CHAPTER 17: Communication and Interpersonal Skills

1. CHAPTER 17: Communication and Interpersonal Skills

2. The Communication Process • Communication: the process of sending and receiving symbols with meaning attached

3. The sender converts the intended message into symbols of significance which are both verbal and non verbal • The message is sent through a communication channel (forms of communication) to a receiver who interprets the meaning • The message might be misinterpreted by the receiver • Feedback is when the receiver responds to the sender

4. Effective Communication • Effective Communication: The receiver fully understands the intended meaning of the message Efficient Communication: occurs at minimum cost, however is not always affective due to messages that are interpreted incorrectly

6. According to scholar, Jay Conger “many managers confuse persuasion with taking bold stands and aggressive arguing”. • This often leads to counter persuasion resulting in employees doubting the manager’s credibility • Credibility: trust, respect and integrity in the eyes of others • To build credibility through expertise one must be knowledgeable and have experience on the topic at hand • Iron Rule: It is easier to get someone to do what you want if they like you

7. Persuasion and Credibility in Communication • Communication often includes one person influencing another in a desired manner Persuasion is presenting a motivational message, causing others to support it. This is one of the most important purposes of communication Managers get tasks completed by persuading employees rather than giving orders Managers must be able to persuade others repeatedly in the workplace

8. Communication Barriers • Communication is a two-way process that requires effort from the sender and the receiver to • Noise: any obstacle in the communication process

9. Communication Channels and Non verbal Signals • A communication channel is a medium in which a sender conveys a message to a receiver • Non verbal communication is gestures and body language • Mixed Message is when one’s words do not match their body language • Filtering is when one has to edit information to make it more favourable to the recipient

11. Improving Communication • Barriers can be overcome by: • Active listening • Making constructive use of feedback • Opening upward communication channels • Understanding proxemics and use of space • Utilizing technology • Valuing diversity

12. Use of Communication Channels • Channel Richness is the capacity of a communication channel to carry out information in an effective manner • Face to face communication is high in richness while reports and memos are low in richness

13. Interactive Management • Management by wandering around (MBWA) is when managers spend time with employees at all levels to meet and talk with them • The objectives of this is to break down status barriers and increase interpersonal contact • 360 Degree Feedback includes feedback from bosses, peers and subordinates about one’s performance

14. Proxemics and Space Design • The distance between people conveys various intentions in terms of intimacy, openness and status • The physical layout of an office is a form of non verbal communication

15. End of Day one

16. CHAPTER 17: Communication and Interpersonal Skills

17. Technology Utilization • Knowing how and when to use e-mail is the biggest communication problem for people in organizations today • Purpose and privacy are two concerns, to help you should: • Find out the employer’s policy on personal e-mails and follow it • Remember that there is no e-mail privacy at work

19. Valuing Culture and Diversity • Ethnocentrism is the tendency to consider one’s culture to be superior to any other • This can affect communication in many ways: • Can cause one to not listen to what others have to say • Can cause one to speak with others in ways that will alienate them • Can cause one to use inappropriate stereotypes when dealing with people from a different culture

20. The Perception Process • Perception is the process through which people receive, organize and interpret information from the environment • Our perception is the way we process information that guide our actions and how we form impressions about ourselves, others and daily life experiences

21. Perception and Attribution • Attribution is the process of developing explanations for events that occur • A fundamental attribution error is when an internal factor is being judged rather than an external factor, like one’s performance • Self Serving Bias is when an individuals blame their personal failures on external causes rather than internal causes

22. Perceptual Tendencies and Distortions • Stereotypes occurs when a group or person is singled out by their gender, age or race • Halo Effects is when one factor of a person or situation results into an assumption of their over all impression • Selective Perception is the tendency to define a problem from ones point of view • Projection is when one assumes that everyone shares the same value, needs and desires

23. Conflict • Conflict is a disagreement between people on different issues • Substantive Conflicts disagreements over goals and tasks • Emotional Conflict disagreements over feelings • Functional Conflict is constructive and helps task performance • Dysfunctional Conflict is deconstructive and hurts task performance

24. How to Deal with Conflicts • When a conflict arises a manager can either resolve it or suppress it. Suppress conflicts tend to linger and occur at a later time • Conflict Resolution eliminates emotional reasons for a conflict

25. Conflict Management Styles • Avoidance when one pretends that conflict does not exist • Accommodation is to smooth over differences to maintain harmony • Competition being assertive and working against the wishes of the competitors • Compromise being cooperative and assertive by finding acceptable solutions • Collaboration attempting to satisfy everyone's concerns and solving problems so that everyone's benefits

26. Negotiation • Negotiation is making joint decisions when individuals have different preferences • Distributive Negotiation “claims” made by each individual for certain preferred outcomes • Principled/Integrative Negotiation is a “win, win” orientation that both sides find acceptable

27. Gaining Integrative Agreements • Roger Fisher and William Ury’s Four Negotiation Rules: • Separate people from the problem • Focus on interests, not positions • Generate many alternatives before deciding what to do • Insist that results be based on some objective standard

28. Dispute Revolution • Mediation involves a neutral third party who attempts to improve communication and keep both parties focused on the issue • Arbitration is a neutral third party making decisions that resolve disputes • Anyone involved in the negotiation process should think ethically • The desire to behave unethically sometimes arises but one should remain rational when faced with challenging situations

29. CHAPTER 17: Communication and Interpersonal Skills