Communication Module 12 LIS 580: Spring 2006 Instructor- Michael Crandall.

Communication

Module 12

LIS 580: Spring 2006

Instructor- Michael Crandall

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 2

Roadmap

• The communication process• Barriers to communication• Interpersonal communication• Negotiation• Organizational communication• Barriers to organizational

communication• Electronic communication• Conflict

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 3

Communication

• Creating joint meanings and shared understanding

• Coordinating (the coordination of) behavior

• The exchange of information

• Information as a common basis of human relationships, understanding, and feeling

Prentice Hall, 2002

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 4

Emotional Intelligence Again

• In “Leading by Feel” several leaders discuss emotional intelligence and its impact in organizations

• What common themes did you see in these short pieces?

• How does paying attention to emotional intelligence help in communication?

• Is it only the leader’s emotional intelligence that matters?

• Why do you think communication is so difficult in organizations?

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 5

The Communication Process

FIGURE 12–1G.Dessler, 2003

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 6

Barriers to Effective Communication

• Ambiguous, Muddled Messages• Semantics• Physical Barriers• Loss of Transmission• Failing to Communicate• Competition Barriers• Cultural, Linguistic, and Diversity

Barriers• Not Listening

G.Dessler, 2003

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 7

Nonverbal Communication

• Nonverbal Communication– The nonspoken aspects of communication, such

as a person’s manner of speaking, facial expressions, or body posture, that express meaning to others.

– Nonverbal communication can complicate the task of communicating internationally.

• The nonverbal part of communicating is more important in some societies than in others.

• In many societies, the context (or setting) in which a message is delivered, with its nonverbal cues, has far more meaning than the words of the message itself.

G.Dessler, 2003

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 8

Psychological Barriers

• Perception– Selectivity/exposure filtering out of unpleasant things and

focusing on or recalling things not heard.– Retention filtering of things that feel good, and the tendency

to forget those things that are painful.

• Experiential Barriers– The difficulty in understanding things not personally

experienced.

• Emotions– Emotions influence both what is said and what is heard.

• Defensiveness– Adjustments people make to avoid acknowledging personal

inadequacies that might reduce their self-esteem.

G.Dessler, 2003

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 9

Interpersonal Communications

• Interpersonal communication– Communication that occurs between two

individuals.

• Methods for Improving Interpersonal Communications– Pay attention– Make yourself clear– Be an active listener– Don’t attack the person’s defenses– Get feedback

G.Dessler, 2003

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 10

Checklist 12.1Active Listening

Listen for total meaning. Reflect feelings. Note all cues. Give the person your full attention. Show that you are listening with an

open mind. Encourage the speaker to give

complete information.G.Dessler, 2003

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 11

Negotiation

• Negotiation defined– A process in which two or more parties who have

different preference must make a joint decision and come to an agreement

• Distributive bargaining– Negotiation under zero-sum conditions, in which

the gains by one party involve losses by the other party

• Integrative bargaining– Negotiation in which there is at least one

settlement that involves no loss to either partyPrentice Hall, 2002

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 12

Determining the Bargaining Zone

Prentice Hall, 2002

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 13

How to Improve Your Negotiating Skills

• Mistakes to avoid when negotiating:– Neglecting the other side’s problems.– Letting price overwhelm other interests.– Searching too hard for common ground.– Failing to consider BANTRAs (best alternative to a

negotiated agreement).

• Negotiating Tactics (Using Leverage)– Necessity– Desire– Competition– Time

G.Dessler, 2003

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 14

Checklist 12.2How to be More Persuasive

Establish your credibility. Frame for common ground. Connect emotionally. Provide evidence. Use peer power whenever it’s

available. Have the person make the

commitment active, public, and voluntary.

G.Dessler, 2003

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 15

Organizational Communication

• Organizational Communication– Communication that occurs among several

individuals or groups.• Downward communications go from superior

to subordinate.• Lateral (horizontal) communications move

between departments or between people in the same department.

• Upward communications move from subordinates to superiors.

G.Dessler, 2003

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 16

Formal vs. Social Structure

Cross, Rob. A bird's-eye view: Using social network analysis to improve knowledge creation and sharing. IBM Executive strategy report  04Jun2002 http://www-1.ibm.com/services/us/index.wss/xs/imc/a1001262

Rarely do the communication patterns match the formal structure

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 17

Multiple Network Dimensions

Knowledge Network analyzed on only one dimension- knowledge

Four dimensional analysis- knowledge, access, engagement and safety

Cross, Rob. A bird's-eye view: Using social network analysis to improve knowledge creation and sharing. IBM Executive strategy report  04Jun2002 http://www-1.ibm.com/services/us/index.wss/xs/imc/a1001262

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 18

The Four Dimensions

Rob Cross

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 19

Another View• The work network

– With whom do you exchange information as part of your daily work routines?

• The social network– With whom do you “check in”, inside and outside the organization to

find out what is going on?

• The innovation network– With whom do you collaborate or kick around new ideas?

• The expert knowledge network– To whom do you turn for expertise or advice?

• The career guidance or strategic network– Whom do you go to for advice about the future?

• The learning network– Whom do you work with to improve existing processes or methods?

Kleiner, Art. Karen Stephenson’s Quantum Theory of Trust. strategy+business, 4th quarter, 2002.

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 20

Energy

• Do you weave relationship development into work and day-to-day interactions?

• Do you do what you say you are going to do?• Do you address tough issues with integrity?• Do you look for possibilities or just identify constraints?• When you disagree with someone, do you focus attention on the

issue at hand rather than the individual?• Are you cognitively and physically engaged in meetings and

conversations?• Are you flexible in your thinking or do you force others to come

to your way of thinking?• Do you use your own expertise appropriately?

Cross, R., Baker, W. & Parker, A. (2003). What Creates Energy in Organizations? Sloan Management Review 44(4), pp. 51-57.

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 21

Special Barriers to Organizational Communication

• Interpersonal Barriers• Authority• Task• Political• Identity• Organizational Culture• Organization Structures

Free Speech?

G.Dessler, 2003

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 22

Getting Upward Feedback• Request feedback from people whom you trust and who will

be honest with you.

• If the feedback is too general, ask for examples of specific, recent behavior.

• Don’t be defensive, make excuses, or blame others when you hear criticism.

• Do not overreact or underreact to feedback.

• Once the feedback is complete, summarize what the speaker said to make sure that you understand.

• Explain what you are going to do in response to the feedback, do it, evaluate the consequences on performance, and then let the feedback-giver know of the outcome.

• Thank the person for his or her concern and advice.

FIGURE 12–2Source: Adapted from Paula J. Caproni, The Practical Coach (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2001), p. 21.G.Dessler, 2003

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 23

Fostering Upward Organizational Communication

• Social gatherings

• Union publications

• Regular meetings

• Performance appraisal meetings

• Grievances

• Attitude surveys

• A suggestion system

• An open door policy

• Indirect measures

• E-Mail

G.Dessler, 2003

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 24

Improving Downward Communication

• Open-Book Management– A management style in which a company

opens its books to the employees, sharing financial data, explaining numbers, and rewarding workers for improvement.

G.Dessler, 2003

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 25

Improving Horizontal Communication

Appoint Liaison Appoint Liaison PersonnelPersonnel

Appoint Liaison Appoint Liaison PersonnelPersonnel

Organize Committees Organize Committees and Task Forcesand Task Forces

Organize Committees Organize Committees and Task Forcesand Task Forces

Use Independent Use Independent IntegratorsIntegrators

Use Independent Use Independent IntegratorsIntegrators

HorizontalHorizontalCommunicationsCommunications

HorizontalHorizontalCommunicationsCommunications

G.Dessler, 2003

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 26

Improving Informal Communications

Provide Physical Provide Physical SupportSupport

Provide Physical Provide Physical SupportSupport

Emphasize Emphasize InformalityInformality

Emphasize Emphasize InformalityInformality

Maintain Maintain Communication Communication

IntensityIntensity

Maintain Maintain Communication Communication

IntensityIntensity

Informal Informal CommunicationsCommunications

Informal Informal CommunicationsCommunications

G.Dessler, 2003

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 27

FIGURE 12–5

Hierarchy of Media Richness and Application for Managerial Applications

Source: Adapted from Richard L. Daft and Robert H. Lengel, “Information Richness: A New Approach to Managerial Information Processing and Organization Design,” in Barry Staw and Larry L. Cummings, eds., Research in Organizational Behavior, vol. 6 (Greenwich, CT: JAI Press, 1984), pp. 191–233. Reprinted from R. Daft and R. Steers, Organizations: A Micro/Macro Approach (Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman, 1986) p. 532.

G.Dessler, 2003

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 28

Managing Conflict

• Conflict defined– Perceived differences resulting in

interference or opposition

• Functional conflict– Conflict over what best supports an

organization’s goals

• Dysfunctional conflict– Conflict that prevents an organization from

achieving its goalsPrentice Hall, 2002

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 29

Three Views of Conflict

• Traditional view– Assumed that conflict was bad and would always

have a negative impact on an organization

• Human relations view– Argued that conflict was a natural and inevitable

occurrence in all organizations; rationalized the existence of conflict and advocated its acceptance

• Interactionist view– Encourages mangers to maintain ongoing

minimum level of conflict sufficient to keep organizational units viable, self-critical, and creative

Prentice Hall, 2002

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 30

Conflict & Organizational Performance

Prentice Hall, 2002

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 31

Sources of Conflict

• Communication differences– Arising from semantic difficulties,

misunderstandings, and noise in the communication channels

• Structural differences– Horizontal and vertical differentiation creates

problems of integration leading to disagreements over goals, decision alternatives, performance criteria, and resource allocations in organizations

• Personal differences– Individual idiosyncrasies and personal value

systems create conflictsPrentice Hall, 2002

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 32

Dimensions of Conflict

• Based on work of Kenneth W. Thomas at the Naval Postgraduate School Graduate School of Business and Public Policy

http://research.nps.navy.mil/cgi-bin/vita.cgi?p=display_vita&id=1023567855

• Cooperativeness– The degree to which an individual will attempt to

rectify a conflict by satisfying the other person’s concerns

• Assertiveness– The degree to which an individual will attempt to

rectify the conflict to satisfy his or her own concerns

Prentice Hall, 2002

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 33

Thomas’ Conflict Model

Thomas, K. W. and Kilmann,R. H. Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument. March 19, 2001 http://www.acer.edu.au/publications/acerpress/onlinetesting/documents/TKI.pdf

May 4, 2006 LIS580- Spring 2006 34

Next Time

• Managing groups and teams and more– Read Chapter 13 and the assigned articles

• Discussion questions:– These lessons were derived from the military. How much

do you think can be transferred to other environments?– How do you think a similar examination of leadership

behaviors on a basketball team would compare?– Given our discussions over the last week about leadership,

do you think the “Big 12” behaviors would be effective for team and individual leadership in a library? Why or why not?

– Is there something missing in this list? If so, what is it?