What will you think if Scott says he’s not
angry, but he slams the door when he leaves? What if Alicia assures the
hostess that the meal is excellent, but she eats very little? The nonverbal
messages in these situations speak more loudly than the words.
When verbal and nonverbal messages conflict, receivers put more faith in
nonverbal cues. In one study speakers sent a positive message but averted
their eyes as they spoke. Listeners perceived the total message to be
negative. Moreover, they thought that averted eyes suggested lack of
affection, superficiality, lack of trust, and non-receptivity.
Successful communicators recognize the power of nonverbal messages.
Although it’s unwise to attach specific meanings to gestures or actions,
some cues broadcast by body language are helpful in understanding the
feelings and attitudes of senders.
 How the Eyes Send Silent Messages

The eyes have been called the windows to the soul. Even if
they don’t reveal the soul, the eyes are often the best
predictor of a speaker’s true feelings. Most of us cannot look
another person straight in the eyes and lie. As a result, in
American culture they tend to believe people who look
directly at the audience. Sustained eye contact suggests trust
and admiration; brief eye contact signals fear or stress.
Good eye contact enables the message sender to see whether
a receiver is paying attention, showing respect, responding
favorably, or feeling distress. From the receiver’s viewpoint,
good eye contact, in North American culture, reveals the
speaker’s sincerity, confidence, and truthfulness.
 How the Face Sends Silent Messages

The expression on a person’s face can be almost as revealing

of emotion as the eyes. Experts estimate that the human
face can display over 250,000 expressions. To hide their
feelings, some people can control these expressions and
maintain “poker faces.” Most of us, however, display our
emotions openly. Raising or lowering the eyebrows,
squinting the eyes, swallowing nervously, clenching the jaw,
smiling broadly— these voluntary and involuntary facial
expressions can add to or entirely replace verbal messages.
 How the Body Sends Silent Messages

A person’s posture can convey anything from high status

and self-confidence to shyness and submissiveness. Leaning
toward a speaker suggests attraction and interest; pulling
away or shrinking back denotes fear, distrust, anxiety, or
disgust. Similarly, gestures can communicate entire thoughts
via simple movements. However, the meanings of some of
these movements differ in other cultures. Unless you know
local customs, they can get you into trouble. In the United
States and Canada, for example, forming the thumb and
forefinger in a circle means everything’s OK. But in
Germany and parts of South America, the OK sign is
obscene.
 Tips for Improving Your Nonverbal
Skills
Nonverbal communication can outweigh words in the way it influences
how others perceive us. You can harness the power of silent messages by
reviewing the following tips for improving nonverbal communication
skills:
Establish and maintain eye contact. Remember that appropriate eye
contact signals interest, attentiveness, strength, and credibility.
Use posture to show interest. Encourage communication interaction by
leaning forward, sitting or standing erect, and looking alert.
Improve your decoding skills. Watch facial expressions and body
language to understand the complete verbal and nonverbal messages
being communicated.

Probe for more information. When you perceive nonverbal cues that
contradict verbal meanings, politely seek additional cues (I’m not sure I
understand, Please tell me more about..., or Do you mean that...).
Avoid assigning nonverbal meanings out of context. Don’t interpret
nonverbal behavior unless you understand a situation or a culture.
 Tips for Improving Your Nonverbal
Skills
Avoid assigning nonverbal meanings out of context. Don’t interpret
nonverbal behavior unless you understand a situation or a culture.
Associate with people from diverse cultures. Learn about other
cultures to widen your knowledge and tolerance of intercultural
nonverbal messages.
Appreciate the power of appearance. Keep in mind that the
appearance of your business documents, your business space, and
yourself sends immediate positive or negative messages to receivers.
Observe yourself on videotape. Ensure that your verbal and
nonverbal messages are in sync by taping and evaluating yourself
making a presentation.
Enlist friends and family. Ask them to monitor your conscious and
unconscious body movements and gestures to help you become a
more effective communicator.
 UNDERSTANDING HOW CULTURE
AFFECTS COMMUNICATION
Comprehending the verbal and nonverbal meanings of a message
is difficult even when communicators are from the same culture.
But when they are from different cultures, special sensitivity and
skills are necessary.
Negotiators for a North American company learned this lesson
when they were in Japan looking for a trading partner. The North
Americans were pleased after their first meeting with
representatives of a major Japanese firm. The Japanese had
nodded assent throughout the meeting and had not objected to a
single proposal. The next day, however, the North Americans
were stunned to learn that the Japanese had rejected the entire
plan. In interpreting the nonverbal behavioral messages, the North
Americans made a typical mistake. They assumed the Japanese
were nodding in agreement as fellow North Americans would. In
this case, however, the nods of assent indicated comprehension—
not approval.
 UNDERSTANDING HOW CULTURE
AFFECTS COMMUNICATION
Every country has a unique culture or common heritage,
joint experience, and shared learning that produce its
culture. Their common experience gives members of that
culture a complex system of shared values and customs. It
teaches them how to behave; it conditions their reactions.
Global business, new communication technologies, the
Internet, and even Hollywood are spreading Western values
throughout the world. Yet, cultural differences can still cause
significant misunderstandings.
Controlling Ethnocentrism and Stereotyping

The process of understanding and accepting people from

other cultures is often hampered by two barriers:
ethnocentrism and stereotyping. These two barriers,
however, can be overcome by developing tolerance, a
powerful and effective aid to communication.
 Controlling Ethnocentrism

The belief in the superiority of one’s own culture is known

as ethnocentrism. This natural attitude is found in all cultures.
Ethnocentrism causes us to judge others by our own values.
If you were raised in North America, the values just
described probably seem “right” to you, and you may
wonder why the rest of the world doesn’t function in the
same sensible fashion. A North American businessperson in
an Arab or Asian country might be upset at time spent over
coffee or other social rituals before any “real” business is
transacted. In these cultures, however, personal relationships
must be established and nurtured before earnest talks may
proceed.
 Controlling Stereotyping

Our perceptions of other cultures sometimes cause us to

form stereotypes about groups of people. A stereotype is an
oversimplified perception of a behavioral pattern or
characteristic applied to entire groups. For example, the
Swiss are hardworking, efficient, and neat; Germans are
formal, reserved, and blunt; Americans are loud, friendly,
and impatient; Canadians are polite, trusting, and tolerant;
Asians are gracious, humble, and inscrutable. These
attitudes may or may not accurately describe cultural norms.
When applied to individual business communicators, such
stereotypes may create misconceptions and
misunderstandings. Look beneath surface stereotypes and
labels to discover individual personal qualities.
 TOLERANCE

Working among people from other cultures demands

tolerance and flexible attitudes. As global markets expand
and as our society becomes increasingly multiethnic,
tolerance becomes critical. Tolerance, here, does not mean
“putting up with” or “enduring,” which is one part of its
definition. Instead, we use tolerance in a broader sense. It
means having sympathy for and appreciating beliefs and
practices different from our own.
One of the best ways to develop tolerance is by practicing
empathy. This means trying to see the world through
another’s eyes. It means being nonjudgmental, recognizing
things as they are rather than as they “should be.” It
includes the ability to accept others’ contributions in solving
problems in a culturally appropriate manner.
 Tips for Minimizing Oral Miscommunication
Among Cross-Cultural Audiences

When you have a conversation with someone from another

culture, you can reduce misunderstandings by following
these suggestions:
 Use simple English. Speak in short sentences (under 20
words) with familiar, short words. Eliminate puns, sports
and military references, slang, and jargon (special
business terms). Be especially alert to idiomatic
expressions that can’t be translated, such as burn the
midnight oil and under the weather.
 Speak slowly and enunciate clearly. Avoid fast speech,
but don’t raise your voice. Over punctuate with pauses
and full stops. Always write numbers for all to see.
 Tips for Minimizing Oral Miscommunication
Among Cross-Cultural Audiences

• Encourage accurate feedback. Ask probing questions, and

encourage the listener to paraphrase what you say. Don’t
assume that a yes, a nod, or a smile indicates comprehension
or assent.
• Check frequently for comprehension. Avoid waiting until
you finish a long explanation to request feedback. Instead,
make one point at a time, pausing to check for
comprehension. Don’t proceed to B until A has been
grasped.
• Observe eye messages. Be alert to a glazed expression or
wandering eyes. These tell you the listener is lost.
 Tips for Minimizing Oral Miscommunication
Among Cross-Cultural Audiences

• Accept blame. If a misunderstanding results, graciously

accept the blame for not making your meaning clear.
• Listen without interrupting. Curb your desire to finish
sentences or to fill out ideas for the speaker. Keep in mind
that North Americans abroad are often accused of listening
too little and talking too much. Remember to smile! Roger
Axtell, international behavior expert, calls the smile the
single most understood and most useful form of
communication in either personal or business transactions.
• Follow up in writing. After conversations or oral
negotiations, confirm the results and agreements with
follow-up letters. For proposals and contracts, engage a
translator to prepare copies in the local language.
 CAPITALIZING ON WORKFORCE
DIVERSITY

As global competition opens world markets, businesspeople

will increasingly interact with customers and colleagues
from around the world. At the same time, the workforce is
also becoming more diverse—in race, ethnicity, age, gender,
national origin, physical ability, and countless other
characteristics.
 CAPITALIZING ON WORKFORCE
DIVERSITY

A diverse work environment has many benefits. Consumers want

to deal with companies that respect their values and create
products and services tailored to their needs. Organizations that
hire employees with different experiences and backgrounds are
better able to create the different products that these consumers
desire. In addition, businesses with diverse workforces suffer fewer
discrimination lawsuits, fewer union clashes, and less government
regulatory action. That’s why a growing number of companies
view today’s diversity movement as a critical bottom-line business
strategy. Organizations such as PepsiCo, UPS, Nike,
Reebok…want employees who speak the same language, literally
and figuratively, as their customers. These organizations are
convinced that it improves employee relationships and increases
business.
 Tips for Effective Communication With Diverse
Workplace Audiences

Capitalizing on workplace diversity is an enormous

challenge for most organizations and individuals. Harmony
and acceptance do not follow automatically when people
who are dissimilar work together. The following suggestions
can help you become a more effective communicator as you
enter a rapidly evolving workplace with ethnically diverse
colleagues and clients.

• Understand the value of differences. Diversity makes an

organization innovative and creative. Sameness fosters
groupthink, an absence of critical thinking sometimes found
in homogeneous groups.
 Tips for Effective Communication With Diverse
Workplace Audiences

• Don’t expect conformity. Gone are the days when businesses could
say, “This is our culture. Conform or leave.” The CEO of athletic
shoemaker Reebok stressed seeking people who have new and different
stories to tell. “It accomplishes next to nothing to employ those who are
different from us if the condition of their employment is that they
become the same as us. For it is their differences that enrich us, expand
us, provide us the competitive edge.”

• Create zero tolerance for bias and stereotypes. Cultural patterns exist
in every identity group, but applying these patterns to individuals results
in stereotyping. Assuming that African Americans are good athletes, that
women are poor at math, that French Canadians excel at hockey, or that
European American men are insensitive fails to admit the immense
differences in people in each group. Check your own use of stereotypes
and labels. Don’t tell sexist or ethnic jokes at meetings. Avoid slang,
abbreviations, and jargon that imply stereotypes. Challenge others’
stereotypes politely but firmly.
 Tips for Effective Communication With Diverse
Workplace Audiences

• Practice focused, thoughtful, and open-minded listening.

Much misunderstanding can be avoided by attentive listening.
Listen for main points; take notes if necessary to remember
important details. The most important part of listening, especially
among diverse communicators, is judging ideas, not appearances
or accents.
• Invite, use, and give feedback. As you learned earlier, a critical
element in successful communication is feedback. You can
encourage it by asking questions such as Is there anything you don’t
understand? When a listener or receiver responds, use that
feedback to adjust your delivery of information. Does the receiver
need more details? A different example? Slower delivery? As a
good listener, you should also be prepared to give feedback. For
example, summarize your understanding of what was said or
agreed on.
 Tips for Effective Communication With Diverse
Workplace Audiences

• Make fewer assumptions. Be careful of seemingly insignificant,

innocent workplace assumptions. For example, don’t assume that
everyone wants to observe the holidays with a Christmas party
and a decorated tree. Celebrating only Christian holidays in
December and January excludes those who honor Hanukkah,
Kwanzaa, and the Chinese New Year. Moreover, in workplace
discussions don’t assume that everyone is married or wants to be
or is even heterosexual, for that matter. For invitations, avoid
phrases such as “managers and their wives.” Spouses or partners is
more inclusive. Valuing diversity means making fewer
assumptions that everyone is like you or wants to be like you.
• Learn about your cultural self. Knowing your own cultural
biases helps you become more objective and adaptable. Begin to
recognize the stock reactions and thought patterns that are
automatic to you as a result of your upbringing. Become more
aware of your own values and beliefs so that you will recognize
them when you are confronted by differing values.
 Tips for Effective Communication With Diverse
Workplace Audiences

• Learn about other cultures and identity groups. People are

naturally threatened by the unknown. Consider the following
proverb: “I saw in the distance what I took to be a beast, but when
I came close, I saw it was my brother and my sister.” The same
error occurs in communities and work groups. From a distance an
unknown person may appear to be threatening. But when the
person is recognized or better known, our reactions change.
Learning more about diverse groups and individuals helps you
reduce the threat of the unknown.
• Seek common ground. Look for areas where you and others not
like you can agree or share opinions. Be prepared to consider
issues from many perspectives, all of which may be valid. Accept
that there is room for different points of view to coexist
peacefully. Although you can always find differences, it’s much
harder to find similarities. Look for common ground in shared
experiences, mutual goals, and similar values. Concentrate on
your objective even when you may disagree on how to reach it.