Chapter 01 Communicating in Today’s Workplace

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Communicating in Today’s Workplace

Business Communication: Process and Product

2

Communicating in the New Workplace

Ethical Business Communication

The Communication Process

Skills forCareer Success

Organizational Communication

3

Why You Need to Build Career Skills

Strong communication skills are • necessary for hiring. • top skill set sought by employers.• critical for promotion. • essential for effective job performance.• more important now as a result of technology.• learned through instruction and practice.

4

Ensure Your Success as a Knowledge Worker

In today’s Information Age, expect to • work with words, figures, and data• think critically• make decisions• take charge of your career• continue learning all your life

5

Get Ready for Critical Thinking, Decision Making, and Problem Solving

Identify and clarify

Problem

Gather information

Evaluate evidence

Consider options

Test best option

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Factors that Affect You in the New Workplace

• Heightened global competition• Flattened management hierarchies• Expanded team-based management• Innovative communication technology• New work environments• Increasingly diverse workforce

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What It Takes to Succeed

• Success for YOU in the new global and diverse workplace requires excellent communication skills!

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The Communication ProcessBasic Model

Noise NoiseNoise Noise

NoiseNoise Noise

Noise

Sender has idea

1Sender encodes idea in message

2Message travels over channel

3 Receiver decodes message

4

Feedback travels to sender

5

Possibleadditional feedback to receiver

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The Communication Process Expanded Model

Encoding

Decoding

Encoding

Understanding

Decoding

Person A Person B Feedback Channel

Sending ChannelStimulus

Understanding

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Inheritance

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Understanding Is Shaped by

• Communication climate• Context and setting• Background, experiences• Knowledge, mood• Values, beliefs, culture

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Barriers That Create Misunderstandings

• Bypassing• Poor listening skills• Differing frames of

reference• Lack of language skills• Emotional interference• Physical distractions

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Overcoming Barriers That Cause Misunderstandings

• Realize that communication is imperfect.

• Adapt the message to the receiver.

• Improve your language and listening skills.

• Question your preconceptions.

• Encourage feedback.

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Organizational Communication

• Functions– Internal– External

• New emphasis– Interactive– Mobile– Instant

• Forms– Oral– Written

• Delivery– Electronic– Hard copy

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Communication and Formal Channels

WrittenMemos, lettersAnnual reportCompany newsletterBulletin board postingsOrientation manual

Electronic E-mail, Instant messaging Voicemail, Videoconferencing

Intranet

OralTelephoneFace-to-face conversationCompany meetingsTeam meetings

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Information Flow in Organizations Formal Channels

Downward flow

Upward flow

Managers Supervisors

Subordinates Supervisees

Cow

orke

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oworkers

Horizontal flow

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Information Flow in OrganizationsFormal Channels

Managers Supervisors

Subordinates Supervisees

Job plansPolicies

InstructionsProcedures

Flows from decision makers

to workersDownward

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Information Flow in OrganizationsFormal Channels

Managers Supervisors

Subordinates Supervisees

FeedbackProgressProblems

Suggestions

Flows from employees to

decision makers

Upward

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Information Flow in OrganizationsFormal Channels

Horizontal flowShared information to coordinate

tasks, solve problems, resolve conflict

Flows among workers at the same levelCo

wor

kers

Coworkers

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Information Flows in Organizations Informal Channels

• The grapevine, gossip from the break room to the water cooler

• Carries unofficial messages• Flows haphazardly• Can be remarkably accurate• Is mostly disliked by management• Thrives where official information

is limited

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Barriers to the Flow of Organizational Information

• Lack of trust, turf wars, fear of reprisal• Uneven reward systems• Closed communication climate• Top-heavy organizational structure• Filtering, prejudice, ego involvement• Poor communication skills

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Overcoming Barriers to Effective Communication

• Encourage open, trusting environment for interaction and feedback.

• Provide more information through formal channels.• Train managers and employees to improve

communication skills.

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Overcoming Barriers to Effective Communication

• Flatten the organizational structure.• Establish hotline and ombudsman programs. • Establish fair reward system for individual and team

achievement.• Encourage full participation in teams.

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Understanding Ethical Behavior on the Job

What is ethical behavior?

Doing the right thing given the circumstances

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Five Common Ethical Traps to Avoid on the Job

1. The false necessity trap– Convincing yourself that no other choice exists

2. The doctrine of relative filth– Comparing your unethical behavior with someone else’s

even more unethical behavior

3. The rationalization trap– Justifying unethical actions with excuses

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Five Common Ethical Traps to Avoid on the Job

4. The self-deception trap– Persuading yourself, for example,

that a lie is not really a lie

5. The ends-justify-the-means trap– Using unethical methods to accomplish a desirable goal

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Goals of Ethical Business Communicators

• Abide by the law• Tell the truth• Label opinions• Be objective• Communicate clearly• Use inclusive language• Give credit

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Tools for Doing the Right Thing

• Is the action you are considering legal?

• How would you see the problem if you were on the opposite side?

• What are alternate solutions?• Can you discuss the problem

with someone you trust?• How would you feel if people

you care about learned of your action?