Write Research Paper:
Imagine you are an HR professional in an organization whose middle managers have been struggling with organizational communication and leadership principles. You have been asked by the leadership team to write a comprehensive research-based report on organizational communication and leadership. Your report will be distributed to all middle managers to study before the organization’s leadership conference next month. Your report will serve as the jumping off point for the conference.
In 2,050-2,500 words, use the support of atleast eight scholarly articles published in the last 7 years to do the following:
Describe French and Raven’s Bases of Power. Compare this theory to two other theories of power related to workplace settings.
Describe various leadership styles and how these styles affect employees.
Describe Fiedler’s Contingency Theory and how leaders can become more effective by matching their leadership style to the situation at hand.
Explain how leaders can improve organizational communication.
Explain four different types of communication patterns used by organizations. Compare these four types and explain the positives and negatives of each.
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion. Please follow the rubric –see attached below.
You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.
Collapse All
Research Paper – Rubric
Comparing theories of power
22.5 points
Criteria Description
Describe French and Raven’s Bases of Power. Compare this theory to two other
theories of power related to workplace settings.
5. Target
22.5 points
Description of French and Raven’s Bases of Power and its comparison to two other
theories related to workplace power is clear, comprehensive, and fully appropriate.
Description and comparison supported by exceptional sources.
4. Acceptable
19.58 points
Description of French and Raven’s Bases of Power and its comparison to two other
theories related to workplace power is clear and appropriate. Description and
comparison supported by appropriate sources.
3. Approaching
17.78 points
Description of French and Raven’s Bases of Power and its comparison to two other
theories related to workplace power is somewhat clear and appropriate. Somewhat
appropriate sources used as support.
2. Insufficient
16.65 points
Description of French and Raven’s Bases of Power and its comparison to two other
theories related to workplace power is vague or inappropriate.
1. Unsatisfactory
0 points
Leadership styles
22.5 points
Criteria Description
Describe various leadership styles and how these styles affect employees.
5. Target
22.5 points
Description of various leadership styles and how they affect employees is clear,
comprehensive, and fully appropriate. Description is supported by exceptional
sources.
4. Acceptable
19.58 points
Description of various leadership styles and how they affect employees is clear and
appropriate. Description is supported by appropriate sources.
3. Approaching
17.78 points
Description of various leadership styles and how they affect employees is
somewhat clear and appropriate. Somewhat appropriate sources used as support.
2. Insufficient
16.65 points
Description of various leadership styles and how they affect employees is vague or
inappropriate.
1. Unsatisfactory
0 points
Leadership style matched to situation
22.5 points
Criteria Description
Describe Fiedler’s Contingency Theory and how leaders can become more effective by
matching their leadership style to the situation at hand.
5. Target
22.5 points
Description of Fiedler’s Contingency Theory and how leaders can become more
effective by matching their leadership style to the situation at hand is clear,
comprehensive, and fully appropriate. Description is supported by exceptional
sources.
4. Acceptable
19.58 points
Description of Fiedler’s Contingency Theory and how leaders can become more
effective by matching their leadership style to the situation at hand is clear and
appropriate. Description is supported by appropriate sources.
3. Approaching
17.78 points
Description of Fiedler’s Contingency Theory and how leaders can become more
effective by matching their leadership style to the situation at hand is somewhat
clear and appropriate. Somewhat appropriate sources used as support.
2. Insufficient
16.65 points
Description of Fiedler’s Contingency Theory and how leaders can become more
effective by matching their leadership style to the situation at hand is vague or
inappropriate.
Explain how leaders can improve organizational communication.
15 points
Criteria Description
Explain how leaders can improve organizational communication.
5. Target
15 points
Explanation of how leaders can improve organizational communication is clear,
comprehensive, and fully appropriate. Description is supported by exceptional
sources.
4. Acceptable
13.05 points
Explanation of how leaders can improve organizational communication is clear and
appropriate. Description is supported by appropriate sources.
3. Approaching
11.85 points
Explanation of how leaders can improve organizational communication is
somewhat clear and appropriate. Somewhat appropriate sources used as support.
2. Insufficient
11.1 points
Explanation of how leaders can improve organizational communication is vague or
inappropriate.
1. Unsatisfactory
0 points
Types of communication comparison
22.5 points
Criteria Description
Explain four different types of communication patterns used by organizations.
Compare these four types and explain the positives and negatives of each.
5. Target
22.5 points
Explanation and comparison of four different types of communication patters used
by organizations is clear, comprehensive, and fully appropriate. Description is
supported by exceptional sources.
4. Acceptable
19.58 points
Explanation and comparison of four different types of communication patters used
by organizations is supported by appropriate sources.
3. Approaching
17.78 points
Explanation and comparison of four different types of communication patters used
by organizations is somewhat clear and appropriate. Somewhat appropriate
sources used as support.
2. Insufficient
16.65 points
Explanation and comparison of four different types of communication patters used
by organizations is vague or inappropriate.
Thesis, Position, or Purpose
10.5 points
Criteria Description
Communicates reason for writing and demonstrates awareness of audience.
5. Target
10.5 points
The thesis, position, or purpose is persuasively developed throughout and skillfully
directed to a specific audience.
4. Acceptable
9.14 points
The thesis, position, or purpose is clearly communicated throughout and clearly
directed to a specific audience.
3. Approaching
8.3 points
The thesis, position, or purpose is adequately developed. An awareness of the
appropriate audience is demonstrated.
2. Insufficient
7.77 points
The thesis, position, or purpose is discernable in most aspects but is occasionally
weak or unclear. There is limited awareness of the appropriate audience.
1. Unsatisfactory
0 points
Development, Structure, and Conclusion
12 points
Criteria Description
Advances position or purpose throughout writing; conclusion aligns to and evolves
from development.
5. Target
12 points
The thesis, position, or purpose is coherently and cohesively advanced throughout.
The progression of ideas is coherent and unified. A convincing and unambiguous
conclusion aligns to the development of the purpose.
4. Acceptable
10.44 points
The thesis, position, or purpose is logically advanced throughout. The progression
of ideas is coherent and unified. A clear and plausible conclusion aligns to the
development of the purpose.
3. Approaching
9.48 points
The thesis, position, or purpose is advanced in most aspects. Ideas clearly build on
each other. Conclusion aligns to the development of the purpose.
2. Insufficient
8.88 points
Limited advancement of thesis, position, or purpose is discernable. There are
inconsistencies in organization or the relationship of ideas. Conclusion is simplistic
and not fully aligned to the development of the purpose.
1 Unsatisfactory
Evidence
0 points
7.5 points
Criteria Description
Selects and integrates evidence to support and advance position/purpose; considers
other perspectives.
5. Target
7.5 points
Comprehensive and compelling evidence is included. Multiple other perspectives
are integrated effectively.
4. Acceptable
6.53 points
Specific and appropriate evidence is included. Other perspectives are integrated.
3. Approaching
5.93 points
Relevant evidence that includes other perspectives is used.
2. Insufficient
5.55 points
Evidence is used but is insufficient or of limited relevance. Simplistic explanation or
integration of other perspectives is present.
1. Unsatisfactory
0 points
Mechanics of Writing
7.5 points
Criteria Description
Includes spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar, language use, sentence
structure, etc.
5. Target
7.5 points
No mechanical errors are present. Skilled control of language choice and sentence
structure are used throughout.
4. Acceptable
6.53 points
Few mechanical errors are present. Suitable language choice and sentence
structure are used.
3. Approaching
5.93 points
Occasional mechanical errors are present. Language choice is generally
appropriate. Varied sentence structure is attempted.
2. Insufficient
5.55 points
Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors are present. Inconsistencies in language
choice or sentence structure are recurrent.
Format/Documentation
7.5 points
Criteria Description
Uses appropriate style, such as APA, MLA, etc., for college, subject, and level;
documents sources using citations, footnotes, references, bibliography, etc.,
appropriate to assignment and discipline.
5. Target
7.5 points
No errors in formatting or documentation are present. Selectivity in the use of
direct quotations and synthesis of sources is demonstrated.
4. Acceptable
Appropriate format and documentation are used with only minor errors.
6.53 points
3. Approaching
5.93 points
Appropriate format and documentation are used, although there are some obvious
errors.
2. Insufficient
5.55 points
Appropriate format is attempted, but some elements are missing. Frequent errors
in documentation of sources are evident.
Total 150 points
Cha
hapt
pter
er
11
ORG
RGANIZAT
ANIZATIONAL
IONAL
COMM
OMMUNICATION
UNICATION
Learnin
Lea
rning
g Object
Objectives
ives
Know the types of organizat
organizational
ional commu
communicat
nication
ion
Learn how to increase your listenin
listening
g effectiven
effectiveness
ess
Understand why interpe
Understand
interpersonal
rsonal comm
communica
unication
tion often is
not effect
effective
ive
Learn ways to improve your commu
communicat
nication
ion skills
Types of Org
Types
Organiz
anizatio
ational
nal Commu
ommunica
nication
tion
On the Job: App
Applie
lied
d Case Study
Study::
Problem
Prob
lem Area 2: Mess
Message
age Sen
Sentt Versus
Reduci
Red
ucing
ng Order Errors at Hard
Hardee’s
ee’s and
Upward
Upwa
rd Commun
Communica
ication
tion
Message
Mess
age Rece
Received
ived
McDonald’
s
Downwar
Down
ward
d Communi
Communicat
cation
ion
Problem
Prob
lem Area 3: Mess
Message
age Re
Rec
ceive
eived
dMcDon
Versusald’s
Busines
Busi
ness
s Commun
Communica
ication
tion
Message
Mess
age Inte
Interpre
rpreted
ted
Focus
Focu
s on Ethics
Ethics:: Ethical
Informa
Info
rmall Communi
Communicat
cation
ion
Improvi
Imp
roving
ng Empl
Employee
oyee Comm
Communic
unication
ation
Communic
Comm
unication
ation
Interpersonal
Interp
ersonal Commu
Communica
nication
tion
Skills
Skill
s
Problem
Prob
lem Are
Area
a 1: Intend
Intended
ed Mes
Message
sage Inte
Interper
Versus
rperson
sonal
al Commun
Communica
ication
tion Skills
Message
Mess
age Sent
Written
Wri
tten Com
Communic
munication
ation Skill
Skills
s
395
Copyright
Cop
yright 2016 Ceng
Cengage
age Learning. All Rights Reserv
Reserved.
ed. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial re
revie
view
w has deemed that an
anyy suppressed content does not materially af
affect
fect the overall learning experience. Ceng
Cengage
age Learning reserv
reserves
es the right to remo
removve additional content at an
anyy time if subsequent rights restrictions require it
1725970 – Cengage Learning ©
P
icture
ict
ure the followi
following
ng situat
situations
ions::
A male employe
employee
e cannot underst
understand
and why he was repri
reprimand
manded
ed for refe
referrin
rring
g
to female emp
employee
loyees
s as the “girls in the offic
office.”
e.”
A supervis
supervisor
or has tried ever
everyth
ything
ing to communic
communicate
ate with her employe
employees,
es, but
theyy still seem lost.
the
Customers
Cust
omers don’t like Sheila because she appea
appears
rs cold and aloof, although she
is actuall
actuallyy a very car
caring
ing person.
A supervis
supervisor
or is frust
frustrat
rated
ed because her employee
employees
s never read the noti
notices
ces
posted
post
ed on the bulletin board in the brea
break
k room.
All four si
situ
tuat
atiions re
repr
pres
ese
ent comm
common
on com
commun
munic
icat
atiion prob
problems
lems.. Thi
This
s cha
chapt
pter
er
looks at the way
looks
ways
s emp
employe
loyees
es com
commu
muni
nica
cate
te wit
within
hin an orga
organiz
nizatio
ation,
n, pro
prob
ble
lems
ms in th
the
e
commun
com
munic
icati
ation
on pr
proc
ocess
ess,, and th
the
e way
ays
s com
commu
muni
nica
catio
tion
n ca
can
n be im
impr
prov
oved
ed.. To ge
gett you
thinki
th
inkin
ng abo
about
ut com
communi
municat
catio
ion,
n, com
complet
plete
e Exer
Exercise
cise 11.1 in your wor
workbook
kbook..
Types
Typ
es of Org
Organi
anizationa
zationall Commu
Communicati
nication
on
To be an effe
effectiv
ctive
e emplo
employee
yee,, mana
manager,
ger, client
client,, or consultant
consultant,, it is essent
essential
ial to
communica
comm
unicate
te eff
effecti
ectively
vely with other
others.
s. Having idea
ideas,
s, knowledge
knowledge,, or opinions is useless
unless you can communic
communicate
ate those conce
concepts
pts to other
others.
s. Most communic
communicatio
ation
n in
organiza
organ
ization
tions
s can be classif
classified
ied into four types: upward commun
communicat
ication,
ion, downwa
downward
rd
communica
comm
unication
tion,, business communi
communicat
cation,
ion, and infor
informal
mal commu
communica
nication
tion..
Upward
Upwa
rd Communic
Communication
ation
Upward commu
Upward
communica
nication
tion Upward communic
communication
ation is commun
communica
ication
tion of subordin
subordinate
ates
s to superior
superiors
s or of
Communi
Com
municatio
cation
n within anemplo
employees
yees to ma
manager
nagers.
s. Of course, in ide
ideal
al upward com
ommunic
munication,
ation, emplo
employee
yees
s
organizatio
organ
ization
n in which thespea
speak
k direct
directly
ly to manage
management
ment in an envi
environme
ronment
nt wit
with
h an “open door” policy
policy.. In
direction
directi
on of comm
communic
unication
ation
fact,, the qua
fact
quality
lity of upw
upward
ard communi
communicat
cation
ion is a signi
signific
ficant
ant facto
factorr in employ
employee
ee job
is from emplo
employees
yees up to
satisfac
sati
sfaction
tion (Miles
(Miles,, Patric
Patrick,
k, & King, 1996). Such a polic
policy,
y, howev
however,
er, is often not pracmanageme
mana
gement.
nt.
tical for seve
tical
several
ral rea
reasons
sons—
—per
perha
haps
ps the most impo
importa
rtant
nt bein
being
g the potent
potential
ial volume of
communica
comm
unicatio
tion
n if every employ
employee
ee commun
communicat
icated
ed with a speci
specific
fic mana
manager.
ger. Dire
Direct
ct
upward
upwa
rd communi
communicat
cation
ion also may not be workabl
workable
e because employe
employees
es ofte
often
n fee
feell
threa
thr
eatened
tened by mana
managers
gers and may not be willing to openly communic
communicate
ate bad news or
complaint
comp
laints.
s.
To minimiz
minimize
e the numbe
numberr of diffe
different
rent people commun
communicat
icating
ing with the top execuSeriall commu
Seria
communica
nication
tion
tive,
tiv
e, many organiza
organizatio
tions
ns use ser
serial
ial communic
communication
ation.. With serial communi
communicat
cation,
ion, the
Communi
Com
municatio
cation
n passed messa
message
ge is relay
relayed
ed from an employe
employee
e to her superv
supervisor
isor,, who relays it to her super
superviviconsecu
cons
ecutively
tively from one person
sor, who, in turn, relay
relays
s it to her supervi
supervisor,
sor, and so on until the message reach
reaches
es the
to anothe
another.
r.
top. Although this type of upward communic
communicati
ation
on reliev
relieves
es the top execut
executive
ive of
excessive
excess
ive dema
demands,
nds, it suffer
suffers
s several serio
serious
us drawba
drawbacks.
cks.
The firs
firstt is th
that
at th
the
e content and to
tone
ne of the message change as it mo
moves
ves from
person
pers
on to person
person.. As will be discu
discussed
ssed later in the chapt
chapter,
er, messages are seldom
received
rece
ived the way they were sent—
sent—espec
especially
ially if the message is being passed orally
from per
person
son to person.
The second draw
drawback
back to seri
serial
al communi
communicat
cation
ion is that bad news and comp
complain
laints
ts
are seldom relayed
relayed,, in part due to the stress associat
associated
ed with deliveri
delivering
ng bad news
(McKee
(McK
ee & Ptace
Ptacek,
k, 2001). Rosen and Tesser (1970) hav
have
e labeled this reluctanc
reluctance
e to
396
CHAPTER
CHAPTE
R 11
Copyright
Cop
yright 2016 Ceng
Cengage
age Learning. All Rights Reserv
Reserved.
ed. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial re
revie
view
w has deemed that an
anyy suppressed content does not materially af
affect
fect the overall learning experience. Ceng
Cengage
age Learning reserv
reserves
es the right to remo
removve additional content at an
anyy time if subsequent rights restrictions require it
1725970 – Cengage Learning ©
MUM (minimi
(minimize
ze
relay bad news the MUM (minimize unpleasan
unpleasantt messages
messages)) effect
effect.. The MUM
unpleasa
unpl
easant
nt messag
messages)
es) eff
effect
ect negat
negativel
ivelyy affec
affects
ts the organiza
organizatio
tion
n by keeping import
important
ant info
informat
rmation
ion from
effect
effe
ct The idea that people
reaching
reac
hing the upper leve
levels.
ls. But for an employee
employee,, the MUM effect is an excelle
excellent
nt surprefer no
nott to pass on unple
unpleasant
asant
vival
viva
l strat
strategy—
egy—no
no one wants to be the bear
bearer
er of bad news
news.. When bad news is passed
informatio
info
rmation,
n, with the resul
result
t that
on
to superviso
supervisors,
rs, employ
employees
ees tend to use po
politen
liteness
ess to sof
soften
ten th
the
e news (Lee, 1993).
important
impo
rtant inform
informatio
ation
n is not
Interest
Inte
restingly,
ingly, people have no problem passi
passing
ng on bad news to peers, especia
especially
lly when
always commu
communica
nicated.
ted.
the organ
organiza
ization
tional
al climate is genera
generally
lly negativ
negative
e (Heath
(Heath,, 1996).
Communicatio
Communic
ation
n chan
channel
nel
Serial
Seri
al communica
communicatio
tion’s
n’s third dra
drawba
wback,
ck, especia
especially
lly with infor
informal
mal commun
communicatio
ication
n
The mediu
medium
m by which a chan
channels
nels,, is that it is less effe
effectiv
ctive
e the farthe
fartherr away two people are from one anot
another
her..
comm
com
mun
unicatio
ication
n is transmitted
transmitted.
That. is, a supervi
supervisor
sor is more likely to pass along a message to another superviso
supervisorr if
the two are in close phy
physica
sicall proximity
proximity.. It is unlikely, there
therefore
fore,, that an informa
informall
Proximity Phys
Proximity
Physical
ical distan
distance
ce
between
betwee
n people.
message
messa
ge origi
originati
nating
ng with an employe
employee
e at a plant in Atlanta will reach anothe
anotherr
employee at the corporat
employee
corporate
e office in Phoen
Phoenix.
ix. The impo
importan
rtance
ce of physic
physical
al pro
proximit
ximityy
cannott be overst
canno
overstated
ated.. In fact, a major source of power often comes from being phys
physiically near an executi
executive.
ve. Seasoned executi
executives
ves have been known to place rising executives
tiv
es in dist
distant
ant offi
offices
ces to reduc
reduce
e their pote
potentia
ntiall powe
power.
r. And going to lunch “wit
“with
h the
guys” has long bee
been
n recogni
recognized
zed as a means of obtai
obtaining
ning new informa
informatio
tion
n and
increased
incr
eased pow
power.
er.
As one would imagin
imagine,
e, proxim
proximity
ity does not play a role when message
messages
s are communicate
munic
ated
d electr
electronica
onically
lly using email (Valacic
(Valacich,
h, Para
Parantia
ntia,, George, & Nunamaker
Nunamaker,,
1993). Thus, emai
emaill may reduc
reduce
e the power of proximi
proximity
ty when commun
communicat
ication
ion is
formal.
form
al.
Because
Beca
use of these prob
problems
lems with seria
seriall commu
communica
nication
tion,, organi
organizat
zations
ions use sever
several
al
other
oth
er meth
methods
ods to faci
facilita
litate
te upwar
upward
d commu
communicat
nication:
ion: attitud
attitude
e survey
surveys,
s, focus groups,
suggestion
suggest
ion boxes, and thi
third
rd parti
parties.
es.
Attitude
Atti
tude Surveys
Attitude surve
Attitude
surveyy A form ofAttitude surveys are usually conducte
conducted
d annually by an outsi
outside
de consulta
consultant
nt who admi
adminisnisupward commu
communicati
nication
on inter
ters
s a questio
questionnai
nnaire
re asking empl
employee
oyees
s to rat
rate
e their opi
opinio
nions
ns on such fact
factors
ors as satisf
satisfact
action
ion
which a surve
surveyy is conduc
conducted
tedh pay, worki
with
wit
working
ng condi
condition
tions,
s, and supervis
supervisors.
ors. Employ
Employees
ees are also given the oppor
opportuni
tunity
ty to
to dete
determine
rmine em
employ
ployee
ee attitud
attitudes
es
list compla
complaints
ints or suggest
suggestions
ions tha
thatt they wa
want
nt manageme
management
nt to read. The consulta
consultant
nt then
aboutt an organ
abou
organizati
ization.
on.
tabulate
tab
ulates
s the respons
responses
es and repor
reports
ts the findi
findings
ngs to mana
manageme
gement.
nt.
For example
example,, Offi
Office
ce Depot annually surveys each of its employ
employees.
ees. The 48-item
surveyy is admini
surve
administer
stered
ed elect
electroni
ronically
cally and is wri
writte
tten
n in the eight languages most commonly spoken by Office Depot employ
employees.
ees. Withi
Within
n four weeks aft
after
er the surve
surveys
ys have
been complete
completed,
d, the results are poste
posted
d on a secure intra
intranet
net site whe
where
re manager
managers
s can
see the results that pertain to thei
theirr area. Manage
Managers
rs then use the result
results
s to crea
create
te the
their
ir
action
acti
on plan for the coming year (Robb, 2004).
Although
Alth
ough attit
attitude
ude surveys are commo
commonly
nly used, they are useful only if an organiz
organizati
ation
on
takes
take
s the results serious
seriously.
ly. If an organiz
organizati
ation
on finds that its emplo
employee
yees
s are unhappy and does
nothing
noth
ing to address the pro
problem
blem areas, the surv
survey
ey results wi
willll not be benefic
beneficial.
ial. Furth
Furtherermore,, to increa
more
increase
se trust, an organiz
organizati
ation
on sho
should
uld share survey resu
results
lts with employ
employees.
ees.
If survey results are to be share
shared,
d, then managem
management
ent must shar
share
e all of them.
While
Whi
le proposin
proposing
g a proje
project
ct to a local police depa
departme
rtment,
nt, I encoun
encountere
tered
d a great deal of
hostilit
host
ilityy from many of the senior office
officers.
rs. After a little probing, the office
officers
rs revealed
thatt sev
tha
severa
erall year
years
s ea
earlie
rlierr th
they
ey had com
complete
pleted
d an attit
attitude
ude sur
survey
vey for th
the
e city. A few
months
mont
hs later, the results were ma
made
de public. The city ci
cited
ted five main complai
complaints
nts by
the offic
officers
ers and promised that action would be ta
taken
ken to solv
solve
e these problem
problems.
s. The
officers
offi
cers were happ
happyy unti
untill they realize
realized
d that none of their complai
complaints
nts about pay and
working
worki
ng condit
conditions
ions were included in the report—
report—the
the city was ignori
ignoring
ng them. The
ORGANIZATIONAL
ORGANIZ
ATIONAL COMMUN
COMMUNICATION
ICATION
397
Copyright
Cop
yright 2016 Ceng
Cengage
age Learning. All Rights Reserv
Reserved.
ed. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial re
revie
view
w has deemed that an
anyy suppressed content does not materially af
affect
fect the overall learning experience. Ceng
Cengage
age Learning reserv
reserves
es the right to remo
removve additional content at an
anyy time if subsequent rights restrictions require it
1725970 – Cengage Learning ©
© Photo courtesy of Lee Raynes
Suggestion
Suggesti
on boxes
are a commo
common
n
source
sour
ce of upward
commun
com
munica
icatio
tion.
n.
officers becam
officers
became
e so resentf
resentful
ul and mistrus
mistrustful
tful of consult
consultants
ants and man
manageme
agement
nt that they
vowed
vowe
d never again to part
partici
icipate
pate in a project.
Focus Groups and Exit Intervi
Interviews
ews
A second method of upwar
upward
d comm
communica
unicatio
tion
n is to hold focus groups, in whi
which
ch an outside
consultant
consult
ant meets with groups of current employe
employees
es to get thei
theirr opini
opinions
ons and suggest
suggestions
ions..
This inform
informati
ation
on is then passed on to mana
managem
gement.
ent. To spur can
candid
did response
responses,
s, th
the
e consultant is not told the names of the employ
employees
ees in the focus group, and no dir
direct
ect quotes that
could pot
potent
entially
ially id
ident
entify
ify a part
particul
icular
ar emplo
employee
yee ar
are
e passed on. Exit int
intervi
erviews
ews with emplo
employyees voluntar
voluntarily
ily leavin
leaving
g an organiz
organizat
ation
ion also provi
provide
de an excellent source of inform
informat
ation.
ion.
Although
Alth
ough the
these
se inte
interviews
rviews can be emoti
emotionally
onally cha
charge
rged,
d, an organiza
organizati
tion
on can lea
learn
rn much
by liste
listening
ning to the “real
real”” reason th
that
at an emplo
employee
yee is leav
leaving
ing the orga
organiz
nizati
ation.
on. For example
example,,
when
whe
n Netscap
Netscape
e conducte
conducted
d exit interv
interview
iews
s of its depar
departing
ting emp
employee
loyees,
s, it learned that the
two main reasons the emp
employe
loyees
es left wer
were
e beca
because
use they ha
hated
ted thei
theirr mana
manager
ger and they weren’’t learni
en
learning
ng any new skills (Horowi
(Horowitz,
tz, 2014).
Suggestion
Sugge
stion Boxe
Boxes
s
Suggestion
Suggestio
n box A form ofA third method for fac
facilit
ilitating
ating upward communi
communicat
cation
ion is the use of sugges
suggestion
tion boxes or
upward commu
communicati
nication
on incomp
whichlaints boxes
complaints
boxes.. The
Theoret
oretically,
ically, the
these
se two boxes should be the same
same,, but a box asking for
employees
emplo
yees are asked to place
suggestions
suggest
ions is not as likely to get compl
complaint
aints
s as a box specifi
specifically
cally labele
labeled
d complain
complaintts
their sugge
suggestion
stions
s in a box.
and vice versa
versa.. The biggest adv
advanta
antage
ge of these boxes is tha
thatt they allow employ
employees
ees to imme-
diately
tely communi
communicat
cate
e their feelin
feelings
gs in an anon
anonym
ymous
ous fash
fashion
ion.. Suggesti
Suggestion
on boxes provi
provide
de a
Complaint
Complai
nt box A form of dia
voice for subordi
subordinate
nates
s and customer
customers,
s, and essenti
essential
al feed
feedback
back to the organiz
organizati
ation
on as
upward commu
communicati
nication
on insafe
which
employees
emplo
yees are asked to place
well.. Furth
well
Furthermore,
ermore, suggesti
suggestion
on boxes help engage employe
employees
es by making the
them
m feel the
their comp
complaints
laints in a box.organ
organiza
ization
tion value
values
s their input (Ran
(Randhaw
dhawa,
a, 2014).
398
CHAPTER
CHAPTE
R 11
Copyright
Cop
yright 2016 Ceng
Cengage
age Learning. All Rights Reserv
Reserved.
ed. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial re
revie
view
w has deemed that an
anyy suppressed content does not materially af
affect
fect the overall learning experience. Ceng
Cengage
age Learning reserv
reserves
es the right to remo
removve additional content at an
anyy time if subsequent rights restrictions require it
1725970 – Cengage Learning ©
For the
these
se boxes to be benefi
beneficial,
cial, mana
management
gement must re
respond
spond to the suggestion
suggestions
s
and complain
complaints
ts in a tim
timely
ely manne
manner.
r. To make the suggestion or compla
complaint
int box proc
process
ess
more eff
efficie
icient,
nt, man
manyy large orga
organiza
nizatio
tions
ns use web-base
web-based
d softwa
software
re such as Vett
Vetter
er or
Suggestion
Suggest
ion Box th
that
at allows employ
employees
ees to subm
submit
it suggestio
suggestions
ns and com
complai
plaints,
nts, notif
notifyy
managemen
mana
gementt when a com
comment
ment has been receiv
received,
ed, and keep the employ
employee
ee infor
informed
med
of the progr
progress
ess and outcome of his suggesti
suggestion.
on.
Some organiz
organizatio
ations
ns take suggestions quite serio
seriously
usly and reward employ
employees
ees who
provide
prov
ide useful ideas. For example
example,, Texas Ind
Industr
ustries
ies in Da
Dallas
llas provide
provides
s bonuses that
can reach 20% of an employee
employee’s
’s salary
salary,, IBM provi
provides
des a rewar
eward
d equal to 25% of the
savings
savi
ngs resulti
resulting
ng from an idea (up to $150,000), and Ingers
Ingersoll-Ran
oll-Rand
d gives plaque
plaques
s to
EMPLOY
EMPL
OYMENT
MENT PROFI
PROFILE
LE
I
© Pat Bartl
Bartley
ey
am the owne
ownerr and presi
president
dent of Square Peg Cons
ConsultultThink
Thi
nk of the organi
organizat
zatio
ion’s
n’s com
communic
municatio
atio
ing, Inc., an organi
organizatio
zation
n and train
training
ing dev
developme
elopment
nt
strategy
stra
tegy as a thr
three-legge
ee-legged
d stoo
stool.
l. One leg is it
its
s ex
consulti
con
sulting
ng compa
company.
ny. My primary goal is to work with
communic
comm
unications
ations strat
strategy—th
egy—the
e messag
messages
es sent t
clients
clie
nts to impr
improve
ove the eff
effect
ectiven
iveness
ess of the
their
ir organ
organizations
izations..
outside
outsi
de world about the orga
organiza
nization
tion’s
’s produc
I use a who
wholele-syste
systems
ms appr
approac
oach
h to orga
organization
nization develop
develop-service
ser
vice of
offer
ferings
ings,, includ
including
ing comp
competit
etitive
ive diff
differe
erent
nt
mentt (OD), focusin
men
focusing
g on organ
organizati
ization
on alignme
alignment
nt as the
market
mar
ket space and positio
positionin
ning,
g, and fina
financ
nc
key to orga
organiza
nization
tion effec
effectivenes
tiveness.
s. A systems appro
pproach
ach
perform
perf
ormanc
ance.
e. This type of comm
communic
unicatio
ation
n h
includes
inc
ludes viewing the orga
organiza
nization
tion as a livin
living
g organis
organism,
m,
brand
bran
d the compan
companyy in the eyes of curren
currentt and fu
influen
inf
luenced
ced by extern
external
al and inte
interna
rnall eleme
elements
nts.. The
There
re is a
customer
cust
omers,
s, sha
shareh
reholder
olders,
s, and job ca
candid
ndidate
ate
cause-a
caus
e-andnd-eff
effect
ect rel
relatio
ationsh
nship
ip betwe
between
en ea
each
ch ele
elemen
ment,
t, and
includes
inc
ludes such things as the compa
company’s
ny’s ext
extern
ernal
al
organiza
orga
nization
tions
s are most effe
ffectiv
ctive
e when all the systems
site,, its marke
site
marketin
ting
g mater
material
ials,
s, and its media rela
Amy
within
with
in it align. My approa
approach
ch to enabl
enabling
ing or
organi
ganizati
zations
ons
to
activiti
act
ivities.
es.
Podurgal,
rgal, M.S.
betterr perfor
bette
perform
m is to ass
assess
ess alignm
alignment
ent gapsPodu
and opporThe sec
second
ond leg repres
represent
ents
s the internal comm
Presiden
Pres
ident,
t, Squa
Square
Consult
sulting,
ing, Inc.
tunities
tuni
ties an
and
d develop interv
interventi
entions
ons that align
resourc
res
ources,
es,re Peg Con
cations
cation
s stra
strategy.
tegy. Thi
This
s communi
communica
cation
tion stra
strategy
tegy e
systems,
syste
ms, and proc
process
esses
es to better posit
position
ion the orga
organizanizathatt emplo
tha
employees
yees stay infor
informed
med about the perfo
perform
rm
tion to achi
achieve
eve busin
business
ess res
results.
ults. Bec
Because
ause org
organi
anizatio
zations
nsofgrow
the compa
company
and evolve
ny and importa
important
nt cha
changes
nges to polic
policies
ies and prac
through
thro
ugh the
their
ir natur
natural
al orga
organization
nizational
al life cyc
cycle,
le, it is impor
importan
can
tanttserv
serve
thate they
as a vehicle for rec
recogni
ognizing
zing employe
employee
e and team a
continu
con
tinue
e to shift an
and
d realig
realign
n thems
themselve
elves
s to ensure that men
ments.
all their
ts. The
effor
ef
forts
company
compa
ts
ny new
newslett
sletter,
er, its intr
intrane
anett site, and its ap
are going in the same direct
direction
ion for maximum eff
efficienc
organizi
orga
iciency
nizing
y ng
andemploye
employee
e meetin
meetings
gs ar
are
e all compon
component
ents
s of an
effect
eff
ectiven
iveness
ess..
communic
com
munications
ations stra
strategy.
tegy.
One impor
important
tant eleme
element
nt of organi
organizatio
zational
nal effec
effectivenes
tiveness
sThe
is comm
commuthird leg
u- is the organizatio
organization
n alignm
alignment
ent strateg
strategy,
y, the o
nicatio
nic
ation.
n. From a diagnos
diagnostic
tic persp
perspecti
ective,
ve, one can tell much
method
meth
od
about
by whic
which
an h the orga
organiza
nization’s
tion’s str
strategy
ategy and tac
tactics
tics are
organiza
orga
nization
tion’s
’s culture from ass
assessi
essing
ng both what and how
andcommun
communica
communic
commu
nicated
ica-ated
to employee
employees.
s. This helps drive the daily
tion is share
shared
d through
throughout
out the organiza
organization.
tion. For exam
example,
ple,
of ifemploye
employees
an organi
organies -and ensur
ensures
es that they are all workin
working
g in supp
zation
zatio
n claims to have a culture of “empowe
“empowerme
rment,”
nt,” yet emplo
employees
organiza
orga
nization
yees
tion’s
are
’s priorit
priorities.
ies. This usually take
takes
s the form of sett
not aware of th
the
e org
organi
anizatio
zation’s
n’s goals or visi
vision,
on, there is tive
tives
a potenti
potential
s andalperfor
performan
gap mance
ce mana
manageme
gement
nt and is where the str
stra
a
between
betwe
en leaders
leadership’
hip’s
s in
inten
tention
tion and the realit
realityy in wh
which
ich
operatio
oper
employees
employe
ational
nales
elements
elemen
ts of an organ
organizati
ization
on meet. For organi
organiza
za
live. As a resul
result,
t, dysfunct
dysfunction
ional
al behavio
behaviorr may occu
occur,r, leadin
leading
effect
eff
g
ective,
toive,
mistrust
all thre
three
e legs of the comm
communic
unicatio
ations
ns stool must b
and poor perfor
performanc
mance.
e.
cally
cal
ly aligned and working toge
together
ther..
Confusi
Con
fusion
on and dissa
dissatisf
tisfact
action
ion ari
arise
se when an orga
organiza
nization’
tion’s
Organiza
Orga
s nization
commutions
s are living organi
organisms
sms whose systems and
nicatio
nic
ation
n and gover
governan
nance
ce prac
practic
tices
es are inc
incongr
ongruent
uent with
arethe
setculture
up to ac
accom
it complish
plish a goal. A publicly traded compan
company’s
y’s
espouses
espo
uses.. For insta
instance,
nce, a comp
company
any aspi
aspirin
ring
g to engage be
employee
em
to
ployees
grows shar
shareho
in the
eholder
lder valu
value;
e; a sports tea
team’s
m’s goa
goall may be t
business
busin
ess whi
while
le re
restr
stricti
icting
ng em
employe
ployee
e ac
acces
cess
s to inform
informatio
game;
game
ation
n; and
about
ab
out
a symphon
symphony
its
it
s
y orch
orchestr
estra’s
a’s goal may be to mas
master
ter a
financ
fin
ancial
ial perfor
performan
mance
ce may be viewe
viewed
d cyni
cynical
cally
ly by emplo
employees
music.
music
yees.
. .To
A com
comcreate
– an effe
effectiv
ctive
e communi
communicat
cation
ion stra
strategy,
tegy, my a
pany procl
proclaimi
aiming
ng to trust and empo
empower
wer employee
employees
s while
take
tak
elimitin
limiting
into
in
to ac
accou
g delcount
nt the inf
inform
ormatio
ation
n ne
needs
eds of all const
constituen
ituents
ts in
egation
egat
ion of auth
authorit
orityy may be perc
perceive
eived
d as disingen
disingenuous.
uous.
of the syste
system.
m.
ORGANIZ
ORG
ANIZATIONAL
ATIONAL COMMUN
COMMUNICATION
ICATION
399
Copyright
Cop
yright 2016 Ceng
Cengage
age Learning. All Rights Reserv
Reserved.
ed. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial re
revie
view
w has deemed that an
anyy suppressed content does not materially af
affect
fect the overall learning experience. Ceng
Cengage
age Learning reserv
reserves
es the right to remo
removve additional content at an
anyy time if subsequent rights restrictions require it
1725970 – Cengage Learning ©
employees who submit cost-s
employees
cost-savin
aving
g ideas tha
thatt are ultimate
ultimately
ly adopted by the compa
company.
ny.
In a study of organiza
organizatio
tions
ns enco
encouragi
uraging
ng suggest
suggestions,
ions, the Employ
Employee
ee Involveme
Involvement
nt Association
ciat
ion found that over 30% of employee
employees
s submit
submitted
ted at least one suggest
suggestion,
ion, appro
approxiximately
mat
ely 37% of suggestions were adop
adopted,
ted, and the value of the typ
typical
ical suggesti
suggestion
on was
10 times great
greater
er than the cost of rewa
rewardi
rding
ng the suggestion (Wells
(Wells,, 2005).
Third-Pa
Thi
rd-Party
rty Facil
Facilita
itators
tors
Liaison A person who acts
Liaison
The use of a third part
partyy such as a liaison or an ombudsp
ombudsperso
erson
n is anoth
another
er method
as an intermed
intermediary
iary between
thatt can incr
tha
increase
ease upward communic
communicatio
ation.
n. Both are respo
responsible
nsible for taking employe
employee
e
employees
emplo
yees and manag
managemen
ement,
t, orlaints
complaint
comp
s and suggesti
suggestions
ons an
and
d pe
person
rsonally
ally working with manageme
management
nt to find soluthe type of empl
employee
oyee whotion
both
tions.
s. The ad
advant
vantage
age of th
this
is syst
system
em is th
that
at the ombudsper
ombudsperson
son is neutral and works
sends and receives most
for a soluti
solution
on that is acc
accepta
eptable
ble to bot
both
h employee
employees
s and manage
management
ment.. Fu
Furth
rthermo
ermore,
re,
grapevine
grapev
ine inform
information
ation..
the ombudsp
ombudsperson
erson is typi
typically
cally superv
supervised
ised at the vice presid
presidenti
ential
al level, so she is not
Ombudsperson
Ombudsp
erson A person conce
concerned
rned about being fired if she steps on a few toes whi
while
le looking for a solutio
solution.
n.
who investigate
investigates
s employ
employees’
ees’ Un
Unfort
fortuna
unatel
tely,
y, th
the
e om
ombuds
budspers
person
on me
method
thod is ofte
often
n no
nott use
sed
d be
becau
cause
se orga
organiza
nization
tions
s do
complain
com
plaints
ts and solves probl
problems.
notems.
no
t want th
the
e expen
xpense
se of an emp
mplo
loye
yee
e who “do
“does
es no
nott pro
rod
duce
uce.”
.” To ov
overco
ercome
me this pr
proble
oblem,
m,
Moore
Moor
e Tool Co
Comp
mpany
any in Spr
Spriingd
ngda
ale, Ar
Arkans
kansas,
as, st
start
arted
ed its “Re
“Red
d Shi
Shirt
rt”” prog
program,
ram, in whi
hic
ch
selec
se
lected
ted seni
senior
or empl
employe
oyees
es wear red shi
shirrts tha
thatt id
ident
entify
ify th
them
em as info
informa
rmall omb
ombuds
udspeop
people.
le.
If an emp
employ
loyee
ee has a pro
proble
blem,
m, she can seek he
help
lp fr
from
om a Red Shi
Shirt
rt,, who has aut
auth
hor
orit
ityy
to he
help
lp fin
find
d a solu
solution
tion.. Thi
This
s syst
system
em not only opens comm
communi
unicat
cation
ion cha
channels
nnels but also
prov
pr
ovides
ides jo
job
b enr
enrichm
ichment
ent fo
forr an emp
employ
loyee
ee wh
who
o wor
works
ks at an oth
othe
erw
rwis
ise
e bor
boring
ing job
job..
In orga
organiza
nizati
tion
ons
s th
that
at hav
have
e th
thei
eirr emp
employ
loyees
ees repr
represe
esented
nted by unio
unions
ns,, th
the
e job of th
the
e
Union steward An employee
ombuds
om
budspe
person
rson is ty
typic
picall
allyy ha
hand
ndle
led
d by th
the
e unio
union
n ste
steward
ward.. But man
manag
agem
ement
ent–un
–union
ion rel
relaawho serv
serves
es as a liaiso
liaison
n between
tionsh
ti
onships
ips ar
are
e oft
often
en adv
advers
ersar
aria
ial,l, so the un
union
ion st
stewa
ewarrd ha
has
s a di
diff
fficul
icultt tim
time
e so
solv
lvin
ing
g pr
prob
oblem
lems
s
unionize
unio
nized
d employe
employees
es andbe
becaus
cause
e she is not per
erceiv
ceived
ed by ma
manage
nagemen
mentt or uni
union
on mem
membe
bers
rs as bei
bein
ng neut
neutral.
ral.
manageme
mana
gement.
nt.
Downward Communica
Communication
tion
Downward
Downward
Down
ward commun
communicatio
ication
n is that of superio
superiorr to subor
subordin
dinate
ate or managem
anagement
ent to
communic
comm
unicatio
ation
n
employees.
employ
ees. The downwar
downward
d communi
communicati
cation
on process in organi
organizat
zations
ions has chang
changed
ed greatly
Communi
Com
municatio
cation
n within anover the years. Origina
Originally,
lly, dow
downwar
nward
d com
communica
municati
tion
on inv
involved
olved newsle
ewsletter
tters
s designed to bolorganizatio
organ
ization
n in which the
ster employee morale by discussin
discussing
g hap
happy
py ev
events
ents such as the “three B’s”—
”—babi
babies,
es, birt
irthda
hdays,
ys,
direction
directi
on of comm
communic
unication
ation
and ball-game scores. Now, howeve
however,r, downw
downward
ard communica
communication
tion is consider
considered
ed a key
is from mana
managemen
gementt to
method
meth
od no
nott only of keeping employees infor
inform
med but of communica
communicatin
ting
g vital infor
informat
mation
ion
employees.
emplo
yees.
needed by employees to perfo
needed
perform
rm their jo
jobs.
bs. Such co
comm
mmunica
unication
tion can be accomp
accomplished
lished
in man
anyy wa
ways
ys,, inc
ncludi
luding
ng bu
bulle
lleti
tin
n bo
board
ards,
s, poli
olicy
cy manu
anuals
als,, new
newsle
slett
tters
ers,, and int
ntra
rane
netts.
Bulletin
Bull
etin Boards
Bulletin boa
Bulletin
board
rd A metho
method
d of
The
Th
e nex
nextt ti
time
me you vis
isiit an orga
rganiz
nizati
ation
on,, look ar
arou
ound
nd for bulletin boards
boards.. Yo
You wi
will see th
them
downward
down
ward comm
communic
unication
ation
in ywhere
everywh
ever
ere.. Their main use, howe
however,
ver, is to co
comm
mmuni
unica
catte no
nonn-wo
work
rk-re
-relat
lated
ed op
oppo
port
rtun
unit
itie
ies
s
which informa
informall or relatively
such
su
ch as sch
chola
olars
rshi
hips,
ps, op
optio
tiona
nall mee
eetin
tings,
gs, an
and
d it
items
ems for sa
sale.
le. Imp
Impor
orttan
antt in
inffor
orma
mattion is seld
eldom
om
unimporta
unim
portant
nt writte
written
n info
informati
rmation
seenonbecause the bulletin boar
board
d is not the approp
appropriat
riate
e place to post a cha
change
nge of policy or
is posted in a public place.
procedure.. Still, bulletin boards have the advant
procedure
advantage
age of low cost and wide exposur
exposure
e to both
employees
employ
ees and visitors
visitors.. This is especially tru
true
e if the boards are placed in high-t
high-traff
raffic
ic areas
such
ch as ou
outsi
tside
de re
rest
stro
roo
oms an
and
d ca
cafet
feter
eriias or ne
near
ar tim
time
e clo
clocks
cks.. El
Ele
ect
ctron
ronic
ic bu
bulle
lletin
tin boa
board
rds,
s,
Policy
Poli
cy manua
manuall A form
formal
al su
also- called inin-house
house message netw
network
orks
s, allow th
the
e displ
display
ay of even more curr
current
ent inf
informa
ormation
tion..
method
metho
d of downward commu
communication in which an organi
nication
organizazaPolicy
Poli
cy Manual
Manuals
s
tion’s
tion’
s rules and procedu
procedures
res are
placed
place
d in a manu
manual;
al; legally
The polic
policyy manual is the place for posti
posting
ng impo
importa
rtant
nt changes in polic
policyy or proce
procedure
dure..
binding
bindi
ng by courts of law. This manua
manuall cont
contains
ains all the rules under whi
which
ch employ
employees
ees must operat
operate.
e. Most
400
CHAPTER
CHAPTE
R 11
Copyright
Cop
yright 2016 Ceng
Cengage
age Learning. All Rights Reserv
Reserved.
ed. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial re
revie
view
w has deemed that an
anyy suppressed content does not materially af
affect
fect the overall learning experience. Ceng
Cengage
age Learning reserv
reserves
es the right to remo
removve additional content at an
anyy time if subsequent rights restrictions require it
1725970 – Cengage Learning ©
manuals are wri
manuals
writte
tten
n in high
highly
ly techn
technical
ical language, although the
theyy should be wri
writte
tten
n in a
less technic
technical
al st
style
yle to enco
encourage
urage employ
employees
ees to read them
them,, as well as to make th
them
em
easier
easi
er to underst
understand.
and. Furthe
Furthermor
rmore,
e, the content
contents
s of these manuals are co
conside
nsidered
red
binding
bind
ing contr
contract
acts
s by courts
courts,, so the manuals must be updated each time a policy
changes.
chan
ges.
This
Thi
s usua
usually
lly is done by se
sendi
nding
ng upd
update
ated
d mate
ateria
riall to emplo
employee
yees
s so that the
theyy
can replace older pages with up-to-date o nes. To make this process easier, many
organizati
organi
zations
ons punch binder holes in the pages to facilita
facilitate
te their replace
replacement.
ment.
Sosnin (2001) advises that policy manuals should contain the following six
disclaimers:
disclai
mers:
1. Em
Employmen
ploymentt with th
the
e organiz
organization
ation is at-will (ref
(refer
er to Chapte
Chapterr 7 for a discus
discussion
sion
of emp
employ
loyment
ment-at-w
-at-will).
ill).
2. Th
The
e handboo
handbook
k does not create eith
either
er an expresse
expressed
d or an implie
implied
d contra
contract.
ct.
3. Th
The
e handboo
handbook
k is a set of guideli
guidelines
nes and should not be consider
considered
ed allinclusive.
inclus
ive.
4. Th
The
e materi
material
al in the present handbook supers
supersedes
edes mate
ateria
riall in previ
previous
ous
handbooks.
hand
books.
5. Th
The
e handboo
handbook
k can be change
changed
d only in wri
writing
ting by the presi
president
dent of the organizatio
niza
tion,
n, and it can be change
changed
d unilate
unilaterally
rally at any time
time..
6. Em
Employe
ployees
es are subject to provis
provisions
ions of any amendm
amendments
ents,, deletio
deletions,
ns, and
changes
chan
ges in the handboo
handbook.
k.
The typi
typical
cal company manual is hundred
hundreds
s of pages long, so it is not surpri
surprising
sing that
many employ
employees
ees do not want to read it. To reduce length problems, most organ
organizaizations
tion
s ha
have
ve two types of com
company
pany manua
manual.
l. Th
The
e first, called a po
policy
licy manual
manual,, is very
specific
speci
fic and lengthy, contai
containing
ning all of the rules and policies under which the organi
organizazation operat
operates.
es. Th
The
e secon
second
d typ
type,
e, usua
usually
lly know
known
n as th
the
e emp
employee
loyee handbook
handbook,, is much
shorter
shor
ter and conta
contains
ins only the most essenti
essential
al policie
policies
s and rules, as well as gener
general
al
summaries
summa
ries of less importa
important
nt rules.
An example that suppo
supports
rts the need for two manua
manuals
ls invo
involved
lved securit
securityy guard
guards
s at a
manufact
manuf
acturing
uring pla
plant.
nt. Th
The
e secur
security
ity gua
guards
rds we
were
re pai
paid
d minimum wa
wage
ge and had an
average
aver
age tenure of about thre
three
e month
months
s before quitti
quitting.
ng. The company becam
became
e concerned
cern
ed for two reason
reasons.
s. First
First,, three mont
months
hs was not enough time for the guards to
learn all of the polici
policies
es in the 300-page emergen
emergency
cy proce
procedure
dures
s manual. Second, the
manuall was writ
manua
written
ten by an engine
engineer,
er, and none of the securit
securityy guards were able to
understan
under
stand
d the writ
writing.
ing. The organiz
organizati
ation
on thus had I/O psycho
psychology
logy graduat
graduate-stud
e-student
ent
interns
inte
rns develo
develop
p a short
short,, easy-to
easy-to-rea
-read
d proc
procedur
edure
e manual that could be read and unde
underrstood in a day or two. Tips for effect
effective
ive writ
writing
ing that also apply to manuals are show
shown
n
in Table 11.1.
Newsletters
Newsl
etters
Newsletters A metho
Newsletters
method
d of As ment
mentione
ioned
d earl
earlier,
ier, newsle
newsletters
tters are des
designed
igned to bolst
bolster
er emp
employe
loyee
e moral
morale
e by
downward
down
ward comm
communic
unication
ation
discussing
disc
ussing happy or innocuous event
events
s such as the thre
three
e Bs (babies, birt
birthda
hdays,
ys, and
typically
typica
lly used to comm
communic
unicate
ate me scores
ball-game
ball-ga
scores).
). Newsle
Newslette
tters
rs are good sources of infor
informat
mation
ion for celebrat
celebrating
ing
organizatio
organ
izational
nal feedba
feedback
ck and
employee
emplo
yee successes
successes,, provid
providing
ing feedba
feedback
ck on how well the organiza
organizatio
tion
n is doing, intro
intro-celebrate
celeb
rate employ
employee
ee succes
success.
s.
ducing a new employ
ducing
employee,
ee, and provid
providing
ing reminde
reminders
rs about organiz
organizatio
ational
nal chan
changes.
ges.
Though many organiz
organizati
ations
ons provid
provide
e newslet
newsletters
ters in print form
format,
at, the trend is to send
them
the
m electro
electronica
nically
lly through either em
email
ail or an intr
intranet
anet.. This use of cyb
cyber-pub
er-publica
lication
tions
s
saves
save
s printin
printing
g expenses, allows for faste
fasterr dissemi
disseminat
nation
ion of inform
informatio
ation,
n, and provi
provides
des
greater
great
er flexibi
flexibility
lity for making changes and updat
updates.
es.
ORGANIZATIONAL
ORGANIZ
ATIONAL COMMUN
COMMUNICATION
ICATION
401
Copyright
Cop
yright 2016 Ceng
Cengage
age Learning. All Rights Reserv
Reserved.
ed. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial re
revie
view
w has deemed that an
anyy suppressed content does not materially af
affect
fect the overall learning experience. Ceng
Cengage
age Learning reserv
reserves
es the right to remo
removve additional content at an
anyy time if subsequent rights restrictions require it
1725970 – Cengage Learning ©
Table
Tab
le 11.1
Tips
Ti
ps for Effec
Effective
tive Writi
Writing
ng
Trying to impres
Trying
impress
s someon
someone
e with your voca
vocabular
bularyy
Using
Usi
ng a more conve
conversa
rsation
tional
al style
Personn
Pers
onnel
el
Employee
Empl
oyees
s
Utilize
Utilize
urban
urba
n mass-t
mass-tran
ransit
sit vehi
vehicle
cle
Use
Cognizan
Cogn
izantt
Aware
Awar
e
Writing in gene
Writing
generali
ralities
ties
I wasn’t gon
gone
e long
Bus
Writing what you mean
Writing
I was gone for five min
minutes
utes
A survey said tha
thatt most of our employe
employees
es …
A survey said that 54% of our employee
employees
s…
Using an entir
Using
entire
e phrase
Using a single word
Enclosed
Enclose
d please find …
Motivatio
Moti
vation
n is the idea that …
Should
Sho
uld it come to pass tha
thatt you …
Enclosed
Enclose
d is …
Motivati
Moti
vation
on is …
If you …
Intranet
Intra
nets
s
To replac
replace
e bullet
bulletin
in boar
boards,
ds, newslet
newsletters,
ters, and compan
companyy manua
manuals,
ls, an increas
increasing
ing numbe
numberr of
organiza
organ
ization
tions
s are turni
turning
ng to intranets
intranets—
—organi
organizat
zation
ion-wid
-wide
e ve
versi
rsions
ons of the Int
Interne
ernet.
t. Though
Intranet A com
Intranet
computerputer-based
based
potentia
ntiall for int
intranets
ranets has bare
barely
ly been tappe
tapped,
d, the
theyy are curren
currently
tly comm
common
on resourc
resources
es for
employee
emplo
yee com
commun
municatio
ication
nthe pote
network
netwo
rk used exclus
exclusively
ively by one
online employee handbooks
handbooks;;
organizatio
organ
ization.
n.
answers to FAQs (frequent
answers
(frequently
ly asked questio
questions);
ns);
employee
emplo
yee acti
activit
vityy calendar
calendars;
s;
forms
form
s that can be complete
completed
d online;
programs
progr
ams to write job descr
descripti
iptions
ons or perfor
performance
mance app
apprais
raisals;
als;
job postin
postings;
gs;
online benefit
benefits
s informa
information
tion;;
training
tra
ining cour
courses;
ses; and
informat
info
rmation
ion about rew
reward
ard and ince
incentiv
ntive
e program
programs
s (Grensing(Grensing-Poph
Pophal,
al, 2001a).
Business Communication
Business comm
Business
communic
unication
ationBusines
Business
s commun
communicatio
ication
n is the transmi
transmission
ssion of business-r
business-relat
elated
ed infor
informat
mation
ion among
The transm
transmissi
ission
on of busine
businessss- yees,, manage
employees
emplo
management
ment,, and custome
customers.
rs. Busi
Business
ness commun
communicat
ication
ion meth
methods
ods inclu
include
de
related informati
information
on amon
among
g
memos,
memo
s, teleph
telephone
one calls, email
email,, and voice mail.
employees,
emplo
yees, managem
management,
ent, and
Memos
Mem
os
customers
cust
omers..
One of the most common meth
methods
ods of business commun
communicat
ication
ion is the memora
memorandum,
ndum,
or memo. Memos have the advant
advantage
age of prov
providin
iding
g detai
detailed
led informa
information
tion to a large
numberr of people in a shor
numbe
shortt perio
period
d of time. Although memos used to be receive
received
d so
frequently
freq
uently that most employee
employees
s didn
didn’t
’t read th
them,
em, their use has been great
greatly
ly reduced
as they hav
have
e been replace
replaced
d with emai
email.
l.
Teleph
Tel
ephone
one Call
Calls
s
Another method of busi
Another
business
ness communica
communicatio
tion
n is the telephon
telephone
e call. An ad
advant
vantage
age of
telephone
tele
phone calls over meth
methods
ods such as mem
memos,
os, emai
email,l, and text
texting
ing is that both part
parties
ies
402
CHAPTER
CHAPTE
R 11
Copyright
Cop
yright 2016 Ceng
Cengage
age Learning. All Rights Reserv
Reserved.
ed. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial re
revie
view
w has deemed that an
anyy suppressed content does not materially af
affect
fect the overall learning experience. Ceng
Cengage
age Learning reserv
reserves
es the right to remo
removve additional content at an
anyy time if subsequent rights restrictions require it
1725970 – Cengage Learning ©
Career
Car
eer Workshop
Phone Etiq
Etiquette
uette
W
ith cel
celll phon
hones
es and ot
othe
herr tech
echnic
nical
al adv
advanc
ance
es in com
commuDo munot answe
answerr the pho
phone
ne when you have some
someone
one in your
nication,
nicatio
n, the frequen
frequency
cy of poor phone etiq
etiquette
uette seem
seems
office.
offi
ce.
s It commun
communicate
icates
s to your visi
visitor
tor that she or he is no
to be on th
the
e inc
ncre
rea
ase
se.. Cons
onside
iderr the follo
ollowi
wing
ng ad
advi
vice
important.
imp
ce:: ortant. If you are expec
expecting
ting an importa
important
nt call, tell your
visitor
visi
tor in advan
advance
ce that you may have to answe
answerr the phone
Use
Us
e spe
speake
akerrpho
hone
nes
s pro
prope
perly
rly.. Don
Don’’t use your speakerp
speakerphone
hone
if
and
apologize
apologi
ze in advance.
you share your office or listeni
listening
ng space with others
others.. If you want
Use voice mail rather than call-waiti
call-waiting
ng during a busines
business
s
to place a call
calle
er on spe
speakerpho
akerphone,
ne, ask the caller
caller’’s pe
perrmi
miss
ssio
ion
n
conversation
conve
rsation.. Putting someone on hold so you can
and be sure to tell the caller who else is in the room.
answer ano
another
ther call commun
communicates
icates th
that
at your current
Do not us
use
e your cell phone to ho
hold
ld conversat
conversations
ions in public. If
conversation
conve
rsation is not impo
important.
rtant. As menti
mentioned
oned in the
the conversa
conversation
tion can’t wait, leave the room and go into a
previous
prev
ious bullet
bullet,, if you are ex
expect
pecting
ing an im
importan
portantt call
secluded
seclud
ed area.
that can
can’’t wait, let the person you are talking with
Turn off the ringe
ringerr on your cell phone when atte
attendi
nding
ng meeting
meetings
s you mig
know that
might
ht be inte
interrupte
rrupted
d and apolog
apologize
ize for
or when in public place
places
s (e.
(e.g.,
g., restaurant, church, the
theater).
ater).
the inconve
inconvenience.
nience.
can hear the other’
other’s
s voice infle
inflecti
ction,
on, making it easier to understa
understand
nd the tone of the
message.
messa
ge. Wherea
Whereas
s spon
spontane
taneously
ously picking up the phone and calling a coworke
coworkerr was
common
comm
on 10 year
years
s ago, the curren
currentt trend is to rely more on email and text
texting
ing for
most comm
communica
unication
tion and to schedul
schedule
e calls in advan
advance.
ce.
One limitat
limitation
ion of phone calls, of cour
course,
se, is that nonver
nonverbal
bal cues are not availa
available.
ble.
Thus, a major portio
portion
n of the message is often not communi
communicate
cated.
d. For import
important
ant calls,
however
how
ever,, vid
video-en
eo-enhanc
hanced
ed tele
teleconf
conferenc
erencing
ing (vid
(videoco
eoconfer
nferenci
encing)
ng) can be used. In fa
fact,
ct,
many organ
organiza
ization
tions
s save inte
intervie
rview
w expenses by having job applican
applicants
ts across the company parti
participa
cipate
te in such tele
teleconfe
conferenc
rences,
es, whi
which
ch allow both part
parties
ies to see one another
another..
A second limitat
imitation
ion to phone calls is that conver
conversati
sations
ons are not document
documented.
ed. For
example,
examp
le, one depar
departmen
tmentt rece
recently
ntly had a problem with an admin
administr
istrator
ator who continually provide
provided
d in
incorr
correct
ect informa
informatio
tion
n over the phone or at meetings, denie
denied
d tha
thatt she
had done so, and the
then
n blamed anothe
anotherr depa
departm
rtment
ent for errors th
that
at result
resulted
ed from the
use of the informa
informatio
tion.
n. To correct this problem, employ
employees
ees quit talki
talking
ng to the adm
admininistrator
istr
ator over the phone and stuck to email, where every “conve
“conversat
rsation”
ion” was docum
documenented.. Some advice on prope
ted
properr phon
phone
e eti
etiquett
quette
e is pro
provide
vided
d in the Care
Career
er Workshop Box.
Email
Ema
il and Voic
Voice
e Mail
Most memo
Most
memos
s and tele
teleph
phon
one
e call
calls
s hav
have
e bee
been
n rep
repla
lace
ced
d wit
with
h em
emai
aill, text
textiing, and voice mail
mail..
These
Th
ese met
meth
hod
ods
s ar
are
e use
used
d pr
prima
imari
rily
ly to ex
exch
change
ange gen
gener
era
al an
and/or
d/or tim
timely
ely inf
infor
orm
mat
atio
ion
n and
ask que
quest
stio
ions;
ns; the
theyy are not mea
meant
nt as subs
substi
titu
tute
tes
s fo
forr impo
importa
rtant
nt con
conve
versa
rsati
tion.
on. The adv
advanantages
ta
ges to ema
emailil and voi
voice
ce mai
maill inc
includ
lude
e a redu
reducti
ction
on in the use and fili
filing
ng of pape
paperr and ti
time
me
save
sa
ved
d by avo
avoid
iding
ing “sm
“small
all talk
talk”” wh
whe
en com
communi
municat
cating
ing a sh
short
ort me
messag
ssage
e by pho
phon
ne.
On the downsid
downside,
e, voice mail often results in “phon
“phone
e tag,
tag,”” and email, text
texting,
ing, and
voice
voic
e mai
maill reduc
reduce
e opportu
opportuniti
nities
es for perso
personal
nal contact
contact.. In fact, Carilio
Carilion
n Clinic got rid of
its voice mail system because employ
employees
ees and custom
customers
ers were tired of getting answer
answer-ing mach
machines
ines and wante
wanted
d to talk to “a real person.” Well-des
Well-designed
igned voice mail systems
are limit
limited
ed to simple tasks, have shor
shortt menus, and allow a caller to talk to a real person at any time durin
during
g the call.
Emaill has many adva
Emai
advanta
ntages
ges over voi
voice
ce mail
mail,, includi
including
ng the abili
ability
ty to easi
easily
ly docume
document
nt
the sending and receivi
receiving
ng of email, the oppor
opportunit
tunityy to comm
communica
unicate
te wit
with
h many people at
ORGANIZATIONAL
ORGANIZ
ATIONAL COMMUN
COMMUNICATION
ICATION
403
Copyright
Cop
yright 2016 Ceng
Cengage
age Learning. All Rights Reserv
Reserved.
ed. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial re
revie
view
w has deemed that an
anyy suppressed content does not materially af
affect
fect the overall learning experience. Ceng
Cengage
age Learning reserv
reserves
es the right to remo
removve additional content at an
anyy time if subsequent rights restrictions require it
1725970 – Cengage Learning ©
one time, and the potent
potential
ial for quic
quick
k respo
response
nse times, especia
especially
lly when some form of ins
instant
tant
messaging
messa
ging is used. The drawba
drawbacks
cks to email incl
include
ude misint
misinterpr
erpreta
etatio
tions
ns due to the absence
of parala
paralanguage,
nguage, the tende
tendency
ncy to be too inform
informal,
al, the increa
increased
sed likeli
likelihood
hood of expressi
expressing
ng
negative
negat
ive emoti
emotions
ons (“fl
flaming
aming””) tha
thatt might not have been communi
communicated
cated in person, and
the tend
tendency
ency to not proof
proofrea
read
d messages (O
(O’’Kane, Palme
Palmer,r, & Hargie
Hargie,, 2007).
Before
Bef
ore wri
writing
ting an email message, deci
decide
de if emai
emaill is the appr
appropriate
opriate comm
communica
unica-tion channe
channel.
l. Email is appr
appropri
opriate
ate for prepari
preparing
ng people for meetin
meetings,
gs, schedulin
scheduling
g meetings, co
communi
mmunicati
cating
ng common ne
news,
ws, dis
distri
tributin
buting
g memos, and summariz
summarizing
ing a
conversat
conve
rsation
ion (Poe, 2001). Beca
Because
use email elimin
eliminates
ates such fact
factors
ors as body language
and tone
tone,, it is easy to misint
misinterp
erpret
ret the mean
meaning
ing of an email message.
A good rule of thum
thumb
b is to never put some
somethi
thing
ng in an email tha
thatt you would not want
to see published
published.. Examples of materia
materiall better left unsent include comments about other
people,
peop
le, complai
complaints,
nts, and offensi
offensive
ve jokes. Because of the increa
increased
sed use and misuse of email,
many organi
organizat
zations
ions send thei
theirr emplo
employee
yees
s th
thro
rough
ugh email tra
training
ining.. Casp
Casperso
erson
n (2002) and
Poe (2001) offer the follow
following
ing email etiqu
etiquett
ette
e commonly pro
provide
vided
d in such train
training:
ing:
Include a greeti
Include
greeting
ng (e.g., “Hi, Mar
Mark”)
k”) and a closing (e.g.
(e.g.,, “Take care”
care”).
).
Include
Includ
e a detai
detailed
led subject line.
Don’t write in all caps. It is diff
difficult
icult to read and come
comes
s across as if you are
screaming
screa
ming..
If you are going to forward an emai
emaill message, chan
change
ge the origina
originall subject line
and delete the long list of previo
previous
us message
messages
s or names of people to whom the
emaill had been previo
emai
previously
usly forwa
forwarde
rded.
d.
Take the same care in writi
writing
ng (e.g.
(e.g.,, spelling, grammar) that you would take in
writing
wri
ting a formal memo
memo..
Don’t spend compan
companyy time on personal emai
emaill unless your organiza
organizatio
tion
n
specific
speci
fically
ally allows you to do so.
Allow ample tim
time
e for the receiv
receiver
er to respond
respond;; not everyon
everyone
e conside
considers
rs email
to requir
require
e an imme
immediat
diate
e response
response..
When
Whe
n leaving a message on someone’
someone’s
s voice mail, follow these guidelin
guidelines:
es:
Speak slowly
slowly..
Give your name at the beginning of the message and then repea
repeatt it at the end
of the messag
message.
e.
Spell your name if the pers
person
on is not fami
familiar
liar wit
with
h you or if your name is
difficult
dif
ficult to spell.
Leave your phone number, even if you thin
think
k the person alrea
already
dy has it.
To avoid phone tag, indi
indicat
cate
e some good time
times
s that the per
person
son can return your call
call..
Don’t ramble. Anti
Anticipa
cipate
te the possib
possibilit
ilityy of getting voice mail rat
rather
her tha
than
n
talking
talki
ng to the actual person and have a short messa
message
ge ready
ready..
Don’t include infor
informati
mation
on that you don’t want other peop
people
le to hear.
Busines
Busi
ness
s Mee
Meeting
tings
s
As will be discusse
discussed
d in mor
more
e det
detail
ail in Chapt
Chapter
er 13, a common met
method
hod of business communicatio
nica
tion
n is the drea
dreaded
ded commi
committ
ttee
ee meeti
meeting.
ng. Re
Researc
search
h indica
indicates
tes tha
thatt the typi
typical
cal employ
employee
ee
spends
spend
s an avera
average
ge of 4.35 hours att
attendi
ending
ng 3.34 meetings each week (Rogelb
(Rogelberg,
erg, Leach
Leach,,
Warr,r, & Burnf
War
Burnfield,
ield, 2006). Superv
Supervisors
isors atten
attend
ded even more meeting
meetings
s (5.0) and spent more
time
tim
e in these meeti
meetings
ngs (6.6 hours). Though meeti
meetings
ngs off
offer
er several advan
advantage
tages
s over email
email,,
memos,
mem
os, and phone calls, their time deman
demands
ds can result in negat
negative
ive employ
employee
ee attit
attitudes
udes
(Rogelberg
(Rogelb
erg et al., 2006).
404
CHAPTER 11
Copyright 2016 Ceng
Copyright
Cengage
age Learning. All Rights Reserv
Reserved.
ed. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial re
revie
view
w has deemed that an
anyy suppressed content does not materially af
affect
fect the overall learning experience. Ceng
Cengage
age Learning reserv
reserves
es the right to remo
removve additional content at an
anyy time if subsequent rights restrictions require it
1725970 – Cengage Learning ©
Office
Off
ice Desi
Design
gn
To faci
facilita
litate
te employe
employee
e communica
communication
tion,, 70% of organiz
organizati
ations
ons have adop
adopted
ted what is
formally
form
ally called an “open” or “land
“landscape
scaped”
d” office design, and informa
informally
lly called a “cube
farm”
far
m” (Grossma
(Grossman,
n, 2002). Origi
Originally
nally develo
developed
ped by furnitur
furniture
e manufact
manufacturers
urers in West
Germany,
Germ
any, the de
design
sign uses large
large,, op
open
en of
office
fice areas without walls. In
Indiv
dividual
idual work
units
unit
s are separa
separated
ted into cubicle
cubicles
s by such item
items
s as plants, bookca
bookcases,
ses, desks, and partitions.
tion
s. The idea behind this design is that employe
employees
es will communi
communicate
cate better with one
another
anot
her and be easier to supervi
supervise
se and help witho
without
ut the physi
physical
cal barrie
barriers
rs of walls (Poe,
2000). When it consolid
consolidate
ated
d its many offi
offices
ces into one central locati
location
on in Minne
Minneapoli
apolis,
s,
Allina Health System was so sold on the idea of an open office environm
environment
ent that even
the CEO had a cubicle!
There
Ther
e are thre
three
e comm
common
on designs for open or land
landscap
scaped
ed offices (Mart
(Martinez
inez,, 1990). In a
freestand
frees
tanding
ing desi
design
gn (also called a bullpen design
design),
), all desks are placed in a lar
large
ge area that is
complete
comp
letely
ly open. With unif
unifor
orm
m plans
plans,, desks are placed at unifo
uniform
rm dista
distance
nces
s and are sepa
sepa-rated
rat
ed by panels into cubicle areas. Free-fo
Free-form
rm workstati
workstations
ons use a combina
combinatio
tion
n of designs so
thatt the diffe
tha
different
rent nee
needs
ds of each wor
worker
ker can be accom
accommod
moda
ated
ted..
Two inter
interesting
esting tren
trends
ds in office desi
design
gn are “boulevard
boulevards
s” and portable offic
offices.
es.
A boulevar
boulevard
d is a wide hall
hallway
way that runs thr
through
ough seve
several
ral depa
department
rtments.
s. The widt
width
h
of the boule
boulevar
vard
d allo
allows
ws space for impro
impromptu
mptu emplo
employee
yee com
communi
municat
cation
ion,, and the
path of the boulevard through, rather than around
around,, depar
department
tments
s encoura
encourages
ges
employe
emp
loyee
e int
intera
eracti
ction.
on. Becaus
Because
e landsca
landscaped
ped,, or open, offic
office
e envir
environme
onments
nts reduc
reduce
e
privacy,
priv
acy, many organi
organizat
zations
ions have “port
portable
able office
offices
s ” conta
containin
ining
g an employe
employee
e’s co
c o mputer,, files, and supplie
puter
supplies
s that can be whe
wheeled
eled into a walled office or cubicle when
privacy
priv
acy is neede
needed.
d.
The land
landscap
scaped
ed off
office
ice may be appe
appealin
aling,
g, bu
butt re
resear
search
ch ha
has
s not genera
generally
lly bee
been
n suppor
supporttive.. Landsc
ive
Landscape
aped
d offi
offices
ces can increa
increase
se conta
contact
ct and communi
communicat
cation
ion and are less expensiv
expensive
e
than
tha
n regular offi
offices,
ces, but ofte
often
n they can lessen product
productivi
ivity
ty and job satisf
satisfact
action
ion (Br
(Brennan
ennan,,
Chugh,, & Kline, 2002). In a study of more than 500 employ
Chugh
employees
ees in 14 organ
organizat
izations,
ions, O’Neill
(1994) found that storag
storage
e space and the ability to adjust or contr
control
ol one’s offi
office
ce space were
the best predic
predictor
tors
s of sat
satisfa
isfacti
ction
on with workspac
workspace.
e. Vari
Variables
ables such as parti
partiti
tion
on type, panel
height,
hei
ght, and square foot
footage
age were not rela
related
ted to satisf
satisfaction
action or perfor
performanc
mance.
e.
Informal communic
Informal
communication
ation
Communi
Com
municatio
cation
n among emplo
employees
yees
Informal
Communication
Communica
tion
in an organ
organizati
ization
on that is not
directlyy rela
directl
related
ted to the com
completion
pletion
An inte
interest
resting
ing typ
type
e of organiza
organizatio
tional
nal commun
communicat
ication
ion is informal commun
communicatio
ication
n.
of an organi
organizatio
zational
nal task. Ofte
Often,
n, in
inform
formal
al info
informat
rmation
ion is trans
transmitt
mitted
ed through the grap
grapevine
evine,, a ter
term
m th
that
at can
traced
d back to the Civi
Civill War, when loosely hung telegr
telegraph
aph wir
wires
es resemb
resembled
led grapeGrapevine
Grapevin
e An uno
unoffic
fficial,
ial, be trace
vines.
s. The communi
communicat
cation
ion across the
these
se lines was ofte
often
n distort
distorted.
ed. Because unoff
unofficia
iciall
informal
info
rmal comm
communicatio
unication
n vine
network.
netwo
rk.
employee
emplo
yee comm
communica
unication
tion is also thoug
thought
ht to be distor
distorted
ted,, the term has become synon
synon-ymous
s with an infor
informal
mal communica
communicatio
tion
n network (Davis, 1977). Grapev
Grapevines
ines are comSingle-strand
Single-stra
nd grape
grapevine
vine A ymou
mon
employees
ees with informa
information
tion,, powe
power,r, and enter
entertai
tainment
nment
pattern of grapev
grapevine
ine comm
communiuni- because they provide employ
(Kurland
(Kurl
Pelled,, 2000). Not surpri
surprisingly
singly,, the prevale
prevalence
nce of emai
email,l, texting, and socia
sociall
cation
catio
n in which a message
is and & Pelled
media
medi
a has increas
increased
ed the impor
importanc
tance
e of the grapevin
grapevine.
e.
passed
passe
d in a chain
chain-like
-like fashion
from one person to the next Davi
Davis
s (1953) studi
studied
ed the grapevi
grapevine
ne and establish
established
ed the existen
existence
ce of four grapevi
grapevine
ne
until the chai
chain
n is broken. pat
pattern
terns:
s: single stra
strand,
nd, gossip, prob
probabili
ability,
ty, and cluster
cluster.. As Fig
Figure
ure 11.1 shows, in the
single-stran
single
-strand
d grapevine
grapevine,, Jones passes a message to Smith, who passes the message
Gossip grapev
Gossip
grapevine
ine A pattern
to Brown, and so on until the message is receive
received
d by ever
everyone
yone or someone “brea
“breaks
ks the
of grapevin
grapevine
e commu
communica
nication
tion
chain.”
chai
n.” Th
This
is pat
patter
tern
n is simi
similar
lar to the child
children’s
ren’s ga
game
me of “t
“teleph
elephone.”
one.” In the go
gossip
ssip
in which a messa
message
ge is passed
to only a select group of grapev
grapevine
ine,, Jones passes the messag
message
e to only a select group of people
people.. Notice that
individual
indiv
iduals.
s.
with
wit
h this patter
pattern
n only one person passes the message along, and not every
everyone
one has a
ORGANIZATIONAL
ORGANIZ
ATIONAL COMMUN
COMMUNICATION
ICATION
405
Copyright
Cop
yright 2016 Ceng
Cengage
age Learning. All Rights Reserv
Reserved.
ed. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial re
revie
view
w has deemed that an
anyy suppressed content does not materially af
affect
fect the overall learning experience. Ceng
Cengage
age Learning reserv
reserves
es the right to remo
removve additional content at an
anyy time if subsequent rights restrictions require it
1725970 – Cengage Learning ©
Figure 11.1
Figure
Grapevine
Gra
pevine Patt
Pattern
erns
s
Probability
Probabil
ity grape
grapevine
vine A chan
chance
ce to recei
receive,
ve, or will receiv
receive,
e, it. In th
the
e probab
probability
ility grapevine
grapevine,, Jones tells the mespattern of grapevine comm
communiuni- to a few other employee
sage
employees,
s, and they in turn randomly pass the message along to
cation
catio
n in which a message
iser em
other
oth
employ
ployees.
ees. In the cluster grapevin
grapevine
e, Jones tells only a few se
select
lect employee
employees,
s,
passed
passe
d randoml
randomlyy among who
all in turn tell a few select other
others.
s.
employees.
emplo
yees.
Research
Resea
rch on the grape
grapevine
vine has suppor
supported
ted several of Davi
Davis’s
s’s (1953) findings
findings.. Sut-
Cluster gr
Cluster
grapev
apevine
ine A pattern
ton and Port
Porter
er (1968) studied 79 employ
employees
ees in a state tax offi
office
ce and reach
reached
ed seve
several
ral
of grapevin
grapevine
e commu
communica
nication
tion
in
interest
inte
resting
ing conclusi
conclusions.
ons. They found that employ
employees
ees could be placed int
into
o one of thr
three
ee
which a mess
message
age is passed
togories.
a es. Isolates were employee
categori
cate
employees
s wh
who
o recei
received
ved less th
than
an half of the infor
informat
mation,
ion,
selectt grou
selec
group
p of people who
each
eac
h were employe
liaisons
liai
sons
employees
es who both recei
received
ved most of the informa
information
tion and passed it on
in turn pass the messa
message
geto
to other
a
others,
s, and dead-ender
dead-enders
s were those who heard most of the inform
informati
ation
on but selfew select others.
dom passed it on to other employ
employees.
ees.
Isolate An employ
Isolate
employee
ee who
Managers
Mana
gers tended to be liaiso
liaisons
ns because the
theyy had hear
heard
d 97% of the grapevi
grapevine
ne
receives
receiv
es less than half ofinfo
all rmation
informat
ion and most of the time passed it on. Nonmana
Nonmanageria
geriall employ
employees
ees heard 56%
grapevine
grapev
ine inform
information
ation.. of th
the
e grap
grapevin
evine
e inf
informa
ormation
tion but seldom pa
passed
ssed it on. Only 10% of nonman
nonmanageri
agerial
al
employees
emplo
yees wer
were
e liaisons; 57% were dead
dead-ende
-enders
rs and 33% were isolat
isolates.
es.
Dead-enders Emplo
Dead-enders
Employees
yees who
receive
receiv
e much grapevi
grapevine
ne infor-Altho
Although
ugh most pe
people
ople consi
consider
der th
the
e grapev
grapevine
ine to be ina
inaccura
ccurate,
te, researc
research
h has
mation
matio
n but who seldom pass
itn that informa
shown
show
informatio
tion
n in the grapev
grapevine
ine often conta
contains
ins a grea
greatt deal of truth
truth,, though
on to others
others..
it is of
often
ten incom
incomplet
plete.
e. A rev
review
iew of rumors in organiza
organization
tions
s in
indica
dicates
tes that organi
organizazational rumor
tional
rumors
s are about 80% accura
accurate
te (DiFonz
(DiFonzo
o & Bord
Bordia,
ia, 2006). Such a statis
statistic,
tic, however,, can be misleadi
ever
misleading.
ng. Conside
Considerr the following hypot
hypothetica
heticall exa
example:
mple: A message
travels
tra
vels through the grape
grapevine
vine that “the personn
personnel
el directo
directorr will fir
fire
e 25 people on Monday mornin
morning
g at nine o’clock.” The truth, howev
however,
er, is that the pers
personnel
onnel direct
director
or will
hire 25 people on Monday mornin
morning
g at nine o’clock. Thus, even though four out of five
parts
part
s of the messa
message
ge (80%) are correct
correct,, the grap
grapevin
evine
e message paints a pict
picture
ure quite
differe
dif
ferent
nt from reali
reality.
ty.
406
CHAPTER
CHAPTE
R 11
Copyright
Cop
yright 2016 Ceng
Cengage
age Learning. All Rights Reserv
Reserved.
ed. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial re
revie
view
w has deemed that an
anyy suppressed content does not materially af
affect
fect the overall learning e
experience.
xperience. Ceng
Cengage
age Learning reserv
reserves
es the right to remo
removve additional content at an
anyy time if subsequent rights restrictions require it
1725970 – Cengage Learning ©
As shown in this
answer
ans
wer to a geo
geomet
metry
ry
test,
tes
t, direc
direction
tions
s should
be speci
specific
fic to get the
desire
des
ired
d res
results.
ults.
The
Th
e gra
grapev
peviine con
conta
tains
ins two typ
type
es of info
informa
rmation
tion:: goss
gossip
ip and rumo
rumorr. Alt
Alth
hou
ough
gh bot
both
h
Gossip Poorly substan
Gossip
substantiated
tiated
gossi
gos
sip
p and rum
rumor
or cont
contain
ain poo
poorl
rlyy subs
substan
tanttia
iate
ted
d inf
informa
ormatio
tion
n, gossip is pr
prim
imari
arily
ly abo
about
ut
informatio
info
rmation
n and insignif
insignificant
icant
indi
in
divid
vidua
uals
ls and th
the
e con
conte
tent
nt of th
the
e mess
message
age lac
lacks
ks sign
signifi
ific
canc
ance
e to the pe
people
ople gos
gossipi
siping.
ng.
informatio
info
rmation
n that is prima
primarily
rily
Rumo
Rum
or, how
howeve
ever,r, cont
conta
ain
ins
s in
infor
forma
mation
tion th
that
at is sign
signifi
ific
can
antt to th
the
e lilive
ves
s of th
thos
ose
e com
commumuaboutt individu
abou
individuals.
als.
nica
ni
catin
ting
g th
the
e mess
message
age and can be abo
about
ut in
indiv
divid
idu
uals or oth
othe
er top
topiics (D
(DiF
iFonz
onzo
o & Bo
Bordi
rdia,
a,
2006).
200
Usually,
ly, rum
rumor
or wil
willl occ
occur
ur whe
when
n th
the
e av
avai
aila
lable
ble info
informa
rmation
tion is both inte
interest
restin
ing
g an
and
d
Rumor Poorly substa
Rumor
substantiate
ntiated
d 6). Usual
ambi
bigu
guous.
ous. Thus
Thus,, rum
rumor
or serv
serves
es the fu
func
nction
tion of help
helping
ing to ma
make
ke sen
sense
se of amb
ambig
iguo
uous
us
informatio
info
rmation
n that is passedam
along
info
in
forma
rmati
tion
on and of hel
helpi
ping
ng ma
mana
nage
ge po
pote
tent
ntiial th
thre
reat
ats,
s, whe
wherea
reas
s goss
gossip
ip se
serve
rves
s to en
ente
tert
rtain
ain
the grapevi
grapevine.
ne.
and supp
supply
ly soc
social
ial in
info
forma
rmati
tion
on (DiF
(DiFonz
onzo
o & Bo
Bord
rdia
ia,, 200
2007).
7). Th
The
e most com
common
mon to
topics
pics for
rumo
ru
morr ar
are
e pe
perso
rsonne
nnell ch
chan
anges,
ges, job se
secur
curit
ity,
y, and the ext
exter
ern
nal repu
reputati
tation
on of the orga
organiz
niza
ation
ti
on (Di
(DiF
Fon
onzo
zo & Bo
Bord
rdiia, 2007
2007).
). Rum
Rumo
or and goss
gossip
ip ar
are
e of
ofte
ten
n way
ways
s in wh
whiich emp
emplo
loyyee
ees
s
can
ca
n reli
relieve
eve str
stre
ess an
and
d anx
anxie
iety,
ty, resp
respond
ond to per
perc
cei
eivved or
organi
ganizat
zationa
ionall wr
wron
ongs
gs in a no
nona
nagggres
gr
essi
sive
ve wa
way,
y, ma
mainta
intain
in a sen
sense
se of con
contr
trol,
ol, and inc
increa
rease
se th
thei
eirr pow
power
er in an orga
organiz
nizati
ation
on
(DiF
(D
iFonzo
onzo & Bor
Bordia
dia,, 200
2006,
6, 2007
2007;; Kurla
Kurland
nd & Pe
Pelled,
lled, 200
2000).
0).
Certain
Cer
tainly,
ly, not all horiz
horizontal
ontal communi
communicat
cation
ion is informa
informal.
l. Employ
Employees
ees at the same
level often exchan
exchange
ge job-re
job-relate
lated
d informa
information
tion on such topics as custome
customers
rs and client
clients,
s,
the sta
status
tus of proje
projects,
cts, and inf
informatio
ormation
n necessar
necessaryy to comple
complete
te a parti
particular
cular task. To
increase
incr
ease the amoun
amountt of job-relat
job-related
ed horizo
horizontal
ntal communic
communicati
ation,
on, many organi
organizat
zations
ions
have
hav
e adopted the practi
practice
ce of self-mana
self-managed
ged work groups.
For example, at Columb
Columbia
ia Gas Deve
Developmen
lopmentt in Houston
Houston,, 12-pers
12-person
on drilli
drilling
ng teams
were
wer
e formed
formed.. The team approach greatly increase
increased
d communi
communicati
cation
on among geologi
geologists,
sts,
engineers,
engin
eers, and ot
other
her staff me
member
mbers
s wh
who
o ha
had
d pr
previ
eviously
ously been lo
locate
cated
d in separat
separate
e
departm
depa
rtments.
ents. As anot
another
her example
example,, the use of team
teams
s at Meridi
Meridian
an Insurance in Indi
Indianaanapolis increase
increased
d communic
communicati
ation
on and effici
efficiency
ency so much tha
thatt a 29-ste
29-step
p process for handling pape
paperwor
rwork
k was reduced to 4 step
steps.
s.
To apply what you have learned about horizo
horizontal
ntal commu
communica
nication
tion,, comple
complete
te Exercise 11.2 in your workboo
workbook.
k.
ORGANIZATIONAL
ORGANIZ
ATIONAL COMMUN
COMMUNICATION
ICATION
407
Copyright
Cop
yright 2016 Ceng
Cengage
age Learning. All Rights Reserv
Reserved.
ed. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial re
revie
view
w has deemed that an
anyy suppressed content does not materially af
affect
fect the overall learning experience. Ceng
Cengage
age Learning reserv
reserves
es the right to remo
removve additional content at an
anyy time if subsequent rights restrictions require it
1725970 – Cengage Learning ©
Interp
Int
erperso
ersonal
nal Com
Commun
munica
icati
tio
on
Interpersonall
Interpersona
Interpers
Inter
personal
onal communic
communication
ation involves the exchange of a message across a commucommunic
comm
unicatio
ation
n Commun
Communiinication
nica
tion chan
channel
nel from one person to anothe
another.
r. As shown in Figure 11.2, the interpe
interperrcation
catio
n betwee
between
n two indivi
individuals
duals.l. com
sonal
sona
communi
municati
cation
on process begins wit
with
h a se
sender
nder encodi
encoding
ng and transm
transmitt
itting
ing a
messa ge across a c ommunic
message
ommunication
ation channel (e.g., by memo, orally, nonverbal
nonverbally)
ly) and
ends wi
with
th anothe
anotherr pers
person
on (th
(the
e recei
receiver)
ver) recei
receiving
ving and deco
decoding
ding th
the
e messa
message.
ge.
Although
Alth
ough this seems like a simp
simple
le proce
process,
ss, there are three main problem are
areas
as
where
whe
re things can go wron
wrong
g and interf
interfere
ere with the accura
accurate
te trans
transmiss
mission
ion or recep
recepti
tion
on
of the mess
message.
age.
Problem Area 1: Intended Message Versus Message Sent
For effec
effective
tive communi
communicati
cation,
on, the sende
senderr must know what she want
wants
s to say and how
she want
wants
s to say it. Inte
Interper
rpersonal
sonal communi
communicat
cation
ion problem
problems
s can occur when the message a person sends is not the messa
message
ge she intend
intended.
ed. There are three solutions to this
problem:
prob
lem: thinki
thinking
ng abou
aboutt what you want to communic
communicate
ate,, prac
practic
ticing
ing what you wan
wantt to
communica
comm
unicate,
te, and learni
learning
ng bette
betterr communic
communicati
ation
on skills.
Thinki
Thi
nking
ng About What You Want to Commu
Communica
nicate
te
Often the reason we don
Often
don’’t say what we mean is that we are not really sure what we wan
wantt
to say
say.. For example, think of using the drive-t
drive-thru
hru window at a fastfast-food
food restaur
restaurant.
ant. As
soo
so
on as you sto
stop,
p, but be
befo
fore
re you ha
have
ve a ch
chan
ance
ce to re
read
ad th
the
e me
menu
nu bo
boar
ard,
d, a vo
voice
ice cr
crack
ackles
les,,
“Can I take your orde
order?
r?”” Yo
You
u int
intell
elligentl
igentlyy reply somethin
omething
g lilike,
ke, “Uhhhhhhh
Uhhhhhhh,, could yo
you
hang on a minute?
minute?”” and the
hen
n qui
quickl
cklyy tr
tryy to pla
place
ce an ord
order
er as th
the
e pre
pressu
ssure
re bui
buillds
ds.. As
you driv
drive
e off, you reali
realize
ze tha
thatt you did not rea
reallllyy order wha
whatt you want
wanted.
ed.
Does this scena
scenario
rio sound fami
familiar?
liar? If so, you are not alone. Fost
Foster
er and his colleagues (1988) found that many fast-fo
fast-food
od rest
restaura
aurant
nt custo
customers
mers have so little time to
think
thi
nk abou
aboutt their order that they make orderin
ordering
g mist
mistakes.
akes. They found tha
thatt placing a
menu sign bef
before
ore the ord
orderin
ering
g statio
station
n gave custom
customers
ers more time to think about their
orders
orde
rs and that this decr
decreased
eased aver
average
age ord
orderin
ering
g times from 28 seconds to 6 seconds
and orde
ordering
ring erro
errors
rs from 29% to 4%.
Figure 11.2
Figure
The
Th
e Interpe
Interpersona
rsonall
Communi
Com
munica
catio
tion
n
Proces
Pro
cess
s
408
CHAPTER
CHAPTE
R 11
Copyright
Cop
yright 2016 Ceng
Cengage
age Learning. All Rights Reserv
Reserved.
ed. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial re
revie
view
w has deemed that an
anyy suppressed content does not materially af
affect
fect the overall learning experience. Ceng
Cengage
age Learning reserv
reserves
es the right to remo
removve additional content at an
anyy time if subsequent rights restrictions require it
1725970 – Cengage Learning ©
As anot
another
her example, th
think
ink about calli
calling
ng a fri
friend
end and unexpect
unexpectedly
edly getti
getting
ng thei
theirr voic
voice
e
mail reco
recordin
rding.
g. Have you ever left a message in which the first few sentenc
sentences
es sounded
reasonably
reas
onably intelli
intelligent?
gent? Did the first sentenc
sentence
e again begin with “Uhhhhhhhhh”? Or have
you eve
everr made a call exp
expecti
ecting
ng to get the voi
voice
ce mai
maill recor
recording
ding an
and
d inste
instead
ad ha
had
d an act
actual
ual
person
pers
on answ
answer
er th
the
e phone? These example
xamples
s show th
the
e importa
importance
nce of th
thinking
inking about wh
what
at
you want to commun
communicat
icate.
e.
Practice
Prac
tice What You Want to Commun
ommunica
icate
te
Even though you may know wh
what
at you wa
want
nt to say, commun
communicat
ication
ion errors can occur
if yo u do not actua
actually
lly say what you mean
meantt to sa
say.
y. Th
Thus,
us, when co
communi
mmunicat
cation
ion is
importa
impo
rtant,
nt, it should be practi
practice
ced.
d. Just as consulta
consultants
nts practi
practice
ce befor
before
e givi
giving
ng a tr
trainaining talk and ac
actor
tors
s rehea
ehears
rse
e before a pe
perfor
rforma
mance,
nce, you too ne
need
ed to pr
pract
actice
ice what
you want to say in impor
importan
tantt situati
situations.
ons. Perh
Perhaps
aps you can remembe
rememberr practi
practicin
cing
g how
you were going to ask a per
person
son out on a date
date:: changin
changing
g the tone of your voic
voice,
e, alter
alter-ing your fir
first
st line, or thinki
thinking
ng of topics to discuss so tha
thatt you would appe
appear
ar
spontaneo
spont
aneous.
us.
Learn
Lea
rn Better Commun
Communica
ication
tion Skil
Skills
ls
Even if you kno
Even
know
w wh
wha
at you want to say and ho
how
w you wan
wantt to sa
sayy it
it,, com
commun
munic
icat
atiion
errror
er
ors
s can stil
stilll oc
occur
cur if you do not have the prop
proper
er comm
communic
unicati
ation
on ski
skills
lls.. It is ess
essen
enttia
iall
to tak
take
e cou
course
rses
s in pu
publi
blic
c sp
speak
eakin
ing,
g, wri
writtin
ing,
g, and inte
interpe
rperso
rsona
nall com
commu
muni
nica
catio
tion
n so th
that
at
you
yo
u wil
willl be be
bett
tter
er pre
prepare
pared
d to com
commun
munic
icat
ate
e eff
effect
ectiively
vely.. Be
Beca
caus
use
e of the im
impor
porta
tance
nce of
commun
com
munic
icati
ation
on ski
skills
lls,, ma
many
ny orga
organiz
nizati
ations
ons off
offer
er a wide ra
range
nge of com
commu
muni
nicat
catio
ion
n tra
trainin
ining
g
progra
pr
ograms
ms for the
their
ir emp
employ
loyees.
ees.
Problem Area 2: Message Sent Vers
Versus
us Message Received
Even though an indivi
individual
dual knows what she wants to say and says it exactly as
she planned
planned,, as sho
shown
wn in Fi
Figure
gure 11.
11.3,
3, many fac
actors
tors affec
affectt how that messa
essage
ge is
received.
rece
ived.
The Actual Words Used
A parti
particular
cular word may mean one thing in one situat
situation
ion but someth
something
ing else in anoth
another.
er.
Take the word fine as an example. If I told you tha
thatt you had “fine jewelry
jewelry,”,” you would
probably
prob
ably take the stateme
statement
nt as a compli
compliment
ment.. If the word wer
were
e used to describ
describe
e the
weathe
wea
ther—“Th
r—“The
e weath
weather
er here in Cali
Californ
fornia
ia is just fine”—
”—it
it would still have a positi
positive
ve
connotat
conno
tation.
ion. However, if a spouse asked, “How was the dinner I cooked?” or “How
did you like our evenin
evening
g of romance?
romance?”” an answer of “fine
“fine”” would probab
probably
ly result in a
very lonely evening.
A part
particula
icularr word may also mean one thing to one person and someth
something
ing differ
differ-ent to another
another.. For examp
example,
le, an 80-yea
80-year-old
r-old man with a rura
rurall backgroun
background
d may use the
word girl as a synony
synonym
m for female. He may not understa
understand
nd why the women at work
get upset when he refers to them as the “gir
“girls
ls in the office
office.”
.” When I conduct tra
trainin
ining
g
sessions
sessio
ns for police offi
officers,
cers, we discu
discuss
ss how such words as boy, son, and pretty little
lady can be emotiona
emotionally
lly charge
charged
d and should thus be avoi
avoided.
ded.
Even wit
within
hin English
English-speaking
-speaking countr
countries,
ies, a parti
particular
cular word can hav
have
e differ
different
ent
meanings.
mean
ings. Take, for example, if someone said, “He was piss
pissed.
ed.”” In the Unit
United
ed States
States,,
ORGANIZATIONAL
ORGANIZ
ATIONAL COMMUN
COMMUNICATION
ICATION
409
Copyright
Cop
yright 2016 Ceng
Cengage
age Learning. All Rights Reserv
Reserved.
ed. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial re
revie
view
w has deemed that an
anyy suppressed content does not materially af
affect
fect the overall learning experience. Ceng
Cengage
age Learning reserv
reserves
es the right to remo
removve additional content at an
anyy time if subsequent rights restrictions require it
1725970 – Cengage Learning ©
Figure 11.3
Figure
Factor
Fac
tors
s Aff
Affectin
ecting
g the
Messag
Mes
sage
e Sent Versus
the Mes
Messag
sage
e Rece
Received
ived
we would interpr
interpret
et tha
thatt the pers
person
on was angry
angry,, yet peop
people
le in Ireland would interp
interpret
ret
thatt the pe
tha
person
rson wa
was
s drun
drunk.
k. If someo
someone
ne in Ire
Ireland
land sai
said,
d, “W
“Wher
here
e is the cr
crack?”
ack?” they
would be asking the locat
location
ion of a part
party,
y, not asking about drugs
drugs..
Words
Word
s or phrases that are vague can also cause prob
problems.
lems. For example, you need
a set of dat
data
a by the end of the day
day,, so you tell your assis
assistant
tant that you need the data
immedia
imme
diately
tely.. At the end of the day, howe
however,
ver, the data are not there. The next morning, the employe
employee
e proudly brings you the data that she has compil
compiled
ed in “less than a
day” and is confuse
confused
d about why you are angry
angry.. In thi
this
s exam
example,
ple, you encoded the message as “I need it by five o’clock,” you transm
transmitt
itted
ed the message as “I need it immedi
immedi-ately,”
ate
ly,” and the empl
employee
oyee deco
decoded
ded it as “She needs it tomorr
tomorrow.
ow.””
If someone told you, “I won’t be gone long,” whe
when
n would you expect her back?
When
Whe
n I ask this questi
question
on of my classes or seminar audi
audience
ences,
s, the answe
answers
rs usually
range from 10 mi
minutes
nutes to 3 ho
hours.
urs. Int
Intere
erestin
stingly,
gly, at on
one
e semin
seminar
ar I condu
conducted
cted,, a
woman
woma
n respo
responded
nded that her husba
husband
nd said that very phrase and came back four day
days
s
later.
late
r.
As the previo
previous
us examples demons
demonstra
trate,
te, it is impor
mportant
tant to be concret
concrete
e in the
words
word
s we use. Why, then, are we often vague in the way we commu
communic
nicate?
ate? One reason is that we want to avoid confr
confronta
ontation
tions.
s. If a husband tells his spouse that he will
be gone for four days, he may know that she will object
object.. By being vague, he avoi
avoids
ds the
initial
init
ial confront
confrontati
ation
on and hop
hopes
es that she will not notice how long he has act
actually
ually been
gone—a
gone—
a common ploy used by us men, but one that neve
neverr seems to work.
Another
Anoth
er reaso
reason
n for vagueness is that it gives us a chan
chance
ce to “test the wat
water”
er” and
see what a person
person’s
’s initial react
reaction
ion might be befor
before
e we say wha
whatt we really want. Asking someone out on a date is a perf
perfect
ect examp
example.
le. Instead of being direct and saying,
“Do you want to go out thi
this
s Frid
Friday?”
ay?” we ofte
often
n say somet
somethin
hing
g such as, “So, what are
you up to this weekend
weekend?”
?” If the response is posit
positive,
ive, we becom
become
e a bit more bold.
Genderr is another factor related to the use of words. As sho
Gende
shown
wn in Figure 11.4,
Deborah
Debor
ah Tannen (1995, 2001) believes that men and wome
women
n speak very diffe
different
rent
410
CHAPTER
CHAPTE
R 11
Copyright
Cop
yright 2016 Ceng
Cengage
age Learning. All Rights Reserv
Reserved.
ed. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).
Editorial re
revie
view
w has deemed that an
anyy suppressed content does not materially af
affect
fect the overall learning experience. Ceng
Cengage
age Learning reserv
reserves
es the right to remo
removve additional content at an
anyy time if subsequent rights restrictions require it
1725970 – Cengage Learning ©