Interpersonal Communication in DMG Corporation - Example

A Report on Interpersonal Communication in DMG Corporation Name: Institution: Course Title: Tutor: Executive summary This report outlines lack of interpersonal communication in DMG Corporation and the possible remedies. The report examines the gap that exists in the organisation in terms of interpersonal communication. The report assesses the role of interpersonal communication in an organisation where it was established that it is used to build relationship & create trust. Thirdly, the report identified barriers to attaining the same in DMG with the main cause being inadequate interpersonal communication skills and gaps that exist in vertical communication. Based on the above realisation, the report outline five point recommendation on how to remedy the same in the organisation. These include constant training & retraining, using interpersonal communication skills as part of performance evaluation thus, forcing managers to compulsorily acquire it and reduction of transactional leadership so as to enhance vertical communication and integration. Lastly, the report highlights various learning points. Table of Contents Table of Contents ii 1.0 Introduction 1 2.0 Interpersonal Communication in an Organisation 1 2.1 Gap Analysis on Interpersonal Communication in DMG Corporation 2 2.2 Role of Interpersonal Communication in an Organisation 3 2.3 Barriers to Interpersonal Communication in DMG 4 2.4 Improving on Interpersonal Communication in DMG Corporation 5 3.0 Conclusion 6 5.0 Learning Points 7 5.1 Personal learning 7 References 8 1.0 Introduction Communication is an integral element in the success of an organisation.1 Communication in an organisation is part of relationship management since various parties in the organisation needs resources from each other. Communication forms the medium of interpersonal communication under which information is relayed.2 Equally, effective interpersonal communication is integral since the manner in which managers communicate to employees and other managers is critical in the performance of the organisation and development of relationship. Thus, if there is underperformance in relation to interpersonal communication there should be cause to worry. Based on the inability of managers to communicate effectively (have interpersonal communication) at DMG Corporation which has equally affected the customer, this report outlines how the same can be improved so as to guarantee improved performance and success. 2.0 Interpersonal Communication in an Organisation Interpersonal communication constitutes one of the soft skills. Soft skills are people’s skills that allow one to navigate the social world at work place effectively and most of these are not paid for yet they are integral. Soft skills are conceptualised as contextual performance which refers to discretionary patterns that are formally required by any given job descript.3 Nevertheless, these behaviours are significant in forming the social context of all jobs. All of the above are integral in attaining organisational goals, but through different platforms.4 Communication is an important avenue where that allows for disbursement on information on policies, procedures, & finance and customer feedback. However, the critical fulcrum in this process is interpersonal communication. It is noted that “it is the medium of interpersonal communication or the content and quality of the messages we send to initiate, define, maintain or further a relationship”.5 2.1 Gap Analysis on Interpersonal Communication in DMG Corporation Before providing any solution to any problem it is prudent to conduct an audit of the same. Communication audit enables one to “identify problems and suggest solutions drawing information and data directly from those audiences that are of special concern”.6 From the audit, the gap that emerges is that the problem is tied to the fact that there is lack of communication in DMG Corporation as established by CEO Mr. Bob Jensen. From the existing situation, managers are not communicating well with their staff. This shows that interpersonal communication is wanting in the firm. The cause of this entire problem is tied to group size & status difference, internal conflict, group think, different personality types and prejudgements. This has affected customers and partners since there are many conflicts and misunderstandings as result of the gap. 2.2 Role of Interpersonal Communication in an Organisation Interpersonal communication is one of the elements of relationship building. In this regard, there is “exchanges, transactions, communications and other interconnected activities”.7 One of the critical roles of interpersonal communication is to help in building of trust. The process helps to “initiate, define, maintain or further a relationship”. It is further noted that interpersonal communication has the ability to impact on the substance of the message being communicated. In addition, the concept shapes the relationships between “communicators and their credibility and the resulting interpretation (decoding) of the message received by the individual (receiver)”.8 Once one has the trust of the other or in this context manager having trust of the employee, he or she can control his productivity and or behaviour. The poor interpersonal communication between managers and other staff is what is causing poor performance at DMG as result of the fact that managers are not able to build relationship with employees and thus, control their behaviours. For instance, interpersonal communication is critical in knowledge sharing in organisation.9 A huge portion of knowledge and experience in various institutions is owned by employees and not the employer. This equally calls for an approach of how best to tap them for the growth of the organisation.10 Additionally, interpersonal communication is principal in attaining effective followership and psychological resistance to change. Followership is defined as the ability to effectively follow the directives and support the efforts of a leader to maximise a structural organisation. The need to be a follower is natural so long as a leader can meet the employee’s expectation. For a leader/ a manager to build followership, he/she has to have effective interpersonal communication skills. A manager can’t succeed if the employees, stakeholders and shareholders are not on his or her side. This calls for followership building thus, the need for people’s skills so as to marshal this support. Cameron notes the importance of followership by stating that to implement change successfully, one has to establish the expected level of resistance, asses his or her own power in relation to the power of the possible resisters and determine those who have accurate information among others.11 In a nutshell, this implies a great deal of engaging employees by a leader so that they can be in sync with change demands. To attain effective followership, an effective leader should be able to meet the need, aspirations and capabilities of their followers. 2.3 Barriers to Interpersonal Communication in DMG The barrier to interpersonal communication between the managers and the lower cadre employees is best contextualised from the fact that they are not talented in interpersonal communication as exemplified in trait theory and thus need deliberate training so as to actualise the concept and transfer it to practice. In a nutshell, the managers are not able to apply soft skill of communication so as to build rapport with lower level employees so that they can influence them, build effective followership and reduce psychological resistance to change through effective communication. This is because the vertical communication is command based instead of dialogue and sense making approach. This has resulted in to tension and lost business opportunities. Thus the highest barrier to interpersonal communication in the firm is as result of interpersonal conflict, change and time pressure. 2.4 Improving on Interpersonal Communication in DMG Corporation One can learn interpersonal communication skills or through trait theory by being borne by it. To learn these skills, application of situational theories is critical.12 From the gap analysis, the managers in the company should be trained on how to apply interpersonal communication. Skill acquisition and perfection is important for employee’s success. An employee who is able to acquire and build a perfect knowledge is an asset to the organisation. The process to be applied is the deliberate practice since “attaining expert, even elite performance in any domain is not related to innate talent or ability. Rather, expert performance can be acquired by anyone through focused effort and hard work”.13 Pietersen (2010, p.48) provides five steps that lead to excellence. The first step for an individual is to conduct situational analysis. This is what he terms as the learning stage. Under this stage, the individual who wants to attain excellence analyses the situation so as to gain insights, implications and challenges. The second step is to define the choices and vision. This stage involves focusing by outlining winning propositions, priorities and sealing of performance gaps. The third stage involves aligning individual’s aspirations with externalities like measure and rewards, structure and process, culture and people. The fourth stage is to engage in the real action by implementing the plan. Lastly, is to monitor and review and if there is ant need then one start at step one. Under situational analysis, the first step would be to assess the self awareness of managers. This outlines how the managers currently communicates and is integral in establishing what is working and what is not working. The second would be to outline what is to be attained. For the third step, the managers will be trained to keep employees in mind; the third step which is about practicality, the process would gather facts and help managers practice the identified communication failures. One of the core processes here is about listening as much as one speaks. The last stage is constant reviews. 3.0 Conclusion I do not believe that the importance on interpersonal communication skills in an organisation is clearly understood and how the same can be attained. Currently interpersonal skills displayed by the managers do not form part of performance appraisal and therefore there is no incentive towards improvement. Transactional leadership should be discouraged so as to reduce commanding language and enhance dialogue in the organisation. Vertical and horizontal communication should be encouraged as means of building close working rapport between all levels in the firm. 4.0 Recommendations The managers and employees should be constantly trained on ad hoc basis and on annual basis the importance on interpersonal communication skills in an organisation and how the same can be attained. Interpersonal skills displayed by the managers should form part of performance management appraisal. Transactional leadership should be discouraged so as to reduce commanding language and enhance dialogue in the organisation. Vertical and horizontal communication should be encouraged as means of building close working rapport between all levels in the firm. 5.0 Learning Points Interpersonal skill is more of a learned phenomenon and not much of an inborn thing. Thus, organisations should train their managers and other employees on interpersonal communication. Interpersonal communication is critical in the success of an organisation since it enhances communication of ideas, enables building of trust, development of effective followership and reduction of psychological resistance and thus, ease of controlling behaviour of employees and or their productivity. The success of interpersonal communication skills is a function of myriad of factors such as group size & status difference, internal conflict, group think, different personality types and prejudgements. 5.1 Personal learning Based on the above realisation, as a budding manager, I will employ interpersonal communication skills so as to enhance my relationship building with other employees. This will enable me to be able to influence the behaviour of the employees and their productivity since I am able to build trust with them and a close working rapport. References Al-Alawi, Adel Ismail, Nayla Yousif Al-Marzooqi and Yasmeen Fraidoon Mohamed, “Organisational culture and knowledge sharing: critical success factors,” Journal of Knowledge Management 11, no. 2 (2007): 22-42. Bambacas, Mary and Margaret Patrickson, “Interpersonal communication skills that enhance organisational commitment,” Journal of Communication Management 12, no.1 (2008): 51-72. Bertocci, David I. Leadership in organisations: there is a difference between leaders and managers. Lanham: University Press of America, 2009. Bhatt, D.G. “Organising knowledge in the knowledge development cycle,” Journal of Knowledge Management 4, no. 1 (2000): 15-26. Cameron, Kim. Leading Change: Using Fixed Points to Navigate. Provo, UT: Leadership Excellence, 2009. Fojt, Martin. “Logistics information management,” Strategic Logistics Management 8, no. 5 (1995): 1-56. Hoise, Peter J. and Peter Sevastos. “Does the “happy-productive worker” thesis apply to manager,” International Journal of Workplace Health Management 2, no. 2 (2009): 131- 160. Jawahar, I.M. and Dean Carr. “Conscientiousness and contextual performance: the compensatory effects of perceived organisational support and leader-member exchange,” Journal of Managerial Psychology 22, no. 4 (2007): 330-349. Pietersen, Willie. Strategic learning: how to be smarter than your competition and turn key insights into competitive advantage. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2010. Sternberg, Robert J. and Elena L. Grigorenko. The psychology of abilities, competencies, and expertise. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. Wells, Barron and Nelda Spinks. “Developing a community image program: an essential function of business communication,” Management Decision 37, no. 3 (1999): 289-294. Read More