MCO 101 • MANAGEMENTUnit 9: Communication

MANAGEMENT 2MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Managing Expectations

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Explain fundamental concepts and principles of management including the basic roles, skills, and functions of management

• Discuss the knowledgeable of historical development, theoretical aspects and practice application of managerial process

• Examine the environment, technology, human resources, and organisations in order to achieve high performance

• Discuss the ethical dilemmas faced by managers and the social responsibilities of businesses.

MANAGEMENT 3MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Managing Expectations

SUBJECTS DISCUSSED:

1. Management, Managers and evolution of Management theory

2. Personality traits and diversity3. Organisation, Globalisation and the resulting

environments4. Decision-making and Planning5. Structure and Strategy6. Executing and Controlling7. Human Resources Management as a function8. Motivation, Leadership, Groups and Teams9. Communication10. Operations Management. Entrepreneurship. Innovation

MANAGEMENT 4MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Managing Expectations

TOPIC DETAILS:

After going through UNIT 9, you should be able to:

1. explain the role that perception plays in communication and communication problems.

2. describe the communication process and the various kinds of communication in organizations.

3. explain how managers can manage effective one-on-one communication.

4. describe how managers can manage effective organization-wide communication.

MANAGEMENT 5MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Perception and Communication Problems

Basic PerceptionProcess

PerceptionProblems

Perceptionsof Others

Self-Perception

MANAGEMENT 6MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Basic Perception Process

Perception

The process by which individuals attend to, organize, interpret, and retain information from their environments.

Perception Filters

The personality-, psychology-, or experienced-based differences that influence people to ignore or pay attention to particular stimuli.

StimulusStimulus Stimulus

AttentionPerceptual Filter

OrganizationPerceptual Filter

InterpretationPerceptual Filter

RetentionPerceptual Filter

StimulusStimulus Stimulus

AttentionPerceptual Filter

OrganizationPerceptual Filter

InterpretationPerceptual Filter

RetentionPerceptual Filter

MANAGEMENT 7MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Perception Problems

Selective perception (self)

notice and accept stimuli which are consistent with our values and beliefs; ignore inconsistent stimuli

Closure (self)

tendency to fill in the gaps when information is missing; we assume that what we don’t know is consistent with what we do know

Self-Serving Bias

The tendency to overestimate our value by attributing successes to ourselves (internal causes) and attributing failures to others or the environment (external causes).

Attribution Theory (others): we have a need to understand and explain the causes of other people’s behavior

General reasons to explain behavior: Internal attribution - the behavior was voluntary or under their control; External attribution - the behavior was involuntary and beyond their control

MANAGEMENT 8MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Attribution Bias and Error

DefensiveBias

FundamentalAttributionError

The tendency for people to perceive themselves as personally and situationally similar to someone who ishaving difficulty.

The tendency to ignore external causes of behavior and to attribute other people’s actions to internal causes.

MANAGEMENT 9MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Attribution Bias and Error

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Kinds of Communication

CommunicationProcess

FormalCommunication

Channels

InformalCommunication

Channels

Coaching and Counseling

NonverbalCommunication

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The Interpersonal Communication Process

EncodeMessage

DecodeMessage

Noise

Noise

Noise

Noise

TransmitMessage

ReceiveMessage

Message to be

Conveyed

Messagethat was

Understood

Sender Receiver

Communication Channel

Feedback to Sender

MANAGEMENT 12MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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The Communication Process

1. The sender is unsure what message to communicate

2. The message is not clearly encoded

3. The wrong channel is chosen

4. The message is improperly decoded

5. The receiver lacks experience or time

Noise occurs if:

Meanings of the Word minute ?

MANAGEMENT 13MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Formal Communication Channels

• The system of official channels• Downward communication - top down• Upward communication - bottom up• Horizontal - within a level

Improving Formal Communication

•Decrease reliance on downward communication

• Increase chances for upward communication

•Encourage much greater use of horizontal communication

•Be aware of communication problems

MANAGEMENT 14MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Common Problems with Downward, Upward, and Horizontal Communication

Downward

•Sending too many messages• Issuing contradictory messages•Hurriedly communicating vague, unclear messages• Issuing messages indicating management’s low

regard for lower-level workers

Upward•Risk of telling upper management about problems•Managers acting angrily and defensively to problems•Few opportunities for workers to contact upper levels

of management

Horizontal

•Management discouraging or punishing horizontal communication

•Managers and workers not given time or opportunity for horizontal communication

•Not enough opportunities or channels for lower-level workers to engage in horizontal communication

MANAGEMENT 15MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Informal Communication Channels

• Transmitting messages outside the formal communication channels

• The “Grapevine”

• Highly accurate– information is timely– senders seek feedback– accuracy can be verified

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Informal Communication Channels

MANAGEMENT 17MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Informal Communication Channels

GossipChain

ClusterChain

MANAGEMENT 18MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Managing Organizational Grapevines

• Don’t withhold information from it

• Don’t punish those who use it

• Embrace the grapevine and keep employees informed

• Use it as a source of information

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Informal Communication Channels

1. Correct misinformation.

2. Don’t take angry comments personally

3. Give your name and contact number

4. Hold a town meeting to discuss issues

5. Set up anonymous discussion forums

Dealing with Internet Gripe Sites

MANAGEMENT 20MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Nonverbal Communication

• Any communication that doesn’t involve words

• Kinesics– movements of the

body and face• Paralanguage

– the pitch, tone, rate, volume, and speaking pattern of a person’s voice

MANAGEMENT 21MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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How to Improve Communication

Choosing the Right Communication Medium

Being a good listener

Giving effective feedback

Improving cross-cultural communication

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Communication Medium & Listening

Communication Medium

The method used to deliver an oral or written message, oral communication and or written communication

HearingHearingversusversus

ListeningListening

ActiveActiveListeningListening

EmphaticEmphaticListeningListening

Listening

Clarify responses: ask questions to clear up ambiguitiesParaphrase responses: restate the speaker’s comments in your own words

Summarize responses: review the speaker’s main points

Show your desire to understand: listen first, talk about what’s important to the other

Reflect feelings: focus on the emotional part of the message, more than just restating words

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Making Feedback Constructive

• Give immediate feedback– don’t delay feedback– discuss performance while the memory is

vivid

• Make feedback specific– focus on definite behavior and time-

frame– make sure behavior was controllable

• Make feedback problem-oriented– focus on behavior not personality

The reverse

would be

destructive!

MANAGEMENT 24MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Improving Cross-Cultural Communication

1. Familiarize yourself with a culture’s work norms

2. Know whether a culture is emotionally affective or neutral

3. Understand terms and attitudes toward time

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Affective and Neutral Cultures

1. Reveal thoughts and feelings through verbal and nonverbal communication

2. Express and show feelings of tension

3. Let their emotions flow easily, intensely, and without inhibition

4. Admire heated, animated, and intense expressions of emotion

5. Are used to touching, gesturing, and showing strong emotions through facial expressions

6. Make statements with emotion

1. Don’t reveal what they are thinking or feeling

2. Hide tension and only show it accidentally in face or posture

3. Suppress emotions, leading to occasional “explosions”

4. Admire remaining cool, calm, and relaxed

5. Resist touching, gesturing, and strong emotions through facial expressions

6. Often make statements in an unexpressive manner

In Affective Cultures, People… In Neutral Cultures, People…

MANAGEMENT 26MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Monochronic and Polychronic Cultures

1. Do one thing at a time

2. Concentrate on the job

3. Take time commitments seriously

4. Are committed to the job

5. Adhere religiously to plans

6. Show respect for private property

7. Emphasize promptness

8. Are accustomed to short-term relationships

1. Do many things at once2. Are highly distractible and

subject to interruptions3. Meet time commitments only if

possible without extreme measures

4. Are committed to people5. Change plans easily and often6. Are more concerned with

relationships than with privacy7. Frequently borrow and lend

things8. Vary promptness by the

relationship9. Tend to build lifetime

relationships

People in Monochronic Cultures… People in Polychronic Cultures…

MANAGEMENT 27MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Cross-Cultural Temporal Concepts

• Appointment time– how punctual you must be

• Schedule time– time when projects should be

completed

• Discussion time– how much time should be

spentin discussions

• Acquaintance time– how much small-talk is

required

MANAGEMENT 28MCO 101Issue date: 15 June 2008 Source: by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights

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Managing Organization-Wide Communication

Improving Transmission: Getting the Message Out

Improving Reception

Company hotlines

Survey feedback

Informal meetings

Surprise visits

Blogs

email

online discussion forums

televised / videotapedspeeches and conferences

corporate talk shows

broadcast voice mail