The Impact of Communication in Everyday life free essay sample

What type of communication are there in your organization? Media for communication Types of communication Barriers of communication Tips for overcoming barriers Personal life communication/barriers/overcoming barriers Educational institution/ Recommendation/betterment/suggestion Effective communication in organizations involves a commitment from the top down to communicate effectively. Its as simpleand as complexas that. Organizations that communicate effectively expect strong communication from managers to employees, provide training and coaching to managers to help build their ommunication skills, have ample communication tools for use by managers and employees, and measure the effectiveness of their communication efforts. Communication From Managers to Employees When senior leaders and managers in an organization are held accountable for effective communication, the difference will be measurable. Setting the stage for managers to communicate with employees openly and honestly can make a big difference. Managers who are effective communicators should be recognized and rewarded, those who are not should receive the appropriate feedback and asked to make improvements. We will write a custom essay sample on The Impact of Communication in Everyday life or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Not all managers are automatically equipped with the skills they need to be effective communicators. For effective communication in organizations, managers need to have access to training and coaching to first understand the communication expectations the organization has of them and to improve skills when necessary. Training can be one-on-one, in classroom settings and increasingly online or through webinars. A wide range of training materials and information is available at little and sometimes at nocost. Communication Tools Years ago face-to-face communication was the only option for organizations. Today many options exist ranging from face-to-face, which is still the most effective form of communication, to telephone, to email to online forums and social media. Organizations should ensure that managers and employees are aware of the tools available to them and how to use them effectively. Communication Effectiveness The old phrase you cant manage what you cant measure is especially true when it comes to communication. Effective communication in organizations involves first establishing a baseline for performance, then identifying areas for improvement, hen implementing improvement actions and then measuring again. Its a cycle that should be repeated regularly and the information attained should be shared widely with managers and employees alike. Honesty Even During Tough Times Even during tough times organizations must be committed to open and honest communication. Sometimes they are Judged most harshly by employees during these times so a commitment to sharing information, even when the information is negative, can go a long way toward establishing a foundation of solid communication and trust. Communication Strategies in an Effective Organization Communication is a critical function in organizations, from the very small to the very large. Even one-to-one communications can be fraught with challenges and misunderstandings. By communicating purposefully and focusing on results and relationships, businesses can leverage effective communication strategies to generate solid results with multiple audiences. An open communication environment is one in which all members of the organization feel free to share feedback, ideas and even criticism at every level. Leaders who are committed to open communication build an environment of trust that can be the foundation for success. Inclusive An inclusive communication strategy is one in which explicit steps are taken to ensure that all employees feel they are involved in decisions that affect their day-to- day work. Organizations with a secretive communication environment shut people out, which can stifle involvement and result in lost ideas and opportunities. Employee involvement is a key factor that affects employee satisfaction and success. Two-Way Communication should never be one-wayeither from the top-down or the bottom- up. Effective communication strategies involve two-way communication, or conversations, between members of the organization. Companies whose managers successfully engage employees in conversations about their work, their ideas and their perspectives on issues related to products, services, customers and the business environment develop a culture of inclusiveness that generates results. Results-Driven Business communication should be results-driven and strategically focused on achieving measurable results. Organizations need to think about what employees need to know to do their Jobs effectively, to interact with customers effectively and to serve as ambassadors outside of the organization. Effective communication isnt Just ice to do; its need to do. Multi-channeled Effective organizational communicators know that messages need to be delivered multiple times in multiple ways to have the most impact. Employee communication needs and preferences differ, different messages require different methods and busy business environments can mean that messages get lost. Using multiple channels to communicate with various audiences will increase the odds that communications are received and understood. Secret to Effective Communication in Organizations Effective communication in organizations requires, first, the recognition that ommunication is critical and, second, a commitment to ensuring that everybody in the organization from the top down has the skills, tools and resources to communicate effectively. Commitment from the Top If there is one big secret to effective communication in organizations, it is that the commitment must come from the top. The CEO and senior leadership team set the expectation for effective communication through their commitment to open, honest and timely communication. Their actions, behaviors and messages send a strong message to employees about the tone and tenor of communication in the organization. Without commitment from the top, even the most skilled of corporate communicators will be unsuccessful. Positive Role Models Direct supervisors and managers have the greatest influence and impact on employees. Managers who are trained in the use of effective communication with employees and who serve as positive role models make a strong impression. Employees will emulate the style and tone in communication that they receive from their managers. Trainingwhether in-person, online or through resources such as books and Journal articlesis essential. Few people are natural communicators; they eed training and education to help them improve their communication skills. Clear Expectations for Employees Organizations should not assume that employees will know whats expected of them when it comes to communicating with each other, their subordinates or managers. Clear expectations conveyed in policies, handbooks and through direct communications can help employees avoid innocent mistakes that dont reflect company culture. Many rules of communication are unstated. For instance, is it 0K for employees to go directly to department heads or their boss boss with comments or questions? Is email preferred over face-to-face, or vice versa? The answers to these simple questions can help communication flow smoothly and avoid unnecessary misperceptions and frustrations. Multiple Tools to Meet Varied Needs Because employees generally work in varying types of environments and have different Jobs requirements and expectations, multiple options for communicating with and receiving communication from colleagues, managers and subordinates is important. Todays technology allows companies to offer both traditionalin-person, telephone and newsletterand online options for communicating with employees, as ell as for two-way communication. Alignment and Consistency in Messages who hear different messages from supervisors than through company communicationsfor example, in newsletters or intranet siteswill be at best confused and, at worst, disillusioned. Carefully planned communications take into consideration both the order and timing of communication to ensure that the right people hear the message first and to ensure that the right, and consistent, message flows effectively from the top to the bottom of the organization. How Can Communication Barriers Affect Organizations? Effective communication is integral to the success of any organization. This is especially true in smaller organizations that usually rely on a smaller workforce to produce results. Top-down, horizontal and bottom-up communication flows are all important as every level of the small business needs to function with consistent objectives, strategies and focus. Inaction One of the biggest effects of communication barriers in businesses is that it causes employees to fail to deliver on requested directives. According to Better Communication Results CEO Lee Hopkins, a weak delivery of a message can cause the ntended receiver to fail to act. This weakness can mean the receiver is uncertain about the request. Often, it can mean the sender has failed to present the request in a way that motivates the receiver to take immediate action and perform up to par. Misinterpretation Misinterpreted messages are also an effect of communication barriers in many large and small businesses. While this can stem from poor communication efforts by the message sender, the Management Study Guide website also discusses two common barriers that can lead to misinterpretation. Language and communication differences re common as companies become more diverse. Additionally, noises and distractions in the work environment can cause confusion during the reception and interpretation of messages. Bad Work Relationships Several common communication barriers can lead to disengaged and even conflicting relationships among colleagues, or between supervisors and subordinates. However, a barrier commonly tied to this negative affect is emotions. When a workplace becomes overly affected by the emotional state of one, a few or several workers, in can significantly affect the ability of people to work together. A supervisor who routinely expresses negative emotions can overwhelm workers. Co-workers who routinely project emotional outbursts can create hostile working relationships. Improperly structured organizations and communication processes and several other common barriers can ultimately contribute to an environment in which employees generally lack knowledge about the company, its products and their Jobs. This can contribute to poor production, creativity and results within the organization. It can also lead to poor communication and ineffective results during interactions with lients or customers. Top management should take on the responsibility of making certain each employee has knowledge to do his Job. Main Barriers to Communication There are many barriers to communication that exist in any organization, but some are more pervasive and more common than others. Barriers can be environmental or personal and may include such things as noise (real or internal), bias, cultural differences or even differences in roles, or levels of authority, within the organization. Noise Noise can be either internal or external. Internal noise represents the internal self- alking that we all do, such as thinking about things that need to be done, wondering about what the other person is thinking about, or thinking about what well do when we go home for the evening. Our internal contemplations can keep us from being entirely focused on the conversations were involved in at that moment. In addition to internal noise, we can also be impacted by external noise, or literally the noise around us. External noise can include other conversations, traffic noise or anything that interferes with our ability to maintain focus. Culture Culture can be a significant impact on communication. Some cultures are open and supportive of input from employees and a two-way flow of communication. Other cultures are more top-down; leaders convey messages but dont seek out input from staff, or often even customers. Culture can represent a barrier to communication when it keeps communication from happening or when employees communicate the information and input they feel they are expected to communicate, and not what they really believe. Role Role conflicts can create barriers to communication in organizations, particularly when they involve interactions between subordinates and superiors. Regardless of ow open managers and senior leaders believe they are to employee input, employees are often hesitant to share their honest insights, especially when those Management for Small Business, says that small businesses are in a better position to deal with this barrier since relationships between employees and business owners can be more casual and less hindered by bureaucracy than in larger organizations. Bias Whether we recognize it or not, we all suffer from various biases. These biases can interfere with communication both when were sending and receiving messages. Biases can be based on our preconceived beliefs (e. . millenials dont respond well to criticism) or based on impressions we form of people as we interact with them. When communicating with others, its important to be aware of, and to work to overcome, these biases. While misinterpretation may happen most commonly in email interactions, it can also occur over the phone or in face-to-face conversations. When interacting with others, we may Jump to conclusions or misinterpret something theyve said. These misinterpretations then color our own responses and beliefs. It is important to be sure that the meaning behind your communication is clearly and accurately nderstood. When in doubt, ask for clarification. How Communication Barriers Impact Organizations Communication barriers are frequent occurrences in any organization, and small businesses are no exception. Sometimes, the barrier is subtle and only mildly disruptive. For example, perhaps a supervisor has difficulty motivating her team because of the geographic distance among team members. Other times, barriers create a breakdown of the company, as was the case with the lack of transparency and truthfulness between Enron and its shareholders. Communication impediments can affect a small business in several ways. Identification Communication barriers include any breakdown or impediment that concerns relaying information. Such communication may occur between workers or within a structural system. One example of a barrier is a lack of trust between a manager and her subordinates. This inhibits the open relaying of information, thereby creating the potential for differing expectations and misunderstandings. Barriers may also prove more tangible, such as an antiquated ordering system that fails to update deliveries in real time. This impediment would prevent streamlined communication among departments within an organization. Vision and Mission Kathleen Rhodes, author of the book, Business Communication: Process and Product, explains weak language skills, confusing the message by using different words to mean the same thing and physical distractions all inhibit the free flow of information. Overcoming these barriers requires the management team to hold company-wide meetings, infuse employee orientations with the groups mission and welcome feedback at all levels of the organizational chart. Working through communication issues improves the likelihood that employees will be satisfied with the companys goals. Employees disinterested in the overall success of the company because of poor communication are more inclined to pursue other work opportunities and will probably take little interest in improving their skill sets. Customer Service Communication barriers can devastate a companys customer service division. These barriers include dismissive, rude employees, poor customer service ordering techniques and failure to relay order information to the appropriate parties such as delivery warehouse employees and the accounting team. In her book, Customer Communications, Maggie Jones explains that overcoming communication barriers inges on decoding the customers information successfully. Jones explains how gaps occur when groups make erroneous assumptions about the decoding process. For instance, a customer may assume the package will arrive in less than a week, whereas the representative knows deliveries typically arrive in two weeks. This lack of communication can create frustration and customer dissatisfaction. Production The production process may suffer due to communication barriers within an organization. Charles McConnell, author of the book, Management Principles for Health Professionals, states that formal and informal communication processes may mpact production. Whereas formal communication explains the process in training manuals, directives and bulletins, informal communication relates to rumors and information that may or may not be true, but is nonetheless passed between workers. Barriers in communication can create inefficient production or even Jarring halts in work flow. For instance, if a group of employees believe they may lose their jobs, yet they receive no information from the management team, their fear could transform into apathy and disinterest. insights may be perceived as critical. Lin Grensing-pophal, author of Employee