Communication in an Organization - Assignment Example

COMMUNICATION IN AN ORGANIZATION Definition of Communication Communication is the process of transferring information and ideas from one geographical location to another. However, when defined from the perspective of its processes, it becomes more complex. It can be said to be the activity of conveying information by the exchange of thoughts, information, and messages by speech, signals, visuals, writing or behavior (Downs, Adrian & Downs 56-9). Communication can be verbal or non verbal. Verbal communication also referred to as spoken communication can be in the form of face-to-face, over the telephone, via television/radio or any other medium that transmits a spoken form of a message. Non verbal communication includes the use of gestures, body languages, the dressing code and even the scent. All these convey very significant information which at times speaks even louder than verbal communication. There is also the written communication which may be in the form of letters, memos, reports, minutes, books, emails, internet and magazines. Another form of communication is the use of visuals such as graphs, maps, logos, charts among others (Alvesson 45-9). Elements of Communication within an Organization The key elements of communication include the message, the sender, the receiver, encoding, decoding, medium of transmission, and the feedback. The message is the information that is being transmitted. For communication to be effective, the message has to be very accurate, clear and correct. The central idea ought to be necessarily communicated very clearly so that the receiver is able to understand and utilize the content of the message. The sender is the person who is transmitting the message. He is the one to determine the medium to use in sending the information. The sender is therefore very important in the process of communication since he is able to determine the success or failure of communication. If the sender uses a wrong channel, the information may not reach the intended audience. Similarly, if he does not embrace the clarity of the ideas that are to be communicated, the information may get distorted and therefore not serve its intended purpose. The importance of communication at the work place Communication is very essential at the work place. Without effective communication in an organization, several problems are bound to arise. As such, for any organization to realize its objectives effectively there ought to be effective transmission and communication. Effective and efficient communication is critical for managers in organizations so as to perform the basic functions of management including: leading, planning, organizing, and controlling. Communication assists managers in performing their chores and responsibilities. Communication functions as groundwork for the process of planning, critical information has to be communicated to the managers who then in response communicate the plans in order for them to be implemented (Alvesson 45-9). Organizing also needs effective communication with other people on issues regarding their job task. In the same vein, managers have to communicate effectively with subordinates for them to achieve organizational goals. Controlling cannot be possible without either written or oral communication. Managers devote a lot of time for communication. They spend a wealth of time on telephone or face-to-face communication with superiors, colleagues, suppliers and clients. Communication enhances motivation among the employees at the work place. Through communication, the employees are able to be informed. The clarification of the tasks that they are supposed to perform in order to achieve organizational set goals and objectives is also ensured by effective communication. The employees are also able to get information on how to improve their performance through the process of communication (Jablin & Putnam 89). Communication provides information to the workers in the organization and other stakeholders on the decision making processes. This helps in determining the alternative courses of action. Communication plays an increasingly fundamental role in shaping the individual’s attitude in an organization. With effective communication, employees are able to inculcate in themselves positive attitudes which can then propel the organization to greater heights of success. The use of organizational magazines, meetings, journals, and other forms of written or verbal communication are very crucial at altering the attitudes of the employees. They create in them the desire to identify with the organization (Gillis 109). This fosters a very positive organizational culture which is a recipe for the attainment of the set goals and objectives of the organization. Communication also aids in socialization among the members of the work place. The presence of another individual fosters communication. The extent of socialization among the members of the workforce determines the type of culture that lies in that organization. Barriers to Effective Communication There are several actual and potential barriers to effective communication in organizations. These barriers can retard and distort the message or its intention resulting into a complete failure of the entire communication process. It may also results into effects that might be very undesirable and not anticipated (Downs, Adrian & Downs 56-9). These include selective perception, filtering, information overload, language, emotions, gender differences, communication apprehension, and political correctness. Physical Barriers The physical barriers to communication are normally as a result of the nature of the environment under which the communication occurs. For example, the barrier may be natural in the sense that the staff of the organization may be located at different places and in different buildings. Furthermore, poor, and outdated equipment arising from the lack of goodwill on management to introduce the modern technology to aid in communication can also pose significant communication barriers. The shortage of staff is yet another case of a physical communication barrier. When the staffs are not adequate, there is the frequency of communication difficulty in the organization. Other significant physical barriers include cases of background noise, poor lighting, and the temperatures of the environment especially where it is too hot or too cold. These entire have the potential to distract the attention of the people involved in the communication process thereby fundamentally reducing their concentration. Attitudinal barriers These barriers have to do with the problems that face the staff of the organization. They may be brought about by issues such as poor management and leadership styles that make the staff demoralized. When the staff is not motivated, there result significant problems with communication. They lose focus, get easily irritated and rarely concentrate on organizational goals and objectives. This becomes a very huge blow to the process of communication in the organization. As a result, they start developing very negative attitudes towards the organization. Ambiguity of words or phrases Sometimes, when words that sound the same are used, the intended meaning in communication process becomes distorted. Again, using phrases that may mean more than one concept may also mislead the recipient. This leads to feed-back which are not anticipated since the process of communication has been impaired. The communicator therefore has the initiative to ensure that the recipient receives the right and the intended information. Individual linguistic ability Individual linguistic ability can prove to be a very serious barrier to communication especially where verbal communication is used. The use of difficult jargon or inappropriate words in communication can thwart the understandability of the information. When the message is poorly explained due to language barriers and poor linguistic skills, confusion is very likely to occur. This becomes a very effective barrier in the process of communication. Physiological barriers Psychological barriers can result from the individual’s personal discomfort. This may be caused by illnesses, poor eyesight, especially where non verbal communication is involved. The recipient cannot be able to see gestures and facial expressions. Hearing disabilities can also interfere with face-to-face communication, television or radio communications and that which is done over the telephone (Gillis 109). Reasons for communication break-down Communication breakdown often occur in organizations due to a number of factors. Firstly, the breakdown can come as a result of the difference in perceptions of the members of the organization. Every employee has a unique personality and therefore a unique kind of perceptions. The way the employees and other stakeholders of an organization see themselves and how they perceive each other can cause a breakdown in communication. When a certain group of workers feel less valued by another department, they are likely to have communication with that department. Conflicting views over issues in the organization may also cause significant problems in communication, especially in a situation where both the groups involved fail to reach a compromise (Downs, Adrian & Downs 56). These breakdowns disrupt the business of the organization. Another cause of communication breakdown is distraction in the work place. Distractions may be caused by loud traffic, bad lightings, and even radio. These aspects hamper the communication process by impairing the concentration of the parties involved in the communication process. They cause inadequate attention which may ultimately lead to misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the conveyed message. Requests and needs of communication can also be easily forgotten or lost in the shuffle. Communication breakdown may also result from complex organizational structures. This is even more evident where there are tall structures that lead to high hierarchies and numerous layers of management. The results of such complexity are very disastrous to the effectiveness of communication. Flattened structures are better when it comes to effectiveness and efficiency in organizational communication. Stress or emotional environment can also be a fundamental cause of breakdown of communication in an organization. This is because where emotions fly high and the environment is engulfed in constantly stressing circumstances and situations, the relationships and interactions between the workers become strained (Gillis 109). As a result, communication is dealt a major blow. Furthermore, the lack of a clear, effective business plan for events and other circumstances that could be considered extraordinary may create problems with the employee communication when unaccepted events occur. The employees may not know how to respond to such disasters. This hinders communication a great deal (Alvesson 45). Conclusion Information is power. Communication ensures that this power is distributed to individual, groups and societies. Whether verbal, non verbal, written or visualized, communication is the most fundamental tool that organization aspiring to succeed can have. In management, staff motivation and all the aspects of organization, communication plays a role. Planning, controlling, organizing and controlling are absolutely impossible in an organization without effective communication. Owing to the great importance of communication in an organization, the message sender must be very careful to ensure that the right information is sent to the right person at the right time using a right medium. Works Cited Alvesson, M. Communication, Power and Organization. Berlin, Gruyter, 1996:45-9. Downs, C. W., Adrian, A. D., & Downs, C. W. Assessing Organizational Communication: Strategic Communication Audits. New York, Guilford Press, 2004:56-9. Gillis, T. L. The Iabc Handbook Of Organizational Communication A Guide To Internal Communication, Public Relations, Marketing, And Leadership. San Francisco, Ca, Jossey-Bass, 2011:109 Jablin, F. M., & Putnam, L. L. The New Handbook of Organizational Communication: Advances In Theory, Research, And Methods. Thousand Oaks, Calif. [U.A.], Sage Publ, 2001:89. Read More