Organizational Communication
Concepts and Skills
G. W. Goodrum, Jr.
Abstract
The first critical concept addressed in this paper
is active listening. This interpersonal
communication skill involves the listener receiving, processing and responding
to information which promotes further communication. A survey of industrial purchasing agents
suggested that from the customer’s point of view, listening may be the single
most important skill that salespeople can possess (Moore, Eckrich and Carlson
1986). Several models have attempted to
conceptualize the process of active listening but none have considered
listening as an autonomous entity with several dimensions.
Organizational
Communication Concepts and Skills
The
purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the knowledge of organizational
concepts and skills learned throughout this course. There are five concepts that are important
for successful communication within an organizational setting. The five concepts that will be discussed in
this paper are: active listening, key principles of human communication, formal
and informal communication, organizational culture, and leadership strategies. As these concepts are addressed, leadership
behavior and management practices will be vital in understanding why the key concepts
are necessary for successful communication and how best to implement them within an organization.
The
first critical concept addressed in this paper is active listening. This interpersonal communication skill involves
the listener receiving, processing and responding to information which promotes
further communication. A survey of
industrial purchasing agents suggested that from the customer’s point of view,
listening may be the single most important skill that salespeople can possess (Moore,
Eckrich and Carlson 1986). Several
models have attempted to conceptualize the process of active listening but none
have considered listening as an autonomous entity with several dimensions.
According
to many theorists active listening is a multidimensional process consisting of
three distinct dimensions: sensing, processing, and responding. Each dimension though isolated and separate from
each other performs crucial roles in defining active listening. Sensing or receiving the message is the first
stage, while processing the information occurs in the mind, followed by responding
which includes acknowledging the message.
These three dimensions represent significant
stages in the listening process (Comer and Drollinger 1999). The stages or dimensional process of
listening occurs instantaneously with each stage taking place prior to the
next.
The
first dimension, "sensing," refers to the physical receipt of the
message which is the most basic aspect of listening (e.g., Nichols and Stevens
1957). Sensing can be described at a
minimum of hearing words and inflections.
The effectiveness of hearing primarily indicates the stimulation was
accurately received by sender. The next
dimension, “processing” involves the operation of the brain where the listener interprets
and understands the incoming message. "Understanding" refers to an
individual's ability to accurately ascribe meaning to incoming messages, both
verbal and non-verbal, and includes the emotion behind the words (e.g.,
thoughts and feelings), as well as their literal meaning (Covey 1989).
"Interpreting" incoming information involves comprehending its emotional
meaning and underlying implications.
Assigning
emotional meaning to a message demonstrates to the sender that the listener is
doing their best to understand the sender’s thoughts and feeling
(empathy). The final dimension to
listening is “responding”. This stage
refers to how the information is received by the sender. Responses serve multiple roles, they ensure
the sender the message is accurately received and communication should continue
or should more elaboration take place.
This dimension includes
a
number of factors such as verbal and non-verbal responses. Comer and Drollinger (1999), suggests “Verbal
responses range from short dichotomous acknowledgements (e.g., yes or no) to
paraphrasing and/or elaborate questioning. Non-verbal responses include head nods, facial
expressions, body language, and comfortable levels of eye contact.” While the sender is paying attention to way
we respond, the receiver’s actions take into consideration the full extent of
what they are trying to communicate. In
organizational life, the above mentioned factors verbal and non-verbal are used
to evaluate relational implications that the sender provided.
Theorist have
concluded, as active listeners and communicators in an organization, we need to
show each other affection, and express caring, concern, and friendship to
others in order to develop effective relationship (Kreps 2011). In a nutshell we must demonstrate
empathy. Empathy is defined as the
ability "to perceive the internal frame of reference of another with
accuracy, and with the emotional components and meanings...as if one were the
other person, but without ever losing the `as if condition" (Rogers 1959,
p. 210). Theorist concur that effective
organizational communication incorporates empathy and is the most important of
all the previously discussed dimensions of sensing, processing and responding.
When we engage in the
process of organizational communication, we must have the knowledge that
communication is a continual process. It
does not start and stop, like an automobile driving through city traffic; it is
active, energetic and cumulative. As in
any process there are principles that guide the development of organizational communication. In this development process there are three
vital principles involved in human communication as an organization: the
communications process, transactional communication and relationship dimension.
In organization
communication the most significant principle in communicating is the process of
communication. Whether the process
involves creating or responding to messages internally or externally generated,
a response is created to acknowledge the communications process. Another aspect of organizational
communication occurs when a series of actions or interconnected interactions
are exchanged. This process is
considered transactional communication.
It encompasses everything from the initial contact to receiving the
desired or undesired response. In an
organizational setting, both sender and receiver will exchange information and
are aware of the many factors that influence the communication process.
One such factor is need
determination. This single aspect of the
transactional communication where listening is critical, it is when probing for
needs (Comer and Drollinger 1999). In
determining a need for communications, the primary task for an organization and
customer is to achieve a meeting of the minds.
To achieve this part of the process; messages must be received
accurately and completely.
Organizational participants must clarify needs in which both parties
understand the context and their relevance.
Without clarification problems may surface in the form of
miscommunication and inevitably an unsatisfied customer. The success of needs determination in an
organization must be alert to all cues, understand that all information is
pertinent when it is received and correctly processed.
The final dimension in communicating
in an organizational setting is to establish a relationship with each
other. Developing rapport involves a
"cycle," during which organizational participants perceive and
respond to cues while interacting with prospects/customers so as to create
feelings of comfort and trust (Nickels, Everett and Klein 1983). The ability to develop and maintain rapport
requires intuition and excellent interpersonal skills. Every time we communicate with others in
organizational setting we have the opportunity to meet others’ communication
expectations and encourage these organizational participants to reciprocate by
meeting our communication expectations (Kreps, 2011).
Organizational
participants and leaders develop rapport quite easily since their empathetic
sensing and processing skills together with a quick response guides the
appropriate avenues of conversation.
Organizations that are prepared to move forward in their interactions
with consumers utilize effective formal and informal communication techniques.
Effective
leaders tend use both formal and informal communication techniques to develop
active and influential networks to communicate with their group members. An organizational culture defines the identity
of the organization to both members and nonmembers. They also assist in identifying roles within
the organization and its societal role within the society. Consequently, a leader’s behavior and
management practices are likely to reflect behavior patterns favored in their
organizational culture. Organizations
use advertising, slogans, internal documents and speeches to formally
communicate with group members. They
also incorporate informal communication channels like lunchroom chats and water
cooler discussion to informally communicate with organizational participants.
Organizational
leaders use effective listening and member education to provide a safe
environment or climate of security, which encourages participants to take risks
to reach the desired learning outcomes and engage in problem solving. The use of effective listening results in a
trusting atmosphere which participants feel free to learn and share processes, experiences
and ideas. Organizational participants
that learn to listen effectively are more likely to have successful educational
and developmental experiences and become effective communicators in their
future relationships and careers (Shipley, 2010).
Organizational
cultures can be emphasized and effectively measured through areas of trust and
respect with the main goal of tasks completion and employee compliance. Organizational participant’s performance is
influenced culturally by organizational rewards and penalties. Transactional leadership is built on an
organizations authority and legitimacy with an emphasis on work related tasks,
goals and assignments. Voon and Ayob
(2011) argued that the influence of leadership originates from the nature and
behavior of the leader. When leaders implement
effective strategies within an organization his or her personal values and
beliefs will motivate subordinates to achieve organizational goals.
The
growing diversity of organizational life and the complexity of cultural
variations can be identified nationally, ethnically, racially and
religiously. An effective organizational
leader must maneuver past the variations previously identified by developing
and incorporating strategic processes to assist its participants in promoting
team building, commitment and coordination.
By building strong relationships between participants and leaders this strategies
will often promote cooperation and satisfaction within organization.
The
different leadership strategies affect leadership performance and ultimately
organizational goals. In order to be an
effective leader he or she must be “adaptable” and adjusting their leadership
styles for different situations.
Organizational leaders that learn to adapt their communication skills to
influence followers or a targeted audience are perceived to be more successful
than others. These leaders tend to
communicate situationally by paying attention to people and the organizational
goals as a whole. Effective leaders have
certain concern that factors into their decision making strategies: the nature
of the organization, background issues, constituent concerns, and urgency of
the situation.
Effective leaders understand there
is no one right way to lead, but rather an adaptive style that answers the
situations. The qualities of a good
leader are to be decisive, direct and autocratic, especially when there is
limited expertise and experience among the organizational participants in the
best ways to react to these kinds of emergencies (Kreps 2011). Communicating leaders will bring people and
organizations together for the ultimate goal, success.
This paper has demonstrated the
knowledge of organizational concepts and skills learned throughout this
course. There were five concepts discussed
that are important for successful communication within an organizational
setting. The five concepts discussed in
this paper were: active listening, key principles of human communication,
formal and informal communication, organizational culture, and leadership
strategies. As these concepts are
addressed, leadership behavior and management practices will be vital in
understanding why the key concepts are necessary for successful communication
and how best to implement them within an organization.
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