Communication I:Barriers

PROJECT PROPOSAL DUE TODAY

(coffee hour today after class)

(come see me if you lost an “action watch” in lecture last week)

Authentic(Full exchange)

Manipulative(Objectives not

Shared)

(planned,

Natural(spontaneous)

Deliberate

thought-out)

Self presentation

Social influenceMotivationPower

C

D

Relationships 2D Space

Exercising power

• Informal– Relationships– Speech and

communication styles

• Subtle but potent• Strategic

– Design: networks– Skills: communication

Why communication matters

• Organizations as systems of information exchange

• Technology– Changes “How”

– Marginally changes “Who”, “When”

– Doesn’t change “What”

“Authentic” Communication

• Definition: exchange of all relevant thoughts and feelings

• Relevant

• Cognitive and affective

Rejection letter(Chinese economic journal)

“We have read your manuscript with boundless delight. If we were to publish your paper, it would be impossible for us to publish any work of lower standard. And as it is unthinkable that in the next thousand years we shall see its equal, we are, to our regret, compelled to return your divine composition, and to beg you a thousand times to overlook our short sight and timidity”

Inauthentic communication

• Criticisms– Negative performance: Sandwiching– Bad news:Shooting the messenger

• Requests– For information: newcomers– For feedback: negative feedback– For help: Hubble Space Telescope

• Mostly face work

• Upward, downward, lateral

• Nonverbals

• Differences across cultures,

ethnicity, gender, personality

Barriers to communication

Barriers 1: Facework

Edgar: If e’er your Grace had speech with man so poor,

Hear me one word

King Lear, V, i, 38

Facework

• Prevalent: Majority of our speech• Reading between the lines

• Failure:– Social faux pas

– Ineffective performance

– Bernie Goetz

Barriers 2: Direction

A

B C D

Upward Downward

Lateral

Screens across directions

• Upward– Bad news– Opportunities for changes

• Downward– Mission and goals– Feedback

• Lateral– Functionally-specific– Social comparison and competition

Barriers 3: Nonverbals

• Most informative– Leakage hierarchy– “Thin slices”

• Problems with interpretation– Molecular versus

molar– Basic emotions only

Barriers 4: Differences across cultures

Koreans

Nonverbal Cues

GoodNews

BadNews

Americans

Nonverbal Cues

Subordinate Boss

Koreans

Americans

Differences across gender

Females

Verbal Cues

Peer Boss

Males

Authentic Communication?

Experimenting

Opening

Owning

Not experimenting

Not opening

Not owning

NATURALLY OCCURINGBEHAVIORS IN ORGANZIATIONS

3,600

34,000

Authentic(Full exchange)

Manipulative(Objectives not

Shared)

(planned,

Natural(spontaneous)

Deliberate

thought-out)

Self presentation

Social influenceMotivationPower

Not a lot

If you want it,have to design it

Relationships 2D Space