Communication

 Among personal qualities possessed by

college graduates the ability to
communicate effectively was ranked
first by employers.

From a survey of 480 companies and public organizations conducted by the

National Association of Colleges and Employers.
WSJ, Dec 29, 1999

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 Communication Outcomes
 Describe the communication process.
 List typical barriers to effective
communication.
 Contrast the differences between the
grapevine and rumors.
 Discuss other considerations for
effective communication.

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 Communication
 Efficient communication is ESSENTIAL
to being successful in life.

 The biggest source of interpersonal

problems is poor communications.

 The key to the communication process

is to be UNDERSTOOD.

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 Communication
 The aim of communication is the
transference and understanding of
information between two or more people.

 Communication must always be between

two or more people, one the sender and the
other receiver. You participate in both roles
and your role will change alternatively and
frequently in conversation.

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 The Communication Process

Feedback

Source Encoding Channel Decoding Receiver

Message Message Message Message

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 The Communication Process

Feedback

Source Encoding Channel Decoding Receiver

Message Message Message Message

“I take sugar in my tea”

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 The Communication Process

Feedback

Receiver Decoding Channel Encoding Source

Message Message Message Message

“One lump or
two?”

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 Communication Feedback
 We may say that communication has
occurred only when the message has
been understood.
 Understanding occurs in the mind of
the receiver.
 Feedback is critical to ensure that
accurate understanding of the
message has occurred.
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 Barriers to
Communication
 Barriers to accurate communication
 Unfamiliar language – including dialects and accents
 Improper timing – Is the boss distracted today?
 Noise and distractions in the environment
 Attitude of both the source and the receiver
 Differences between people – gender, age, culture,
education, intelligence, etc.
 Relationship between the sender and the receiver –
status, boss-employee, parent-child, etc.

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 Barriers to
Communications
 Filtering – manipulation of information so that it will seem
more favorably to the receiver.
 Selective Perception – receiver hears message based on
his/her interests, needs, motivations, experience,
background and other personal characteristics.
 Defensiveness – response when receiver interprets
message as threatening
 Language – Words mean different things to different people.

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 Communication Enhancers
 Speaker
 Voice inflections
 Gestures
 Body language
 Listener
 Active listening
 Eye contact

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 Communication
 Communication occurs in three
directions in organizations
 Upward communications

 Downward communications

 Lateral communications

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 I Heard It on the Grapevine
 The grapevine is an
informal communication
network within an
organization.
 Research reflects that
about 75 % of the
communication in the
grapevine is accurate.

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 Rumors
 Response to situations that are
IMPORTANT to us, and
 There is AMBIGUITY between what is
going on and what was said, and
 Under conditions that arouse ANXIETY,
such as time off, pay programs, layoffs,
etc.

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 Rumors
 Rumors have no basis in
accuracy.
 Can management control
rumors? NO! Management,
however, can do some things
to minimize the rumors.

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 Suggestions for Reducing the
Negative Consequences of Rumors
 Announce timetables for making important
decisions
 Explain decisions and behaviors that may
appear inconsistent or secretive
 Emphasize the downside, as well as the
upside, of current decisions and future plans.
 Openly discuss worst case possibilities – it is
almost never as anxiety provoking as the
unspoken fantasy.

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Communications – Did you know?
 People remember:
 10 percent of what they read
 20 percent of what they hear
 30 percent of what they see
 50 percent of what they see and hear
 80 percent of what they say
 90 percent of what they say and do

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 Communications – did you know?
 If you tell 100 people something without
repetition:
 After 24 hours, 25 percent have forgotten it
 After 48 hours, 50 percent have forgotten it
 After 72 hours, 75 percent have forgotten it
 After one week, 96 percent have forgotten it

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 The Ten Commandments of
Good Communication
 Seek to clarify your ideas  Take the opportunity to
before communicating convey something of help or
value to the receiver
 Examine the true purpose of
each communication
 Follow-up your
communication
 Consider the total physical  Communicate for tomorrow
and human setting as well as today
 Consult with others in  Be sure your actions support
planning communications your communications
 Be mindful of the overtones
as well as the basic content  Seek not only to be
of your message understood but to
understand - be a good
listener

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 Summary
 Successful communication requires
understanding by the receiver.
 The communication process model
includes a source, a message, encoding, a
channel, decoding, a receiver, and,
especially feedback.
 Communication in organizations occurs in
upward, downward, and lateral directions.

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 Conclusions
 The key to the communication process
is to have understanding on the part of
the receiver.
 There are many barriers to good
communications that must be overcome
for communications to be successful.
 Learn to be an active listener as part of
successful communications.

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 Final thoughts
 Communicating to be understood and
being a good listener are crucial.
 Another important aspect of
communication is to think about what
you are saying before you say it.
 Today’s communications set the tone
for tomorrow’s relationships.

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 Next Class
 Read Chapter 12 – Conflict
What are your strategies for
handling conflict?
 Questions?
 Have a good day!

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