Organizational Communication

feedback

rules

reporting progress

frustration
Persuasion function Communication influences other people’s attitudes or behavior.
Information exchange function Communication transmits data needed to identify and evaluate decisions.

sends it through a channel
Encoding Converting an intended message into a communicable form.
Decoding Interpreting a message that has been received.
Noise in communication Interference that distorts a message as it is transmitted or understood.
Downward communication Communication that moves from a higher organizational level to a lower level.

instructions

with too little opportunity for employees to respond.
Upward communication Communication from a lower level of an organization to a higher level.

support them with actionable items
Lateral communication Communication among people or groups at the same organizational level.

but can also create dysfunctional conflict.
Chain communication network A communication pattern that passes information along a sequential chain.
Wheel communication network A communication pattern with a central person connecting others.
All-channel communication network A communication pattern in which every member can communicate with every other member.
Grapevine The informal communication network within a group or organization.

issues employees care about

such as meetings

letters

vocal tone

and appropriate distance depends on cultural norms.
Channel richness How well a communication channel conveys nuanced information and enables understanding; richer channels support ambiguous messages.
Routine versus nonroutine messages Routine messages have minimal ambiguity; more ambiguous messages often benefit from richer channels.
When oral communication is especially useful When you need to gauge how receptive the receiver is to a message.
When written communication is especially useful For lengthy or complex information that needs a reliable record.
Automatic processing Superficial consideration of information that uses little effort but is easier to manipulate.

figures
Filtering A sender deliberately adjusts information to make it appear more favorable to a receiver.

motives
Information overload When incoming information exceeds a person’s ability to process it.
Emotions as communication barriers Strong emotions can distort how information is evaluated and interpreted.
Silence as a communication barrier Withholding information or concerns can prevent problems and opinions from being heard.

which may lead a person to avoid communication-heavy situations.

word connotations
Leadership The ability to influence a group toward achieving a vision or set of goals.

and influential leaders do not necessarily hold management roles.
Trait theories of leadership Theories examining personal characteristics that distinguish leaders from nonleaders.

more than it predicts actual effectiveness.

openness to experience
Emotional intelligence (EI) in leadership Recognizing and managing emotions; empathy is a core component and higher EI can help people emerge as leaders.

write down three good things that happened to cultivate gratitude.

enjoying

realistic alternatives and counterevidence.
Behavioral theories of leadership Theories focusing on learnable leader behaviors rather than only fixed traits.

organizes work

respect
Fiedler contingency model Leadership effectiveness depends on matching a leader’s relatively fixed style to situational control.
Least preferred coworker (LPC) questionnaire Fiedler’s measure used to classify a leader as primarily task-oriented or relationship-oriented.

task structure

confidence
Task structure (Fiedler) The degree to which job assignments are procedural or clearly structured.

firing
Fiedler: when task-oriented leaders perform best In very favorable and very unfavorable leadership situations.
Fiedler: when relationship-oriented leaders perform best In moderately favorable situations.
Situational leadership theory (SLT) Choose a leadership style based on followers’ readiness.
Path-goal theory Effective leaders clarify the path that helps followers reach work goals.

often creating in-groups and out-groups.

leader attention
LMX out-group Followers whose relationship with the leader is more limited and formally defined.

personal risk
Can charismatic behavior be learned? The guide says people can be born with charismatic traits or trained to exhibit charismatic behavior.

rewards for performance
Contingent reward Promising and providing rewards in exchange for effort or achievement.
Management by exception (active) A leader watches for deviations from standards and takes corrective action.
Management by exception (passive) A leader intervenes only after standards have not been met.
Laissez-faire leadership Avoiding decisions and abdicating leadership responsibilities.

motivation

inspirational motivation

earning respect
Inspirational motivation Communicating high expectations and meaningful purpose to inspire effort.

rationality

coaching
Transformational versus transactional outcomes The guide says transformational leadership is more strongly related to a variety of workplace outcomes.
Authentic leadership Knowing one’s beliefs and values and acting on them openly and candidly.

communicating honestly

excluding physical contact.

more strain and turnover intentions

poor sleep
Servant leadership Putting follower growth and development ahead of the leader’s self-interest.

empathizing
Trust Willingness to become vulnerable because of positive expectations about another person.

benevolence

information sharing
Power A’s capacity to influence B so B acts in line with A’s wishes; power need not be exercised.
Power and dependence Power increases when someone controls something another person needs or wants.

scarcity
General dependency postulate Controlling something others require increases their dependence and your power.
Dependence versus alternatives Dependence decreases as alternative sources of a desired resource increase.

reward
Coercive power Influence because others fear negative consequences or punishment.
Reward power Influence because others seek desirable benefits or rewards.
Legitimate power Influence based on one’s formal position or organizational authority.
Expert power Influence based on specialized knowledge or skill.

attractive traits

reward
Which bases of power are most effective? The guide identifies expert and referent (personal) power as most effective; coercive power can be damaging.
Influence tactics Methods people use to turn power into influence over others.
Legitimacy tactic Using organizational authority or a formal right to request compliance.

evidence

ideals
Consultation tactic Building support by directly involving others in planning or decisions.
Exchange tactic Offering a benefit or favor in return for compliance.
Personal appeals tactic Requesting help based on friendship or personal loyalty.

praise

warnings
Coalitions tactic Recruiting others to support an attempt to influence someone.

inspirational appeals
Which influence tactic often backfires? Pressure.
Political skill The ability to influence others effectively in pursuit of one’s objectives.
Does power always corrupt? No. The guide says effects vary by whether power is seen as an opportunity for self-interest or a responsibility to others.
Power as opportunity Interpreting power as a way to advance one’s own position or interests.
Power as responsibility Interpreting power as a duty to care for or protect others.

task interdependence
Power and perspective taking Higher power can reduce attention to other people’s perspectives and emotions.
Sexual harassment Unwanted activity of a sexual nature that affects employment and creates a hostile work environment.

prevent retaliation
Political behavior in organizations Activities outside formal job duties that influence the distribution of organizational advantages.

spreading rumors

more anxiety and stress
Impression management (IM) Attempts to control the impressions other people form of you.
When impression management is especially effective The guide says it is most effective in interview situations.
High self-monitors and impression management High self-monitors are especially likely to manage the impressions they make.