1. Managing Communication and Information Dr. M. F. Hawela

2. Learning Outcomes After this lecture, you will be able to: Describe and Discuss what managers need to know about communicating effectively.

3. Agenda 1- Definition 2- The Communication Process 3- Barriers to effective communication 4- How managers overcome barriers to communication

4. Effective Communication Communication – A process or flow that transfers understanding and meaning from one person to another Before communication can take place, a purpose expressed as a message to be conveyed, is needed. The message is converted to symbolic form (verbal or non-verbal) and is passed by way of some channel of communication to the receiver, who decodes the message.

5. The Communication Process

6. The seven parts of the communication process are: 1. The sender is the source of the communication. 2. Encoding means converting a message into a symbolic form. 3. The message is the actual physical product that convey a purpose. The spoken or written words are the message. 4. The channel is the medium by which a message travels. It can be formal or informal. 5. Decoding means translating a received message. 6. The receiver is the recipient of the communication. 7. Feedback is checking to see how successfully a message has been transferred. 2. The Communication Process

7. 2.2 Encoding Is the process of converting a message into a symbolic form. It is a way of converting our thoughts into a format that can be understood by the receiver.

8. Factors Influencing Encoding Four conditions affect the encoded message 1- Skills determines a person’s total communicative success and includes speaking, reading, listening, and reasoning skills. 2 Attitudes (cognitive and affective components) influence our behavior. Skills, attitudes, knowledge and the social cultural system We held predisposed ideas on numerous topics and our communications are affected by these attitudes.

9. 3- Knowledge of the subject matters allows us to communicate more clearly or, if our knowledge is quite extensive, to confuse our receiver with overly complex information. 4- Finally, our position in our social cultural system— our beliefs and values—influences each of us as a communicative source. Factors Influencing Encoding

10. Communication process Formal channels are established by the organization, transmit job-related messages, and traditionally follow the authority network within the organization. Personal or social messages follow the informal channels in the organization. 2.3 Channel

11. Written and Verbal Communication 1- Written communication: – Tangible and verifiable – Creates a more permanent record – Better thought out, logical, and clear – More time consuming – Lack of feedback Formal communications channels

12. The Grapevine (Gossip) Good information travels fast; bad information travels even faster! The grapevine is the unofficial way that communications take place in an organization and it’s neither authorized nor supported by the organization. Informal communications channels

13. The biggest issue about grapevines is the accuracy of the information that is communicated. Research shows that in an organization characterized by openness, the grapevine may be extremely accurate. However, in an authoritative culture, the rumor mill may be inaccurate but still contain some element of truth. So while details may not be accurate, the reports that something is about to happen are probably on target. The Grapevine (Cont.)

14. Factors Influencing Communication (cont.) 2.5 Decoded message is affected by receiver’s: Skills (reading, listening and reasoning) Attitudes Knowledge Social cultural system

15. 7- Feedback Checks the success in transferring our message as originally intended. It determines whether understanding has been achieved. Feedback is salient especially with the culturally diverse workforce which we have at present.

16. Nonverbal Cues Some of the most meaningful communications are neither spoken nor written. These nonverbal communications—such as a loud siren, red flashing light, the size of a person’s office and desk, or someone’s clothing—convey messages to others. The best-known areas of nonverbal communication are body language and verbal intonation.

17. Body language refers to gestures, facial configurations, and other movements of the body. Hand motions, facial expressions and other gestures can communicate emotions or temperaments such as aggression, fear, shyness, arrogance, joy, and anger.

18. In oral communication, the nonverbal component carries the greatest impact. Research indicates that from 65 to 90 percent of the message of every face-to-face conversation is communicated through body language. Verbal intonation refers to the emphasis someone gives to words or phrases, and can make a statement sound defensive or friendly. The adage “it’s not what you say but how you say it” is something managers should remember as they communicate.

19. 4. Barriers to Effective Communication A number of interpersonal and intrapersonal barriers affect why the message decoded by a receiver is often different from what the sender intended. Some of the more prominent barriers to effective communication are:

20. Barriers to Effective Communication 1- Filtering 2- Selective perception 3- Information overload 4- Emotions 5- Language 6- Gender 7- National Culture

21. 1- Filtering refers to the way that a sender manipulates information so that it will be seen more favorably by the receiver. For example, when a manager tells his boss what he feels the boss wants to hear, he is filtering information. Also, as information is passed up to senior executives, it is condensed and synthesized by subordinates whose personal interests and perceptions of what’s important shape the communication.

22. The second barrier is 2- selective perception. Receivers in the communication process selectively see and hear based on their needs, motivations, experience, background, and other personal characteristics. Receivers also project their interests and expectations onto communications as they decode them. “we don’t see reality; rather, we interpret what we see and call it reality”.

23. 3- Information overload is the third barrier to effective communication. Individuals have a finite capacity for processing data and the demands of keeping up with email, phone calls, faxes, meetings, and professional reading creates an onslaught of data that is nearly impossible to process and assimilate. The result is lost information and less effective communication.

24. 4- Emotions How a receiver feels when a message is received influences how he or she interprets it. Extreme emotions are most likely to hinder effective communications. When we are emotional we disregard our rational and objective thinking processes and substitute emotional judgements. It’s best to avoid reacting to a message when you’re upset because you’re not likely to be thinking clearly.

25. 5- Language Words mean different things to different people. Age, education, and cultural background are three obvious variables that influence the language a person uses and the definitions he or she applies to words. Additionally, specialists in specific fields of work or departments develop their own jargon (or technical language) as do employees spread across different geographic locations. We need to have a deep understanding of the usage of the language to overcome this barrier to communication.

26. 6- Both genders have distinct communication styles, so individuals must acknowledge these differences and strive for acceptance, understanding, and a commitment to communicate adaptively with each other.

27. 7- National Culture Finally, the style of communication also differs for countries that are highly individualistic (like the United States) and those that are collectivist (such as Japan). US managers rely heavily on memoranda, announcements, position papers, and other formal forms of communication to state their positions, whereas the Japanese use face-to-face meetings at which discussion is followed by consensus, at which point a formal document is written.

28. Supervisors in the US may also hoard information to make themselves look good (filtering) and as a way of persuading their employees to accept decisions and plans; lower-level employees may do so to protect themselves. In collectivist countries, such as Japan, there’s more interaction and a more informal manner of interpersonal contact

29. In contrast to US manager, the Japanese manager engage in extensive verbal consultation with employees over an issue first and draw up a formal document later to outline the agreement that was made. The Japanese value decisions by consensus, and open communication.

30. Culture differences can affect the way manager choose to communicate. Culture differences need to be recognized and taken into consideration as a barrier to communication

31. Overcoming Communication Barriers 1- Use feedback 2- Simplify language 3- Listen actively 4- Constrain emotions 5- Watch Nonverbal Cues

32. 1- Use feedback Because many communication problems are directly attributed to misunderstandings and inaccuracies, a manager can ask questions to determine if the message was understood, can ask the receiver to restate the message in his or her own words, and can be alert to nonverbal cues.

33. A manager should also simplify communication so it’s clear, easily understood, and in language customized to the specific employee or group being addressed. 2- Simplify language

34. 3- Listen actively When someone talks, we hear. But, too often we don’t listen Listening is an active search for meaning, whereas hearing is passive. Managers must also practice active listening, which is listening for full meaning without making premature judgments or interpretations.

35. Active listening demands total concentration, and is enhanced by developing empathy with the sender. Active listeners use eye contact, affirmative nods, and appropriate facial expressions; appear attentive and ask questions; avoid interrupting the speaker; and make smooth transitions between being a speaker and a listener.

36. 4- Constrain emotions When they are upset managers should control their emotions. Strong emotions make it easier to misconstrue incoming messages and more difficult to communicate outgoing messages clearly and accurately.

37. Thanks Any Questions