RESUME ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION Rian Yulianingsih,2C,A01001416

Rian Yulianingsih,2C,A01001416

RESUME ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

            Although organization communication is complex,the following strategies can increase the likelihood of clear and complete communication :

a.       Managers must assess organizational communication.Who communicates with whom in the organization? Is the communication timely?Does communication within the formal organization concur with formal lines of authority?Are there conflicts or disagreements about communication?What modes of communication are used?

b.      Managers must understand the organization’s structure and recognize who will be affected by decisions.Both formal and informal communication networks need to be considered.Formal communication networks follow the formal line of authority in the organization’s hierarchy.Informal communication networks occur among people at the same or different levels of the organizational hierarchy but do not represent formal lines of authority or responsibility.For example,an informal communication network might occur between a hospital’s CEO and her daughter,who is a clerk on a medical wing.Although there may be a significant exchange of information about unit or organizational functioning,this communication network would not be apparent on the organization chart.It is imperative,then,that managers be very careful about what they say and to whom until they have a good understanding of the formal and informal communication networks.

c.       Communication is not a one-way channel.If other departments or disciplines will be affected by a message,the manager must consult with those areas for feedback before the communication occurs.

d.      Communication must be clear,simple and precise.This requires the sender to adjust their language as necessary to the target audience.

e.       Senders should seek feedback regarding whether their communication was accurately received.One way to do this is to ask the receiver to repeat the communication or instructions.In addition,the sender should continue follow-up communication in an effort to determine if the communication is being acted upon.

The sender is responsible for ensuring but the message is understood.

a.       Multiple communication methods should be used, when possible, if a message is important. Using a variety of communication methods in combination increases the likelihood that everyone in the organization who needs to hear the message actually will hear it.

b.      Managers should not overwhelm subordinates with unnecessary information. Information is formal,inpersonal and unaffected by emotions,values,expectation, and perceptions.Communication,on the hand,involves perception and feeling.It does not depend on information and may represent shared experiences.In contrast to information sharing,superiors must continually communicate with subordinates.

Communication Modes

      A Message’s clarity is greatly affected by the mode of communication used.In general,the more direct the communication,the greater the probability that it will be clear. The more people involved in filtering the communication,the greater the chance of distortion.The manager must evaluate each circumstance individually to determine mode or combination of modes is optimal for each situation.The manager uses the following modes of communication most frequently :

a.       Written communication.Written messages (including e-mail which will be discussed later in this chapter) allow for documentation.They may,however,be open to various interpretations and generally consume more managerial time.Most managers are required to do a considerable amount  of this type of communication and therefore need to be able to write clearly.

b.      Face-to-face communication.Oral communication is rapid but may result in fewer people receiving the information than necessary.Managers communicate verbally upward and downward and formally and informally.They also communicate verbally informal meetings,with people in peer work groups and when making formal presentations.

c.       Telephone communication.A telephone call is rapid and allows the receiver to clarify the message at the time it is given.It does not,however,allow the receipt of nonverbal messages for either the sender or receiver of the message.Accents may be dificult to understand asa well in a multicultural workforce.Because mangers today use the telephone so much,it has become and inportant communication tool, but it does have limits as an effective communication device.

d.      Nonverbal communication. Nonverbal communication includes facial expression, body movements, and is commonly referred to as body language. Nonverbal communicatoin is considered more reliable because it conveys the emotional part of the message. There is signifikan denger, however, in misinterpreting nonverbal message if they are not assessed in context with the verbal message. Nonverbal communication occurs any time managers are seen (e.g., messages are transmitted to subordinates every time the manager communicates verbally or just walks down a hallway)

ELEMENTS OF NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

Space

The study of how space and territory affect communication is called proxemics (Loo, n.d.).All of us have an invisible zone of psychological comfort that acts as a buffer against unwanted touching and attacks. The degree of space we

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION

Although communication may take many forms, written communication is used most often in large organizations. The written communication issued by the manager reflects greatly on both the manager and the organization. Thus, the manager must be able to write clearly and professionally and to use understandable language. Many types of written communication are used in organizations. Organizational policy, prosedures, events, and change may be announced in writting. Job descriptions, performance appraisals, and letters of reference are also forms of written communication.

Often, though, the written communication used most by managers in their daily worklife is the memo. Perkins and Brizee (2010)suggest that business memos have twofold purpose: They bring attention to problems, and they solve problems. Thus, it is important to choose the audience of a memo wisely and to ensure that everyone the distribution list of the memo actually needs to read it. Typically, memos should be sent to only a small to moderate number of people. In addition, memos should not be used for highly sensitive message, which are better communicated face-to-face or by telephone (Perkins and Brizee).

Because writing is a learned skill that improves with pratice, Writting Help Central (n.d.)suggests the  following in writting profesional correspondence:

a.       Keep your message short and concise. Less than one page is always preferred

b.      Focus on the recipint’s needs. Make sure that your communication addresses the recipient’s expectations and what he or she needs to know.

c.       Use simple language so that the message is clear. Keep paragraphs to less than three or four sentence.

d.      Review the message and revice as needed. Almost all important communication requires sereval drafts. Allways reread the written communication before sending it. Look for areas that might be misunderstood. Pay attention to tone. Have all of the key pionts been made?

e.       Use spelling and grammar checks to be sure that the communication looks profesional. Remember that your document is a direct reflection of you, and even the most important message will likely be ignored if the communication is perceiced as unprofessional.

Thompson (2007) adds the following additional suggestions for writing effective memos in business communication:

a.       Make sure that you have addressed the reader(s) by his or her correct name. Add a job title along with the name if the memo is more formal.

b.      Include a subject line, when appropriate, to summarize the purpose of the memo.

c.       Keep the memo concise, clear, and to the point and include bullets or headings to emphasize key points.

d.      Do not include salutation or complimentary closings in memos.

e.       Use the first paragraph to express the context or purpose of the memo and to introduce the problem. In next paragraphs, address what has been done or needs to be done to address the problem at hand. In the closing, clarify what the reader is expected to do.

f.       Add a conclusion to summarize the memo and to address any attachmaents that are a part of the memo.

Perkins and Brizee (2010) suggest that these segments should be allocated in following manner:

a.       Header (includes the to,from,date,and subject lines):1/8 of the memo.

b.      Opening,context and task (includes the purpose of the memo,the context and problem and the speciffic assignment or task):1/4 of the memo.

c.       Summary,discusion segment (the details that support your ideas or plan):1/2 of the memo.

d.      Clossing segment necessary attacments (the action that you want your reader to take and a notation about what attacments are included):1/8 of the memo.