communication in the workplace-rc-mlvr

Communication in the Workplace

Ma. Lourdes V. Rodriguez, MBA

MLVR-OCTOBER 24, 2008

SEMINAR Objectives:

To be able to define Communication. To be able to identify the two types of Communication (verbal and non-verbal). To be able to give suggestions and tips on how to communicate in the workplace.


Good communication is a key part of success in the workplace.


Without communication skills we are unable to let others know what we think, feel, or want to accomplish. We are unable to build partnerships, motivate others, or resolve conflict.


ACTIVITYGROUP YOURSELVESGIVE A NAME FOR YOUR GROUP NAME SHOULD RELATE TO COMMUNICATION. Example: BloggersWRITE DOWN THE DIFFERENT WORKPLACES THAT YOU CAN THINK OF IN YOUR SCHOOL/COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY.


What is a workplace?Dictionary definition - A place, such as an office or factory, where people are employed.


What is our workplace?Administration officeAccounting officeHuman Resources OfficeBookstoreMaintenance officeEngineering officeGeneral Services ClinicRegistrarSecurity Guard officeStudent ServicesDiscipline officeCampus Ministry officeOthers


CommunicationThe exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, signals, writing, or behavior. The art and technique of using words effectively to impart information or ideas. Acceptable communication differs from company to company, but many aspects are universal.


Tips to help us communicate effectively in the workplace

Listen - When you listen to others attentively it makes them feel good. It also makes for a deeper and more positive connection with others. In turn, you form an understanding and they will listen to you when its your turn to speak. Poor listening happens often and results in misunderstandings and miscommunications.


ACTIVITYHOW GOOD A LISTENER ARE YOU?


A well-liked college teacher had just completed making up the final examinations and had turned off the lights in the office. Just then a tall, dark, broad figure appeared and demanded the examination. The professor opened the drawer. Everything in the drawer was picked up and the individual ran down the corridor. The Dean was notified immediately.


Answer the Questions1. The thief was tall, dark, and broad. 2. The professor turned off the lights. 3. A tall figure demanded the examination. 4. The examination was picked up by someone 5. The examination was picked up by the professor.


Answer True or False6. A tall, dark figure appeared after the professorturned off the lights in the office. 7. The man who opened the drawer was the professor. 8. The professor ran down the corridor. 9. The drawer was never actually opened. 10. In this report three persons are referred to.


ANSWERSTTTTF

6. F7. T8. F9. F10. T


INTERPRETATION OF SCORES8PTS 10 PTS - ACTIVE LISTENER5 PTS- 7 PTS AVERAGEBELOW 5 PTS NEEDS TO BE MORE ATTENTIVE.

1 POINT PER CORRECT ANSWER


WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE? Have Intention - Ask yourself what your intention is before starting a project, going to a meeting, or speaking to someone. You can also ask others what their intentions are in similar situations. Knowing your intention will help you be more conscious of what youre doing or saying.which means youll be able to be more effective and skillful.


SPEAK CLEARLYSpeak Clearly - Take a deep breath and remain positive when talking to people. Try to cut out the ums, uh-hmms and ahhs; these make it difficult for people to understand what youre trying to communicate. Try to keep your voice steady and dont talk too quickly or too quietly.

Be confident in what youre saying and others will feel your confidence too.


BE GENUINEBe Genuine - Being genuine can include speaking honestly, expressing excitement or sadness when you feel like it, and being friendly. There is nothing wrong with saying, no, I dont really agree with that, or you know, I think youve changed my mind! However, dont be rude. I was just being honest is not a good excuse for being harsh. Being genuine builds your confidence.


Be ReceptiveBe open to what others are saying or offering. Often, people restrict the flow of ideas or communication because theyre making too many assumptions or are being too quick to judge and criticize.


GROUP ACTIVITYLOOK AT THE LIST OF WORKPLACES IN YOUR SCHOOL. RATE THEM FROM THE LEAST TO THE MOST NUMBER OF TIMES IN A DAY THAT YOU COMMUNICATE WITH THAT DEPARTMENT.EX: VPA- 2X, ACCTG- 5X, HR- 4 X, ETC.


CommunicationFlow


Downward communication, Upward communication, Lateral communication, and the Grapevine.


Downward Workplace Communication: Enabling

Let's focus first on downward communication in the workplace, and a couple of its important characteristics. Consider these common, downward forms of workplace communication: A manager explains a task to an employee A customer gives an order to a supplier Shareholders instruct management.


EnablingThese forms have more than direction in common. Each one also provides enabling information in the workplace. When a manager instructs an employee, she enables the employee to do his job, and makes it possible for him to earn a living by doing something that has value for the employer. Another example: senior management finds out from shareholders, or the board of directors, how owners want to apply the money they've invested.


And, as information moves downward in the workplace, it grows increasingly detailed. Make a Budget reportMake a Budget report for the month to include the followingMake sure the report includes the exact amount and the qty.


All organizations of more than one person must use workplace communication in one way or another. One person must give another instructions before any activity can occur.


At each stage in the downward flow of communication, people in the organization receive information to help them do their jobs. And, at each stage the information become less abstract, more specific, and more detailed.


GROUP ACTIVITYILLUSTRATE AN EXAMPLE OF A DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION THAT YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED.SHOW THAT IT BECOMES MORE DETAILED AS IT GOES DOWN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.


Upward Communication: Compliance

A second major flow of communication is upward, from employee to supervisor, supervisor to department head, department head to vice president, and so on.


Less detail

Now, turning to upward communication, we know that the staff at the registrar or accounting department will report back to the section head on their number of enrolees.The college account, in turn, will report, in less detail, to the VPAA about enrollment figures. Finally, VPAA will report to the President on how well the College is doing for SY 2008-2009.


Group activityILLUSTRATE AN EXAMPLE OF UPWARD COMMUNICATION THAT YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED.SHOW THAT IT BECOMES LESS DETAILED AS IT GOES UP THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.


Lateral communication: Coordination

Now, think of the information that flows back and forth between you and your peers, whether you're a front-line worker, a manager, or a member of the board of directors. This is lateral communication.


Characteristics

First, no superior/subordinate relationship exists here; it's strictly a case of two people with roughly equal amounts of power and prestige. That makes this form of communication voluntary and discretionary. Yes, the boss may tell us to communicate with each other, but unless we both want to do it, we're not going to exchange much information of value.


That takes us to the second aspect, the idea of reciprocating. The quality and quantity of information we provide to our peers generally reflects what we get back from them. I may provide good information to you when we start working together, but I won't continue to provide it unless you reciprocate in kind.


Team Communication

Team communication is a special form of lateral communication, and an essential one.

For teamwork in the workplace, members must not only communicate with each other, but will often need to communicate with peers outside their immediate group.

Leaders will need to keep these communication flows in mind, as well as the upward and downward flows that connect them directly to their co-employees. Communication for team building and just plain teamwork and is many-faceted and requires consistent attention.


The Grapevine: Filling the Gaps

Its Tuesday morning, and John down the hall just emptied out his desk and left the building. Apparently for good. Everyone wants an answer to the same question: "Why?" If there's no official answer, and sometimes even if there is one, the people around him begin speculating about possible reasons. This is a communication channel that no one owns and no one controls. And while we might complain about gossips and busybodies, we all use it sooner or later.


It has a function

Despite its many faults, though, the grapevine does have a place, a function, in all organizations. It fills in gaps left behind by conventional and official communication. As I've said, downward communication delivers enabling information from superior to subordinate, while upward communication involves compliance information reported back to the superior by the subordinate. And, lateral communication takes place between peers, helping us coordinate with each other.


New tools

Traditionally, the grapevine revolved around mouth-to-mouth communication, with only occasional bits of information written down or put on paper. But, new technologies mean change. The Internet opened up all kinds of new opportunities for unofficial communication. Email, it's true, may be monitored, but that's easily circumvented. For example, free, anonymous email accounts offered all over the Net.


Then, there are photocopiers and fax machines, both of which can be used to surreptitiously maintain the grapevine. And how about cell phones, which provide an alternate means of mouth-to-mouth communication, even when you're at the office. While technologies enabling the grapevine may change, the same human traits continue to fuel this communication channel. They include our natural curiosity and our desire to influence the way others think and behave. Don't forget, either, about the need to get even or to belittle, which fuel many rumors that course through grapevines.


Speed

Where downward, upward, and lateral communication are structured and flow formally through specific channels, the grapevine goes through multiple channels and even multiple versions.


Communication Flow downward, or enabling, communication that moves instructions and other directive information down or through a hierarchy upward, or compliance, communication that provides feedback to the people who originate downward communication lateral, or coordinating, communication that moves between peers to maintain or improve operational efficiency the grapevine, which fills in gaps in official communication and provides answers to unaddressed questions.


Why is effective communication essential in the workplace?Communication: we are constantly bombarded by it. It may be in the form of spoken or written words, pictures, gestures, symbols and (for an interesting few) telepathic messages from a variety of intriguing sources. But in the workplace, effective communication is essential to our progress and well being.


What is your communicating style?Good communication skills require a high level of self-awareness. Understanding your personal style of communicating will go a long way toward helping you to create good and lasting impressions on others


By becoming more aware of how others perceive you, you can adapt more readily to their styles of communicating.


Three basic communication styles:

AggressivePassiveAssertive


Elements of the Aggressive StyleBeliefs "Everyone should be like me.""I am never wrong.""I've got rights, but you don't."

Communication Style Close mindedPoor listenerHas difficulty seeing the other person's point of viewInterruptsMonopolizing


Characteristics Achieves goals, often at others' expenseDomineering, bullyingPatronizingCondescending, sarcastic

Behavior Puts others downDoesn't ever think they are wrongBossyMoves into people's space, overpowers Jumps on others, pushes people aroundKnow-it-all attitudeDoesn't show appreciation


Nonverbal Cues Points, shakes fingerFrownsSquints eyes criticallyGlaresStaresRigid postureCritical, loud, yelling tone of voiceFast, clipped speech Verbal Cues "You must (should, ought better).""Don't ask why. Just do it."Verbal abuseConfrontation and Problem Solving Must win arguments, threatens, attacks Operates from win/lose position


Feelings Felt Anger HostilityFrustrationImpatience

Effects Provokes counteraggression, alienation from others, ill healthWastes time and energy oversupervising othersPays high price in human relationshipsFosters resistance, defiance, sabotaging, striking back, forming alliances, lying, covering upForces compliance with resentment


Elements of the Passive Style Beliefs "Don't express your true feelings.""Don't make waves.""Don't disagree.""Others have more rights than I do."Communication Style IndirectAlways agreesDoesn't speak up - Hesitant


Characteristics Apologetic, self-consciousTrusts others, but not selfDoesn't express own wants and feelingsAllows others to make decisions for selfDoesn't get what he or she wantsBehaviors Sighs a lotTries to sit on both sides of the fence to avoid conflictClams up when feeling treated unfairlyAsks permission unnecessarilyComplains instead of taking actionLets others make choicesHas difficulty implementing plansSelf-effacing


Nonverbal Cues FidgetsNods head often; comes across as pleadingLack of facial animationSmiles and nods in agreementDowncast eyesSlumped postureLow volume, meekUp talkFast, when anxious; slow, hesitant, when doubtful


Verbal Cues "You should do it.""You have more experience than I do.""I can't......""This is probably wrong, but...""I'll try..."Monotone, low energy


Confrontation and Problem Solving Avoids, ignores, leaves, postponesWithdraws, is sullen and silentAgrees externally, while disagreeing internallyExpends energy to avoid conflicts that are anxiety provokingSpends too much time asking for advice, supervisionAgrees too often


Feelings Felt PowerlessnessWonders why doesn't receive credit for good workChalks lack of recognition to others' inabilitiesEffects Gives up being him or herselfBuilds dependency relationshipsDoesn't know where he or she standsSlowly loses self esteemPromotes others' causesIs not well-liked


Elements of the Assertive StyleBeliefs Believes self and others are valuableKnowing that assertiveness doesn't mean you always win, but that you handled the situation as effectively as possible"I have rights and so do others."Communication Style Effective, active listenerStates limits, expectationsStates observations, no labels or judgmentsExpresses self directly, honestly, and as soon as possible about feelings and wantsChecks on others feelings


Characteristics Non-judgmentalObserves behavior rather than labeling itTrusts self and othersConfidentSelf-awareOpen, flexible, versatilePlayful, sense of humorDecisiveProactive, initiating


Behavior Operates from choiceKnows what it is needed and develops a plan to get itAction-orientedFirmRealistic in her expectationsFair, justConsistentTakes appropriate action toward getting what she wants without denying rights of others


Nonverbal Cues Open, natural gesturesAttentive, interested facial expressionDirect eye contactConfident or relaxed postureVocal volume appropriate, expressiveVaried rate of speech


Verbal Cues "I choose to...""What are my options?""What alternatives do we have?"Confrontation and Problem Solving Negotiates, bargains, trades off, compromisesConfronts problems at the time they happenDoesn't let negative feelings build up


Feelings Felt EnthusiasmWell beingEven temperedEffects Increased self-esteem and self-confidenceIncreased self-esteem of othersFeels motivated and understoodOthers know where they stand


Clearly, the assertive style is the one to strive for. Keep in mind that very few people are all one or another style. In fact, the aggressive style is essential at certain times such as: when a decision has to be made quickly;during emergencies;when you know you're right and that fact is crucial;stimulating creativity by designing competitions destined for use in training or to increase productivity


Passiveness also has its critical applications: when an issue is minor;when the problems caused by the conflict are greater than the conflict itself;when emotions are running high and it makes sense to take a break in order to calm down and regain perspective;when your power is much lower than the other party's;when the other's position is impossible to change for all practical purposes (i.e., government policies, etc.).


Remaining aware of your own communication style and fine-tuning it as time goes by gives you the best chance of success in business and life.


communication in the workplace-rc-mlvr

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