Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Behavior, 8e
Schermerhorn, Hunt, and
Osborn
Prepared by
Michael K. McCuddy
Valparaiso University
– Efficient communication.
• The cost of communication.
– Effectiveness does not guarantee efficiency or
vice versa.
Organizational Behavior: Chapter 16 9
What are the essentials of
interpersonal communication?
Nonverbal communication.
– Takes place through:
• Facial expressions
• Body position.
• Eye contact.
• Other physical gestures.
– Nonverbals give clues to what a person is
really thinking.
– Proxemics.
• The study of the way space is utilized.
Physical distractions.
– Any aspect of the physical setting in which
communication takes place.
– Can interfere with communication
effectiveness.
Semantic problems.
– Involves a poor choice or use of words.
Mixed messages.
– Occur when a person’s words communicate
one thing while body language communicates
another.
– Body language adds important insights in
face-to-face meetings.
– MUM effect
• Occurs when people are reluctant to transmit bad news.
Channel richness.
– The capacity of a communication channel to convey
information effectively.
– Richest channels — face-to-face communication.
– Moderately rich channels — telephone, electronic
chat rooms, E-mail, written memos, and letters.
– Leanest channels — posted notices and bulletins.
– Downward communication.
– Upward communication.
– Lateral communication.
Downward communication.
– The flow of information follows the chain of
command from top to bottom.
– Downward communication informs lower level
personnel about the higher level managers’:
• Strategies.
• Objectives.
• Instructions.
• Policies.
• Feedback.
Upward communication.
– The flow of information from lower to higher levels of
the organization.
– Upward communication informs higher level
personnel about lower level workers’:
• Problems.
• Results.
• Suggestions.
• Questions.
• Needs.
Lateral communication.
– The flow of information across persons or
work units at the same hierarchical level.
– Lateral communication enables persons and
work units to coordinate:
• Problems.
• Needs.
• Advice.
• Feedback.