Transcript Chapter 6

Chapter 6
Interacting With Others
Chapter Outline
The Communication Process
 Barriers to Effective Communication
 Creating Effective Mechanisms for
Communication
 Current Issues in Communication
 How Communication Breakdown
Leads to Conflict
 Conflict Management and Teams
 Resolving Conflict: Negotiation

Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Interacting With
Others
Questions for Consideration
How can we improve
communication?
 How do we manage conflict?
 How do we negotiate?

Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Exhibit 6-1
The Communication
Process Model
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Exhibit 6-2
Hierarchy of Channel
Richness
Channel
richness
Richest
Type of Information
message
medium
Nonroutine,
ambiguous
Face to face
talk
Telephone
Computer
Memos,
letters
Leanest
Routine,
clear
Flyers, bulletins
general reports
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Barriers to Effective
Communication

Filtering
– Refers to a sender manipulating
information so that it will be seen more
favorably by the receiver.

Selective Perception
– Receivers in the communication process
selectively see and hear based on their
needs, motivations, experience,
background, and other personal
characteristics.

Defensiveness
– When individuals interpret another’s
message as threatening, they often
respond in ways that retard effective
communication.

Language
– Words mean different things to different
people.
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Effective Listening
If you want to improve your listening
skills, look to these behaviours as
guides:
 Make eye contact
 Exhibit affirmative head nods and
appropriate facial expressions.
 Avoid distracting actions or gestures.
 Ask questions.
 Paraphrase.
 Avoid interrupting the speaker.
 Don’t over talk.
 Make smooth transitions between the
roles of speaker and listener.

Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Creating Effective
Mechanisms for
Communication
Mechanisms: The practices that
bring what you stand for to life
and stimulate change
 They are intended to
demonstrate how the
communication should be
accomplished

Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Nonverbal
Communication
Nonverbal communication:
messages conveyed through
body movements, facial
expressions, and the physical
distance between the sender
and the receiver
 Kinesics: the study of body
motions, such as gestures, facial
configurations, and other
movements of the body

Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Communication
Barriers Between Men
and Women



Men use talk to emphasize status,
women use it to create connection
Women and men tend to approach
points of conflict differently
Men and women view directness and
indirectness differently
– women interpret male directness as an
assertion of status and one-upmanship
– men interpret female indirectness as
covert, sneaky, and weak

Men criticize women for apologizing,
but women say “I’m sorry” to express
empathy
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Exhibit 6-3
Hand Gestures Mean
Different Things in
Different Countries
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Cross-Cultural
Communication
Difficulties
There are barriers caused by
semantics.
 There are barriers caused by
word connotations.
 There are barriers caused by
tonal differences.

Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Cross-Cultural
Communications:
Helpful Rules
Assume differences until
similarity is proven.
 Emphasize description rather
than interpretation or
evaluation.
 Practise empathy.
 Treat your interpretations as a
working hypothesis.

Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Tips For Writing and
Sending E-mail
Don’t write anything that you
don’t want anyone other than
the intended receiver to see
 Be careful in addressing your email—a simple typo can send
your e-mail to the wrong person
 Think about the e-mail you’re
sending, and perhaps wait an
hour before you do send it off
 Be careful when forwarding email that you are not circulating
something that is untrue

Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Conflict

A process that begins when one
party perceives that another
party has negatively affected, or
is about to negatively affect
something that the first party
cares about.
– Functional: Supports the goals of
the group and improves its
performance
– Dysfunctional: hinders group
performance
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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How Structure Can
Lead to Conflict





Size, specialization, and composition
of the group act as forces to stimulate
conflict.
The greater the ambiguity in precisely
defining where responsibility for
actions lies, the greater the potential
for conflict to emerge.
The diversity of goals among groups
is a major source of conflict.
Too much reliance on participation
may also stimulate conflict.
Reward systems create conflict when
one member’s gain is at another’s
expense.
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Point-CounterPoint

Conflict Is
Good for the
Organization

All Conflicts
Are
Dysfunctional!

Conflict is a means
by which to bring
about radical
change
Conflict facilitates
group cohesiveness
Conflict improves
group and
organizational
effectiveness
Conflict brings
about a slightly
higher, more
constructive level of
tension

The negative
consequences from
conflict can be
devastating
Effective managers
build teamwork
Competition is good
for an organization,
but not conflict






Managers who
accept and
stimulate conflict
don’t survive in
organizations
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Exhibit 6-4 How
Conflict Builds
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Assertive
Competing
Collaborating
Compromising
Unassertive
Assertiveness
Exhibit 6-5
Dimensions of ConflictHandling Intentions
Avoiding
Accommodating
Uncooperative
Cooperative
Cooperativeness
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Conflict Handling
Intentions

Two Dimensions
– Cooperativeness: the degree to which one
party attempts to satisfy the other party’s
concerns
– Assertiveness: the degree to which one party
attempts to satisfy his or her own concerns

Specific Intentions
– Competing: A desire to satisfy one’s interests,
regardless of the impact on the other parties.
– Collaborating: A situation where the parties to
a conflict each desire to satisfy fully the
concerns of all parties
– Avoiding: The desire to withdraw from or
suppress a conflict.
– Accommodating: the willingness of one party
in a conflict to place the opponent’s interests
above his or her own
– Compromising: A situation in which each party
to a conflict is willing to give up something
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Exhibit 6-6
Understanding Conflict
Handling Intentions
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Exhibit 6-6
Understanding Conflict
Handling Intentions
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Exhibit 6-7
Conflict Intensity
Continuum
Annihilatory
conflict
Overt efforts to destroy
the other party
Aggressive physical attacks
Threats and ultimatums
Assertive verbal attacks
Overt questioning or
challenging of others
No
conflict
Minor disagreements or
misunderstandings
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Exhibit 6-8 Conflict
Resolution Techniques
Problem solving
Superordinate goals
Expansion of resources
Face-to-face meeting of the conflicting parties for
the purpose of identifying the problem and
resolving it through open discussion.
Creating a shared goal that cannot be attained
without the cooperation of each of the conflicting
parties.
When a conflict is caused by the scarcity of a
resource—say, money, promotion opportunities,
office space—expansion of the resource can
create a win-win solution.
Avoidance
Withdrawal from, or suppression of, the conflict.
Smoothing
Playing down differences while emphasizing
common interests between the conflicting parties.
Compromise
Each party to the conflict gives up something of
value.
Authoritative command
Management uses its formal authority to resolve
the conflict and then communicates its desires to
the parties involved.
Using behavioural change techniques such as
human relations training to alter attitudes and
behaviours that cause conflict.
Changing the formal organization structure and the
interaction patterns of conflicting parties through
job redesign, transfers, creation of coordinating
positions, and the like.
Altering the human
variable
Altering the structural
variables
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Exhibit 6-8 Conflict
Stimulation Techniques
Communication
Using ambiguous or threatening messages to
increase conflict levels ..
Bringing in outsiders
Adding employees to a group whose
backgrounds, values, attitudes, or managerial
styles differ from those of present members.
Restructuring the
organization
Realigning work groups, altering rules and
regulations, increasing interdependence, and
making similar structural changes to disrupt the
status quo.
Appointing a devil’s
advocate
Designating a critic to purposely argue against the
majority positions held by the group ., the conflict.
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Exhibit 6-9 Conflict and
Unit Performance
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Types of Conflict

Cognitive: Conflict related to
differences in perspectives and
judgments
– task-oriented
– results in identifying differences
– usually functional conflict

Affective: Emotional conflict
aimed at a person rather than
an issue
– dysfunctional conflict
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Reducing Group
Conflict
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




Team members worked with more,
rather than less information and
debated on the basis of facts
Team members developed multiple
alternatives to enrich the level of
debate
Team members shared commonly
agreed-upon goals
Team members injected humour into
the decision process
Team members maintained a
balanced power structure
Team members resolved issues
without forcing consensus
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Negotiation

A process in which two or more
parties exchange goods or
services and attempt to agree
upon the exchange rate for
them
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Exhibit 6-10
Distributive versus
Integrative Bargaining
Bargaining
Characteristic
Distributive
Bargaining
Integrative
Bargaining
Available resources
Fixed amount of
resources to be
divided
Variable amount of
resources to be divided
Primary motivations
I win, you lose
I win, you win
Primary interests
Opposed to each
other
Convergent or congruent
with each other
Focus of relationships
Short term
Long term
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Exhibit 6-11
Staking Out the
Bargaining Zone
Party A’s Aspiration
Range
Party B’s
Aspiration Range
Settlement Range
Party
A’s
target
point
Party B’s
resistance
point
Party A’s
resistance
point
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
Party
B’s
target
point
31
Improving Your
Bargaining Position





Begin with a positive overture
Address problems, not
personalities
Pay little attention to initial
offers
Emphasize win-win solutions
Create an open and trusting
climate
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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Summary and
Implications

A common theme regarding the relationship
between communication and employee
satisfaction
– the less uncertainty, the greater the
satisfaction
– Distortions, ambiguities, and incongruities all
increase uncertainty

Less distortion in communication equals:
– more goal attainment, and better feedback
– reduction in ambiguity and distortion


Conflict can be either constructive or
destructive to the functioning of a group.
An optimal level of conflict:
–
–
–
–


prevents stagnation
stimulates creativity
releases tension
and initiates the seeds for change
Inadequate or excessive levels of conflict can
hinder group effectiveness.
Negotiation is an ongoing activity in groups
Chapter 6, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
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