Page 111 - DENG401_Advance Communication Skills

Advanced Communication Skills

Notes Figure 5.1 :Purpose of informal communication within an organization

Decision-makers

Inform, persuade, promote goodwill
promote goodwill

Inform, persuade,

Inform, persuade,
Employees Employees
promote goodwill

Notes Obstacles to informal communication

Obstacle Solution for speaker Solution for listener
Poor Use plain English—short sentences Listen actively and request feedback
communication familiar words and logical frequently
skills organization
Second hand Cite your sources so others can Seek information from original sources
information verify your information such as direct conversation and official
newsletters or Web sites
Distrust of Communicate more frequently Provide positive feedback when
employers or and set an example by being receiving messages and honor requests
colleagues candid for confidentiality
Competition Give credit to others for ideas Build teamwork skills to develop
common goals
Bias Use language that includes rather Restate questions or comments using
than excludes language that avoids bias

Caselet You heard it on the grapevine

Every organization has an informal communication network, or grapevine. The grapevine
extends throughout the company, wherever two people get together and talk about their
jobs, the organization, and other topics on their minds. One popular topic for the office
grapevine is the economy, especially as it relates to job security. Juanita Ecker, president
of Professional Image Management in Troy, New York, offers advice about grapevine
etiquette. If you’ve heard through the grapevine that a colleague is getting laid off, Ecker
Contd...

104 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY