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MGTO120s

Managing Communications

Jian Liang

MGTO, HKUST

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Where We Are

Management

Basic Concepts

(Ch1)

Context

(Ch3,4,& 5)

Retrospect

(Ch2)

Plan(Ch6,

7,8,& 9)

Organize(Ch 10

Lead Control

Communication(Ch11)

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The Sections We Will Cover

Communication Change and innovation Foundation of human behavior Groups and teams Motivating employees Leadership

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Learning Objectives

Understanding CommunicationsDifferentiate between interpersonal and organizational communication.

Discuss the functions of communication.The Process of Interpersonal

CommunicationsExplain all the components of the communication process.

List the communication methods managers might use.Describe nonverbal communication an how it takes place.

Explain the barriers to effective interpersonal communication and how to overcome them.

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Learning Objectives Organizational Communication

Explain how communication can flow in an organization.

Describe the three common communication networks.

Discuss how managers should handle the grapevine.

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Starting from a Case

女秘書 PK 老闆 “郵件門”傳遍全國外企圈 　來源 : 北京青年報 （ 2006-04-25 ）

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陸純初 (Loke Soon Choo) ，男，新加坡人， EMC 公司大中華區總裁

Rebecca ，女，中國人，原 EMC 公司大中華區總裁高級秘書

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Message from the CEO of EMC (Greater China)

“Rebecca, I just told you not to assume or take things for granted on Tuesday and you locked me out of my office this evening when all my things are all still in the office, because you assume I have my office key on my person.

With immediate effect, you do not leave the office until you have checked with all the managers you support - this is for the lunch hour as well as at end of day, OK?”

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Reply from Rebecca

To: Loke, Soon Choo Cc: China All (Beijing); China All (Chengdu); China All

(Guangzhou); China All (Shanghai); Lai, Sharon Subject: FW: Do not assume or take things for granted

Soon Choo, 　　首先，我做这件事是完全正确的，我锁门是从安全角度上考虑的，

北京这里不是没有丢过东西，如果一旦丢了东西，我无法承担这个责任。

　　其次，你有钥匙，你自己忘了带，还要说别人不对。造成这件事的主要原因都是你自己，不要把自己的错误转移到别人的身上。

　　第三， 你无权干涉和控制我的私人时间，我一天就 8 小时工作时间，请你记住中午和晚上下班的时间都是我的私人时间。

　　第四，从 到 EMC 的第一天到现在为止，我工作尽职尽责，也加过很多次的班，我也没有任何怨言，但是如果你们要求我加班是为了工作以外的事情，我无法做到。

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What do you think about this case?

Loke Soon Choo???

Rebecca???

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Implications

“The importance of effective communication for managers can’t be overemphasized for one-specific reason: Everything a manager does involves communicating. Not some things, but everything!”

--- From textbook, p.256

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Communication in the Organizations The transfer and understanding of

meaning. Transfer means the message was received in a

form that can be interpreted by the receiver. Understanding the message is not the same as

the receiver agreeing with the message. Interpersonal Communication

Communication between two or more people Organizational Communication

All the patterns, network, and systems of communications within an organization

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The Interpersonal Communication Process

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Interpersonal Communication

Message: Source: sender’s intended meaning

Encoding The message converted to symbolic form

Channel The medium through which the message

travels Decoding

The receiver’s retranslation of the message Noise

Disturbances in communications

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Interpersonal Communication Methods

Face-to-faceTelephoneGroup meetingsFormal presentationsMemosTraditional MailFax machinesEmployee publicationsBulletin boards

Audio- and videotapesHotlinesE-mailComputer

conferencingVoice mailTeleconferencesVideoconferencesBlogs

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Blog in Mainland China

http://blog.sina.com.cn/m/xwb

三一重工执行总裁向文波

《三亿美元，三一能否收购徐工？ 》

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Nonverbal Communication Communication that is transmitted without

words. Sounds with specific meanings or warnings Images that control or encourage behaviors Situational behaviors that convey meanings Clothing and physical surroundings that imply

status

Interpersonal Communication (cont’d)

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Interpersonal Communication (Cont’d)

Body language: gestures, facial expressions, and other body movements that convey meaning.

Verbal intonation: emphasis that a speaker gives to certain words or phrases that conveys meaning.

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Facial Expressions Convey Emotions

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Do you smile in talking with others?

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Questions for Thinking

1. Why is it difficult to communicate?

2. What is your experience regarding communication?

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Interpersonal Communication Barriers

DefensivenessDefensiveness

NationalNationalCultureCulture EmotionsEmotions

Information Information OverloadOverload

Interpersonal Interpersonal CommunicationCommunication

LanguageLanguage

FilteringFiltering

Let’s look at each

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Barriers to Effective Interpersonal Communication

Filtering The deliberate manipulation of information to

make it appear more favorable to the receiver. Vertical level and organizational culture

Emotions Disregarding rational and objective thinking

processes and substituting emotional judgments when interpreting messages.

To avoid reacting to a message when you are upset

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Barriers to Effective Interpersonal Communication (cont’d)

Information Overload Being confronted with a quantity of

information that exceeds an individual’s capacity to process it.

Average business e-mail user devotes 90 minutes a day to “organizing” email.

Employees send and receive an average of 204 e-mail messages every day.

MGTO120???

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Barriers to Effective Interpersonal Communication (cont’d)

Defensiveness When threatened, reacting in a way that reduces

the ability to achieve mutual understanding. Language

The different meanings of and specialized ways (jargon) in which senders use words can cause receivers to misinterpret their messages.

National Culture Culture influences the form, formality, openness,

patterns and use of information in communications.

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Cross-Cultural Barriers

Where to talk business in China and in US?

Feet on table? OK in US, but helped Beijing Jeep JV fail!

Voice (loudness) as an indicator of respect/status?

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A Presentation of Cross-Cultural Barriers in Business Communication

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Overcoming the Barriers to Effective Interpersonal Communications

Use Feedback Simplify Language Listen Actively Constrain

Emotions Watch Nonverbal

Cues

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Active Listening Behaviors

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Formal Communication Communication that follows the official chain

of command or is part of the communication required to do one’s job.

Informal Communication Communication that is not defined by the

organization’s hierarchy. Permits employees to satisfy their need for social

interaction. Can improve an organization’s performance by

creating faster and more effective channels of communication

Types of Organizational Communication

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Communication Flows

Lateral Lateral

Diagonal

Diagonal

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UUppwwaarrdd

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Direction of Communication Flow

Downward Communications that flow from

managers to employees to inform, direct, coordinate, and evaluate employees.

Upward Communications that flow from

employees up to managers to keep them aware of employee needs and how things can be improved to create a climate of trust and respect.

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Direction of Communication Flow (cont’d)

Lateral (Horizontal) Communication Communication that takes place among

employees on the same level in the organization to save time and facilitate coordination.

Diagonal Communication Communication that cuts across both

work areas and organizational levels in the interest of efficiency and speed.

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Types of Communication Networks

Chain Network Communication flows according to the formal

chain of command, both upward and downward.

Wheel Network All communication flows in and out through

the group leader (hub) to others in the group. All-Channel Network

Communications flow freely among all members of the work team.

Three Common Organizational Communication Networks

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Are Communications Effective?

From Milliken, Morrison & Hewlin (2003)

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Why People do not Speak Up?

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Summary

The difference between interpersonal and organizational communications

Understanding the difficulties in interpersonal communications and how to overcome those barriers

Understanding the process of organizational communications