MGT100H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Policy, Press Release, Confirmation Bias
Business Communication and Teamwork
● Our paradigms of communication
○ Encoding-decoding
■ Avoid low signal-to-noise ratios; re-state
■ Involves an attempt to transform meaning into words (and non-verbals)
■ The signal is the true representation of meaning, while the noise is
everything else. Attempt to maximize
● Signal: noise
■ Decoding involves an attempt to transform words (and non-verbals) into
meaning
○ Intentionalist
■ Attempt to understand, communicate meaning
■ recognizing that human beings do recognize other people’s intent
■ We are pretty good at deciphering intent, even when simple decoding
might yield a different meaning
■ Ex: “Would you like to shut the door?”
● The intention is clear that they want you to shut the door, even
though it’s a yes or no question and they aren’t explicitly saying it
■ Ex: “Can you tell me what the exchange rate is today?”
● If you just decode it, it’s just a yes or no question, but because we
know their intent is to ask what the exchange rate actually is, you
will reply with the exchange rate percentage
■ Ex: “Do you agree or disagree?” vs. “What does this sound like to you?”
● Closed vs. open-ended question. If your boss really does want
information to you, they will ask you the second question.
■ Ex: “are things still pretty awful with your new boss?” vs. “How are things
going with your new boss?”
● First question is a leading question,
■ “Ex: Why are you feeling so upset? Vs. How did the situation get to this
point?”
● The first question’s sub-text is saying their emotions aren’t justified
and it’s not a big deal, they are telling you how to feel. The second
sub-text is saying their understanding of the situation is justified.
○ Perspective-taking
■ Take your listener’s perspective into account
■ Putting yourselves in other people’s shoes
■ An exploratory approach requires perspective taking; realistically
imagining the point-of-view of the other
■ We are not just delivering a message but attempting to understand the
other and to communicate from their perspective and or take their
spective
■ Ex: “It’s the first door on your left.”
● Before you communicate you take into account that they are
looking in a different direction than you, taking into account of the
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other person’s viewpoint and tell them the door is on their left even
though it’s on your right
○ Dialogic
■ Establish conditions that foster effective communication (a safe space);
listen actively; pay attention to the message form
■ The communication is considered to be a joint accomplishment, a product
of the collaboration of the participants
■ Meaning is socially constructed during the conversation
■ Interests, not positions
● “Here is what i need, what i’m interested in, what i prefer, what
about you? What are your interests, what are the must-haves, etc.
and then working from there rather than taking a strong position
from the start
■ Involves an invitation
● You cannot force anyone to engage in a dialogue with you
■ When both sides participate, both sides become more committed to the
process and the outcome
■ ex : resolving conflict
● Revealing some information about your needs and invites the
other side to do the same
● Listening and learning what the other side really needs (interests)
shows your good intent
● Commitment to solutions is one successful outcome of any conflict
● Example forms of Business Communication
○ Memorandum
■ The Memo
● On paper, but now mostly by email
● From: and to:
● Subject line
● Should be concise, on subject
● Strengths: equality, coverage, control of message
● Weaknesses if sent to leaders only, “lost in translation”
■ Ex: Charlotte Beers at Ogilvy and Mather
● New CEO of large, beleaguered advertising house (270 global
offices)
● 4 previous CEO’s failed to turn it around
● Sent a “hello vide” to all 7200 employees worldwide
● Learning points
○ Lots of signal, little noise
○ Recognition of history (perspectives)
○ Open-ended content (an invitation to participate)
○ The medium was the message
○ Annual report
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MGT100H1 Full Course Notes
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Document Summary
Involves an attempt to transform meaning into words (and non-verbals) The signal is the true representation of meaning, while the noise is everything else. Decoding involves an attempt to transform words (and non-verbals) into meaning. Recognizing that human beings do recognize other people"s intent. We are pretty good at deciphering intent, even when simple decoding might yield a different meaning. Ex: would you like to shut the door? . The intention is clear that they want you to shut the door, even though it"s a yes or no question and they aren"t explicitly saying it. Ex: can you tell me what the exchange rate is today? . If you just decode it, it"s just a yes or no question, but because we know their intent is to ask what the exchange rate actually is, you will reply with the exchange rate percentage. Ex: do you agree or disagree? vs. what does this sound like to you? .
