© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Managerial Communication & Skill Development
Objectives: To understand the role of communication in
the process of management Dealing with communication barriers To learn basic communication skills Problem solving
Case Study Discussion
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
What Is Management
Process Profession Scientific Discipline
Management as a Process: Planning Organizing Management Functions Leading Controlling
ANSWER THE QUESTION: "WHAT MANAGERS DO"
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Managerial Roles
Interpersonal Informational Managerial Roles Decisional
ANSWER THE QUESTION: "HOW MANAGERS DO IT”
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Informational Role of a Manager
Superior
Manager
Subordinate (s)
Flow of Information
?
?
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
What Are the Basic Managerial Skills
SKILL = an ability related to performance that is not necessarily inborn, but can be developed
INTERPERSONAL: The ability to lead, motivate, manage conflicts, and work with others
TECHNICAL: The ability to apply specific methods, procedures, and techniques in a specialized field
CONCEPTUAL: The ability to view the organization as whole and recognize its relationship to the larger business world.
COMMUNICATION: Manager’s ability to send & receive Information Thoughts Feelings Attitudes
(INTERPERSONAL + COMMUNICATION = HUMAN SKILLS)
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
What Is Communication
INTERPERSONAL PROCESS OF SENDING AND RECEIVING SYMBOLS WITH MEANINGS ATTACHED TO THEM
The purpose of managerial communication: SEEKING OR RECEIVING INFORMATION TALKING TO DIFFERENT LEVELS WITHIN THE
HIERARCHY AND TO THE ENVIRONMENT TRYING TO INFLUENCE PEOPLE, etc.
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Communication is a Process…
… which consists of basically 4 phases:
Sending Receiving Understanding Accepting
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Interpersonal Communication
VERBAL NONVERBAL
VERBAL COMMUNICATION: ORAL WRITTEN, etc. NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION: FACIAL EXPRESSIONS BODY (language) EYE CONTACT GESTURES SHAKING HEAD, etc.
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
The Communication Process
Channel of Communication
Noise
SenderIntended Meaning
Encodes into
Symbols
Send Symbols
Receive Symbols
Decodes Symbols
ReceiverReceivedMeaning
ReceivesSymbols
SendsFeedback
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Effective Communication
IS COMMUNICATION IN WHICH THE INTENDED MEANING OF THE SOURCE AND THE PERCEIVED MEANING OF THE RECEIVER ARE ONE AND THE SAME.
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Efficient Communication
IS COMMUNICATION AT MINIMUM COST IN TERMS OF RESOURCES EXPENDED
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Barriers to Effective Communication
STATUS EFFECT [different position in the hierarchy] SEMANTIC PROBLEMS [the same word in different
ways, or different words in the same way] PERCEPTUAL DISTORTIONS [ a poor understanding,
inability to "listen" of others] CULTURAL DIFFERENCES [meeting appointed for 8:00
a.m. starts in Germany at 8:00 a.m. but in Slovakia usually at 8: 15 - What is the reason for that?]
PHYSICAL DISTRACTIONS [ noise, etc.] POOR CHOICE OF COMMUNICATION CHANNELS NO FEEDBACK [one - way communication]
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Barriers to Effective Communication
No Feedback
Semantic Problems
Poor Choiceof Communication
Channel
PhysicalDistractions
SENDER RECEIVER
CulturalDifferences
StatusEffect
PerceptualDistortions
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Status Effects
STATUS EFFECTS MANAGERS TEND TO DO A LOT OF "TELLING" BUT
NOT MUCH "LISTENING"
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Semantic Problems (Examples) A: "WE SOLICIT ANY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU
WISH TO MAKE, AND YOU MAY BE ASSURED THAT ANY SUCH RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE GIVEN OUR CAREFUL CONSIDERATION“
B: "CONSUMER ELEMENTS ARE CONTINUING TO STRESS THE FUNDAMENTAL NECESSITY OF A STABILIZATION OF THE PRICE STRUCTURE AT A LOWER LEVEL THAN EXISTS AT THE PRESENT TIME“
HOW WOULD YOU PUT IT? A: " SEND US YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS. THEY WILL
BE CONSIDERED CAREFULLY ". B: "CONSUMERS WANT LOWER PRICES".
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Personal Barriers
THERE ARE S0ME OTHER - PERSONAL BARRIERS:
FILTER OF INFORMATION [sender] SELECTION OF INFORMATION [receiver] EMOTIONS LANGUAGE [the way how an individual talks]
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Dealing with Barriers
ACTIONS OF SENDERS Be sure about: WHO: To whom should the
message go? WHY: Why am I
communicating? What are my motives?
WHAT: Decide what to communicate. Be clear about what you need to communicate.
WHEN: Choose the best time for optimum reception.
HOW: Use language the receiver will understand.
ACTIONS OF RECEIVERS Be fully ATTENTIVE to
sender Listen ACTIVELY to the
message being sent ASK for clarification, repetition where necessary
Keep CHECKING with sender
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Basic Communication Skills
SKILLS THAT ARE THE MANAGER'S "TOOL BOX" WHEN INTERACTING WITH OTHER PEOPLE:
LISTENING, and giving and receiving FEEDBACK
ASSERTIVENESS RESOLVING CONFLICTS SOLVING PROBLEMS
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Some Hints for Improving Feedback
Comment on specific actions Give reasons for your comments Concentrate on behavior which can be
changed Be descriptive, not evaluative Express opinions as opinions, not facts Be constructive, not destructive Avoid loaded terms which produce emotional
reaction Giving criticism - do not put down people in
front of others
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Assertiveness
IS A MEANS OF MAKING AN IMPACT ON OTHER INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT DAMAGING YOUR INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
MANAGERS NEED TO DEVELOP ASSERTIVENESS SKILLS TO BECOME EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORS
IN ORDER TO DO SO THE MANAGER SHOULD: SEND HIS / HER ASSERTIVE MESSAGE LISTEN ACTIVELY RECYCLE THE PROCESS FOCUS ON THE SOLUTION
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Resolving Conflicts
USE ACTIVE LISTENING USE ASSERTIVENESS SKILLS REDUCE COMMUNICATION BLOCKAGES
BETWEEN THE PARTIES CONCENTRATE ON ISSUES IDENTIFY AND APPRAISE THE ACTIONS
DECIDED
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
HU'S ON FIRST by James Sherman (We take you now to the Oval Office.) George: Condi! Nice to see you. What's happening? Condi: Sir, I have the report here about the new leader of China.
George: Great. Lay it on me. Condi: Hu is the new leader of China. George: That's what I want to know. Condi: That's what I'm telling you. George: That's what I'm asking you. Who is the new leader of China? Condi: Yes. George: I mean the fellow's name. Condi: Hu. George: The guy in China. Condi: Hu. George: The new leader of China. Condi: Hu. George: .The Chinaman! Condi: Hu is leading China. George: Now whaddya' asking me for? Condi: I'm telling you Hu is
leading China. George: Well, I'm asking you. Who is leading China? Condi: That's the
man's name. George: That's who's name? Condi: Yes.
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
George: Will you or will you not tell me the name of the new leader of China? Condi: Yes, sir. George: Yassir? Yassir Arafat is in China? I thought he was in the Middle East. Condi: That's correct. George: Then who is in China? Condi: Yes, sir. George: Yassir is in China? Condi: No, sir. George: Then who is? Condi: Yes, sir. George: Yassir? Condi: No, sir. George: Look, Condi. I need to know the name
of the new leader of Chimi.Get me the Secretary General of the U.N. on the phone.
Condi: Kofi? George: No, thanks. Condi: You want Kofi? George: No. Condi: You don't want Kofi. George: No. But now that you mention it, I could use a glass of milk. And then
get me the U.N.
© J. Rudy, Organizational Behavior, FMCU, Fall 2007
Condi: Yes, sir. George: Not Yassir! The guy at the U.N. Condi: Kofi? George: Milk! Will you please make the call? Condi: And·call who? George: Who is the guy at the U.N? Condi: Hu is the guy in China.
George: Will you stay out of China?! Condi: Yes, sir. George: And stay out of the Middle East! Just get me the guy at the
U.N. Condi: Kofi. George: All right! With cream and two sugars. Now get on the phone .
(Condi picks up the phone.) Condi: Rice, here. George: Rice? Good idea. And a couple of egg rolls, too. Maybe
we should send some to the guy in China. And the Middle East. Can you get Chinese food in the Middle East?