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Lesson#23
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LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION
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LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION
Communication is one of the most important processes that take place in any
organizations. Effective
communication allows individuals, groups, teams and organizations to achieve
their goals and perform
at a high level, and it affects virtually every aspect of organizational
behavior.
One of the defining features of communication is the sharing of information with
other people.
Another defining feature is reaching a common understanding. In this
case, communication is the
sharing of information between two or more individuals or groups to reach a
common understanding.
Reaching a common understanding does not mean that people have to agree
with each other.
Communication is good or effective when members of organization share
information with each other
and all parties involved are relatively clear about what information means.
Why is this important???
Effective communication is important in organizations because it affects
practically every aspect of
organizational behavior. Good communication prevents many problems from
occurring and serves as
motivation in an organization. Why it is important for leaders?
As a leader:
_ You need people to
understand what you are talking about.
_ You must take into
consideration other people’s needs.
_ You need to be able to hear
others opinions and ideas.
_ You need to organize and
capitalize on the best ideas.
_ You need to delegate.
A good leader spend 70% of day on communicating to share vision, motivate team
members/employees, pass the information and build the relationship with other
people.
How Communication Works:
Before communication can take place a purpose expressed as a message to be
conveyed, is needed.
o It passes between a source (the
sender) and a receiver.
o The message is encoded (converted to
symbolic form) and is passed by way of some medium
(channel) to the receiver, who retranslates (decodes) the message initiated by
the sender.
o The result is transference of meaning
from one person to another.
The communication model is made up of eight parts: the source, encoding, the
message, the channel,
decoding, the receiver, noise, and feedback:
o The source initiates a message by
encoding a thought.
o The message is the actual physical
product from the source.
o The channel is the medium through
which the message travels.
o The receiver is the object to whom
the message is directed.
o Decoding—the symbols in the message
must be translated into a form that can be understood
by the receiver.
o The receiver is limited by his/her
skills, attitudes, knowledge, and social-cultural system.
o
Noise represents
communication barriers that distort the clarity of the message.
o Feedback is the check on how
successful we have been in transferring our messages as
originally intended.
Communications experts tell us that effective communication is the result of a
common understanding
between the communicator and the receiver. In fact the word communication is
derived from the Latin
“communis”, meaning “common.”
Communication & the Four Management Functions:
Planning:
• Gather information
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• Write memos, letters, reports
• Meet to formulate plans
Organizing:
• Gather info about state of organization
• Communicate new structure
Directing:
• Communicate plan and strategy
• Motivate employees
Controlling:
• Feedback; “How we doing?”
Communication Principles:
o Communication has purpose
o Communication is continuous
o Communication is relational
o Communication is culturally bound
o Communication has ethical
implications
o Communication is learned
Downward
o Communication that flows from one
level of a group organization to a lower level is a downward
communication. This is typically what we think of when managers communicate with
workers.
o Its purpose is to assign goals,
provide instructions, communicate policies and procedures, provide
feedback, etc.
o It does not have to be face-to-face
or an oral communication.
Upward
o Upward communication flows to a
higher level in the group or organization.
o It is used to provide feedback to
higher-ups, inform them of progress, and relay current problems.
o Examples of upward communication are:
performance reports prepared by lower management for
review by middle and top management, suggestion boxes, employee attitude
surveys, etc.
Lateral
o When communication takes place
among members of the same work group, among members of
work groups at the same level, among managers at the same level, or among any
horizontally
equivalent personnel, horizontal communications are often necessary to save time
and facilitate
coordination. In some cases, these lateral relationships are formally
sanctioned. Often, they are
informally created to short-circuit the vertical hierarchy and expedite action.
o They can create dysfunctional
conflicts when the formal vertical channels are breached, when
members go above or around their superiors to get things done, or when bosses
find out that actions
have been taken or decisions made without their knowledge.
Communication Types:
Speaking Skills
• Speeches/Lectures
• Conversation
• Counseling
Writing skills
Presentation/Briefing skills
Actions
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Interpersonal Communication:
• Oral Communication
o Oral communication is the chief
means of conveying messages. Speeches, formal one-onone
and group discussions, and informal rumor mill or grapevine are popular forms of
oral
communication.
o Advantages are speed and feedback. A
major disadvantage arises when the message must
be passed through a number of people. This increases the potential for
distortion.
• Written Communication
o Written communications include
memos, letters, electronic mail, faxes, periodicals, bulletin
boards, etc.
o Advantages include that they are
tangible and verifiable. A written record is available for
later use. People are more careful when communication is via written word.
o Drawbacks include: time-consuming,
lack of feedback, and no guarantee of receipt.
• Nonverbal Communication
o We send a nonverbal message every
time we send a verbal one. At times the nonverbal
message may stand alone. They include body movements, facial expressions, and
the
physical distance between sender and receiver.
o We use body language to convey a
message and typically do unconsciously.
o The two most important messages body
language conveys is the extent to which an
individual likes another and is interested in his or her views and the relative
perceived
status between sender and receiver.
o Intonations can change the meaning of
a message.
o Facial expressions convey meaning.
o Physical distance or the way
individuals space themselves also has meaning.
o Proper physical spacing is dependent
on cultural norms.
Barriers to Effective Communication:
A. Filtering
o Filter refers to a sender’s
purposely manipulating information so it will be seen as more
favorable by the receiver. For example, telling the boss what she wants to hear.
o The more levels in an organization’s
structure, the more opportunities there are for
filtering. Being reluctant to give bad news, or trying to please one’s boss
distorts upward
communications.
B. Selective Perception
o Receivers in their communication
process selectively see and hear based on their needs,
motivations, experience, background, and other personal characteristics.
o Receivers project their interests and
expectations into communications as they decode
them.
C. Information Overload
o When the information we have to
work with exceeds our processing capacity, the result is
information overload.
o The result is they tend to select
out, ignore, pass over, or forget information. Or they may
put it aside until the overload situation is over. The result is lost
information and less
effective communication.
D. Emotions
o How a receiver feels at the time
a message is received will influence how he or she
interprets it. Extreme emotions are likely to hinder effective communication.
o During those times we are most likely
to disregard objective thinking and substitute
emotions for judgments.
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E. Language
o Words mean different things to
different people. English—our common language—is far
from uniform in usage.
o Individuals interpret meanings in
different ways. For example, incentives and quotas are
often perceived as implying manipulation causing resentment among lower levels
of the
organization.
F. Communication Apprehension
o An estimated five-to-twenty
percent of the population suffer from communication
apprehension. They experience undue tension or anxiety in oral and/or written
communication. They may find it difficult to talk with others face-to-face or on
the
telephone.
o Studies show those affected with
communication apprehension avoid jobs where
communication is a dominant requirement.
Managers need to be aware there is a group of people who severely limit their
communications with
others and rationalize the behavior telling themselves it is not necessary for
them to do their jobs
effectively.
Overcoming and Preventing Communication Barriers:
o Be sensitive to the fact that
cross-cultural communication barriers exist.
o Challenge your cultural assumptions.
o Show respect for all workers.
o Use straightforward language, and
speak slowly and clearly.
o Look for signs of misunderstanding
when your language is not the listener’s native
language
o When the situation is appropriate,
speak the language of the people from another culture
o Observe cross-cultural differences
o Do not be sidetracked by style,
accent, grammar, or personal appearance
o Be sensitive to differences in
nonverbal communication
Formal vs. Informal Communication
o Formal Communication:
Formal reporting relationships in an organization reflect one type of
organizational communication network. Formal reporting relationships emerge from
the chain
of command established by an organization’s hierarchy. Communication flows up
and down
the hierarchy of the organization from superiors to subordinates and vice versa.
o Informal Communication:
Informal communication is more spontaneous communication
occurring without regard for the formal channels of communication.
Nonverbal Behaviors of Communication:
o Eye contact
o Facial Expressions
o Gestures
o Posture and body orientation
o Proximity
o Vocal
Nonverbal Communication:
o We send a nonverbal message every
time we send a verbal one. At times the nonverbal
message may stand alone. They include body movements, facial expressions, and
the
physical distance between sender and receiver.
o We use body language to convey a
message and typically do unconsciously.
o The two most important messages body
language conveys is the extent to which an
individual likes another and is interested in his or her views and the relative
perceived
status between sender and receiver.
o Intonations can change the meaning of
a message.
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o Facial expressions convey meaning.
o Physical distance or the way
individuals space themselves also has meaning.
o Proper physical spacing is dependent
on cultural norms.
Effective communication occurs only if the receiver understands the exact
information or idea that the
sender intended to transmit.
Keys to Effective Communication:
Who is the audience?
_ Have you targeted them
correctly?
_ Can you push the right
buttons?
What is your message?
What is the desired affect?
Clarity/Conciseness
Honesty/Knowledge/Expertise
Some Dos and Don’t during communication
Do Don’t
_ Smile
_ Look them in the eye
_ Look them in the eye Invade
their space
bubble
_ Take charge
_ Have sad/bored face
_ Have a creepy stare!
_ Act bossy, as if you are above
others
The Communication Planning Process:
_ Before communication can
take place a purpose expressed as a message to be conveyed, is needed.
o It passes between a source (the
sender) and a receiver.
o The message is encoded (converted to
symbolic form) and is passed by way of some
medium (channel) to the receiver, who retranslates (decodes) the message
initiated by the
sender.
o The result is transference of meaning
from one person to another.
_ The communication model is
made up of eight parts: the source, encoding, the message, the
channel, decoding, the receiver, noise, and feedback:
o The source initiates a message by
encoding a thought.
o The message is the actual physical
product from the source.
o The channel is the medium through
which the message travels.
o The receiver is the object to whom
the message is directed.
o Decoding—the symbols in the message
must be translated into a form that can be
understood by the receiver.
o The receiver is limited by his/her
skills, attitudes, knowledge, and social-cultural system.
o
Noise represents
communication barriers that distort the clarity of the message.
o Feedback is the check on how
successful we have been in transferring our messages as
originally intended.
Models of Communication:
_ Action Model:
Sender to Receiver
_ Interaction Model:
Receiver gives feedback to Sender
_ Transactional Model:
Both Sender and Receiver are in simultaneous communication
Communication in Organization: Communication is a process that links the
individual, the group,
and the organization.
_ There are three common
small-group networks: the chain, wheel, and all-channel.
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o The chain rigidly follows the formal
chain of command.
o The wheel relies on the leader to act
as the central conduit for all the group’s
communication.
o The all-channel network permits all
group members to actively communicate with each
other.
The effectiveness of each network depends on the dependent variable with which
you are concerned.
No single network will be best for all occasions
Major Problems of Organizational Communication:
o Employees don’t trust leaders
o Leaders resist hearing the truth
o Info filtered by chain of command
o Different goal/perspectives
Communication and Leadership:
o Effective leaders are also
effective communicators.
o To be effective, the leader must
synchronize verbal and nonverbal behavior.
o Technology has had a meaningful
impact on leaders’ communication and coordination
“In areas of leadership there is no talent more essential than one’s ability to
communicate.”
Guarino (1974, p. 1)
The Leader as Communication Champion:
• Establish credibility
• Build goals on common ground
• Make your position compelling to others
• Connect emotionally
Strong relationships are built on mutual understanding. Leadership is a
dialogue, not a monologue
_ Dialogue requires listening to
others and sharing of yourself
_ Personal credibility:
do what you say you will do.
Through effective communication, relationships are built, trust is established,
and respect is gained.
Reducing Communication Barriers:
Leaders must have a plan that can be used to reduce barriers to effective
communication through;
_ Establishing effective
interpersonal relations
_ Managing position power
_ Being an active listener
_ Acquiring feedback
_ Displaying empathy
_ Applying ethics to the
conversation
Speaking Hints:
_ When speaking or trying to
explain something, ask the listeners if they are following you.
_ Ensure the receiver has a
chance to comment or ask questions.
_ Try to put yourself in the
other person's shoes - Consider the feelings of the receiver.
_ Be clear about what you say.
_ Look at the receiver. Make
sure your words match your tone and body language (Nonverbal
Behaviors).
_ Vary your tone and pace.
_ Do not complicate what you are
saying with too much detail.
_ Do not ignore signs of
confusion.
Leadership is about listening:
• Hearing
• Understanding
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• Remembering
• Interpreting
• Evaluating
• Responding
• Hearing |
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