Page 269 - DCOM102_DMGT101_PRINCIPLES_AND_PRACTICES_OF_MANAGEMENT

Unit 14: Communication

Notes
So passengers were filed off the bus, herded to the side of the road, frisked, and held there
for several hours. Traffic on the highway was jammed up for miles. Meanwhile, the
suspect had actually boarded another bus to Milwaukee, where he was arrested later. Law
enforcement experts claim that, had he been on the stopped bus, the situation could have
become dangerous very quickly.
What caused this communication miscue? First, there was no formal pattern of
communication leading to a clear chain of command. Second, there were errors in
perception. The message (that Chicago police intended as merely informational) was
received and interpreted by other police departments as a request for action. Third, there
was no feedback about the message from receiver to sender – instead, the bus was stormed.

The California Highway Patrol has a policy that would have prevented such a miscue: an
officer may not take action such as pulling over a bus unless he or she has received
approval from a supervisor at headquarters. "We want to make sure that someone that has
a slightly different perspective that may not be caught up in the situation can provide
guidance," explains Steve Kohler of the organisation. It is a safe bet that police departments
around Chicago are now working on improving communications.
Questions

1. What steps might state and local police take to improve communication with each
other?
2. What type of formal communication patterns might work best in a situation like
this?
3. How might non-verbal communication play a role (positively or negatively) in a
situation like this, where rapid, accurate communication is essential?
Source: Louis Carlozo and Doglas Holt, "Bus Drama Turns up Empty," Chicago Tribunal, May 21, 1994
Sec.1 page 1, 9.
14.6 Summary

Communication is the exchange of messages between people for the purpose of reaching
common understandings, and achieving common goals. Unless common meanings are
shared, managers find it extremely difficult to influence others.
Communication is an indispensable activity in all organisations. No organisation can
think of its existence without effective communication.

The organisation relies on communications to learn what its customers want, to foster
cooperation among its employees, and to identify and adapt to changes in the environment.
Within organisations, there are three directions in which communications flow: downward,
upward and laterally (horizontal).
Non-verbal communication is communication by means of elements and behaviours that
are not coded into words. A glance, a stare, a smile, a frown, a provocative body
movement – they all convey meaning.

Non-verbal communication includes all elements of communication, such as gestures and
the use of space, that does not involve words or do not involve language.
Barriers to communication are factors that block or significantly distort successful
communication. Effective managerial communication skills helps overcome some, but
not all, barriers to communication in organisations.

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