Chapter 1

Effective and Ethical

Communication at
Work

Ch. 1, Slide 1
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Why You Need to Build Career Skills

 Necessary for hiring

 A top skill set sought by employers
 Critical for promotion
 Essential for effective job performance
 More important now as a result of technology
 Learned through instruction and practice

Ch. 1, Slide 2
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Trends Affecting You in Today’s Workplace

 Heightened global competition

 Flattened management hierarchies
 Expanded team-based management
 Innovative communication technology
 New work environments
 Increasingly diverse workforce
 Renewed emphasis on ethics

Ch. 1, Slide 3
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Success in the Workplace

 Success for you in the new global and diverse

workplace requires excellent communication
skills!

Ch. 1, Slide 4
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
The Communication Process – Basic Model
Noise Feedback Noise
5 travels to
sender
Noise Noise
4
Sender Message
Sender has encodes travels Receiver
idea 1 idea in 2 over 3 decodes
message channel message

Noise Possible Noise

additional
feedback to 6
Noise receiver
Noise
Ch. 1, Slide 5
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 The Communication Process –
Expanded Model
Stimulus Sending Channel

Encoding Encoding

Understanding Understanding

Decoding Decoding

Feedback Channel
Person A Person B

Ch. 1, Slide 6
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Factors That Shape Understanding

 Communication climate
 Context and setting
 Background, experiences
 Knowledge, mood
 Values, beliefs, culture

Ch. 1, Slide 7
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Barriers That Create Misunderstandings

 Bypassing
 Differing frames of reference
 Lack of language skills
 Poor listening skills
 Emotional interference
 Physical distractions

Ch. 1, Slide 8
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Overcoming Barriers That
Cause Misunderstandings
 Realize that communication is imperfect.
 Adapt the message to the receiver.
 Improve your language and listening skills.
 Question your preconceptions.
 Encourage feedback.

Ch. 1, Slide 9
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Communication and Formal Channels

 Written channels
 Memos, letters
 Annual report
 Company newsletter
 Bulletin board postings
 Orientation manual

Ch. 1, Slide 10
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Communication and Formal Channels

 Oral channels
 Telephone
 Face-to-face conversation
 Company meetings
 Team meetings

Ch. 1, Slide 11
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Communication and Formal Channels

 Electronic channels
 E-mail
 Instant messaging
 Voicemail
 Videoconferencing
 Intranet

Ch. 1, Slide 12
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Formal Channels of Information Flow
Managers Supervisors

Upward flow
Coworkers

Coworkers
Horizontal flow

Downward flow

Subordinates
Ch. 1, Slide 13
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Informal Channels of Information Flow

 Carry unofficial messages

 Flows haphazardly
 Can be remarkably accurate
 Is mostly disliked by management
 Thrives where official information is limited

Ch. 1, Slide 14
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Obstacles to the Flow
of Organizational Information
 Top-heavy organizational structure
 Long lines of communication
 Filtering, prejudice, ego involvement
 Poor communication skills

Ch. 1, Slide 15
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Surmounting Obstacles to
Effective Communication
 Encourage open, trusting environment for
interaction and feedback.
 Flatten the organizational structure.
 Provide more information through formal
channels.

Ch. 1, Slide 16
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Surmounting Obstacles to
Effective Communication
 Train managers and employees to improve
communication skills.
 Establish hotline and ombudsman programs.
 Establish fair reward system for individual and
team achievement.
 Encourage full participation in teams.

Ch. 1, Slide 17
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Understanding Ethical Behavior on the Job

What is ethical behavior?

Doing the right thing

given the circumstances

Ch. 1, Slide 18
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Common Ethical Traps to Avoid on the Job

1. The false necessity trap - convincing yourself

that no other choice exists
2. The doctrine of relative filth - comparing
your unethical behavior with someone else’s
even more unethical behavior

Ch. 1, Slide 19
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Common Ethical Traps to Avoid on the Job

3. The rationalization trap - justifying unethical

actions with excuses
4. The self-deception trap - persuading yourself,
for example, that a lie is not really a lie
5. The ends-justify-the-means trap - using
unethical methods to accomplish a goal

Ch. 1, Slide 20
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Goals of Ethical Business Communicators

 Abide by the law.

 Tell the truth.
 Label opinions.
 Be objective.
 Communicate clearly.
 Use inclusive language.
 Give credit.

Ch. 1, Slide 21
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Tools for Doing the Right Thing

 Is the action you are considering legal?

 How would you see the problem if you were
on the opposite side?
 What are alternate solutions?
 Can you discuss the problem with someone
you trust?
 How would you feel if people you care about
learned of your action?

Ch. 1, Slide 22
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 END

Ch. 1, Slide 23
©2011 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.