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Communicating in Today’s Workplace
Business Communication: Process and Product
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Communicating in the New Workplace
Ethical Business Communication
The Communication Process
Skills forCareer Success
Organizational Communication
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Why You Need to Build Career Skills
Strong communication skills are • necessary for hiring. • top skill set sought by employers.• critical for promotion. • essential for effective job performance.• more important now as a result of technology.• learned through instruction and practice.
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Ensure Your Success as a Knowledge Worker
In today’s Information Age, expect to • work with words, figures, and data• think critically• make decisions• take charge of your career• continue learning all your life
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Get Ready for Critical Thinking, Decision Making, and Problem Solving
Identify and clarify
Problem
Gather information
Evaluate evidence
Consider options
Test best option
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Factors that Affect You in the New Workplace
• Heightened global competition• Flattened management hierarchies• Expanded team-based management• Innovative communication technology• New work environments• Increasingly diverse workforce
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What It Takes to Succeed
• Success for YOU in the new global and diverse workplace requires excellent communication skills!
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The Communication ProcessBasic Model
Noise NoiseNoise Noise
NoiseNoise Noise
Noise
Sender has idea
1Sender encodes idea in message
2Message travels over channel
3 Receiver decodes message
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Feedback travels to sender
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Possibleadditional feedback to receiver
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The Communication Process Expanded Model
Encoding
Decoding
Encoding
Understanding
Decoding
Person A Person B Feedback Channel
Sending ChannelStimulus
Understanding
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Inheritance
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Understanding Is Shaped by
• Communication climate• Context and setting• Background, experiences• Knowledge, mood• Values, beliefs, culture
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Barriers That Create Misunderstandings
• Bypassing• Poor listening skills• Differing frames of
reference• Lack of language skills• Emotional interference• Physical distractions
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Overcoming Barriers That Cause Misunderstandings
• Realize that communication is imperfect.
• Adapt the message to the receiver.
• Improve your language and listening skills.
• Question your preconceptions.
• Encourage feedback.
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Organizational Communication
• Functions– Internal– External
• New emphasis– Interactive– Mobile– Instant
• Forms– Oral– Written
• Delivery– Electronic– Hard copy
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Communication and Formal Channels
WrittenMemos, lettersAnnual reportCompany newsletterBulletin board postingsOrientation manual
Electronic E-mail, Instant messaging Voicemail, Videoconferencing
Intranet
OralTelephoneFace-to-face conversationCompany meetingsTeam meetings
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Information Flow in Organizations Formal Channels
Downward flow
Upward flow
Managers Supervisors
Subordinates Supervisees
Cow
orke
rsC
oworkers
Horizontal flow
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Information Flow in OrganizationsFormal Channels
Managers Supervisors
Subordinates Supervisees
Job plansPolicies
InstructionsProcedures
Flows from decision makers
to workersDownward
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Information Flow in OrganizationsFormal Channels
Managers Supervisors
Subordinates Supervisees
FeedbackProgressProblems
Suggestions
Flows from employees to
decision makers
Upward
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Information Flow in OrganizationsFormal Channels
Horizontal flowShared information to coordinate
tasks, solve problems, resolve conflict
Flows among workers at the same levelCo
wor
kers
Coworkers
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Information Flows in Organizations Informal Channels
• The grapevine, gossip from the break room to the water cooler
• Carries unofficial messages• Flows haphazardly• Can be remarkably accurate• Is mostly disliked by management• Thrives where official information
is limited
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Barriers to the Flow of Organizational Information
• Lack of trust, turf wars, fear of reprisal• Uneven reward systems• Closed communication climate• Top-heavy organizational structure• Filtering, prejudice, ego involvement• Poor communication skills
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Overcoming Barriers to Effective Communication
• Encourage open, trusting environment for interaction and feedback.
• Provide more information through formal channels.• Train managers and employees to improve
communication skills.
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Overcoming Barriers to Effective Communication
• Flatten the organizational structure.• Establish hotline and ombudsman programs. • Establish fair reward system for individual and team
achievement.• Encourage full participation in teams.
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Understanding Ethical Behavior on the Job
What is ethical behavior?
Doing the right thing given the circumstances
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Five Common Ethical Traps to Avoid on the Job
1. The false necessity trap– Convincing yourself that no other choice exists
2. The doctrine of relative filth– Comparing your unethical behavior with someone else’s
even more unethical behavior
3. The rationalization trap– Justifying unethical actions with excuses
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Five Common Ethical Traps to Avoid on the Job
4. The self-deception trap– Persuading yourself, for example,
that a lie is not really a lie
5. The ends-justify-the-means trap– Using unethical methods to accomplish a desirable goal
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Goals of Ethical Business Communicators
• Abide by the law• Tell the truth• Label opinions• Be objective• Communicate clearly• Use inclusive language• Give credit
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Tools for Doing the Right Thing
• Is the action you are considering legal?
• How would you see the problem if you were on the opposite side?
• What are alternate solutions?• Can you discuss the problem
with someone you trust?• How would you feel if people
you care about learned of your action?