Chapter 5:

Communication and Interpersonal Relations

Objectives:
1. Define Communication 2. Understanding the Role of Communication in Total Quality 3. Understanding Communicating Process 4. To learn how to Improve Communications 5. Learn how to develop Interpersonal Skills

Defining Communication
Inexperienced managers sometimes make mistake of confusing telling with communicating and hearing with listening.
Telling and hearing dont necessarily result in communication. I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but Im not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.

Communication is the transfer of a message (information, idea, emotion, intent, feeling, or something else) that is both received and understood. understood

Effective Communication in Total Quality

In total quality, communication itself is not necessarily effective communication. Effective Communication in Total Quality means that the message is received, understood, and acted upon.
Communication Levels 1. 2. 3. 4. One-on-one level Team or Unit level Company level Community level

Understanding the Role of Communication in Total Quality

If total quality is the engine, communication is the oil that keeps it running. All elements of total quality (customer focus, effective leadership, teamwork, etc.) will not work if theres no effective communication.

Communication role in Total Quality is Facilitation

Understanding Communication as a Process

Medium Sender Message Receiver

Medium: Verbal Non Verbal Written and Electronic

Inhibitors of Communication
1. Differences in meaning 2. Lack of Trust 3. Information Overload 4. Interference 5. Condescending tone 6. Poor listening skills 7. Premature judgments 8. Inaccurate assumptions 9. Kill-the-message syndrome

Establishing a Conducive Communication Climate

A climate that is conducive to communication as one that gives people the information they need to do their jobs well and also builds morale and encourages creativity

Bad communication climate as one that creates doubt and confusion, demotivating people and leading to cynicism .

Establishing a Conducive Communication Climate

Bad communication climate happens in the ff.: 1. Communicating with peers and employees as little as possible, being secretive and mysterious 2. Being vague and obscure; speaking generalities 3. Communicating with only a select few individuals 4. Limiting employee access 5. Communicating only when it is personally advantageous to do so 6. Ignoring the good ideas of employees

Listening
One of the important communication skills is LISTENING. Good listening means receiving the message correctly, decoding it, and accurately perceiving what it means. Inhibitors to good listening include the ff. : lack of concentration, preconceived ideas, thinking ahead interruptions, tuning out, and interference. Emphatic listening means listening with the intent to understand. Responsive listening means seeking to receive and affirm both the messenger and the message.

Listening
Listening skills may be improved by: Upgrading the desire to listen Asking the right question Judging what is really being said Eliminating listening errors Body factors and proximity must also be managed carefully to listen well

Verbal Communication
Verbal Communication can be improved by: Showing interest Being friendly Being flexible Being courteous Dropping your defenses Stating your purpose Acknowledging emotions And using carefully phrased open-ended questions.

Written Communication
Written Communication can be improved by: Being brief, direct, accurate, and practicing self-editing Step by step strategy to write good reports Define the problem Develop a work plan Gather relevant data Process findings Develop conclusion Make recommendation

How to Improve Communication Skills

Keep up to date Prioritize and determine time constraints Decide whom to inform Determine how to communicate Communicate and follow-up Check understanding Get feedback

Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills are those needed for people to work together in a positive manner that is conducive to both personal and corporate success. To ensure that employees have good interpersonal skills, managers should recognize the need for them, select personnel carefully, provide training, measure skill, and reward it.