BBA102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Nonverbal Communication, Skill, Eye Contact
29 Jun 2018
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BBA102 LECTURE 9/5/18
WK 9; ORGANISATIONAL COMMUNICATION
TWO PERSPECTIVES ON COMMUNICATION
Constitutive View (beyond the textbook can be in exam);
oFundamental process that shapes our social reality; it’s not about transmitting data
between senders and receivers but about creating and interpreting meaning in our
lives.
Informational View;
oThe transfer of information between a sender and a receiver through media.
CONSTITUTIVE VIEW
- Organisations AS communication
- Communication is fundamental process that shapes our reality
- This view questions a notion of ‘organisation’
- Exploring organisations through communication as explanatory framework
- This view enables us to question and investigate key organisational realities (e.g.,
power, identity, gender, ideology, ethnicity, culture etc.), not just accept them as
given
Managerial work is constituted through communication;
- “Communicating is not simply what managers spend a great deal of time doing but
the medium through which managerial work is constituted”. (Hales, 1986, p. 101
cited in Mintzberg, 2009, p. 53).
Managers spend around 40-80% of their time simply communicating
Communication promotes the flow of information all around the manager
“The communicating role exists in the model as a kind of membrane all around the
manager, through which all managerial activity passes” (Mintzberg, 2009, p. 53).
INFORMATIONAL VIEW
- Communication within organisation
- Communication is a container shaped by the structure of the organisation
- Problems with effective communication are technical
- “Flat Earth Approach” on communication
Informational Perspective – the communication process:
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SELECTING THE RIGHT
MEDIUM
Media Richness
Medium Richness: Indicates how well a particular medium conveys information and
promotes learning
Rich Medium: Best for non-routine situation and to avoid oversimplification
Lean Medium: Best for routine situations and to avoid overloading
UNDERSTANDING COMMUNICATION
Formal Communication Channels;
Three Types
1. Vertical; meaning upward and downward
2. Horizontal; meaning laterally (sideways), and
3. External; meaning outside the organisation
Informal Communication Channels;
- Develop outside the formal structure and do not follow the chain of command
- Are “not defines by the organisations structural hierarchy”
Examples
Face-to-face; employees value authentic human time with the boss
Managing by wandering around
Grapevine
Rumour
Managing by ‘being there’; based on trust
COMMUNICATION TYPES
Non-Verbal Communication
- Body language; nonverbal communication cues such as facial expressions, gestures,
and other body movements
oEye contact
oFacial expressions
oBody movements and gestures
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oTouch
oSetting
oTime
- Verbal Intonation; an emphasis given to words or phrases that conveys meaning
Written Communications
- Memos, letters, email, newsletters etc.
- Tangible, verifiable, and more permanent
Oral Communications
- Allow receivers to respond
- Presents feedback evidence that the message has been received and understood
INEFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Information Processing Barriers
Filtering: manipulating information to be seen favourably by the receiver
Selective Perception: selective seeing and hearing based on needs, motivations, experience,
background, and other personal characteristics
Information Overload: occurs when the information processing demands on an individual’s
time exceed the supply of time available for such processing
Physical and Personal Characteristics as Barriers
Physical Barriers: time zones; telephone line static; office walls, crashed computers
Semantic Barriers: meaning of words unclear; jargons; accents; culturally different patterns
of speech
Personal Barriers: communication skills, facial expressions, social skills
Variations in how Information is Processed and Interpreted: class, status, ethnicity,
propensities and talents, experiences, background
Variations in Trustworthiness and Credibility: lack of trust or implicit trust
Gender Differences: different behavioural and linguistic styles
Human Transgressions
Oversized Egos: one of the strongest barriers
Faulty Listening Skills: ‘inner noise’; lack of training in listening; egos
Tendency to Judge Others’ Messages: jumping to conclusions based on OUR point of view
Inability to Listen with Understanding: inability to ‘step into others’ shoes; defensiveness;
inability to take criticism
Emotional Disconnects: driven by certain (strong) emotions when communicating
Stereotypes and Prejudices: oversimplified beliefs about certain group of people
“The Plight of the Tongue-Tied”: low confidence
CONFLICT DUE TO MIS AND NON-COMMUNICATION
Some of the causes of miscommunication and non-communication in the workplace;
oAssumptions
oHasty Communication
oEmail
oNon-responsiveness
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find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Constitutive view (beyond the textbook can be in exam): fundamental process that shapes our social reality; it"s not about transmitting data between senders and receivers but about creating and interpreting meaning in our lives. Informational view: the transfer of information between a sender and a receiver through media. Communication is fundamental process that shapes our reality. This view enables us to question and investigate key organisational realities (e. g. , power, identity, gender, ideology, ethnicity, culture etc. Communicating is not simply what managers spend a great deal of time doing but the medium through which managerial work is constituted . (hales, 1986, p. 101 cited in mintzberg, 2009, p. 53). Managers spend around 40-80% of their time simply communicating. Communication promotes the flow of information all around the manager. The communicating role exists in the model as a kind of membrane all around the manager, through which all managerial activity passes (mintzberg, 2009, p. 53).
