Lisa Bastille Allan Benowitz

Yoseph Gebremichael Natasha Kuprasova Katie O'Rourke

Abraham Tiamiyu

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Effective Communication - Overview

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“We hear only half of what is said to us, understand only half of that, believe only half of that, and remember only half of that.”*

Overview of our presentation: Effective Communication

OrganizationsGroupsIndividuals

Effective Communication - Overview

*Kathy Walker et. Al, “Communication Basics” LEADS curriculum Notebook Unit 2, Module 2-1 (Kansas State University, 2002), 2

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Ineffective communication? – “The Office”

 © 2009. NBC Universal. All Rights Reserved.4

Communication in uncertain times

Effective Communication - Organizations

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Understanding Ineffective Communication

Marketing Theory

Legal Theory

The Bureaucratic Theory

Engineering Theory

The Family Theory

Source: “Cascading Improvements in Communication: Adopting a New Approach to Organizational Communication,” by Baltej S. Maini, MD and Palmer Morrel-Samuels, PhD, The Physician Executive, September/October 2006

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Elements of Effective Business Communication

Organizations have two major constituents for their messages:

Internal Purpose To articulate the

strategic direction of the company and motivate employees

To enforce a new culture or enhance the existing culture

External Purpose To emphasize the products

and services offered by the company

To update the financial community on the company’s performance

Source: “The Strategic Communication Imperative,” by Argenti, Howell and Beck, MIT Sloan Management Review, Spring 2005

Constituent’s message is crafted to meet its specific needs

Internal Departments Employees

External Customers Competitors Community

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Cognitive Theory* Strategic Model** FAME Model***

Construction of Meaning

Accommodation of Perspective

Facilitation of Memory

Communication with the explicit purpose of creating change.

Source: *“Cascading Improvements in Communication: Adopting a New Approach to Organizational Communication,” by Baltej S. Maini, MD and Palmer Morrel-Samuels, PhD, The Physician Executive, September/October 2006 **“The Strategic Communication Imperative,” by Argenti, Howell and Beck, MIT Sloan Management Review, Spring 2005 ***“Leadership Communication– the AstraZeneca Way,” by Dominic Walters and David Norton, SCM Volume 12, Issue 1, December/January 2008

Models of Effective Business Communication

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Aligned

Interpretative Loops

Internal Alignment and commitment

External Specialize Messages

Focus

Articulate

Model

Engage

Effective Communication - Groups

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Three general categories have been identified as critical to successful group communication:

1. Design/ Structure: setting ground rules for communication, decision making, meeting structure and record keepingOrganizational structure, when agreed upon by all participants, facilitates communication and engenders trust

2. Commitment: “A group isn’t so much about issues as it is about relationships”Member integrity – usually difficult to define, but displays common traits

Guidelines/rules

3. Active listening/ Discussion: Variable, determining success or failure of the group

Effective Group Communication

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How do we communicate effectively?

Need to effectively communicate both the task and the process for getting the job done (and how the group will interact), not just one

Important things to consider: clarificationthe mousethe loud-mouththe written recordfeedbackhandling failurehandling deadlockreminder of big pictureavoiding single solutions

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What do I need to know?

Phases of the communication process

Perception’s impact on communication

Nonverbal communication

How does technology affect

communication?

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Judging (“You should…you ought to…”)

Rejecting (“It’s your problem, not mine”)

Labeling (“Only a dummy would do it this way”)

Blaming/critisizing (“It’s your fault”)

Transferring (“Let me tell you what happened to me”)

Ordering (“You must do this now”)

Threatening/bribing (“If you don’t do what I said, I will do…”)

Nagging (“How many times I’ve told you”)

Hurrying (“ok, ok, we have to go..”)

Acting (Using body language that send negative message)

Source: http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Road_Blocks/

Blocks to effective communication

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Effective Communication - Individuals

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Effective Communication Styles: B-E-S-T Model

BOLDRESULTS

•Focus on results•Show initiative•Take charge•Value efficiency•Prod others to achieve

EXPRESSIVESPIRIT

•Generate new ideas•Create excitement•Persuade others•Meet adversity with optimism•Move quickly, multi-task

TECHNICALDISCIPLINE

•Stay calm and rational•Focus on the facts and details•Avoid mistakes•Make rational decisions•Develop and document processes

SUPPORTIVETRUST

•Provide support•Consider others’ feelings•Loyal to the cause•Give benefit of the doubt•Go the “extra mile” to help others

© 2008 Right Management Inc.15

Effective Communication Styles – Other models

“GST Model”*

ExpresserDriver RelaterAnalytical

“Heffner Model”**

PassiveAssertiveAggressive

Sources: *GST Model from “Communication Styles Table” (GST Telecom, formally Call America) **Heffner Model from “Communication Styles” by Christopher L. Heffner, M.S.

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Linguistic (speaking)

Logical (reasoning)

Visual-spatial (picturing)

Kinesthetic (experiencing/feeling)

Auditory (listening)

Interpersonal (relating to others)

Intrapersonal (understanding self)

Effective Communication Styles Framework

Source: Robert V. Keteyian, http://communicationstyles.us/Why_Communication_Styles_Matter2.pdf17

Conclusion and Case-Study

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Organization Internal External

Group Design/ Structure Commitment Communication

Individual Bold Expressive Supportive Technical

Conclusion/ Important Takeaways

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Case: You are the Director of Human Resources (HR) and need to develop a plan for, and disseminate information on a company-wide furlough week over the holidays. 

Individual- As the HR Director, using our earlier frameworks, how would you approach this issue?

Group- You work with your 5-person Operations Management Team (OMT) to develop a plan for logistics and dissemination. As this is the first time any of these team members will be hearing the news (which will also affect them), you want to address their individual needs while also maintaining a strong group dynamic. What do you need to do to ensure the meeting is productive and the members feel comfortable?

Organization- How would you deliver this news to all staff in a way that is calm, informative, and efficient?

CASE STUDY

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Applying the framework - Individual

The HR director needs to focus on Intrapersonal (understanding self) before Interpersonal (relating to others) communicationIntrapersonal : focusing on one’s thoughts

If the message does not make sense to her, it will not make sense to others

As other people cannot read her mind, the HR Director must translate her thoughts so that others can understand

She needs to ask herself precise questions: What do I want to achieve? What resources do I have to help me achieve my goal? To whom can I delegate some of the responsibilities?

CASE STUDY (Suggested solution)

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Applying the framework – Individual 

Interpersonal: sending the message and receiving feedback from othersAfter gaining a clear understanding of what she wants, the HR Director then needs to communicate with others

Using our B-E-S-T model (Bold, Expressive, Supportive, Technical): The HR Director needs to decide which of the communication styles is appropriate depending on the message being sent

For example, when giving instructions to the Operations Management Team, she needs to take charge and prod them to achieve desired results by communicating in a BOLD way

On the other hand, when explaining her thoughts regarding the logistics of the furlough week, she needs to communicate in a TECHNICAL way by focusing on the facts and details

Receive feedback by actively soliciting input from others

CASE STUDY (Suggested solution) – cont’d

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The most important thing for all communicators is the ability to adapt

The "Golden Rule" that most of us know is really different when it comes to communicating

Instead of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you, "the golden rule in communicating is to communicate with others the way they wish you to."

"Golden Rule"

Source: Kate Lorenz and David G. Jensen, http://fpd.gsfc.nasa.gov/diversity/Communication_Styles.pdf

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Q & A

Thank you!

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1.) “Cascading Improvements in Communication: Adopting a New Approach to Organizational Communication,” by Baltej S. Maini, MD and Palmer Morrel-Samuels, PhD, The Physician Executive, September/October 2006

2.) Fair Disclosure, Regulation FD: http://www.sec.gov/answers/regfd.htm

3.) Kate Lorenz and David G. Jensen: http://fpd.gsfc.nasa.gov/diversity/Communication_Styles.pdf

4.) Kathy Walker et. Al, “Communication Basics,” LEADS curriculum Notebook Unit 2, Module 2-1 (Kansas State University, 2002), 2

5.) Robert V. Keteyian: http://communicationstyles.us/Why_Communication_Styles_Matter2.pdf

6.) Sarbanes Oxley: http://www.sarbanes-oxley-forum.com/

7.) “Leadership Communication– the AstraZeneca Way,” by Dominic Walters and David Norton, SCM Volume 12, Issue 1, December/January 2008

8.) Synopsis Communication Consultants: http://www.synopsisonline.com/about/

9.) “The Strategic Communication Imperative,” by Argenti, Howell and Beck, MIT Sloan Management Review, Spring 2005

10.) Video clip courtesy of NBC Universal. All Rights Reserved.

11.) “What every manager should know about communication,” by Bill Quirke and Dominic Walters, SCM volume 7, issue 5 Aug/Sept. 2003

References

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