Communication in the Workplace

 

About This Post: This is a larger post than others in this Blog. Most people in a Managerial or Leadership position will agree that Communication is a very important subject to say the least. A business may have a great product, but if they have poor internal and external communications then they'll not reach their full potential, or worse.

 This post will cover the following topics of Business Communication:

• The Importance of Communication.
• The Basic Communication Diagram.
• Barriers/Filters in the Communication Process.
• Guidelines for Communication Improvement.
• Nonverbal Communication.  

 

Communication: "The process  of a sender transmitting a message to a receiver with mutual understanding for the purpose of influencing, informing, and/or to express feelings.

 

The above definition in one of many concerning the subject of communication. The "sender" is the person who formulates and delivers the message through "media." It is sometimes referred to as the "Source." The two words, "mutual understanding" means both the sender and receiver have a common understanding of the subject being transmitted.

 

Communication is the foundation on which Management and Human Relations are built upon. Consider that managers get things done only through people and that occurs only through communications, i.e., no communication results in no organized activity....poor communication results in poor organized activity.

 

Importance of Communication:

1. Generally speaking, in life we are usually judged by four criteria:

• What we do, i.e., job, profession, life style hobbies, activities, etc.
• What we look like. Like it or not it's a fact of life, i.e., our grooming, appearance, hygiene, etc.
• What we say and/or talk about.
• How we say it.

 Note that the these are all forms of communication. Yes, what you "do" says something about you.

 

    2. Everything we do in Management and Human Relations is through communication. All four of the Management functions, Planning, Organizing, Controlling, and Leading rely on effective communication.

 

   3. The failure of an organized effort, e.g., individual worker effort, teamwork, etc., is usually due to poor communications.

 

   4. Communication is a flawed process, it is important to remember this in all your communication efforts. Most communication is distorted to some degree. That distortion could be very minor or very major, or anything in between. Now consider that 80% of our time in the workplace is spent in communication, (speaking, listening, reading, writing, etc.). Then consider that about 80% of communication is distorted to some degree, which then means any improvement in the workplace must start with communications. It is very important that this be understood and considered in all Communications.

 

  5. Today's work environment requires more communication skills than before because of advances in technology. The increase use of computers, FAX, email, internet, telephones, etc., requires concise, accurate use of the language because this technology has reduced or eliminated face-to-face communication. Which means we no longer have the ability for the non-verbal component of communication or the convenience of immediate clarification. (Note: Non-Verbal communication is a very important topic and will be discussed later in this post....stay tuned).      

 

 

A True Story About Communication

A friend of mine, Larry, is a Small Business Consultant, (a competitor of mine). He became aware early on that his clients want results quickly, mostly because he was "On the Clock." In order to provide some results quickly he devised an approach that was to first evaluate and provide suggestions on how to improve communications for his client's business. His reasoning was that inefficient communications was so prevalent in most businesses that he could uncover many areas to improve in a relatively short time. This allowed him to quickly produce results in this one area which satisfied his client so he can then go onto to work on other areas of his client's business, e.g., Sales, Motivation, Marketing, etc., without the client breathing down his neck.....He said it worked every time.

This true story reinforces the point that Communication, in its many forms in the business environment, is to a large degree, a flawed process and has many areas that can be simply improved.





 

 

 

 

 

 Components of the Basic Communication Diagram

 

1. Source/Sender: The person/ persons/organization formulating and sending a message.
2. Receiver: The person/persons/organization receiving the message. 
3. Message
4. Response/Reply/Feedback

     5.  Media/Path/Channel
     6.  Source Communication Filter
     7.  Receiver Communication Filter

     Note #1: This diagram is presented here to use as a reference for all the following information.

     Note #2: The Source and Receiver Filters refer to the barriers that distort a message. There are many causes for these barriers, e.g., wrong wording, incomplete information, emotions, etc. Remember most, not all, communication is distorted to some degree.

    Note #3: The diagram shows that the Source/Sender alternately becomes a receiver during an ongoing communication process. Same for the Receiver.

 

Barriers/Filters in the Communication Process:

Barriers/Filters: "Anything that Distorts, Alters, Reduces, Minimizes, etc., the Communication Process:

Types of Barriers/Filters: The following is just a brief list of barriers in the communication process. I call it my "Top Ten List."....(My apologies to David Letterman)

1. Semantics: This involves the use and misuse of words. Consider that there are many separate meanings for each of the 500 most used words in the English language, (Blame the British). The problems that usually arise are when there too much use of open-ended, intangible, objective words that can be misinterpreted by people. Examples are: Early/Late vs. seven o'clock in the morning or Heavy vs. 250 pounds.

2. Emotions/Attitudes: These barriers are the most difficult to understand and deal with and they can create all kinds of heartburn. If you are angry with someone your message is not going to be very effective.

3. Role Expectations: This is the perception of status on the part of both the sender and the receiver. We tend to size up, evaluate, weigh a message in terms of the characteristics of the person who sends it. The nature of a conversation between a front-line worker and a CEO will not be the same as each person conversing with people at their own level.

4. Gender Bias: This is a relatively new barrier because of the increase of women entering positions previously held by men. The best selling book by John Gray, has a title that says it all, "Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus." This is to say men and women are so different that they might as well be from different planets. Generally speaking, it has been shown that men tend to speak differently to women than to men.

5. Trust/Credibility: This is based on the person's "expertness" in the subject area being communicated and on the degree of one's confidence or trust that the person will tell the truth.

6. Information Overload: This is more of a problem today because of advances in communication technology. This occurs when people receive more information than they need or can process. It's interesting that the same thing happens to a computer when someone tries to process more data than the computer can handle....it shuts down.

7. Time and Place: When and where you deliver a message has an effect on effectiveness of the message. For example, sending a message too early or late; Sending it at the very end of the work day, may cause a problem. Discussing an important situation in the break room is not a good idea.

8. Background Noise: Sometimes you can't help it, but delivering a message in this environment most likely will result in a poor communication. The answer...simply move to a better location.

9. Media Selection: This is an area that can make a big difference in communication effectiveness. An excellent example is the choice of a media in advertising. If you're going to advertise furniture, you will probably select "Good Housekeeping" or "Home and Garden" magazines not "Field and Stream." Notice the evening TV news programs, almost all of the products advertised are related to health. That's because the manufactures of these products have research indicating a large percentage of viewers are in the older age bracket. That is an example of not only Media selection but also Time and Place selection.

10. Culture: Yes, even if people of different cultures speak English, communication can be altered because it may be influenced by their native language because of the different meanings of words and delivery.

Finally....Remember, these Barriers/Filters can be minimized by understanding what they are and developing methods to overcome them. The following section discusses the many ways to improve communications in the workplace.



Guidelines for Communication Improvement

 

 

With the knowledge we now have of the Communication process and the type of problems associated with Barriers/Filters, we can explain ways to improve this very important managerial function. An awareness and clear understanding of these following points is of basic importance to effective communication for both the sender and receiver.

1. First of all: Fairness, openness, honesty, straight talk, etc., will usually reduce most, but not all distortion. Avoid both excessive criticism and underserved praise....People can see baloney when it's coming.
2. Take for granted that Communication is a flawed process, (Have I mention that yet?), and that you can, with practice, improve the process, but there will always be a degree of distortion.
3. Communication is a learned behavior, which means that people usually send messages that maximizes rewards and minimize punishment. Managers who are guilty of the "Kill the Messenger" syndrome will be told only the "good news" even though the bad news may be crucial to the organization's welfare. As a side note if a manager has employees who don't want to be the bearer of bad news, then most likely this a symptom of poor management. These managers should ask themselves "Why are employees reluctant to be open about problems?"
4. Paraphrasing is a good method of avoiding problems. Ask your employees to paraphrase, (repeat), your instructions and paraphrase for them the problem or request that they bring to you.
5. Using the method of written and oral communication that is appropriate to the situation will improve communication. Generally, oral, (for face-to-face contact allows for feedback), followed by written, (for a record of the specific message), is one method that works well.
6. Most organizations are characterized by top-down communication. Unless managers make a concerted effort to seek information from their employees, i.e., bottom-up communication, they will remain in the dark on many issues. Managers should not only encourage feedback and response from all levels but also do everything possible to expedite this feedback. There's a very important related benefit to encouraging feedback from employees, and that is it is highly motivational to the employees. Consider what you are doing....you're asking their opinion. In their mind they believe you think they are capable of contributing to solving problems, and that is highly motivating......which will be the next post dealing with Motivation...or if you can't wait ask Mr. Maslow and Mr. Herzberg.
7. Do not exclude others or resort to in-group talk. Include everyone present in the interaction. Some people may believe their opinion is not important but they still should be included because they may have some good input and again it is motivating.
8. Nonverbal cues will signify whether each person is aware of what others are saying. If someone is rubbing their eyes, arms crossed, or staring off in the distance then change the setting, ask a question, etc., to get their attention.
9. Using a number of different media/channels to deliver a message will help neutralize the distortion in any one media/channel. For example in addition to using a phone call follow-up with an email.
10. Repetition is a good form of learning and is helpful in communication because it tends to neutralize distortion and filtering.
11. Words should be selected with care to avoid emotionally loaded terms that will cause the receiver to jump to an incorrect conclusion.
12. Some managers deplore the power of the "Grapevine," the informal communication network. However all organizations have Grapevines and they do not present any problems most of the time. Problems do arise when the messages in the Grapevine are false/distorted and harm the operation of the firm. More open sharing of information through formal channels can decrease this problem. Also, when false information is spread via the Grapevine it is very important to address the situation quickly and truthfully.
13. This is very important! The best and fastest way to improve communication is to improve your "listening skills." Listening involves attempting to understand the meaning of the message. It is more than merely being able to repeat the words in the message. A message is only composed of words, symbols, numbers, etc. we do not communicate meanings, we can only communicate messages. The meaning is developed in the mind of the listener according to how they interpret/decode the message. Also, please remember that listening is not a passive activity....you have to work at it!
14. Finally....many, some say most, problems of communication are problems rooted in poor management. If managers are effective in their styles and relationships then communications tend to be effective. If a person has a lot of traits of a lousy manager, such as; tyrant, bully, dishonest, unfair, unethical, demeaning, etc., then they will be the dullest knife in the management drawer of communications. All the best communication processes will never make up for a lousy manager.           

 

Nonverbal Communication

 

        Nonverbal Communication Definitions:

1. "The term, nonverbal communication, is commonly used to describe all communication events that go beyond the limits of spoken or written words.
2. "The transmission of messages by means other than words"

 Before we Start, It is important to remember that nonverbal communication cannot be studied in isolation from verbal communication. Verbal and nonverbal communication should be treated as a total and inseparable topic. Some of the most important findings in the field of social interaction, (which includes business), are about some of the ways in which verbal and nonverbal communication interrelate.

 

 

Characteristics of Nonverbal Communication

 

1. Exists in a Context: Nonverbal communication, like verbal communication, exists in a context, and that context helps to determine the meaning of nonverbal behaviors. In other words, the actions, environment, situation, etc., that exists before, during and after a nonverbal cue helps to understand and give meaning to the nonverbal cue. Therefore, when separated from the context, it is impossible to tell what any act of nonverbal behavior may mean. Some examples are, winking at a female in a bus vs. winking at your son when he does a good job. Another is, pounding your fist during a political debate vs. pounding the table in response to hearing bad news. 
2. You Cannot Not Communicate: Nonverbal behavior during an interactional situation always communicates. It is difficult not behave, and consequently, it is difficult not to communicate. Regardless of whether it is intentional or unintentional, one's nonverbal behavior communicates something to someone. Also, these messages may be received consciously or subconsciously; we need not be consciously aware that we are receiving messages for them to communicate meaning to us.
3. Nonverbal over Verbal: In most face-to-face communication people tend to believe nonverbal messages over verbal messages even when they contradict each other. The reason for this is we feel verbal messages are easier to fake. Therefore, when there is a conflict we distrust the verbal and accept the nonverbal.
4. Nonverbal Reinforces Verbal: Nonverbal communication must be studied as part of the total communication process. This is because nonverbal communication can help to repeat, substitute, complement, accent, or regulate verbal communication. Nonverbal communication is important because of the role it plays in the total communication system. The following details the role of nonverbal.

• Repeating: Nonverbal communication can simply repeat what was said verbally. For instance, if you told someone to drive north and pointed in the proper direction, this would be considered repetition.
• Substitution: Nonverbal communication can substitute for verbal messages. For example, when a college professor walks into class after a tough day on campus, his facial expression and slumped shoulders substitute for the statement, "I've had a rotten day."
• Complementing: Nonverbal behavior can modify, or elaborate on verbal messages. Congratulating someone followed by a hug or pat on the back may serve as signaling one's attitude towards another person.
• Accent: Nonverbal behavior may accent parts of the verbal message. Movements of the head, arms, or eyes are frequently used to accent the verbal message, (Watch an Italian movie to see this in action). In written communication underlining, italicizing, or bolding some words serves to emphasize them.
• Regulating: Nonverbal behaviors are also used to regulate the communicative flow between people. The way one person stops and the other starts in a smooth, synchronized manner may be as important to a satisfactory interaction as the verbal content that is being exchanged.

   5. Silence: Silent behavior may seem to the silent person as not communicating, however in this context it may be communicating a lot. It is said, "You communicate the most when you think you are communicating the least."

 

 

Types of Nonverbal Behavior

 

 

1. Body Language: Below are just a few types of body language. It is important to understand that it is in their absence that body language is also significant. That is to say without being able to see body language during a communication process reduces the effectiveness of the message transmission.

• Eye Contact: Actually this should be considered the "eye area," because of all the muscles that react during interactions.
• Posture: The posture you assume while either communicating or listening sends many messages. Standing close, leaning forward in your chair, sends a message.
• Arm and Hand Gestures: These gestures tend to put an emphasis on what is being said.
• Facial Gestures: These gestures are some of the more significant nonverbal cues and can communicate feeling while sending or receiving messages.

2. Vocal Cues:

• Pitch: Increasing and decreasing the pitch of your delivery can add meaning to a message.
• Volume: Variation in loudness can add meaning by emphasizing certain points in a conversation.
• Rate of Speech: Speaking fast or slow can add meaning similar to pitch an volume.
• Articulation: Correct articulation and pronunciation helps increase the effectiveness and reduces distortion of the message

3. Appearance and Grooming:

• Hygiene: Combed hair, clean hands and fingernails, shower, etc.
• Clothing: Clean, appropriate, coordinated, etc.
• Accessories: Jewelry, brief case, perfume, etc.

4. Environmental Cues:

• Office, car, home, pictures on wall/desk, diplomas, artifacts, etc. You can tell a lot about a person by the order versus disorder of their home, car, office, garage, etc.
• Junk: What we don't throw out says a lot about what and who we are. Do you save string, plastic grocery bags, pieces of scrap lumber, report cards from grade school, girl scout uniform, your children's baby teeth, duct-taped hammer handle, etc.? They all say something about you.

Finally

 

                  I hope this post helps you be a better communicator. My experience has been

                  that the best managers I have worked for and the best employees I have worked

                  with have been very good communicators. Yes, effective communication does

                  wonders for a marriage.

 

 

  If you have questions email me at    smallbusinfo.vpt@gmail.com 

 

 

Vincent P.Troccoli

June 7, 2015