Business Communication (2020) PDF

Focusing on Interpersonal and Group Communication LEARNING OBJECTIVES After studying this chapter. yrru should he able in Explain how behavioral theories about human needs, trust and disclosure, and motivation relate to business communication. a Describe the role of nonverbal messages in communication. @ Identify aspects of effective listening. @ Identify factors affecting group and team communication. Q Discuss aspects of effective meeting management. @ BEHAVIORAL THEORIES THAT IMPACT COMMUNICATION Interpersonal intelligence pertains to the ability to (footl and basic provision) and (2) security and safety read, empathize with, and understeurd others.l People with interpersonal intelligence are g00(l with people and thrive in needs (shelter and protection from the elements and physical dangerl Beyond these two basic need levels, socirrl interaction, Rather than beirrg a quality that some are people progress to satisfy the three upper~level needs: born with and others are not, interpersonal intelligence can (3) social needs for love, acceptance. and belonging; be improved b)’ broadening your understanding of human (4) eg<r or esteem needs to be heard, appreciated, and behavior and motivation and by practicing certain behaviors wanted; and (5) self—actualizing needs including the when in interpersonal situations. Knowledge from the fields need to achieve ones fullest potential through profes- of sociology7 and psychology is helpful to inrderstanding sional, philanthropiu political‘ educational. and artis» human needs and providing you with valuable insights about tic channels. As people satisfy needs at one level, they move on to the next. The levels that have beer] satisfied still are present. but their importance diminishes. Effectiy'e comnnnricator are able to identify and appeal to need how to achieve effective communication in the workplace. 2-1a Recognizing Human Needs Psychologist Abraham Maslow developed the corr~ levels in various individuals or‘ groups. Advertising is cept of a hierarchy of needs through which people progress. In our society, vacation ads appeal to ego needs; teeth whitening and interpersonal intelligence the ability to read, empathize, and understand others designed to appeal to need levels. Luxury car and dream most people have rea- anti-aging products messages appeal to social needs; sonably satisfied their two lowerdevel needs: and identity theft, health and fitness, aml environmen- tally friendly corrrmercials appeal to security and safety (1) physiological needs needs, Efforts to help employees satisfy their needs PART ONE. Communication Foundations ("ripynghl 11m my“ ltrrtnrng Arr mm mama an ml bu: rum-r «mm-r mnprrmr. m whilstvt m m. Duo in rinclmni "grin. sum: rim-l [wry conical may he mppmmr rmm the frame nudiunﬁrpurnr Editorrrrl renew rm mama ilratan} uppmsxed mnrcnr rm not mutually rum the overall Icnnmrg expermm’e Ccngagc Learning mama m: man is remove additional ronrcm rr any lum- rlsuhwqmm rights restrictions requrm rl WesrendﬁI/Gerlv Images are essential, since a satisfied worker is generallv more 1ti lied one. 111 communication acti itie 1 senders message is more likely' to appeal to the receiver if the receiver's need is accurately identiproductive than a di lied and addressed. 2-11: Stroking their communication, as well as people's feelings about their work. 2-1c Exploring the Johari Window As relationships develop, the people involved continue to learn about each other and themselves, as shown by the Johari Window in Figiii'e 2.1. Area I, the free or People engage in communication with others in the hope open area represents what we know about ourselves that the outcome might lead to mutual trust. mutual plea~ and what others k11o\\ about us. Area I], the blind area. sure. and psychological well-being. Tlie communication designates those things others know about us but that exchange is a means of sharing information about things ideas. tasks. and sches. Each communication interaction. Whether casual or l'ormal. provides an emotional stroke that can have we don't know about ourselves. For example‘ you are the onl) person who can't see your physical sell" as it either a positive or a negative effect 011 your feelings area H]. Area IV includes the unknomi: things we don't about yourself and others. Getting a pat 011 the back know about ourselves. and others don't know about us‘ from the supcn‘isor, receiving a congratulatory phone such as our ability to han~ call or text message. and being listened to by another dle emergency situations person are examples of everyday positive strokes. Nega— tive strok s might include receiving a l1u1tlul comment, being avoided 01“ left out of a conversation. and receiv- if we've never beeii faced with them. Each of the window ingr a reprimand from a superior. By paying attention to areas can vary in size the importance ofstrokes. managers can greatly improve according to the degree really is. Things we know about ourselves but that others don't know about us occupy thc hidden or secret stroke an emotional response one gets during a communication interaction that has either a positive or a negative effect on feelings about oneselfand others CHAPTER 2 Focusmg 011haemersonal and Group Communication 0 Hr'ht2”3\l'clvga§clo:.irnxng 1\IIR1gM~Kc~an-d 5m mtheuvmc-Luanlml mu. 1 a mwl-vlcurm m Durinehtmnk "gm. wmclliml mnymmcnlmw m" mmminim-«1mmMarlena-um 511.111“. new 1m 1mm 1I1a1 an} uppmxwal mutt-111 11m m: mutually aim m memll karma: arguments cf.” 1mm; towns a» nyummmmcaddumn lmnhn m mm- 11 suhwqmm "gm- wum‘lmm leqmm a 23 relationships with significant others, THE JOHAHI WINDU siblings, and parents, deeper, personal \ feelings ar‘e entrusted to each other. Tire idea that trust and openness leads to better connnunication between two people also applies to groups. Managers engaged in orgmrimtiorml KNOWN TO SELF development (OD) are concerned with NOT KNOWN TO SELF developing successful organizations by building effective small groups. They believe small-group effectiveness evolves mostly from a high level of mutual trust among group members. The aim of OD is to open emotional as well as task-oriented communication. 3m. lStuck com/Vetta callectmnlStenhen Laurence Strathdee T0 OTHERS NOT KNOWN T0 OTHERS To accomplish this aim, groups often become involved in encounter sessions designed to enlarge the open areas of the johari VVindowF 2-1d Contrasting Management Styles Douglas McCregor, a management the» orist, attempted to distinguish between the older, traditional View that work- ers are concerned only about satisfying lower-level needs, and the more 00114 temporary view that productivity can be enhanced by assisting workers in satisfy» ing higher-level needs. Under the older' view. management exercised strong conto which we learn about ourselves and are willing to disclose things about ourselves to others. Reciprocal sharing occtu's when people develop trust in eaclr other. When a confidant demonstrates that he or she individual, and sought to motivate solely through external incentives—a job anti a paycheck. McGregor labeled this car] be trusted, trust is reinforced and leads to an style, TheolyY, management strives to balance control and expansion of the open area on the ]ohari Window. Usually we are willing to tell people about various things that aren't truly personal. But we share personal thoughts, ambitions, and inner feelings only with directive behavior characterized by leaders who give detailed rules and instructions and monitor closely that they are followed supportive behavior characterized by leaders who listen, communicate, recognize, and encourage theirfollowers 24 trol, emphasized the job to the exclusion of concern for the management style Theory X. Under the contemporary individual freedom. By treating the individual as a mature person, management lessens the need for external motiva~ tion; treated as adults, people will act as adults. The situational leadership model developed by Paul Hersey and Kenneth Blanchard does not prescribe a single selected otlrersetlrose whom we have learned to trust. The relationships task to be performed. Directive behavior is charac- existing between supervisor and employee, doctor terized by the leader’s giving detailed rules and instructions anti monitoring closely that they are followed. The and patient, anti lawyer and client are those of leader“ decides what is to be done and how. In contrast, trust, but only in speciﬁc listening, commrnricating, recognizing, and encouraging. areas. In more intimate Different degrees of directive and supportive behavior leadership style, but advocates that what is appropriate in eaclr case depends on the follower (subordinate) and the supportive behavior is characterized by the leader’s PART ONE. Communication Foundations Cmynglﬁ znmmmc rm.“ All mgr“ mama Mny ml occupied (mind. ltduplmltd. in warm". mm. rm m mun“ "gins. mm mm my mm may in: summ‘ﬁtd (mm the monk nndln-rd‘hu’llcrlir Editor-M mvitw has Maid mm", (Wpwkwﬂ comm don! ml "um-my mm m: overall Icammg exp-amnct.(‘cngn5t Learning menu m: not in mmwvn [iridium-oi mm m an) mm “same... rights mstnctnm requlm u can be desirable, given the situation.‘ Combining the ideas of Maslow and McGregor with those ofHelsey and Blanchard leads to the conclusion that “the right job for the person" is a better philosophy than “the tiglit person for the job." The total quality management movement focuses on creating a more responsible role for the “without the use of words." Although major attention in communication studie given to verbal messages, studies show that nonverbal elements can account for“ more than 90’7/c of the total meaning of a message" Nonverbal communication includesmet/100111111"nimfion ancl kinasilr 111088116063, worker in an organization In a total quality management environment, decision-making power is distributed to the people closest to the problem, who usually have the best A metacommunication is a message that. although information sources and solutions. Each employee, from not expressed in words, accompanies a message that 2-2a Metacommunication the president to the custodian, is expected to solve prob— is expressed in words. For example, “Don't be late for lems, participate in team-building efforts, and expand the work" communicates caution; yet the sentence might imply (but not express in words) such additional ideas scope of his or her role in the organization. The goal of employee empowerment is to build a work environment in which all employees take pride in their work accomplishments and begin motivating themselves from within, as “You are frequently late, and I'm warning you." or “I doubt your dependalnlitv." “Your solution is perfect" might also convey a metacommunication such as “You rather than through traditional extrinsic incentives." Man- are efficient," or “I certainly like your work." Whether agers of many companies understand that empowering you are speaking or writing, you can be confident that employees to initiate continuous improvements is critical those who receive your messages will be sensitive to foi' survival. Only companies producing quality products and sewices will survive in today’s world market. Leadership studies have taken a new turn in the messages expressed in words. and to the accompanying messages that are present but not expressed in words. recent years with the emergence of the social constmctionist View of leadership, A social constructionist view sees leadership differently than the psychological 2-2b Kinesic Messages approach to management discipline. A social construc- People constantly send meanings through kinesic tionist view sees leadership as a co»constructed reality that emerges from the interaction of social actorsr \Vhat this means is that certain leadership behaviors are acceptable to group members while others are communication, which is an idea expressed through nonverbal behavior. In other words, receivers not. Because of this. a person may position him- or herself as a leader, but others may not perceive these gain additional meaning from what they see and hear—the visual and the communication behaviors as corresponding with their vocal: perception of a leader. - Visual kinesic communication— From this perspective, the leader of a group may not be the formally appointed manager or, in total quality manager's-ht focuses on creating a more responsible role for the worker in an organi tion by distributing decision-making power to the people closest to the problem, empowering employees to initiate continuous improvements certain situations, as discussed in Chapter I, leader'- gestures, winks, smiles, frowns sighs, ship may be distributed among team members. The motocomm uniation attire, grooming, value of this approach to leadership is its focus on the a nonverbal message that, and all kinds of body importance of communication practices in creating leadership, @ NUNVEHBAL COMMUNICATION Managers use verbal and nonverbal messages to cornmunicate ideas to employees. Verbal means “through the use of words." either written or spoken. Nonverbal means movements. - Vocal kinesic communicationf intonation, projection. although not expressed in words, accompanies a message that is expressed in words visual kinesic communication gestures, winks, smiles, frowns, sighs, attire, and resonance of the grooming, and all kinds of body voice. movements Following are some exam- vocal kinesic ples of kinesic messages and the meanings they can projection, and resonance of the communication intonation, voice come}: CHAPTER 2. Focusing on interpersonal and Group Communicauon Cmyngm mm L‘cnpigc Lcarnmg All my“ Famed an on hccoprcd vcnnltdr itduplmlcd. m whilst-Jr m rl.|n.Duc1n claim": nghls. a...» third [mm mm may be «water Imm ummt unamcmpmo Editorial review hm mm lhalarry tippmswd rumour m, m manually alien til: ovcnlll Icammg “alimony“ Learning mm m: m. in mm gaunt“ runrcm a any rm llsuhwqmnl rights wslnclnns rcqum: t. 25 Germany, the top floor of office buildings is generally A wirrk or light chuckle follows a statement. ”Don’t believe what I just A manager is habitually ”My time is more important said." late for staff meetings and than yours. You can wait ranking executives occupy the middle of an office area with subordinates located around them. Chronemizsr or values related to time, refers to the action might be ordinary for way that people organize and use time and the messages that are created because of our organization and use of a manager not born in the United States. time. Our use of time communicates several messages. Our urgency or casualness with the starting time of an “I want to demonstrate event could be an indication of our personality, our status, position other than at the my equality with other or our culture. Highly structured, task-oriented people with email replies. A group leader sits at a head of the table. An employee wears clothing that reveals tattoos, which violates the company’s dress code. A job applicant submits a résumé containing errors. for me." Alternately, the members." may arrive and leave on time, whereas relaxed, relation— "Rules are for other oriented people may arrive and leave late. People with people; I can do what I want." Alternately, “I do not understand the expectations." higher status are granted more leeway in their arrival "My language sldlls are deficient." Alternately, “I didn’t care to do my best." 2-2c Other Nonverbal Messages In addition to kinesics, proxemics, clu'onemics, and hap~ low status are expected to be on time, while those with time. Being on time is more important in some cultures than others, for example, being on time is more important in North America than in South America, whereas people of Germany and Switzerland are even more timeconscious than people from the United States. Another cultural issue to recognize is whether a country follows polyshrunic time (P-time) or mouochronic time (M-time). Countries that follow polychronic time tics are elements of nonverbal communication. Proxemits. or the study of human space, revolves around two con- work on several activities simultaneously In these cul- cepts: territoriality and personal space. Territoriallty refers don't mind interruptions and are accustomed tr) doing tures people are more important thari schedules so they to your need to establish and maintain certain spaces as several things at once. People in polychronic cultures your own. In a workplace environment, the walls of your borrow and lend things and tend to briil(l lifelong rela» cubicle or‘ office often establish your territory Personal space is the distance between you and others with which you feel comfortable. When someone invades your per- tionships. PeolJle from high-context cultur‘es—tlmse that pay attention to context of communication~tend to be sonal space, you often automatically more auay from that and Southern Europe, polychronic, including Latin Ameri 1 the Middle East, person. However, personal space preferences can differ Countries that are mouochronic in their time orien» among people For example, large people also usually tation include the Urritetl States, Germany, Switzerland, prefer more space, as do men. ture. People of the United States tend to neetl more space and England. In mouochronic cultures, time is considered as something tangible, as is reflected in such say» ings as “wasting time" and “time is money." Time is seerr than those from Greece, Latin America, or the Middle as linear and manageable in such cultures. It is consid- East. The Japanese tend to prefer a greater distance in social situations than do people of the Unitecl States. Cultural differences also extend to how people corn- the phone while someone is in your ofﬁce or stopping to Similarly, personal space preferences differ by cul- ered rude to do two things at once, such as answering text someone while in a conversation. However, with the municate through space in seating arrangements anti the layout of offices. People in the United States. for“ prevalence of cell phones, this consideration is rapidly example, prefer to converse face-to»face, while people property and rarely borrow or lend and are accustomed to short~term relationships. in China prefer to sit side Inf side. This preference may 26 occupied by top-level executives, while m France, high- changing. Monochronic people tend to respect private allow them to avoid direct eye contact, which is the cus- Haptics. or touch, communicate a gi'eat deal. What is tom in that culture. In terms of the ofﬁce environment, appropriate and people’s tendency to touch differs by gen~ private offices have more status in the United States, der and culture. Studies indicate that women in the United while in Japan, only executives of the highest rank may have a private office, although it is just as likely that they States value touch more than men, women are touched have desks in large work areas. In the United States and and men may rise touch to indicate power or" dominance. more than men, men touch others more than women do, PART ONE. Communication Foundations Cmyngtﬂ ltlmfcngagc Learning All my.“ Farmed Mny mil Mcoprcd «mm-r. wduplrrlcd. m wholcnr m rum. rm n- amnm "girls. sum mm mm conical may he wprlﬂ‘sTr‘ lmmmcdimk unamcmpmm Editorial review has heard m. any raw-ma camera dam not malnually Mien It's overall learning mammal-gag Leaning mm m: “an in mm addrrmnal ronrem a an) rmre rlsuhwqrmnr nghu restrictions require u People from different countries also handle touch differently. Sidney jourard determined the rates of touch per hour among adults of various cultures. Adults in ' Nonverbal messages can have different meanings for diff-root people. If a team member smiles after making a statement, one member might conclude that the speaker was trying to be funny; another might Pueito Rico touched 180 times per hour; those in Paris touched about 110 times an hour; those in Cainesville, conclude that the speaker was pleased about having Florida, touched 2 times pei' hour: and those in London made such a great contribution; and another might touched once per hour. see the smile as indicating friendliness. In touch»oriented cultures. such as those of Italy. Spain, Portugal, and Greece, both males and females ° Nonverbal mlssagos vary between and within culturos. Not only do nonverbal messages have different may walk arm in arm or hold bands. In Mexico, Eastern meanings from culture to culture, but men and Europe, and the Arab world, embracing and kissing is women from the same culture typically exhibit dif— common. However, in Hoiig Kong, initiating any physical ferent body language. As a rule, US men make less body contact with other men, them do women with contact should be avoided. Some cultures also restrict where touching may other women. Acceptable male body language might occur on the body, In India and Thailand, it is offensive to include a handshake or a pat on the back. whereas touch the head because it is considered sacred. In Korea. young people do not touch the shoulders ofelders. Your clothing and othe ‘ adornments, such as jewelry, hairstyle, cosmetics, shoes, glasses tattoos, and body women are afforded more flexibility in making body contact with each other. - an be intended to mean "I agree m’th you" or “You are right or] this issue, but you have been wrong on all others discussed." piercings. communicate to others your age, gender, status, role. socioeconomic class, group memberships, per— sonailior, and relation to the opposite sex. Such cues also indicate the historical period, the time of day, and the Nonverbal messages can be intentional or unintentional. “You are right about that - Nonverbal messages can contradict the accompany- climate. Clothing and other artifacts also communicate your self-concept or the type of person you believe you ing vorbal massage and affect whether your mossago is understood or believed. The adage “actions speak are. Conforming to current styles has been correlated to louder than words" reveals much about how people a person ’s desire to be accepted and like(l by others. Indi\iduals believe that clothing is important in forming first imprc ‘sions. Clothing has been shown to affect others impressions of our status arid personality perceive messages. Picture a person who says, “I'm timidly in front of his or her body. Because his or her traits. For this reason, most advise that you should pay verbal and nonverbal messages are contradictory, attention to dressing professional in business situations because it can affect your credibility, attractiveness, and his or her audience might not trust his or her words. perceived ability to fit within a professional culture. personal app Aarance by a job candidate. This rule can be particularly important when dealing with international audiences because they tend to make assumptions about another person's education level, status, and income based upon dress alone. Therefore, those who are interested in careers in international business should follow Molloys rules for business dr Clothing should be consenrative, upper class, and traditional. 2-2d Understanding Nonverbal Messages Nonverbal messages have characteristics that all commu— nicators should take into account. - Nonverbal messages cannot be avoided. Botli written and spoken words convey idcas in addition to the ideas contained in the words used. All actions—and even the lack of action—have meaning to those who obseiTe them. happy to be here," but looks at the floor, talks in a weak and halting voice, and clasps his or her hands Similarly, consider the negative effect ofa sloppy - Nonverbal mossagos can rot-Iva morn attontlon than verbal messages. If a supervisor repeatedly glances at his smartphone for text messages, or rhythmi~ cally taps a pen while making a statement. the words might not register in the employee's mind. An error in basic grammar might receive more attention than the idea that is being transmitted. - Nonverbal messages provide clues about the sender's background, attitudes, and motives. F 01" example, excessive use of big words might suggest that a per— son reads widely or has an above»average education. It might also suggest a need for social recognition or insecuriw about his or her social background. - Nonverbal messages are inﬂuenced by tho circumstances surrounding the communication. Assume that two men, Cane-sh and Jacob. are friends at work. “7h en they CHAPTER 2. Focusing on interpersonal and Group Communication any"... zuzir L‘cnpgc Initnmg .\II mg... Rmmcd Mny m.- on...“ vsulrltll ntrlupltnlcll. .. “mi. ...... rum. n... u- can...“ "girls. sum: mm: my mm... m,» be supptcwcil rm... lhccﬂmk and/orcfhapkrlxi mm”... review has am“... u... an) uppmswd mac... don mt nutenally mm ttr: overall Icammg axpcnenet,€cngagt to...“ towns m. “y“ ... remove an...“ an"... .. an» m... llsuhwqmnl nghh mm...“ regain a 27 are together on the job, Ganesh sometimes puts his the rapid changes of a globalized world, and listening to luuid on Jacobs shoulder. To Jacob, the act could mean nothing more than “\Ve are close friends." But suppose Ganesh is a member of a committee that subsequently denies a promotion for Jacob. Afterward, others is a critical component ofsuch an orgamization.‘ the same act could mean “We are still friends," but it could also cause resentment, Because ol’the circum~ stances. the same act could now mean something such - Listening depends on your abilities to receive and decode both verbal and nonverbal messages. The best» devised messages and sophisticated communication systems will not work unless people on the receiving end of spoken messages actually Listen. as "Watch the hand that pats; it can also stab,‘" 2-3a Listening for a Speciﬁc Purpose Nonverbal messages can be beneﬁcial or harmful. Individuals satisfy a variety of purposes through listen» ing: (1) interacting socially. (2) receiving information. Words or actions can be accompanied by nonverbal messages that help or“ hurt the sender's purpose. Nonverbal communications can convey such mes» sages as “I am competent and considerate of others," or die)' caii convey the opposite. They cannot be eliminated, but you can make them work for you instead of against you by recognizing their value and becoming more aware of them. (3) sobingproblems. (4) sharing feelings with otheis, and (5) showing interest and resolving conflict Listening is a more complex behavior than is typically acknowledged, with some suggesting more than two dozen differ» ent types, Each activity may call for a different style of listening or for a combination of styles. - Casual listening. Listening foi’ pleasure, recreation, amusement. and rela‘cition is casual listening. LISTENING ASA COMMUNICATION SKILL Despite the fact that many professionals believe, incor‘ Some people listen] to music all day long fOi' relaxatioii and to mask unwanted sounds during dail routines, work periods, and daily commutes. Aspects of casual listening are as follows: 0 It provides relaxing breaks from more serious tasks and supports our emotional health. rectly, that business communication is about presentation and not interaction, most employees spend a major pait of their day listening to others. In fact, listening is our most used communication skill. In the corporate world, managers may devote more than 60% of their workday to listening to others.5 Chief executives may spend as much as 75% of their communicating time listening." Listeriing to supervisors. employees, customers, and colleagues commonly consumes more of employees' time than reading, writing, and speaking combined. With snnu'tphones. tablets, and 24/7 access to lllll)l‘~ mation. it is harder than ever to pay attention to some- thing without a screen, let alone be an effective listener, But although people may be glued to their device of choice, listening is even more crucial to effective commu» ni -ation, and real knowledge. Learning not only happens by reading, researching. or through today’s favorite shiny object—Big Data. Tme learning comes from sharing ideas through conversation, which involves being fully engaged in listening, business, and life. Only then can ideas evolve, leaders lead, and teams usual (thin Iistenin g g for pleasure, recreation, amusement, and relaxation ﬂourish. Strategist I’etei‘ Senge emphasizes the valiie of developing "learning organizations“ to deal with EFFECTIVE LISTENING HABITS PAY OFF IN SEVERAL WAYS P Good listeners are liked by others because they satisfy the basic human needs of being heard and being wanted. P People who listen well are able to separate fact from ﬁction, cope effectively with false persuasion, and avoid having others use them for personal gain. P Effective listening leads to sensitivity and tolerance toward key individuals who are critical to the organization's success, such as employees, customers, and suppliers. P Effective listeners are engaged and constantly learning—gaining knowledge and skills that lead to increased creativity, job performance, advancement, and satisfaction. P Job satisfaction increases when people know what is going on, when they are heard, and when they participate in the mutual trust that develops from good communication. PART ONE. Communicatioin Foundations cimyngm 11111! L‘cnpigc inning All my“ Ruined Mny MI hceoprcd econll'd itduplmlul. m wimlnirm m. Du: ln cloclmmc nghls. sum: ihrrd my conical may he arms“ from lhccliook nnﬂord‘hupkrisl Editorial m\|ew has themd ihaiarr) “Wm“ rumour dun Int mtg-tinny aim the merJI Ieammg cxpermnct ("engage Lei—inns mm at nglii a. remove additional cur-rem a in) mm: «sustains-tings“ rennet-om m...“ a a It illustrates that people are selective listeners. You listerr to what you want to hear. In a crowded roorrr in which everyone seems to be talking, you "an block out all the noise and engage in the con» versation tlrat yolr are having with someone. 0 It doesn’t require much emotional or physical effort, - Listening for lnformatlon. Listening for irrfor» nratiorr involves the search for data or material. In a lecture class, for“ example, the instructor usually has 0 Ask questions as needed to ensure accurate understan ding. 0 Empathetlc listening. Empathy occurs when a person attempts to share another's feelings or emotions. Counselors attempt to use empathetic listen- ing in dealing with their clients, and goO(l friends listerr errrpatlretically to each other. Empathy is a valuable trait developed by people skillecl in inter— personal relations. \Vhen you take the time to listen to another, the courtesy is usually returned. When a strateg for guiding the class to desired goals. The listeuirrg empathetically: instructor will probably stress several major points and use supporting evidence to prove or' to reinforce them. When engaged in this type of listening. you 0 Avoid preoccupation with your own problems. Talking too nruclr and giving strong nonverbal sig» could become so focused on recording every detail 0 Remember that total empathy can never be achieved sirrrply because no two people are that you take copious notes with no organization “7hen listening for information: nals of disinterest destroy otlrers' desire to talk. exactly alike. The more similar our evperiences, 0 Use an outlining process to help iforr capture urairr however, the better the opportunity to put ourselves irr the other person's shoes. Listening with ideas and supporting sub-points in a logical way. empathy involves some genuine tact along with ° Watch the speaker as you listen to him or other goocl listening habits. her, because rrrost speakers exhibit a set of mannerisms composed of gestures anti vocal inﬂections to indicate the degree of importance or seriousness that they attach to portions of their You might have to combine listening intensively, actively, and errrpatlretically in sonre situations. Perfor~ presentations. and other sensitive discussions between supervisors and ' Intensive listening. When yoii listerr to obtain information, solve problerrrs, or persuade or dissuade nrance appraisal interviews, disciplinary conferences, employees require listening intensively and actively in order to gairr an accurate understanding of the message tening. Intensive listening involves greater use of and background, as well as to understand feelings and preconceived points of view. your analytical ability to proceed through problemsolving steps. When listening intensively: 2-3b Ball Listening Habits (as in arguments), you are engaged in intensive lis- ° 138001110 kl g()()(l SlllTllTlill'iZCT. ° Trace the development of the discussion, and then move from there to your own analysis. 0 Active listening, Active listening requires that the listener fully concentrates, understands. responds, and then remembers what is being said. It is usefiri when receiving important instructions, resolving conﬂict, and prmiding or" i'ecei\r'rrg critical feedback. Most of us have developed bad listening habits in one or more of the following areas: - Faking attention. Have . r V _1 you e 81 )een m roduced to someone only to realize 30 seconds 1_ _ lA l 4 M81 t “t yoli mlssec . . . . [Isl-mug for information listening that involves the search for data or material intensive ﬁshning listening to obtain information, When listening actively: the name? We can look directly at a person, 0 Observe the speaker’s behavior and body lan- nod, smile, and preterrfl active listening requires to be listening. that the listener fully guage. Having the ability to interpret a persons body language lets the listener develop a rrrore accurate understanding of the speaker’s message. 0 0 Allowing disru ptions, We ‘ . welcome disruptrons of Paraplrrase the speaker's words. In doing so, almost any sort when we the listener is not necessarily agreeiugwitlr the are eugagec "1,501“.6_ speaker sirrrply stating what was said to ensure understanding. . . 1. What difﬁcult hstenmg. solve problems, or persuade or dissuade concentrates, understands, responds, and then remembers what is being said mplthutrc’ listening listening to others in an attempt to share their feelings or emotions Tire next time someone CHAPTER 2: Focusing on interpersonal and Group Communicatlon c..,.y..gr.. 11111! ("engage Learning All my.“ mama Mny ....r hccupxcd ......mr uaupmcu. ... ...-an..." ...... m: ... rhclmni "gt... a...» third |nrly tank-ill ...... he «.....er lmmlhc climk ....amcmmm min"... ru|ew in: Maid lhararr) “Wm“ cnmenr Joni mt nulenqlly mm .m overall Ital-um; Expﬂrl‘nrt.('cngngc Lea-ring mum‘s ...; nghl ... ”...... additional emutem a! any ...... “mm“... ......“ “...-...... require .. 29 enters your classroom or meeting room. notice how s car can actually di. inguish words in speech in excess of speaker. and the topic, to observe the latecomei: 5111) words a minute, and many people read at speeds well Overlistening, \\'l1e11 we ‘attenmt to record many details in writing or in memory, we can um" listen and miss the speakers 111ajor points. " Stereotyping. Vl'e make spontaneous judgments about others based on such issues 1 " appearances. mannerisms, dress. and speech delive1y If a speaker doesn‘t meet our standards in these areas. we simply turn off our listening and 115511111c> the speaker cant have much to s 1 are between 10(l and 15() words a minute. The human illll]()St l’VUl‘YUnU ll] the YUUIH turns il\\'il_\' l-l'Olll tllC Dismissing subjects as uninteresting. People tend to use disinterest as a rationale for not listening. Unfor— tunatelv. the dec on is usually made before the topic is e\' 111trodueed. A good way to lose an instructors respect when you have to mil class is to ask he we going to do anything impoxtant in class toda’ beyond 50() words a minute Finally. our minds process thoughts at thousands of “ords per minute A second re. 011 for poor listening habits is that it takes effort to listen. as opposed to simply hearing. We need to take steps to concentmte on what we are hearing to eliminate distractions, and to take notes. and engage in active listening techniques as described in the box "Suggestions for Effective Listening in the next section. Q GROUP COMMUNICATION Although much of your spoken communication in business “ill occur in one-to»one relationships, another fre- quent spoken‘connulmjcation activity will likely occur when you participate in groups. committees. and teams. f Failing to observe nonverbal aids. To listen effectively. you must obsen'e the speaker. Facial expressions and body motions always accmnpany speech and contribute a lot to messages. 2451 Increasing Focus on Groups In recent years. developments among US businesses have Many bad listening habits develop simply because shifted attention away from the employment of traditional organizational subunits as the only 111echa11isms for the speed of spoken 111essages is far slower them our abil— achieving organizational goals, and toward the increased ity to receive and process them. Normal speaking speeds use of groups. Flat organizational struttures. Many businesses today have downsized and eliminated layers of 111anage1ne11t. Compa— nies unplementing Total Quality Management programs are reorga— nizing to distribute the decision-making power throughout the orga11i~ zatimr The trend is to eliminate functional or departnwntal boundar- E> E ea > e =e Although much research has been conducted in the area ofgroup size, no optimal number of members has been identiﬁed. Groups of ﬁve to seven members are thought to be best for decision-making and problem‘solving tasks. An odd number of members is often preferred because decisions are possible without tie votes. ies. Instead. work is reorganized in cross— disciplinmy teams that perform broad core proces es (cg. product development and sales generation) and not narro\\' tasks (cg. forecast- ing market demand for a particular product). 30 PART ONE. Communication Foundauous Crmynghi I'lyll'cngugrlcatnlng 1111 11.51.“ kmnca M111 m1 Mama units] a 1Iupl1tmcd.m\1lmic mm." Ductinckunmk "gm. «mm 11.1.1 “my u‘lmcnl rmy he mppmw Invmilic rg<-vk.w1/m.f1.1,-mn.1 511.111“ renew ins themed mm in, wwﬂmxwd “intent does not nutenally ant-n in overall aiming expermmt ("engage Learning rescue a» ngit 11. mm “mm“ mmcm 41.111» 1m Itsubwqmnt "glib mttm'mm require 11 GGESTIONS FOR EFFECTIVE LISTENING You can enhance the effectiveness of your face-to-face listening by following these suggestions: P Minimize environmental and mental distractions.Take time to listen. Move to a quiet area where you are not distracted by noise or other conversation. Avoid becoming so preoccupied with what you will say next that you fail to listen. P Get in touch with the speaker. Maintain an open mind while attempting to understand the speaker’s background, prejudices, and points of view. Listen for emotionally charged words and watch for body language, gestures, facial expressions, and eye movements as clues to the speaker’s underlying feelings. } Use your knowledge of speakers to your advantage. Some people seem to run on and on with details before making the point. With this kind of speaker, you must anticipate the major point, but not pay much attention to details. Other speakers give conclusions first and perhaps omit support for them. In this case, you must ask ques- tions to obtain further information. P Let the speaker know you are actively involved. Show genuine interest by remaining physically and mentally involved. Provide nonverbal feedback by maint ing eye contact and smiling or nodding at statements with which you agree. Signal that you understand with such verbal messages as "l see/”go on,” and “I agree!’ D Do not interrupt the speaker. Try to understand the speaker’s full meaning, and wait patiently for an indication of when you should enter the conversation. > Ask reflective questions that assess understanding. Simply restate in your own words what you think the other person has said. This paraphrasing will reinforce what you have heard and allow the speaker to correct any misunderstanding or add clarification. > Use probing prompts to direct the speaker. Use probing statements or questions to help the speaker deﬁne the issue more concretely and specifically. P Use lag time wisely. Listening carefully should be your primary focus; however, you can think ahead at times as well. Making written or mental notes allows you to provide useful feedback when the opportunity arises. If you cannot take notes during the conversation, record important points as soon as possible so you can summarize the speaker’s key points. In a ﬂat organizational structure. communicating across the organization chart (among crossvdisciplinzny sign of the human desire to succeed, and in terms of economic behavior, competition is fundamental teams) becomes more important than communicating up to the private enteipn'se system. At the same time, and down in a top-hemy hierarchy. A11 individual can take on an expanded role as important tasks arc assumed. This role can involve power and authority that surpass when excessi\'e competition replaces the cooperation neccss T)" For success. communication can he diminished. if not eliminated. the individuals status, oi' formal position in the orgae nizational chart. Much of the cominnnication involves Just as you want to look good in the eyes of your coworkers and supen‘isors. units within organizations <'--‘( '(1.' f“? to lace meetinns WM] te ann membeis"z 1 “1161“t than want to look good to one anothei,.This attitude caii cause moves methodically from one department to another: Companies such as IKEA, the Swedish furniture manu- philosophy- When exces_ 've competition has a nega- Facturer and retailer, are using ﬂat organizatioiml struc- e\'eiyone loses. ,. .’.‘. ~ "r“. ”.-( . numcious‘ tinn consuming handolls is tlltt. pioduct tures within stores to build an employee attitude of job involvement and owneislup. - g .. s hehaVior to take a competitive torm, m, a Win/lose ), tive inﬂuence 01] the performance ol‘ the organization, Although competition is appropriate and desir» role tasks employees Heightened focuson cooperation. Competition has _ ' .» 4 . able in many situations, 4 _ many companies have assume that can involve power . and authoritythatsurpass theirformal position in the Organizations and individuals compete for a greater sliaiL ol scam icsouicc s. loi a Illi'lll‘t d niimlici ol takeii steps through open communication and inloi- organizational chart status one's formal position in positions at the top of organizatioris, and for esteem mation, and reward sys» theorganizationa! chart in their professions, Such competition is a healthy tems to reduce competition been a characteristic way of life in US companies. CHAPTER 2. Focusmg on Inierpersonal and Group Communicatrovv Cum/"gill znxi mime imam; All mm Rama-d May mil hemmed «mine-l itiluplmlcil. m vii-inc w m m- m: in electronic "glib. vim: lhml mny comer-l may be wry-"mi um um cBook mamcmpnm Editonal review rm 1mm ihal an) (metwd cirnlent am mt materially mm its: overall aiming expermm’t eta-mt Loam tang In: nyti In mm additional mum in any man ilwbwqmnl nghu witnctnns require a 3I and to increase cooperation. Cooperation is more likelyf As you consider the following factors of group com~ when the competitors (individuals or groups within an inunication, try to visualize your relationship ‘m the organization) have an understanding of, and appreciation for, others' importance and functions. This cooperative groups to which you have belonged, such as in school, religious organizations, athletics, and social activities. spirit is characterized as a “win/win” philosophy. One ' Common goals. In effective groups, participants share a common goal, interest, or benefit. This focus on person's success is not achieved at the expense or exchi- 51011 of another. Groups identifv a solution that evelyone finds satisfactory and is committed to achieﬂ'ng. Reilch- goals allows members to overcome individual diffcrences of opinion and to negotiate acceptable ing this mutual understanding requires a high degree of trust and effective interpersonal skills. particularly empa- solutions. e Role perception, People who are invited to join thetic and intensive listening skills, and the “illiugness to communicate long enough to agree on an action plan groups have perceptions of how the group should operate and what it should achieve. In addition, each acceptable to everyone (see Figure 2.3 for a discussion of member has a selilconcept that dictates how he or she will behave. Those known to be aggressive will attempt to be confrontational and forceful: those who like to be known as moderates will behave in interpersonal styles). 2-4b Characteristics of Effective Groups moderate Wins by settling arguments rather than Groups form for synergistic effects. Through pooling initiating them In successful groups, members play their efforts, members can achieve more collectively a variety of nece ssary roles and seek to eliminate than they could individually. At the same time, the social nonproductive ones, nature of groups contributes to the individual as well. Although conununication in small groups leads to deci- - Longevityi Groups formed for“ short-term tasks, such sions that are generally superior to individual decisions, as arranging a dinner and program, will spend more the group process can motivate members, improve think» time or] the task than on maintenance. However, ing and assist attitude changes, groups formed for long-term assignments, such as an FUUH INTERPE Aggressive NAL COMM IEATI STYl Verbally attacking someone else. being controlling, provoking, and maybe even ph_\'sicall_v intimidating or violent. \ Exam/110: “What is wrong with you? All you t‘L‘K‘I” think almat is yinn-salfl" Passive-Aggressive Retaliating in air indirect manner rather than expressing negative feelings. such as anger, directly. This type oi' behavior may cause confusion because the person on the receiving end may feel “stung" but can't be sure how or why. Example: Aii employee [L'IIU is angiy abaai his law salary may inaka nt'gﬂﬁljl’ comments an Twitlci" about iha i-nnnmny i-nilim- than th‘v-nss tha . lll' willi his supervisor: Passive \Vithdrawing in an attempt to avoid confrontation. Passive people let others think for them. make decisions for them. and tell them what to do. Example: An rfllzployccﬁ’t’fs n int/angin- i.i treating lii'r nnnriy Slicfecls miniifni inn rhu'su't express 1! because she haliam lu’l' colleague will not listen to her concerns anyway. she is» likely [tlﬁ‘l‘l flown. perhaps even depressed, {llllf avoids i'iilt'rticliiig icilli lii'r col/Vagina Assertive Knowing what you feel iinii iiiini you iinni This lieniiini- involves nnii-essiiig feelings and needs directly and honestly without violating the rights of others. Assertive people accept responsibility for their feelings and actions. Example: "I was aiigly when yan didn't show Illlﬁn‘mll' meeting, I knaw that your tiina is as ctr/liable lo yan as my [line is tn llll‘. Ill'ullfl] Appreciate il if in ihaﬁiinra yan wnnlil Ell” lllt’ if yna kimw you can‘t make an nppoiui‘nwiit or ifynn are going tithe/11m" —— 32 —— ‘ PART ONE. Communication Foundations ciinyiiiiii 11111! mime ruining All Rigm Rcsmrd Mhy iiiii minim-i Knnll‘ll.l'||up|l(1td.ll| wholcor iii in." nut in minim iiiiiiis. «in: nmd Fifty mini-ii iiiii,» he nipnimcii inini llrc cuiiiii inaiiriciiipiiiiii Editorial nan-w iiii chmtﬂ iiiai iii, swpreswd content inni mt [unusually mm In iiveniii icininig experience ci-iigngc Lcii-iiing minim in right in minim naiiiiiniini mineiii ii in» tone iisiiniaiiiaii nghu Mina-iii; icqiiim ii accounting teairr auditing a major corporation, may devote much effort to maintenance goals. M aintenance includes dixision of duties, scheduling, record- keepmg, reportind, and assessmg progress - Slzo, The smaller the group, the more its members have the opportunity to communicate with each other. Lru'ge groups ofteii inhibit communication because the opportunity to speak auul interact is limited. However, when broarl input is desired, large grorrlis can be good, if steps are taken to ensure that there is effective communication. Interestingly, large groups generally divide into smaller groups for maintenance purposes, even when the large group is task oriented. - Status. Some group members will appear to have higher ranking than others. Consider a group in which the chief executive of an organization is a member. \Vhen the chief executive speaks, members 2-4-c Group Roles Groups are made up of members who play a variety of roles, both positive and negative. Negative roles detract from the group’s purposes and include those in the fol» lowing list. NEGATI ROUP ROLES b Isolator—one who is physically present but fails to participate b Dominator—one who speaks too often and too long D Free rider—onewho does not do his or herfair share of the work P Detractor—one who constantly criticizes and complains agl'ee. then members speak, they tend to direct D Digresser—one who deviates from the group's their remarks to the one with high status-the chief executive. People are inclined to communicate with P Airhead—one who is never prepared purpose peers as their equals, but they tend to speak upward Socializer—one who pursues only the social aspect of the group to their supervisor and donmward to lower—level employees. In general, groups require balance in sta- tus and expertise. - Group norms. A norm is a standard or average behavior. All groups possess norms. An instructor’s behavior helps establislr classroom norms. If some students are allowed to arrive latc' for class, others will begirr to arrive late. If some are allowed to talk during lectures, the norm will be for students to talk. People conform to norms because conformity is easy, and nonconforrnity is difficult and uncomfort» able, Conformity leads to acceptance by other group members and creates communication opportunities. 0 Leadership. The performance of groups depends or] several factors, but none is more important than leadership. Some hold the mistaken view that leatl- A list of positive grouI) roles can be found as follows: SITIVE ROUP ROLES D Facilitator (also known as gatekeeper)—one who makes sure everyone gets to talk and be heard Harmonizer—one who keeps tensions low b Record keeper—one who maintains records of events and actl ities and informs members P Reporter—one who assumes responsibility for preparing materials for submission P Leader—one who assumes a directive role ers are not necessary‘ when an organization moves to a group concept, The role of leaders changes substantially, but they still have an important part to play. The ability ofa group leader to work toward task goals, while contributing to the development of group and individual goals, is often critical to group success. Leadership activities may be shared among several participants. and leadership may also be rotated, formally or informally. As part of the group, the leader can affect the establishment of norms by In healthy groups, members may fulfill multiple roles, which rotate as the need arises. Negative roles are extinguished as the group communicates openly about its goals, strategies, and expectations. The opinions and viewpoints of all members are encouraged and expected. 2-4d From Groups to Teams determining who can speak and when, encouraging Some use the terms group contribution, and proﬂding motivation for effective and teatri interchangeably; others distinguish between group activrty." norm a standard or average behavior CHAPTER 2: Focusing on interpersonal and Group Communication Copynght 11111! L‘cnmgc imam; All my“ Rmmcd Mny rm hccopxcd wnnll'd. wduplmlcd. m wholrnrm m. Due in claim": nghls. sum: ilmd imly conical may he wmwi 1mm the amt ondlnrd‘huplerlsi Blimml m\|ew has mm than") awma mum am not matenally tum rim overall Ieummg expermnct ("engage Learning mwn‘u m; nglil m remove mam“ mm a in, im llsuhwqmnlnghu msincinm m...“ a 33 EFFECTIVE GROUP NORMS AT GOOGLE Five years ago, GoogIe—one of the most public proselytizers of how studying workers can transform productivity—became focused on building the perfect team. In 2012, the company embarked on an initiative—code-named Project Aristotle—to study hundreds of Google’s teams and ﬁgure out why some stumbled while others soared. No matter how e researchers arranged the data, though, it was almost impossible to find patterns—or any evidence that a the composition of a team made any difference. As the researchers studied the groups, however, they w 5 noticed two behaviors that all the good teams gener5 ally shared. First, on the good teams, members spoke in roughly the same proportion, a phenomenon the researchers referred to as ”equality in distribution of conversational turn-takingl’On some teams, everyone spoke during each task; on others, leadership shifted among teammates from assignment to assignment. But in each case, bythe end of the day, everyone had spoken roughly the same amount. “As long as everyone got a chance to talk, the team did well,"said Anita Woolley, the study’s lead author. “But if only one person or a small group spoke all the time, the collective intelligence declined.” Second, the good teams all had high “average social sensitivity"—a fancy way of saying they were skilled at intuiting how others felt based on their tone of voice, their expressions, and other nonverbal cues. One of the easi- est ways to gauge social sensitivity is to show someone photos of people’s eyes and ask him or her to describe what the people are thinking or feeling—an exam known as the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test. People on the more successful teams in Woolley’s experiment scored above average on the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test.They seemed to know when someone was feeling upset or left out. People on the ineffective teams, in contrast, scored below average. They seemed, as a group, to have less sensitivity toward their colleagues, Within psychology, researchers sometimes colloquially refer to traits like “conversational turn-taking" and ”average social sensitivity” as aspects of what's known as psychological safety—a group culture that the Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson defines as a "shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk-taking."There were other behaviors that seemed important as well—like making sure teams had clear goals and creating a culture of dependability. But Google’s data indicated that psychological safety, more than anything else, was critical to making a team work. Source: Duhig, c. (2015, Feb. 25). Credit Illustration by James Graham What Google Learned from Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team. TheNew Vork'lees Magazine. Retrieved June 1, 2015 from httptl/wwwmytimescom/ZOl6/02/28!magalinelwhat<googIe<leamed-from-iIs-quest'to-huild-theperfect-team .btm|Lr=0 them. The major distinction task force a team of workers that is generally given a single goal and a limited time to achieve it quality assurance team a team that focuses on product or service quality; projects can be either short or long term cross-functional team a team that brings together employees from various departments to solve a variety of problems 34 - A quality assurance team, or‘ quality circle, between a gimp and a team focuses on product or service quality, and projects is in members attitudes and level of commitment. can he either short 01" long term. A team is typiﬁed by a clear identity and a high level of commitment 011 the P‘dl't ot’ members. A variety (ifstrate— gies has been used for organizing workers into teams: - A task force is gcncr— ally given a single goal and a limited time to achieve it. ' A cross-functional team brings together employ» ecs from various departments to solve a variety of problems. such as productivity issues. contract estimations and planning. and multi-depaltment difficulties. A product development team concentrates on innovation and the development cycle of new prod» acts, and is usually cross‘l'unctional in nature. \r’\"hereas chain ol' command is still at work in formal orgimizational relatimiships and responsibilities. team PART ONE. Communication Foundations ("11m'nghlI'Dll'clrprscltammg All Righs Rasmcd my ml hcuirncd «alum-l. It'luplnrlcd. m whirl-ml m yum. me u- ckclmnrc "girls. «urn: mm mrly women! may he mpprcmi rmm llrc rBmk nmynrcfhmplulxl Edimml mm. lm menial ihaian) upprctwnl ﬁtment am mi nulnnall) Mir-n rm uvcmll lemmg c‘pctmnrl ("august Lcarnmg mwryﬁ m: "arr u. remove adduunml armour at any time ilwbmqmm nghh msinctmm require it stmctures unite people from varying portions ofthe Olganization. Work teams are typically given] the authority to act on their conclusions, although the level of authority varies, depending on the organization and the purpose of the team. Typically, the group supem’sor retains some responsibilities, some decisions are made completely by the team, and the rest are made jointly. Merely placing workers into a group does not make them a functiorml team. A group must go through a developmental process to begiii to function as a team. The four stages of team (levelopment include the following: P” 1. Forming—becoming acquainted with each other and the assigned task Storming—dealing with conflicting personalities, goals, and ideas 3. Norminggdeveloping strategies and activities that promote goal achievement 4. Performlng—reaching the optimal performance level 5. Adjourning—concluding the project Teams have existe(l for hundreds ofyears throughout many countries and cultures. Teams are more flexible than larger organizational groupings because they on be assembled, deployed, refocused, and disbanded more quickly, usually in ways that enhance rather than dismpt more permanent structures and processes Organizational changes are often necesszuy, however, because support must be in place for“ performance evaluation, recognition, communicatitni, and training systems. Strategies for bringing about needed change might include arranging site visits to similar organizations that ab'eady have teams, bringing in a suc» cessful team to speak to the organization. and bringing in consultants to discuss the team development process. 2-4e Decision Making One of the biggest uses of groups or teams is decisioii mak— ing. Groups caii be useful in making decisions because m

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