MGT 674

Employee Relations Management

Ajaya Mishra

Session 8

COMMUNICATIONS …. And Interpersonal Communications

Basic Ideas on Communication …Is there a sound in the forest if a tree crashes down

and no one is around to hear it ?

One can communicate only in recipient’s language or in his terms.

We receive what we expect to perceive, we see what we expect to see and we hear what we expect to hear … Largely

The human mind resists vigorously any attempts to make it change in mind .

Importance …Problems Solution

•Interpersonal conflicts •Feeling undervalued •Feeling overworked •Feeling resentful, angry •Trouble maintaining relationships •Feeling afraid of losing someone •Feeling unable to trust yourself in arguments

Effective Communication

What ?Communication is an interaction between

two or more people. Listen to the other person Interpret what is being said Respond in an understandable way

Elements in Communication …Elements in Communication …

NoiseSender

Receiverdecodes

Receivercreates

meaning

Transmittedon mediumMessageEncoding

EncodingMessageTransmittedon medium

Sourcedecodes

Communication is more than just verbal…

•Nonverbal communication–Words account for only 7% of emotional impact of a message–Voice tones- 38%–Facial Expressions- 55%

STATISTICAL VIEW OF OMMUNICATION

•70% of our communication efforts are:• Misunderstood• Misinterpreted• Rejected (not accepted)• Disliked• Distracted• Not heard at all(in spite of the same language and same culture!)

•Only 30% is effective!

IMPORTANT SKILLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN ORGANIZATIONS

Communication 4.94Teamwork 4.72Leadership 4.60Critical Thinking 4.57Personal Management 4.52Creativity 4.08

(On a scale of 1 to 5; 1 being least useful and 5 being most useful)

FREQUENCY OF SKILLS USE IN ORGANIZATIONS

Communication 4.91Teamwork 4.73Personal Management 4.51Critical Thinking 4.47Leadership 4.46Creativity 3.95Technical/Scientific 3.91Social Responsibility 3.89(On a scale of 1 to 5; 1 being least useful and 5 being most

useful)

Forms of Communication …Verbal / Oral : Expressed through words /

voice

Non Verbal: Expressed through body language, dress and personal grooming

Written : Expressed through Letter, Memo, Reports etc.

Visuals: Movies, Documentaries …

Barriers to of Effective CommunicationPersonal barriers:

Your style and character (rude, polite, shy, etc.) Preparation & presentation Lack of clarity (pronunciation, pitch, etc.) Lack of credibility Timing Jargon and pronunciation Sender’s speed of thought Receiver s not prepared Information overload Not repeating and important point Meeting in the evening Distractions

Organizational barriers: Culture Environment Size Structure Pace of activity

Process barriers: Channel/medium Irrelevant information Lack of proper responseAbsence of feedbackInappropriate questions Information overload

Other Barriers …Other Barriers …

Physical Barriers:Physical Barriers: pertain to the physical distance between people communicating

Semantic Barriers:Semantic Barriers: relate to the different understanding and interpretations of the words we use to communicate

In order to communicate effectively you must do the following:

Identify your communication styleIdentify problematic situationsGiven you have some areas that could be

improved…Practice changing your communication skills

Different Communication Styles

The Aggressive Style. Fighting, accusing, and threatening characterize this style.

The Passive Style.Acceptance, unconditional with others’ demands, and being “walked on” by others characterize this style.

The Passive Aggressive Style On the surface these individuals appear to be following the passive style. Hidden beneath the surface, however, these people act in an aggressive way.

The Assertive Style. This style is characterized by balance. Balance in

the expression of feelings, self-pride, and self-regard, while at the same time being considerate of others. Through direct communication, you demonstrate respect for your rights and the rights of others. The advantage of assertiveness is that you can compromise so that you can get what you need and want.

AssertiveAssertive Pushing hard without attacking; permits others to influence outcome; expressive and self-enhancing without intruding on others.

Good eye contact; Comfortable but firm posture; Strong, steady and audible voice; Facial expressions matched to message; Appropriately serious tone; Selective interruptions to ensure understanding.

Direct and unambiguous language; No attributions or evaluations of others’ behavior; Use of “I” statements and cooperative “we” statements.

CommunicationCommunication Nonverbal Behavior Nonverbal Behavior Verbal BehaviorVerbal Behavior StyleStyle Description Pattern Description Pattern PatternPattern

CommunicationCommunication Nonverbal Behavior Nonverbal Behavior Verbal BehaviorVerbal Behavior StyleStyle Description Pattern Description Pattern PatternPatternAggressiveAggressive Taking advantage

of others; Expressive and self-enhancing at others’ expense.

Glaring eye contact; Moving or leaning too close; Threatening gestures (pointing finger; clenched fist); Loud Voice; Frequent interruptions.

Swear words and abusive language; Attributions and evaluations of others’ behavior; Sexist or racists terms; Explicit threats or put-downs.

CommunicationCommunication Nonverbal Behavior Nonverbal Behavior Verbal BehaviorVerbal Behavior StyleStyle Description Pattern Description Pattern PatternPatternNonassertiveNonassertive Encouraging

others to take advantage of us; Inhibited; Self-denying.

Little eye contact; Downward glances; Slumped postures; Constantly shifting weight; Wringing hands; Weak or whiny voice.

Qualifiers (“maybe,” “kind of” ); Fillers (“uh,” “you know,” “well”); Negaters (“it’s really not that important,” “I’m not sure”).

Sources of Distortion in Upward Sources of Distortion in Upward CommunicationCommunication

Situational AntecedentsSituational Antecedents Patterns of Distortion in Patterns of Distortion in Upward CommunicationUpward Communication

1. Supervisor’s upward influence LowLow High Increased distortion

because employees send more favorable information and withhold useful information.

LowLow High2. Supervisor’s power

Increased distortion because employees screen out information detrimental to their welfare.

LowLow High3. Subordinate’s

aspiration for upward mobility

Less accuracy because employees tend to pass along information that helps their cause.

7 Cs of Effective Communication

1. Completeness

2. Conciseness

3. Consideration

4. Concreteness

5. Clarity

6. Courtesy

7. Correctness

COMPLETENESSEnsure that you provide all required informationAnswer all questions asked as far as possibleAlways give something extra, where applicable

and desirable

Examples:Incomplete: Please fax me the departure from

New Delhi to Frankfurt on the 6th of this month.

Incomplete: Why was my request for additional furniture for my office not responded to?

CONCISENESSDo not use wordy expressions Always use only relevant material Do away with unnecessary repetitionExamples:Wordy : At this time Concise: NowWordy : Due to the fact that Concise: BecauseWordy : Have a need for Concise: NeedWordy : In due course Concise: SoonWordy : Allow me to say how helpful your

response was.Concise : Your last response was helpful.

CONSIDERATION- Focus on “you” instead of “I” or “we”.- Demonstrate audience benefit or interest in the

receiver.- Ensure that you emphasize positive, pleasant facts

while you speak.

Examples:Insensitive: You failed to enclose your cheque in the

envelope.

Consideration: The cheque was not enclosed. (passive voice)

CONCRETENESS- Use specific facts and figures from reliable

sources.- Put action into verbs.- Choose vivid, image-building words.

Examples:Vague, general, and indefinite: Eastern Europe

is making progress in getting investments.

Concrete, precise: In 1990, investments in Eastern Europe were about US$30 million; today, that figure has increased by 12%.

CLARITYUse precise, concrete, and familiar words.Construct effective sentences & paragraphs,

with right emphasis.

Examples:Unfamiliar: After our perusal of pertinent data,

the conclusion is that a lucrative market exists for the subject property.

Familiar: The data we studied show that your property is profitable and in high demand.

COURTESY- Be sincerely tactful, thoughtful, and

appreciative.- Use expressions that show respect.- Choose non-discriminatory expressions.

Examples:Tactless, blunt: I rewrote that letter three times;

the point was clear.Tactful: I’m, sorry the point was not clear;

here is another version.Avoid expressions such as: I do not agree with

you; obviously you overlooked; we don’t believe.

Correctness- Use the right level of language.- Always check the accuracy of facts,

figures, and words.

Examples:

Use: Think instead of deem; question instead of interrogate; stolen instead of stoled.

Categories of Non-Verbal Messages

EnvironmentInterpersonal DistancePostureGesturesFacial ExpressionsVoice QualityPersonal Appearance

Skills and Best Practices: Advice to Skills and Best Practices: Advice to Improve Nonverbal Communication Improve Nonverbal Communication SkillsSkills

• Maintain eye contact.• Nod your head to convey that you are listening or that you agree.• Smile and show interest.• Lean forward to show the speaker you are interested.• Use a tone of voice that matches your message

PositivePositive Nonverbal Actions Nonverbal Actions Include:Include:

Advice to Improve Nonverbal Advice to Improve Nonverbal Communication Skills (cont)Communication Skills (cont)

• Avoiding eye contact and looking away from the speaker.• Closing your eyes or tensing your facial muscles.• Excessive yawning.• Using body language that conveys indecisiveness or lack of confidence (e.g., slumped shoulders, head down, flat tones, inaudible voice)• Speaking too fast or too slow.

NegativeNegative Nonverbal Actions Include: Nonverbal Actions Include:

Listening StylesListening Styles

Results-style:Results-style: Interested in the bottom line or result of a message.

Reasons-style:Reasons-style: Interested in hearing the rationale behind a message.

Process-style:Process-style: Likes to discuss issues in detail.

The Keys to Effective ListeningThe Keys to Effective ListeningKeys to Effective ListeningKeys to Effective Listening The Bad ListenerThe Bad Listener The Good ListenerThe Good Listener

1. Capitalize on thought speed

Tends to daydream Stays with the speaker, mentally summarizes the speaker, weighs evidence, and listens between the lines

2. Listen for ideas Listens for facts Listens for central or overall ideas

3. Find an area of interest Tunes out dry speakers or subjects

Listens for any useful information

4. Judge content, not delivery

Tunes out dry monotone speakers

Assesses content by listening to entire message before making judgments

5. Hold your fire Gets too emotional or worked up by something said by the speaker and enters into an argument

Withholds judgment until comprehension is complete

The Keys to Effective Listening (cont)The Keys to Effective Listening (cont)Keys to Effective ListeningKeys to Effective Listening The Bad ListenerThe Bad Listener The Good ListenerThe Good Listener

6. Work at listening Does not expend energy on listening

Gives the speaker full attention

7. Resist Distractions Is easily distracted Fights distractions and concentrates on the speaker

8. Hear what is said Shuts our or denies unfavorable information

Listens to both favorable and unfavorable information

9. Challenge yourself Resists listening to presentations of difficult subject manner

Treats complex presentations as exercises for the mind

10. Use handouts, overheads, or other visual aids

Does not take notes or pay attention to visual aids

Takes notes as required and uses visual aids to enhance understanding of the presentation

Gender DifferencesWomen

Prefer conversation for rapport buildingWant empathy, not solutionsAre more likely to complimentEmphasize politenessMore conciliatory

Gender DifferencesMen

Talk as a means to preserve independence and status by displaying knowledge and skill

Work out problems on an individualized basisAre more directive in conversationAre more intimidatingCall attention to their accomplishmentsTend to dominate discussions during meetings

Let’s Summarize… Most of our stress today comes from interpersonal

difficulties. Many of these stresses involve failure to communicate

effectively. Communication styles that can lead to problems are:

the aggressive style, the passive style, and the passive-aggressive style.

Assertiveness is the only style that allows both parties to compromise in order to get something each wants.

Assertiveness involves regarding your own rights as well as the rights of others, seeking compromise, and clearly communicating your feelings and desires.

WISHING YOU A VERY WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY DASHAIN AND TIHAR HAPPY DASHAIN AND TIHAR

……