Page 198 - DMGT106_MANAGING_HUMAN_ELEMENTS_AT_WORK

Managing Human Element at Work

Notes attribute importance to space. Space can act as barrier in a cross-cultural or trans-national
oral communication situation. Overcrowding in elevators, jostling in office corridors and
elbowing in public transport systems are all external factors that do affect communication
as barriers. Proper maintenance of distance will help overcome this carrier. It will remove
miscommunication and prevent distortion of a message or information.

Place: The place or the location where a communication process takes place can degenerate
into a barrier to effective communication. A simple comparison of the surroundings in a
Government/Municipal office and the ambience provided in a multinational company will
show how place and surroundings play an important role in effective communication.
Inconvenient place, rickety furniture, poor lighting, inadequacy of space are all factors that
make people irritable/impatient and annoyed. Friction and conflict erupt easily in such
places which mar the transaction of any business, leave alone business communication. Even
though it is part of office management, its impact on the communication process as a barrier
is inevitable. Good ambience and suitably lighted and ventilated places promote effective
communication.
Climate: “The talks were held in a cordial atmosphere and in a proper climate” say the
newspapers. Though the word climate refers to the human relations prevailing there, it is
no exaggeration to say that the actual room temperature helps people to keep their heads
cool! Unfavourable climate can act as a barrier to communication leading to wrong perceptions
or decision.
Noise: Noise is a physical barrier to effective communication. Noise may have its origin
from an external source or may exist even in the communication loop. You do not achieve
effective communication by merely shouting. Effective communication is almost impossible
on the factory floor, the bus stand or railway station. No one should try to shut off a machine
to achieve successful communication. Instead he should choose a better place with less noise
to communicate his message/information. Noise distorts messages and acts as a barrier to
effective communication.

8.7 Conflict

Conflict is a disagreement between two or more parties, such as individuals, groups,
departments, organizations or countries, who perceive that they have incompatible concerns.
Conflicts exist whenever an action by one party is perceived as interfering with the goals,
needs or actions of another party. Conflicts can arise for several reasons, some of them are:
• Incompatible goals

• Differences in the interpretation of facts
• Negative feelings
• Variations in values and philosophies
• Disputes over shared success
The term conflict sounds negative, but in some cases, it can actually stimulate creative
problem solving and improve the situation for all concerned parties. The outcome of a
conflict is the criterion for determining whether the conflict is functional or dysfunctional,
that is, whether it has positive or negative outcomes for the concerned parties. Conflict is
inevitable and has the potential to be dysfunctional, but if managed constructively, it can
be functional and enhance performance.
8.7.1 Attitudes towards Conflict

The presence of conflict need not harm an organization or reduce employee effectiveness.
Members of an organization can have three varied sets of attitudes towards conflict:

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