Managing effective communication network in organisation through diplomacy

Managing Effective
Communication Network In
Organisation Through Diplomacy
Oyewole O. Sarumi |PhD|

What You Will Learn:
- What is Communication
– The Revolutionary Stages of Communication
– The Importance of Good Communication
– The Communication Process
– The Role of Perception in Communication
– The Dangers of Ineffective Communication
– Information Richness and Communication Media
– Face-to-Face Communication
– Spoken Communication Electronically Communicated
– Personally Addressed Written Communication
– Impersonal Written Communication

• Communication Networks
– Communication Networks in Groups and Teams
– Organizational Communication Networks
– External Networks
• Technological Advances in Communication
– The Internet
– Intranets
– Groupware

• Communication Skills for Managers
– Communication Skills for Managers as Senders
– Communication Skills for Managers as
Receivers
– Understanding Linguistic Styles

Some Truths about
Communication…
• Good Communication can’t exist without honest
listening
• We do not try HARD to get our message across
• We do not take advantage of various media
available to us
• We all could improve our communication skills
• It cannot be perfected
13–5 **www.carehr.com 6

What is Communication?
(Group Discussion):
• Is it one-sided or two-way?
• Is it intentional or unintentional?
• Does it use conventional or unconventional
signals?
• Does it use linguistic or non-linguistic forms?
• Is it through spoken, written or other modes?
• What does it require?
• When is it complete?
Copyright  2005 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Management: A Pacific Rim Focus 4e by Bartol, Tein, Matthews, Martin

What is Communication?:
• …the intentional or unintentional exchange of
thoughts, messages, or information between two
or more living beings through conventional or
unconventional signals, linguistic or non-
linguistic forms, and through spoken or other
modes.
• …requires a sender, a message, and a recipient.
• ….is complete once the receiver understands the
sender's message .

The first written communication made on
stone, which were too heavy to transfer.
During this era, written communication was
not mobile
Researchers have divided how
communication was transformed into three
revolutionary stages:
STAGE ONE

Managing effective communication network in organisation through diplomacy

In the 2nd Information Communication
Revolution, writing began to appear on
paper, clay, wax, etc. Much later the
Gutenberg printing-press was invented.
Gutenberg created this printing-press after
a long period of time in the 15th century.
STAGE TWO:

• Johannes Gutenberg
1468 - February
German goldsmith and
printer who introduced
modern book printing.
• His invention of
mechanical movable type
printing started the
Printing Revolution

• In the 3rd Communication Revolution,
information can now be transferred via
controlled waves and electronic signals.
• Communication meaning is assigned and
conveyed in an attempt to create shared
understanding.
STAGE THREE

• This process requires a vast repertoire of
skills in intrapersonal and interpersonal
processing, listening, observing, speaking,
questioning, analyzing, and evaluating.
• It is through communication that
collaboration and cooperation occur.

Communication
Communication - the evoking of a shared or common
meaning in another person
Interpersonal Communication - communication
between two or more people in an organization
Communicator - the person originating the message
Receiver - the person receiving a message
Perceptual Screen - a window through which we
interact with people that influences the quality,
accuracy, and clarity of the communication

Communication
Message - the thoughts and feelings that the
communicator is attempting to elicit in the
receiver
Feedback Loop - the pathway that
completes two-way communication
Language - the words, their pronunciation,
and the methods of combining them used &
understood by a group of people

Communication
Data - uninterpreted and unanalyzed facts
Information - data that have been interpreted,
analyzed, and have meaning to some user
Richness - the ability of a medium or channel
to elicit or evoke meaning in the receiver

19
What is Communication?
• Process by which information is exchanged and
understood by two or more people, usually with
the intent to motivate or influence behavior
Manager = 80% every working day in direct
communication with others – 48 min/hour
Manager = 20% every work day in communication
in the form of reading and writing -12 min/hour

Communication and
Management
• Communication - Definition
– The sharing of information between two or
more individuals or groups to reach a common
understanding.
• Importance of Good Communication
– Increased efficiency in new technologies and
skills
• Learning, Implementing, Training
• Expands workers skills

Communication and
Management
– Improved quality of products and services
Meaning and importance of quality
How to attain quality
– Subordinates communicate problems and
solutions for increasing quality to superiors

Communication and
Management
– Increased responsiveness to customers
• Empowered workers lower response time to satisfy
customer wants and needs

Communication and
Management
– More innovation through communication
• Cross-functional teams communicating effectively
produce higher quality products more efficiently

The Communication Process
• Phases of the Communication Process:
– Transmission phase in which information is
shared by two or more people.
– Feedback phase in which a common
understanding is assured.

– Transmission phase in which information is shared by
two or more people.
• The process starts with a sender (an individual
or group) who wants to share information.
– Senders must decide what information to share and puts
the message into symbols or language (encoding).
• Noise: anything harming the communication process
– Once encoded the message is sent through a medium to
a receiver

• The receiver interprets or decodes the
message

– Feedback phase in which a common
understanding is assured.
– The receiver decides what the message means
and communicates it back to the sender.
– The original sender decodes the message and
makes sure that a common understanding has
been reached.

(cont’d)
• Messages are transmitted over a medium to a
receiver.
– Medium: the pathway over which the message is
transmitted (e.g., telephone, written note, email).
– Receiver: the person getting the message.
• The receiver decodes (interprets) the message, allowing the
receiver to understand the message.
• This is a critical point: failure to properly decode the message
can lead to a misunderstanding.
– Feedback by receiver informs the sender that the
message is understood or that it must be re-sent.

30
The Manager as
Communication Champion
Source: Adapted from Henry Mintzberg, The Nature Of Managerial Work(New York:Harper & Row, 1973),72.
External
Information
Internal
Information
Manager as
Communication Champion
Purpose-Directed
Direct attention to
vision, values, desired
outcomes
Influence employee
behavior
Strategic Conversations
Open communication
Listening
Dialogue
Feedback
Methods
Rich channels
Upward, downward, &
horizontal channels
Nonverbal
communication
Personal networks

Communication Issues
• Verbal Communication
– The encoding of messages into words, either
written or spoken
• Nonverbal
– The encoding of messages by means of facial
expressions, body language, and styles of dress.

The Role of Perception in
Communication
• Senders and receivers communicate based
on their subjective perceptions.
– Subjective perception can lead to biases and
stereotypes that can interfere with effective
communication.
– Effective managers avoid communications
based on biases and stereotypes.

Communication
• Communication relates to senders and receivers
personality, perceptions, and motivations.
– Example: A recently promoted manager communicates
with a rival for the same promotion. The rival feels that
the assignment is beneath them and was given as a
power play by the newly promoted manager.
The newly promoted manager feels that the rival is the
only one capable of carrying out the project.

Communication
What is sent
Motivation
Perception
What is sent
Motivation
Perception
Communication
method/media

The Dangers of Ineffective
Communication
• Managers and their subordinates can become
effective communicators by:
– Selecting an appropriate medium for each message—
there is no one “best” medium.
– Considering information richness (the amount of
information a medium can carry).
• A medium with high richness can carry much more
information to aid understanding.
– Is there a need for a paper path or electronic trail to
provide documentation of the communication?

Information Richness of Communication
Media

37
Channel Richness
Information amount can be transmitted during communication episode

Communication Media
• Face-to-Face
– Has highest information richness.
– Can take advantage of verbal and nonverbal signals.
– Provides for instant feedback.
• Management by wandering around takes advantage of this with
informal talks to workers.
• Video conferences provide
much of this richness and
reduce travel costs and
meeting times.

Communication Media (cont’d)
• Spoken Communication Electronically
Transmitted
– Has the second highest information richness.
• Telephone conversations are information rich with
tone of voice, sender’s emphasis, and quick
feedback, but provide no visual nonverbal cues.

• Personally Addressed Written Communication
– Has a lower richness than the verbal forms of
communication, but still is directed at a given person.
• Personal addressing helps ensure receiver actually reads the
message—personal letters and e-mail are common forms.
• Does not provide instant feedback to the sender although
sender may get feedback later.
• Excellent media for complex messages requesting follow-up
actions by receiver.

E-Mail Dos and Don’ts
• E-mail allows telecommuting employees to work
from home and keep in contact.
• The use of e-mail is growing rapidly and e-mail
etiquette is expected:
– Typing messages in all CAPITALS is seen as
“screaming” at the receiver.
– Punctuate your messages for easy reading and don’t
ramble on.
– Pay attention to spelling and treat the message like a
written letter.

• Impersonal Written Communication
– Has the lowest information richness.
• Good for messages to many receivers where little or
feedback is expected (e.g., newsletters, reports)

Ten Commandments of Email
• Don’t use your inbox as a catcall for everything
you need to work on. Read items once, answer
them immediately, delete them if possible or move
them to another folder.
• Set up a five weeks folder that deletes
automatically.
• Use common acronyms to identify important items
• Send group mail only when it is important to all
recipients

Ten Commandments of Email
• Ask to be removed from distribution lists you do
not need to be on.
• To cut down on pile up, use out of office
• Send messages that use only the subject line using
EOM to signify end of message
• Use graphics sparingly
• Attachments over 5mb to groups are better put on
company website
• Specify important parts of the attachment: NB Pg
17 and 20

Communication Networks
– The pathways along which information flows in
groups and teams and throughout the
organization.
– Choice of communication network depends on:
• The nature of the group’s tasks
• The extent to which group members need to
communicate with each other to achieve group
goals.

Pathways
– Vertical
• Manager to upper level managers
• Manager to subordinates (direct reports)
– Lateral
• Manager to other managers

Communication Networks in
Groups and Teams
Type of Network
Wheel Network Information flows to and from one central
member.
Chain Network Members communicate only with the people next
to them in the sequence.
Wheel and chain networks provide little interaction.
Circle Network Members communicate with others close to them
in terms of expertise, experience, and location.
All-Channel
Network
Networks found in teams with high levels of
communications between each member and all
others.

Communication patterns
• The pattern of communication that exists between
group members is described as a wheel, a chain,
or all-channel.
• Centralized networks, chain, wheel & Y, group
members had to go thro’ a person located in a
central position in the network in order to
communicate with others.
• In de-centralized networks, circle & all-channel
information could flow freely between members
without having to go thro’ a central person.

CENTRALISED
X
Communication
Networks in
Groups and Teams
DECENTRALISED
Y

Organization Communication
Networks
• Organization Chart
– A pictorial representation of formal reporting channels
in an organization.
• Communication in an organization flows through formal and
informal pathways
• Vertical communications flow up and down the corporate
hierarchy.
• Horizontal communications flow between employees of the
same level.
• Informal communications can span levels and departments—
the grapevine is an informal network carrying unofficial
information throughout the firm.

Formal and Informal Communication
Networks in An Organization
Figure 0.4

Leavitt’s experiment
• Each member of a group of five people had to
solve a problem and each had an essential piece of
information.
• Only written communication, channeled according
to one of the four patterns described above, was
allowed. The finding are tabulated below.
• A direct trade-off between speed and job
satisfaction is evident.

Leavitt’s experiment
Wheel Y Chain Circle
Speed of
problem
solving
Fastest 2nd fastest 3rd fastest Slowest
Leader C C
C (less so than
wheel and Y)
None emerged
Job satisfaction lowest 3rd highest 2nd highest Highest (?)

Communication patterns
• The wheel is always the quickest way to reach a
conclusion & the circle is the slowest.
• For complex problems, the all-channel is the most
likely process to reach the best decision
• The level of satisfaction for individuals is the
lowest in the circle, fairly high in the all-channel,
& mixed in the wheel, with the central figures
expressing greater satisfaction, & the rest feeling
isolated.
• Under time pressure, the all-channel system either
restructures to become a wheel, or disintegrates

55
Persuasion and Influence
• Businesses are run largely by cross-
functional teams who are actively involved
in making decisions
• Ability to persuade and influence others is
even more critical today than ever before
• To persuade and influence, managers have
to communicate frequently and easily with
others

Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal Communication - all elements of
communication that do not involve words
Four basic types
– Proxemics - an individual’s perception & use of space
– Kinesics - study of body movements, including posture
– Facial & Eye Behavior - movements that add cues for the
receiver
– Paralanguage - variations in speech, such as pitch,
loudness, tempo, tone, duration, laughing, & crying

57
Nonverbal Communications
• Messages transmitted human actions and
behaviors rather than through words
• Occurs mostly face-to-face
• Verbal Impact = 7 %
• Vocal Impact = 38 %
• Facial Impact = 55 %
Most nonverbal communication is unconscious or subconscious

c
c = social 4-12’
b
b = personal 1.5-4’
Proxemics: Territorial Space
Territorial Space - bands of space extending
outward from the body; territorial space differs
from culture to culture
a
a = intimate <1.5’
dd = public >12’

Proxemics: Seating Dynamics
Seating Dynamics - seating people in certain
positions according to the person’s purpose in
communication
Cooperation
X O
Non-
Communication
O X O
Competition
X
O
X
Communication
O

Examples of
Decoding Nonverbal Cues
Boss fails to acknowledge
employee’s greeting
No eye contact
while
communicating
Manager sighs deeply
Boss breathes
heavily &
waves arms
He’s
unapproachable!
My opinion
doesn’t count
I wonder what
he’s hiding?
He’s angry! I’ll
stay out of
his way!

Importance of non-verbal
communication
• The hidden messages in face-to-face
communication can be a common cause for
communication breakdown, as they cause
decoding problems.
• Observe others.
• Notice the signs of boredom, disagreement,
support, interest.
• Picking up these signals will help you
improve your own communication skills.

Non-verbal cues
• Facial expression
• Gesture
• Posture and orientation
• Proximity and contact
• Movement and stillness
• Silence and sounds
• Appearance and grooming
• Response to norms and expectations

63
Formal Channels of Communication
Source: Adapted from Richard L. Daft and Richard M. Steers, Organizations: A Micro/Macro Approach, 538. Copyright © 1986 by Scott, and Company. Used by
permission.

64
Downward Communication
• Messages sent from top management
down to subordinates...
• 1. Implementation of goals and strategies
2. Job instructions and rationale
3. Procedures and practices
4. Performance feedback
5. Indoctrination
Most familiar and obvious flow of formal communication

65
Downward Communications Problem
• Drop Off
– Distortion
– Loss of message content
• Dealing with Drop Off
– Use right communication channel
– Consistency between verbal and
nonverbal messages
– Active listening

66
Upward Communication
Messages transmitted from the lower to the
higher levels in the organization’s hierarchy
1. Problems and exceptions
2. Suggestions for improvement
3. Performance reports
4. Grievances and disputes
5. Financial and accounting information

67
Upward Communication Problem
• Many organizations make a great effort to
facilitate upward communication
• Despite these efforts, barriers to accurate
upward communication exist
– Managers may resist hearing about employee
problems
– Employees may not trust managers sufficiently
to push information upward

68
Horizontal Communications
• Lateral or diagonal exchange of messages
among peers or coworkers
• Horizontal communications categories
1. Intradepartmental problem solving
2. Interdepartmental coordination
3. Change initiatives and improvement
Inform and request support as well as coordinate activities
Particularly important in learning organizations

69
Team Communication Channels
• Team communication
characteristics to consider
● The extent to which team
communication is centralized
● The nature of the team’s task
Special type of horizontal communication

70
Team Communication Channels
• Organizational Implications
 With complex and difficult team activities, all
members should share information in a
decentralized structure – all information with all
members
 With simple problems, centralized
communication structure – communicating
through one individual to solve problems or
make decisions

71
Personal Communication Channels
• Exist outside formal authorized
channels
• Do not adhere to organization’s
hierarchy of authority
• Primary way information spreads
and work gets accomplished
Coexist with formal communication channels

72
Personal Communication Channels
• Three important types of channels
1.Personal Networks
2.Management By Wondering Around
3.Grapevine

73
Developing Personal
• Build it before you need it
• Never eat lunch alone
• Make it win-win
• Make it win-win
• Focus on diversity

Informal Communication
• Several types of informal communication
channels, exist. These include:
• Grapevine
• Rumour
• Gossip

Grapevine
• Refers to the network of social relations that arises
spontaneously as people associate with each other.
Grapevine activity is likely to flourish when:
1. There is lack of information about a situation & people
try to fill the gaps as best they can
2. There is insecurity in the situation
3. There is personal interest in the situation
4. There is personal animosity in a situation & people seek
to gain advantage by spreading rumours.
5. There is new information that people try to spread
quickly.

76
Two Grapevine Chains
Source: Based on Keith Davis and John W. Newstrom, Human Behavior at Work: Organizational Behavior, 7th ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1985).

Informal Communication
• Rumour – this message is transmitted over the
grapevine & is not based on official information.
Poor employee communications are a fertile
breeding ground for unfounded rumours.
• Gossip – refers to idle talk which can be hurtful
and malicious. It can have a positive side: can be a
morale booster, a socializing force that spells out
group norms.

78
Open Communication
• Sharing all types of information throughout
the company, across functional and
hierarchical levels
• Recent trend - reflects manager’s increased
emphasis on
– Empowering employees
– Building trust and commitment
– Enhancing collaboration

79
Dialogue and Discussion: The Differences
Source:Adapted from Edgar Schein, “On Dialogue, Culture, and Organization Learning,” Organizational Dynamics (Autumn 1993), 46.
Conversation
Lack of understanding, disagreement,
divergent points of viewDialogue Discussion
Result Result
Reveal feelings
Explore assumptions
Suspend convictions
Build common ground
Long-term, innovative solutions
Unified group
Shared meaning
Transformed mind-sets
State positions
Advocate convictions
Convince others
Build oppositions
Short-term resolution
Agreement by logic
Opposition beaten down
Mind-sets held onto

80
Feedback and Learning
• Feedback –
– Enables managers to determine whether they have been successful
in communicating with others
– Is often neglected
– Giving & receiving feedback is typically difficult –both for
managers & employees
• Successful managers focus their feedback
– To help develop the capacities of subordinates
– To teach the organization how to better reach its goals
Managers use evaluation & communication to help individuals

New Technologies
for Communication
• Informational databases
• Electronic mail systems
• Voice mail systems
• Fax machine systems
• Cellular phone systems

Technological Advances in
Communication
• Internet
– Global system of computer networks used by many
firms use it to communicate with their suppliers.
• World Wide Web (WWW)
– Provides multimedia access to the Internet.
• Intranets
– A company-wide system of computer networks for
information sharing by employees inside the firm.

Technological Advances in
Communication
• Groupware
– Computer software that enables members of
groups and teams to share information with
each other and improve communication.
• Best used to support team-oriented working
environments.

How Do New Technologies
Affect Behavior?
• Fast, immediate access to information
• Immediate access to people in power
• Instant information exchange across
distance
• Makes schedules & office hours irrelevant
• May equalize group power
• May equalize group participation

• Communication can become more impersonal--
interaction with a machine
• Interpersonal skills may diminish--less tact, less
graciousness
• Non-verbal cues lacking
• Alters social context
• Easy to become overwhelmed with information
• Encourages polyphasic activity
How Do New Technologies
Affect Behavior?

Copyright  2005 McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd
PPTs t/a Management: A Pacific Rim Focus 4e by Bartol, Tein, Matthews, Martin
ORGANISATIONAL COMMUNICATION CHANNELS
Electronic
communication
Electronic mailGroupware
Internet
Voice mail
Teleconferencing
Videoconferencing

Communication Skills for
Managers
• Barriers to Effective Communication
– Perceptual and attribution biases
– Conflicting assumptions
– Inadequate information
– Semantics
– Emotional Blocks
– Nonverbal communication barriers
– Cultural barriers
– Inadequate communication media
– Technological barriers

Managers
– Perceptual and attribution biases
Experience is different and causes wrong interpretation –
Common experiences gives common meaning
– Conflicting assumptions
Sender assumes receiver will use the same code to decode
as intended
Receiver decodes based on wrong assumptions due to
inadequate background information and creates a
misunderstanding

Managers
– Codes of past experience
• Facts
• Knowledge
• Beliefs
• Attitudes
• Social Roles
• Values
• Language
• Memories
All blended with
feelings and emotions
How many of these
should overlap to
decode the message

Managers
– Inadequate information
• Managers do not provide enough info to decode

Managers
– Semantics – Word usage
• You charge someone a fee for service.
• You charge something you purchase to pay later.
• You charge a battery.
• You charge an official with duties to perform.
• You charge a horse into battle.
• You get a charge out of something funny.
• You charge a criminal for crimes committed.
• The navy uses a depth charge.

Managers
Emotional Blocks
– Experiences have an emotional / feeling
component.
• A concert
• Wedding Day
• Movie

Barriers to Communication
• Physical separation
• Status differences
• Gender differences
• Cultural diversity
• Language
Communication
Barriers -
factors that block
or significantly
distort successful
communication

Communication Skills for Managers
Nonverbal communication barriers
– Body motion – gestures, facial expressions, eye behavior,
touching, and so forth
• Physical characteristics – body shape, physique, posture,
height,weight,hair, and skin color
• Paralanguage – voice quality, volume, speech rate, pitch,
nonfluencies such as yaa, ah or um, laughing.
– Proxemics – ways people use and perceive space
Environment – building and room design, furniture,
decorations
Time – being late or early, keeping others waiting, time v.
status

Managers
– Cultural barriers
• Language, native customs, religious customs
– Inadequate communication media
• Use of wrong media to convey message completely
– Technological barriers
• Receiver does not have the ability or technological
capability to decode message

Managers
– Messages that are unclear, incomplete, difficult to
understand
– Messages sent over the an inappropriate medium
– Messages with no provision for feedback
– Messages that are received but ignored
– Messages that are misunderstood
– Messages delivered through automated systems
that lack the human element

Communication Skills for Managers
• Managers as Senders
– Send clear and complete messages.
– Encode messages in symbols the receiver
understands.
– Select a medium appropriate for the message and,
importantly, one that is monitored by the receiver.
– Avoid filtering (holding back information) and
distortion as the message passes through other
workers.
– Ensure a feedback mechanism is included in the
message.
– Provide accurate information to avoid rumors.

Communication Skills For
Managers
• Managers as Receivers
– Pay attention to what is sent as a message.
– Be a good listener: don’t interrupt.
– Ask questions to clarify your understanding.
– Be empathetic: try to understand what the sender feels.
– Understand linguistic styles: different people speak
differently.
– Speed, tone, pausing all impact communication.
• This is particularly true across cultures and managers should
expect and plan for this.

Basic Interpersonal
Communication Model
Event
XMessage
• Context
• Affect
Perceptual screens
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Perceptual screens
Communicator Receiver
Influence message quality, accuracy, clarity
Include age, gender, values, beliefs, culture,
experiences, needs

100
Listening
• One of the most important tools of manager
communication – both to employees and to
customers
• Listening = skill of receiving messages to
accurately grasp facts and feelings to
interpret the genuine meaning
• 75% of effective communication is listening
– most people spend only 30-40% listening

Reflective Listening
Reflective Listening - the skill of listening
carefully to another person and repeating back
to the speaker the heard message to correct
any inaccuracies or misunderstandings
This complex
process needs
to be divided to
be understood
What I heard you
say was we will
understand the
process better if we
break it into steps

• Emphasizes receiver’s role
• Helps the receiver & communicator
clearly & fully understand the message
sent
• Useful in problem solving

Reflective listening emphasizes
• the personal elements of the communication
process
• the feelings communicated in the message
• responding to the communicator, not leading the
communicator
• the role or receiver or audience
• understanding people by reducing perceptual
distortions and interpersonal barriers

Reflective Listening:
4 Levels of Verbal Response
Affirm contact
Paraphrase the expressed
Clarify the implicit
Reflect “core” feelings

105
Keys to Effective Listening
• Listen actively
• Find areas of interest
• Resist distractions
• Capitalize on the fact that
thought is faster than
speech
• Be responsive
• Judge content, not
delivery
• Hold one’s fire
• Listen for ideas
• Work at listening
• Exercise one’s mind

One-way vs. Two-way Communications
One-Way
Communication - a
person sends a message
to another person and no
questions, feedback, or
interaction follow
 Good for giving
simple directions
 Fast but often less
accurate than 2-way
communication
Two-Way
Communication - the
communicator & receiver
interact
 Good for problem
solving

Reasons For Ineffective
Communication by Managers
• Reasons for ineffective communication
include:
– Information overload/underload
– The need to reinforce our beliefs
– Perception of the sender/receiver
– Poor or inadequate control
– Faulty coordination

Five Keys to Effective
Supervisory Communication
• Expressive speaking
• Empathetic listening
• Persuasive leadership
• Sensitivity to feelings
• Informative management

The importance of effective
communication
• Without formal communication systems,
managers would not be able to:
– Give instructions
– Give or receive information
– Exchange ideas
– Announce plans or strategies
– Compare actual results against budget
– Communicate about structure or the org & job
descriptions

110
Crisis Communication
• Primary Skills
• Maintain your focus
• Be visible
• Get the awful truth out
• Communicate a vision for the future

Defensive Communication
Defensive Communication - communication that
can be aggressive, attacking & angry, or passive
& withdrawing
Leads to
– injured feelings
– communication breakdowns
– alienation
– retaliatory behaviors
– nonproductive efforts
– problem solving failures

Non-defensive Communication
Non-defensive Communication -
communication that is assertive, direct,
& powerful
Provides
– basis for defense when attacked
– restores order, balance, and effectiveness

Two Defensiveness Patterns
Dominant Defensiveness -
characterized by active,
aggressive, attacking behavior
Subordinate Defensiveness -
characterized by passive,
submissive, withdrawing
behavior

Defensive Tactics
Defensive Tactic Speaker Example
Power Play Boss “Finish this report by month’s end or
lose your promotion.”
Put-Down Boss “A capable manager would already be
done with this report.”
Labeling Boss “You must be a slow learner. Your report
is still not done?”
Raising Doubts Boss “How can I trust you, Chris, if you can’t
finish an easy report?”

Defensive Tactics
Defensive Tactic Speaker Example
Misleading
Information
Employee “Morgan has not gone over with me
the information I need for the report.”
[Morgan left Chris with a copy of the
report.]
Scapegoating Employee “Morgan did not give me input until
just today.”
Hostile Jokes Employee “You can’t be serious! The report isn’t
that important.”
Deception Employee “I gave it to the secretary. Did she lose
it?”

Non-defensive Communication:
A Powerful Tool
• Speaker seen as centered, assertive, controlled,
informative, realistic, and honest
• Speaker exhibits self-control & self possession
• Listener feels accepted rather than rejected
• Catherine Crier’s rules to nondefensive
communication
1. Define the situation
2. Clarify the person’s position
3. Acknowledge the person’s feelings
4. Bring the focus back to the facts

The Art of Tact and
Diplomacy in Effective
Communication

Respond intelligently, even to
unintelligent treatment.– Lao-Tzu,
Chinese philosopher

Introduction
• Tact and diplomacy are methods used to aid
effective communication, especially during
negotiation and when attempting to be
persuasive or assertive.
• Using tact and diplomacy appropriately can
lead to improved relationships with other
people and are a way to build and develop
mutual respect, which in turn can lead to more
successful outcomes and less difficult or
stressful communications.

• Tact and diplomacy are skills centred around an
understanding of other people and being sensitive to
their opinions, beliefs, ideas and feelings.
• Effective use of such skills comes from being able
to sense accurately what another person is feeling or
thinking at any given time and then responding in
such a way as to avoid bad feelings or awkwardness,
whilst at the same time asserting or reflecting your
own ideas and feelings back in a delicate and well-
meaning fashion.

All people and all communication
situations are unique.
• Developing effective tact and diplomacy
skills requires practice and good
judgement. These skills are not limited to
use in formal communications, such as in
the workplace: tact and diplomacy are also
important when developing and maintaining
friendships, romantic relationships and
relationships in the family.

A Real Story
• One of your brightest team members, Jon, has just finished
giving a presentation. He seems pleased with his performance,
but it's obvious that he wasn't properly prepared. His
presentation was poorly researched and badly organized, and
you're disappointed by his lack of effort.
• Before everyone has left the conference room, Jon asks for your
feedback. You tell him that his presentation was sloppy and
disorganized, and that you had expected better from him.
• Unsurprisingly, Jon is visibly upset, and you immediately regret
your comments. You wanted to be honest, but you didn't want to
hurt his feelings, especially in front of other people. A month
later, Jon hands in his resignation.

• We all have to communicate painful or sensitive
information at some point in our careers. And, while
it's important to tell the truth, we need to think about
how we do it. Tact allows us to be honest, while
respecting a person's feelings.
• When we communicate tactfully, we can preserve
relationships, build credibility, and demonstrate
thoughtfulness. In this article, we'll examine what
tact is, and we'll look at how you can develop this
important quality.

Communication is to diplomacy as
blood is to the human body.
Whenever communication ceases,
the body of international politics,
the process of diplomacy, is dead,
and the result is violent conflict or
atrophy. -Tran, Van Dinh (1987)

Defining Tact and Diplomacy:
• The ability to assert your ideas
or opinions, knowing what to
say and how to say it without
damaging the relationship by
causing offence.

What is Tact?
• Tact is the ability to tell the truth in a way that
considers other people's feelings and reactions.
It allows you to give difficult feedback,
communicate sensitive information, and say
the right thing to preserve a relationship.
• Tact encompasses many things, including
emotional intelligence, respect, discretion, self
awareness, thoughtfulness, compassion,
subtlety, honesty, diplomacy, and courtesy.

• Tact is the art of making a point without
making an enemy.- Isaac Newton
• Diplomacy is the art of letting somebody
else have your way. - David Frost

Why is Tact/Diplomacy
Important?
• The ability to communicate with sensitivity
offers many benefits.
• 1. Tact is important when you have
to deliver bad news or provide critical
feedback, whether in personal or
professional situations.

• 2. Communicating tactfully strengthens
your reputation and builds your credibility.
• 3. It allows you to preserve existing
relationships and build new ones.
• 4. A tactful approach shows character,
maturity, professionalism and integrity.

• 5. Tact also demonstrates good manners. If
you can communicate with grace and
consideration, you'll stand out from the
crowd, and you'll get noticed for the right
reasons. This can lead to career
opportunities.

• 6. Tact can help you to avoid conflict, find
common ground, and allow others to save
face. It can therefore be an important asset
in negotiations and in conflict resolution.

Tip 1:
• Tact is strongly influenced by culture.
• Make sure that you are culturally
alert when providing feedback to people
from a different background.

• Tip 2:
It's great to be tactful, however, you also
need to get your message across and ensure
that your own rights are respected. Make
sure that you handle issues assertively not
submissively, when you are being tactful.

Prerequisites for Successful Tact
and Diplomacy
• The effective use of tact and diplomacy relies
on some the following key skills:
A high level of common sense
Good judgement and practice
Active listening
Emotional intelligence
Showing empathy
Assertiveness
Rapport
Politeness

How to communicate with Tact &
Diplomacy
• Developing Tact - Use the strategies below
to communicate with tact.

• 1. Create the Right Environment, and Think
Before You Speak.
• 2. Determine the Appropriate Time
• 3. Choose Words Carefully

• 4. Watch Your Body Language
• 5. Never React Emotionally

Strategies for Tact and Diplomacy
• Understanding what is the most appropriate
behaviour and in any given situation can be
problematic; this is due to the unpredictable
nature of communication and of human
relations generally.

• The following strategies are designed to
help you think about how you can plan for
and use tact and diplomacy effectively
especially during negotiation:

• 1. When you’re planning a potentially
difficult conversation you should first focus
on knowing what you want to achieve: what
is your favoured outcome?
• 2. Consider and write down what the
objections might be from others.

• 3. Do not enter into negotiations in an
angry or stressed way. Try to remain calm
and keep an open mind.
• 4. When communicating, listen to what
the other person (or people) has to say.
Watch for non-verbal communication, such
as body language, and their tone of voice to
help you understand their message.

• 5. Negotiate. Discuss how mutual sacrifices
can be made to provide a better result for both
of you in the long run. Aim to reach a
compromise which results in a win-win
situation.
• 6. Strengthen your argument by offering
time-scales of when you foresee the benefit
of your proposals being reached. Be precise
in giving figures and dates.

• 7. If possible turn statements into
questions. Rather than directly voicing your
opinion, turn your statement into a question
for the other person to think about. This
strategy often allows for more exploration of
options – a more open approach than just
stating your opinion.
• 8. If the conversation gets heated, try to give
yourself room to respond in ways that help
rather than inflame a situation.

• 9. Keep an eye on the prize! Keep your
preferred outcome in mind, try not to get
distracted, go off on a tangent or get bogged
down in irrelevant details. Remember to be
assertive – being tactful and diplomatic
does not mean bowing to pressure or giving
up on what you want. Strive for a win-win
outcome.

Examples of Using Tact &
Diplomacy As Managers
• Example 1
• Your boss asks you to take on some of her
workload, so that she can leave early on Friday.
However, your schedule is full and you're not sure
you'll get everything done on time.
• RESPONSE: A tactful response might be, "Thank
you for trusting me with some of your
responsibilities. I'm sorry that I can't help you this
time because of my workload. Is there anything I
could help you with next week, when I have more
time?"

Example 2
• One of your team members is regularly late for work,
and it affects her performance. After another missed
deadline, you're tempted to call her out at the staff
meeting. Although this might make you feel better in the
short term, it's insensitive – a more tactful approach
would be to speak with her privately about her
tardiness.
• RESPONSE: You could even start with a really gentle
approach – for example, "I've noticed you've had trouble
getting to work on time. What can I do to help?"
• As you can see, tact reflects emotional sensitivity and
increases the likelihood of a positive outcome.

Common Examples
• Below are some common situations where tact can make
the difference between a positive and negative
experience.
• 1. Letting Team Members Go
• It's never easy to let people go. These situations are
often emotional and tense, which is why tact is
important.
• 2. Giving Feedback
• It can be difficult to give feedback especially when it's
negative. The key to providing effective feedback is to
give it frequently, and to do it tactfully.

• 3. Declining an Invitation
• If you decline an invitation with an outright
"no," some people may view this as crass or
insensitive.
• 5. Handling Disagreements
• Tact is particularly useful in conflict
resolution because it can relieve tension,
remove blame, and allow both sides to save
face.

• 4. Deflecting Gossip
• Your colleague is known as the office gossip, and
he's spreading rumours about another colleague
when you're in the room. You can tactfully deflect
and neutralize the gossip in several ways.
• 6. Giving Presentations
• To be more tactful during presentations don't
use jargon or long words that may confuse your
audience. Explain complex ideas clearly, so that
people don't have to ask for clarification.

6 Rules for Communicating with
Diplomacy and Tact
• Some people seems to know what to say and how to
say it in any situation. These people know how to
communicate with diplomacy, tact and confidence.
• The way in which we communicate can elicit
positive or negative emotions. If we communicate
aggressively, without respect or sensitivity,
defensive or angry emotions can prevent others
from hearing the message we are trying to convey.
Communicating with diplomacy and tact is an
approach that combines strength and sensitivity and
keeps negative emotions at bay.

The Six Rules for Disagreeing
Agreeably
• Rule #1: Give others the benefit of the
doubt. Maybe the person who made that
outrageous generalization isn’t really
insensitive. Maybe this person has had a
painful experience that made him overreact.

• Rule #2: After giving someone the benefit
of the doubt, listen to learn and truly
understand why this person holds this
belief. We must let him/her know we’ve
heard them and we are genuinely trying to
see things from their perspective.

• Rule #3: Always take responsibility for our
own feelings, when disagreeing with
someone. Make a commitment to respond
using “I” statements only. When we begin
with “you” we come off as blaming and
confrontational and immediately put the
other person on the defensive. This reduces
the chance of our point of view being heard.

• Rule #4: Use a cushion. Connect or
“cushion” a different opinion, starting with
“I hear what you’re saying” Or “I appreciate
your view on”. Again, begin with the word
“I” and not “You said…” or it will sound
confrontational.

• Rule #5: Eliminate the words “but” or
“however” from our vocabulary. Once we
have cushioned the other person’s opinion,
use “and,” or pause and say nothing,
following the cushion. Acknowledging the
individual’s point of view and following it
with a “but” or “however” erases the
acknowledgement.

• Rule #6: State our point of view or opinion with
relevant and factual evidence. Keep our emotions
out of the equation by using the following formula:
• Take time to reflect:
What do I think?
Why do I think it?
What evidence do I have?
• Then speak:
“One example is”
“This shows that”
“Therefore, I think”.

Strive for
message
completeness
Tips for Effective Communication in the
Workplace of Today
Build in
feedback
opportunities
Provide
social
interaction
opportunities
Don’t
assume
immediate
response
Is the
message
really
necessary?
Regularly
disconnect
from the
technology
Provide
social
interaction
opportunities

Effective Communication Techniques Ineffective Communication Techniques
Do this more and develop trust: Do this less to avoid conflict and fear:
♦ Active listening, focus on their issues and
how you can better understand them
◊ Interrupting them, focus on your own issues and
prerogatives
♦ Clarifying mutual goals, objectives and
outcomes, allowing different approaches
◊ Being vague about desired outcomes; prescribing what
others should do
♦ Making agreements for mutual advantage;
keeping the agreements or changing them
when necessary; not breaking agreements
◊ Demanding compliance from others; using excuses for
own failures
♦ Releasing energy of people to perform at
their best using all of their talents and skills in
the ways they think best
◊ Controlling energy of people to get them to do exactly
what you want them to do the way you want them to do it
Communication Techniques

♦ Describing desired outcomes and
developing agreement and support
◊ Telling people what to do and demanding compliance
♦ Sharing as much information as possible
with everyone and let them decide if they
need it or not (except for confidential
information)
◊ Withholding information from everyone unless there is a
“need to know;” determining for others whether or not
they need information
♦ Accepting and valuing people as they are,
with all the differences they bring to the
organization
◊ Judging people for how they should be and expecting
them to all be the same (e.g. more like you)
♦ Person-centered, sharing of self so that
people see the humanity of all
◊ Authority-centered, impersonal so that people only see
rank and status

♦ Attitude of problem-avoidance through
planning; fixing problems as soon as they
occur and learning from them without regard
to blame
◊ Attitude of letting things go until something goes wrong
then focusing on fixing the blame rather than the problem
♦ Shared planning and decision-making ◊ Unilateral planning and decision-making
♦ Problem-centered, focusing on what will
work best
◊ Control-centered, focus on showing who is in charge

♦ Rewarding, recognizing, and actively
appreciating excellence
◊ Punishing and blaming for errors, ignoring even
exemplary performance
♦ Emphasis on responsibility and developing
individual initiative
◊ Emphasis on accountability and assigning blame for
errors or failures

Summary
• Tact or Diplomacy is the ability to deliver a difficult
message in a way that considers other people's feelings
and preserves relationships. It encompasses many
things, such as emotional intelligence, discretion,
compassion, honesty, and courtesy.
• To develop tact and diplomacy in communication, think
carefully before you speak. Always consider how
someone else might interpret your words. Use active
listening skills, pay attention to your body language, and
never react emotionally. However, make sure that you
still get your message across, and that you continue to
be appropriately assertive.

Check Your Knowledge
Following are a series of
questions for you to complete.
These questions are designed
to check your understanding
of the information you just
reviewed.

Communication Quiz
How may the sender encode a
message?
Verbally or nonverbally. By
speaking, writing, gesturing.
What kinds of channels carry
messages?
Letters, email, memos, TV,
telephone, voice, body. Others?
How does a receiver decode a
message?
Hearing, reading, observing.
When is communication
successful?
When a message is understood
as the sender intended it to be.
How can a communicator
provide for feedback?
Ask questions, watch
responses, don’t dominate the
exchange

Question 1
1. Past experiences
A. have little or no effect on your communication
B. influence your thoughts which in turn become
your attitudes over time
C. are key to empowering you to establish personal
responsibility
D. All of the above
(Click the answer you think is correct.)

You have answered
This answer is incorrect.
Back to Question 1
Click Back to Question 1 (above) to review the question, then
click “B” for further explanation.
A. “have little or no effect on your communication”

You have answered
Back to Question 1
C. “Is key to empowering you to establish personal responsibility”

You have answered
Back to Question 1
D. “All of the above”

You have answered
B. “Influence your thoughts which in turn become your
attitudes over time”
This answer is correct.
Communication doesn’t just happen; your style is based on your experiences that, over time,
develop into a pattern of attitudes and actions.
It is a continuous cycle. Your experiences influence your thoughts. Your thoughts, over time,
become your attitudes. These attitudes become the blueprint for new experiences, which develop
into patterns of behavior.
An awareness of your personal style is critical to begin to transform negative attitudes and
behaviors into positive ones.
It is key to empowering you to establish personal responsibility and accountability in the midst of
changing your behavior. Remember, the only person you can ever really control or change is
yourself.
Continue

2. Acknowledging what the speaker is saying is valuable because
A. It does not mean that you approve or agree with the speaker
B. It allows the speaker to feel understood
C. It is a defensive posture
D. All of the above
E. Only A and B
Question 2

You have answered
Back to Question 2
click “E” for further explanation.
A. “It does not mean that you approve or agree with the speaker“

You have answered
Back to Question 2
B. “It allows the speaker to feel understood“

You have answered
Back to Question 2
C. “It is a defensive posture“

You have answered
Back to Question 2
D. “All of the above“

You have answered
E. “Only A and B”
Continue
Briefly explain the intention of your conversation.
The other person(s) will attend better if they have a basic
understanding of the time and effort they will be bringing to the
conversation.
Use “I” statements to communicate your feelings, and what you
have personally seen, heard, need, or expect.
Do not engage in verbal attacks on the other person; if you need
to criticize, describe the behavior or actions of the other person
that bother you.
State what you need or expect in positive terms

3. Consider the following scenario
You and your office coworkers have worked well together for approximately one year.
Another person has joined the work team and trouble has started. This person appears
very sensitive and frequently complains about being ignored. You and the staff have tried
to include this person in conversation and activities, but the employee went to the
supervisor after two weeks on the job and reported on a long list of office infractions.
Several of the complaints were exaggerated or totally false. The supervisor held a
meeting and firmly stated that department rules must be followed, that the office was too
busy for pettiness, and that future complaints or issues should be settled between the
staff. A preferred way to handle the situation would be which of the following?
A. Tell the coworker how mad they make you.
B. Demand to “have it out” with the coworker while it’s all fresh in your mind
C. Listen not as a critic, and desire to understand your coworker rather than to achieve either
agreement from or change in them
D. Concentrate on what you need to move forward rather than dwell on the other person’s mistakes.
E. B and C
F. C and D
Question 3

You have answered
Back to Question 3
click “F” for further explanation.
A. “Tell the coworker how mad they make you”

You have answered
Back to Question 3
B. “Demand to “have it out” with the coworker while
it’s all fresh in your mind”

You have answered
Back to Question 3
C.“Listen not as a critic, and desire to understand
your coworker rather than to achieve either
agreement from or change in them”

You have answered
Back to Question 3
D. “Concentrate on what you need to move forward
rather than dwell on the other person’s mistakes.”

You have answered
Back to Question 3
E. “B and C”

In managing a conflict you should:
1. Concentrate on what you need to move forward rather than dwell on the other person’s
mistakes. Focus on positive results.
2. Summarize the other person’s feelings to make sure that you understand what they are
communicating. Give affirmation to the other person about what they may be feeling.
3. Acknowledge and apologize for any mistakes you may have made.
4. Focus on positive results and make specific requests that will enable the achievement
of those goals.
To manage your emotions:
1. Recognize what you are feeling. Are you angry, embarrassed, or hurt?
2. Do not act on your feelings right away. Don’t make a decision, enter into a
discussion,
or send an email in anger or frustration.
3. Choose an appropriate time and place to communicate.
4. Accept that you are responsible for your emotions; Use “I” statements. Say “I feel angry
when…” rather than “You make me mad…”
You have answered
F. “C and D”
Continue

4. When you want to communicate a long or complex message,
you should
A. Let the other person know this may be a long
conversation
B. Briefly explain the intent of the conversation
C. Use “I” statements to specifically state your feelings
D. Not engage in blame or verbal attacks
E. All of the above
Question 4

You have answered
Back to Question 4
A. “Let the other person know this may be a long
conversation ”

You have answered
Back to Question 4
B. “Briefly explain the intent of the conversation”

You have answered
Back to Question 4
C. “Use “I” statements to specifically state your
feelings”

You have answered
Back to Question 4
D. “Not engage in blame or verbal attacks”

You have answered
E. “All of the above”
Continue
When communicating long or emotional messages, you should
Briefly explain the intention of your conversation.
The other person(s) will attend better if they have a basic
understanding of the time and effort they will be bringing to the
conversation
Use “I” statements to communicate your feelings, and what you
have personally seen, heard, need, or expect.
Do not engage in verbal attacks on the other person; if you need
to criticize, describe the behavior or actions of the other person
that bother you.
State what you need or expect in positive terms

Attributions & Sources Consulted
• Brenda Watkins & Celeste Fenton: Effective
Communication in the workplace. Retrieved
from - it3@hccfl.edu via slideshare.net
• Bartol, Tein, Matthews, Martin. Managerial
Communications. Copyright  2005
McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd from
Management: A Pacific Rim Focus

Attributions & Sources Consulted
• Caug124. 6 Rules for Communicating with
Diplomacy and Tact. Retrieved from
http://blog.dalecarnegie. com/leadership/on Feb. 16,
2016
• The Art of Tact and Diplomacy. Retrieved from-
http://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/tact-diplomacy.
html
• Mindtools Editorial Team. How to be Tactful -
Responding With Diplomacy and Grace. Retrieved
from-https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/
tactful.htm

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