Reading: Lesson 3 - Communication in Organizations

7.3.A - Communication in Organizations

1. COMMUNICATION CONFLICTS

1. Managers deal with a variety of communication problems. Some problems that challenge the communication skills of managers involve resolving conflicts and handling cross-cultural communication effectively. At times, people disagree with each other. Most job-related disagreements are likely to be temporary and easy to settle. Disagreements become a concern to a business when they lead to conflict. Conflict is interference by one person with the achievement of another person’s goals. Conflicts usually occur between two people, but they may also occur between an individual and a group or between groups. Because conflicts are sometimes an obstacle to job performance, managers must deal with them.
   
2. A small amount of conflict is sometimes beneficial, because it may challenge employees and stimulate new ideas. For example, the advertising manager may decide to budget as little as possible to advertise a particular product, whereas the sales manager may have decided to try to boost sales for that particular product through increased advertising. At this point, conflict exists because the goals set by each manager differ. However, this type of conflict can lead to a healthy discussion of how much to spend on advertising and how best to advertise to produce the highest sales at the lowest advertising cost. The result can lead to the achievement of a goal that is best for the business. When employees discuss and resolve their conflicting goals, the organization can benefit. However, when conflicting goals are not resolved, long-term problems often result. If the sales and advertising managers proceeded with their individual plans, money would be wasted and sales would be lost.
   
3. Whereas some conflict in organizations may be healthy, too much conflict can be harmful. Undesirable conflict results when the actions of any person or group interfere with the goals of the organization. In the preceding example, if the sales manager became resentful of the advertising manager and undermined the company’s budget goals by deliberately spending more than the amount agreed upon for the product, undesirable conflict would result. Employees who dislike others and carry grudges often cause problems for an organization. Therefore, undesirable conflicts should be resolved as soon as possible. 
   
4. Conflicts can be resolved in various ways. Because every situation is different, managers must decide which type of strategy will best resolve each conflict.
   
5. One strategy for resolving conflict is to take a neutral position or to agree with another person’s position even though it differs from your personal belief. This approach, known as the avoidance strategy, avoids the conflict. One manager may decide to accept the goal of another manager or avoid expressing an opposing opinion about the goal. When a conflict is relatively unimportant, the avoidance strategy may be the best approach. However, if a disagreement involves important issues, avoidance is not a good strategy. It can often lead to resentment.
   
6. A second way to resolve conflict is through a compromise strategy, whereby everyone involved in a conflict agrees to a mutually acceptable solution. Often, a compromise grows out of a thorough discussion of the goals and the best way to achieve those goals. This strategy is better than avoidance because it usually leads to a workable solution, as everyone involved personally contributes to the decision. Also, people are more likely to support a compromise solution that they have helped to develop.
   
7. The most dangerous approach to resolving conflict is a win/lose strategy. A win/lose strategy is one in which no one compromises, thereby resulting in one person winning and one losing. A win/lose strategy is never acceptable to everyone, although people often engage in such a strategy. Win/lose strategies interfere with the achievement of organizational goals because they often (1) take time and energy away from the main problems and issues, (2) delay decisions, (3) arouse anger that hurts human relationships, and (4) cause personal resentment, which can lead to other problems. Because win/lose situations are destructive, managers should attempt to prevent them. Setting clear objectives that employees understand and agree on, stressing the need for cooperation in reaching objectives, and working for group decisions when special problems or disagreements arise are ways managers can avoid win/lose strategies.
   

2. CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

1. A nation’s culture sets the broad boundaries of shared values, beliefs, and behavior. Within the nation’s culture, there are also subcultures or smaller groups with their own unique values, beliefs, and behavior. Subcultures can reflect regional differences, such as between the northeast and southwest United States. Subcultures also can exist within ethnic groups such as Hispanics, Asian Americans, and Native Americans. Subcultures can even exist between generational groups, based on age. When doing business across cultures and subcultures, companies face communication barriers created by language, customs, and traditions.
   
2. Few American managers speak a foreign language fluently. However, doing so does not solve all problems when someone is transferred to another country. The people of most nations realize that learning a new language is difficult. But they are more than willing to help foreigners learn. They are especially impressed when someone who does not know their language makes a noble effort to learn. Many corporations now provide intensive language training for managers assigned to foreign branches. Information on the social customs and education, legal, and political systems is included in the training. Joint ventures between American and foreign firms often reveal language problems. A joint venture between Ford Motor Co. and the Japanese Mazda Motors Corp. provides an example of overcoming language difficulties. The president of Mazda estimated that 20 percent of the meaning of a conversation with Ford leaders was lost between him and the interpreters. Another 20 percent was lost between the interpreters and the Ford leaders. Working with only about two-thirds accuracy, the Mazda president made an extra effort to make sure his message was getting through. He strongly believed people should meet face to face and talk freely.
   
3. People from other cultures often place different values on such things as family, status, and power. In India, for example, providing jobs for male family members in a business is more important than earning a profit. Humor differs worldwide too. In addition, accepted practices in one country may be impolite elsewhere. For example, American businesspeople generally like to start and end meetings on time. In Japan and certain other countries, this practice would be considered rude rather than businesslike.
   
4. Great differences exist in the area of nonverbal communication, especially body language. For example, how close one stands when talking to someone else differs from culture to culture. For most conversations, Americans stand two to three feet apart, whereas Middle Eastern people stand much closer. Even colors have different meanings. In Western countries, black is often associated with death, but in Latin American cultures, death is represented by white and purple. A handshake also varies from place to place. In Spain, it should last from five to seven shakes, but the French prefer one single shake. Because differences exist among nations and cultures, executives prefer to conduct extremely important business transactions in a formal manner. Usually, that means greater use of written reports and expert translators. However, for day-to-day international operations, managers must learn to understand the cultural and communication practices of other nations.
   

3. COMMUNICATING ACROSS GENERATIONS

1. It is not unusual for businesses to have a workforce that spans four or five generations. Each of these generations has preferred communication styles and workplace expectations. A manager could come from any of these groups and have a work team that crosses all generations. Managers must ensure that there is a good communication strategy in place and that conflicts are minimized between these generations.
   
2. The Figure below shows differences across five generations. Each generation is influenced by a series of external events. These often impact the generation’s attitudes and preferred communication style. A baby boomer manager may prefer a face-to-face meeting while a Generation Y team member may prefer to teleconference or discuss the issue through a series of text messages. The Generation Y team member may not even check emails as often as a Generation X team member. Members of the Traditionalist Generation (also called the Silent Generation) may still be at a business as board members, top management, or as employees working during their retirement years. Differing attitudes can result in conflicts. Members of the Traditionalist Generation and baby boomers may show up early and stay late at work. Generation Y team members may value their social time more than working extra hours. They may also have less long-term loyalty to their employers. 
   
   

   

3. Successful cross-generational communication starts with understanding the preferred communication styles of the team members. Managers should engage in mentoring, or actively advising coworkers. Reverse mentoring, whereby a younger employee works with an employee from an older generation to help give a perspective on the differing attitudes, use of technology, and preferred communication styles, is another helpful strategy. The Generation Z population is moving into the workforce. This generation has grown up with Internet-accessible devices. They will not know a world without instant access to the entire Internet through their own smartphone. How this will impact their work life is still being determined.
   

4. IMPROVING ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

1. Good managers are usually good communicators. This is often a skill that managers need to learn and practice. Small businesses provide for plenty of two-way communication between owners and employees. As companies get larger, however, a shift to one-way communication often occurs for efficiency purposes. When this happens, problems can arise because valuable feedback from employees and customers is reduced. Good managers develop plans to obtain feedback even when they are extremely busy. Some managers, however, discourage two-way communication because they feel uncomfortable with it and because it is time-consuming. For example, one boss in a firm fired an employee by email, even though the employee’s office was right next door. Organizations that encourage managers to consciously engage in two-way communication are often more successful than those that do not.
2. Two-way communication assures feedback. Effective listening results in effective feedback. Frequently, employees have questions and encounter problems on the job. They need to talk to someone who listens carefully. Hearing and listening are not the same. Most people can hear when someone speaks, but they may not pay attention to the message. Listening involves hearing and understanding. Good listeners make every effort to practice the rules of good listening shown in the Figure below to make certain that they receive the messages accurately. 
   

   
   

3. In large organizations, upward communication is sometimes neglected. Managers may not want to hear complaints or deal with suggestions because they require time. To make certain that upward communications occur, some businesses ask managers to use specific techniques. One technique is called “management by walking around.” Managers leave their offices from time to time and make trips through the working areas. While doing this, they chat with employees about various problems and conditions. Another practice is for managers to encourage employees to meet with them when they have concerns. To control the time this “open door policy” takes, some managers restrict the practice to one hour per week, when employees can make appointments. Suggestion boxes have been used for many years and have great value in encouraging communication.
   

4. No technique is better than regular meetings with employees. Some firms select a certain number of employees from different departments and organizational levels to meet with top managers on a regular basis. The manager informs them about important company matters and invites questions and ideas. Studies have shown that employees who are informed about their companies have stronger positive feelings than those who are not. The top-level managers benefit by getting feedback from people throughout the company.
   

5. When managers want to communicate with others, they should carefully select an appropriate communication channel. Generally, when a manager must reprimand an employee or settle a dispute, the oral communication channel is best. The oral channel is most effective for explaining the reason for the reprimand or for working out an acceptable solution to a dispute. The written communication channel is best when managers want to communicate information requiring future action or information of a more general nature, such as a new policy or a revised operating procedure. Such matters should be put in writing for later reference. Managers should follow up on information provided in writing, because it serves as a reminder that the information is important and it provides an opportunity for the receiver to ask questions. Email is a good way to follow up because it is fast, easy, and provides immediate feedback. Email is not a good substitute for oral communication in situations that call for face-to-face discussion.
   

6. In some situations, two channels of communication work best—first oral and then written. Managers should use both channels when they want to (1) give an immediate order, (2) announce a new policy, (3) contact a supervisor about work problems, or (4) compliment an employee for excellent work. In most of these situations, the information is best delivered orally on a one-to- one basis, which personalizes it and allows for immediate feedback. The written channel then allows for reinforcement and creates a record of the event.