CHAPTER 17
MANAGING COMMUNICATION
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Are You Building a Personal Network?
I. Communication Is the Manager’s Job
A. What Is Communication?
B. A Model of Communication
II. Communicating Among People
A. Open Communication Climate
B. Communication Channels
C. Communicating to Persuade and Influence Others
ANNOTATED LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After studying this chapter, students should be able to:
1. Explain why communication is essential for effective management, and describe the model of
communication.
Communication is defined as the process by which information is exchanged and understood by
two or more people, usually with the intent to motivate or influence behavior. Communication
means to share, not just to speak or to write. This distinction between sharing and proclaiming is
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2. Describe how an open communication climate and choice of a communication channel
influence the quality of communication.
Open communication means sharing all types of information throughout the organization, across
functional and hierarchical boundaries. In an open communication environment, people know
3. Understand how communicating with candor, asking questions, listening, and nonverbal
communication affect communication between a manager and employee.
To influence and persuade, managers also have to be frank and straightforward about what they
want and need from others. Communicating with candor means being direct, honest, and clear
about what employees need to do to meet objectives, while also expressing respect for others and
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4. Explain the difference between formal and informal organizational communications.
Formal communication channels are those that flow within the chain of command or task
responsibility defined by the organization. Organization-wide communications typically flow in
three directions: downward, upward, and horizontally. Downward communication is information
5. Appreciate the role of personal communication channels, including the grapevine, in
enhancing organizational communication.
Smart managers consciously develop personal communication networks and encourage others to
do so. The value is that people who have more contacts have greater influence in the
organization and get more accomplished.
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6. Recognize the manager’s role in using social media to improve organizational
communication.
Social media is a group of internet-based applications that allow the creation and exchange of
user-generated content. It covers a broad number of applications including wikis, blogs, micro-
7. Explain strategies for managing communication during a crisis.
A manager’s skill at communicating becomes even more crucial during time of rapid change,
uncertainty, and crisis. The manager’s ability to communicate effectively will determine how
LECTURE OUTLINE
ARE YOU BUILDING A PERSONAL NETWORK?
When you create a personal network, you become well connected to get things done through a
variety of relationships. Having sources of information and support helps a new manager gain
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I. COMMUNICATION IS THE MANAGER’S JOB Exhibit 17.1
Managers spend at least 80 percent of every working day in direct communication with others.
The other 20 percent of their time is spent doing deskwork, most of which is communication in
the form of reading and writing. Managers have the crucial role of being communication
Managers use many communication methods depending on the purposes of the communication
and the audience.
A. What Is Communication?
1. Communication is defined as the process by which information is exchanged and
2. Surveys of mangers show that they consider communication as their most critical skill
and one of their top responsibilities. However, most managers revealed they need to
B. A Model of Communication Exhibit 17.2
1. Communication is usually complex, with many opportunities to send or receive the
wrong message. Communication is not just sending information, but sharing
information in a planned way. A manager who has the ability to deliver rousing
speech or write brilliant commentary, but who does not know how to listen, is not an
effective communicator. Two common elements in every communication are the
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Discussion Question #2: Describe the elements of the communication model in Exhibit 17.2.
Give an example of each part of the model as it exists in the classroom during communication
between teacher and students.
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II. COMMUNICATING AMONG PEOPLE
Communications can breakdown if the sender and receiver do not encode or decode language in
the same way. Managers must understand how factors such as open communication climates,
communication channels, the ability to persuade communicating with candor, asking questions,
nonverbal behavior, and listening work to enhance or detract from communication.
A. Open Communication Climate
1. Open communication means sharing all types of information throughout the
organization, across functional and hierarchical boundaries. In an open
2. Managers can build an open communication climate by breaking down conventional
hierarchical and department boundaries that may be barriers to communication. Also,
3. To achieve the advantages of open communication, managers should use the type of
communication network that maximizes employee performance and job satisfaction.
Centralized and decentralized networks are two types that managers can make use of.
a. In a centralized network, team members must communicate through one
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b. In a decentralized network, individuals can communicate freely with other team
B. Communication Channels Exhibit 17.4
1. The Hierarchy of Channel Richness. Managers have a choice of many channels
through which to communicate. Research shows that channels differ in their capacity
to convey information. Channels can be classified in a hierarchy based on information
2. Face-to-face communication is the richest medium because it permits direct
3. Electronic messaging, such as e-mail, instant messaging, and text messaging, is
increasingly used for messages once handled via telephone. Because e-mail messages
lack both visual and verbal cues and don’t allow for interaction and feedback,
messages can sometimes be misunderstood. Managers often use this medium to avoid
the emotional discomfort of a real-time conversation, hiding behind their computers
to send rebukes or criticisms that they would never deliver in person. It is advisable
Discussion Question #1: What are the characteristics of an open communication climate?
Describe the organizational benefits of managers cultivating an open communication climate.
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4. Selecting the Appropriate Channel. It is important for managers to understand that
each communication channel has advantages and disadvantages, and that each can be
used to communicate effectively if used appropriately. Channel selection depends
upon the message being routine or nonroutine.
a. Nonroutine messages typically are ambiguous, concern novel events, and have
5. The key is to select a channel to fit the message. The choice of a communication
channel can also convey a symbolic meaning to the receiver. In a sense, the medium
Communicating to Persuade and Influence Others
1. Communication is used not only to convey information, but also to persuade and
influence people. For managers today the ability to persuade and influence others is
2. To persuade and influence, managers must communicate frequently and easily with
others. Yet, some people find interpersonal communication difficult.
Communicating with Candor
1. To influence and persuade, managers also have to be frank and straightforward about
what they want and need from others. Communicating with candor means being
2. Communicating with candor is a confident, positive approach that lets others know
exactly where you stand and what you are asking of them. The appropriate use of a
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3. Communicating with candor is an important part of creating an open communication
climate. When managers communicate with candor, they encourage others to do the
same. In an organization where such candid communication is the norm, everything
NEW MANAGER SELF-TEST: CANDOR
This exercise will help students understand and assess how he or she speaks to others during
personal or work conversations. The score will reflect the level of candor with which he or she
communicates. They may have a hard time giving straight forward opinions and feedback
because they don’t want to hurt a person’s feelings nor do they don’t want others to dislike them.
Hence, the sharing of honest observations is limited.
B. Asking Questions
1. The traditional top-down, command-and-control approach to organizational
communication is giving way to a more dynamic form of communication that is
Listening Exhibit 17.5
1. Listening involves the skill of grasping both facts and feelings to interpret a
message’s genuine meaning. Listening requires attention, energy, and skill. Good
listening means shifting from thinking about self to empathizing with the other person
and thus requires a high degree of emotional intelligence. Some organizations have
created a culture that emphasizes active manager listening.
Nonverbal Communication
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1. Nonverbal communication refers to messages sent through human actions and
behaviors rather than through words. It represents a major portion of the messages we
2. Nonverbal communication occurs mostly face to face. One researcher found three
3. When verbal and nonverbal messages conflict, the receiver will be confused and more
apt to believe the nonverbal. Nonverbal messages and body langue often convey our
III. ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION Exhibit 17.6
Organization-wide communications typically flow downward, upward, and horizontally.
Managers are responsible for establishing formal communication in these three directions. They
also use informal communication channels by mingling with employees.
A. Formal Communication Channels
1. Formal communication channels are those that flow within the chain of command
or task responsibility defined by the organization. Within organizations,
a. Downward communication refers to messages and information sent from top
managers to subordinates in a downward direction. Common methods of
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b. Upward communication includes messages that flow from the lower levels to
the higher levels in the organization. Employees need to air grievances, report
progress, and provide feedback to management. Information communicated
upward includes:
• Problems and exceptions
Discussion Question #5: Some senior managers believe they should rely on written information
and computer reports because these yield more accurate data than do face-to-face
communications. Do you agree? Why or why not?
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c. Horizontal communication is the lateral or diagonal exchange of messages
across peers or co-workers. The purposes of horizontal communication are to
inform, to request support, and to coordinate activities. Horizontal communication
B. Personal Communication Channels Exhibit 17.7
1. Personal communication channels exist outside the formally authorized
channels. They coexist with formal channels but may skip hierarchical levels,