Communication

Dirección de Proyectos Informáticos

GpiIC-1A Foundations of individual behavior 2

Communication?

• No group can exist without communication.• We need:

– Share objectives, ideas, …– Have de same point of view.– …

• An idea, no matter how great, is useless until it is transmitted and understood by others.

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A woman drives her car

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A men drives his car in the opposite direction.

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When she past just besides the man said: - Donkey!!!!!!!

Suddenly the man says: - Seal!!!!!!!!

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Each which continuous its road, the man that goes smiling by the answer given, al to rotate in the first curve,…

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Moral of the history

• “The men never understand what the women mean “

• Good, the problem even is worse..– The communication is somewhat

complicated – and there are many factors that do it

difficult, ...

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Functions of Communication

• Control– Formal: Job description, ..– Informal: bad faces if produce too much

• Motivation– What to do, feedback

• Emotional expression– Show frustration, feelings

• Information– To make decisions,..

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A Communication Model

• The steps between a source and a receiver that results in the transference and understanding of meaning.

• We can see an example

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The prior experience and the facts

• A model sees the human being as flat tables (boards of wax)

• Facts are like hot fluids that travel through these boards, leaving furrows.

• The new fluids, even when cold, tend to travel through the prior furrows.

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Exercise

• 50% of students leave of the classroom• We shown next graphic for 15 seconds.• Then students change.• We shown next graphic for 15 seconds.• We show the next graphic. • All students see this graph and tray to

say what's that.• try to arrive to a shared vision.

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What is shown in the figure?

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What is shown in the figure?

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What is shown in the figure?

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The Communication Process

Feedback

Source Message Receiver

Experience Experience

Encoding DecodingSigns

Channel

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Encoding

• Converting ideas,… mental message to symbolic form.

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Message

• What is communicated.

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Channel

• The medium through which a communication message travels

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Decoding

• Retranslating a sender’s communication message .

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Feedback loop

• The final link in the communication process; puts the message back into the system as a check against misunderstandings

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Sources of Distortion

• Look at the model and imagine problems that can create distortion.– Encoding, an example…– Channel…

• Noise…

– Prejudices, knowledge,…

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Communication Apprehension

• Undue tension and anxiety about oral communication, written communication or both.– People who refuse speak or write.

• This is a problem– Then… self-selection… or…

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Direction of Communication

• Downward– Efficacy

• Upward– Feedback

• Lateral– coordination

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Formal vs. Informal Networks

• Communication networks– Channels by which information flows.

• Formal networks– Task related communications that follow

the authority chain.

• Informal networks– The communication grapevine.

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Three Common small-group Networks

Chain Wheel All-Channel

Criteria Chain Wheel All-Channel

Speed Moderate Fast FastAccuracy High High ModerateEmergence of leader Moderate High NoneMember satisf action Moderate Low High

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The Informal Network

• Grapevine– Not controlled by management– Perceived as more believable– Serve self interest

• Usually managers transmit it (10%)• Between departments• Different paths

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Nonverbal Communication

• Messages conveyed through body movements, the intonations or emphasis we give words, facial expressions, and the physical distance between the sender and receiver.

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Nonverbal Communication• Kinesics (study of body motions),

– New field, subject of many conjectures.• We send non consciously messages.

– Depression, puzzlement, protection, indifference, complicity, impatience, forgetfulness.

– Facial expressions .– Physical distances:

• Disinterest, intimidate, aggressiveness o sexual interest – Contradiction between messages

• I look to my watch As you know you are really important for me…

• Actions often speak louder (and more accurately) than words.

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Choice of Communication Channel

• Factors:– Anxiety– Channel richness

• The amount of information that can be transmitted during a communication episode.

• Multiple cues, feedback, personal.

• Selection criteria depends on…– Routine– Ambiguous

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Hierarchy of channels Richness

leanest

Richest

Routine, clear

Nonroutine,

ambiguous

Face to face talk

Telephone

E-mail

Memos, letters

General reports

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Barriers to Effective Communication

• Filtering– A sender’s manipulation of information so that

it will be seen more favorably by the receiver.

• Selective perception – We interpret what we see and call it reality.

• Defensiveness– In front of threatening messages

• Language– “The meaning of words are not in the words;

they are in us”

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Does we said what we wanted to said?

• When a diplomatic says: “Yes”– He wants said “MAYBE”,

• When he says: “MAYBE”– He wants said “NO”,

• And when says “NO”– Then he isn’t a diplomatic.

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When you are the receiver

• Too many people take listening skills for granted.

• But– Speak 125-200

words/min.– Comprehend 400

w/min.

• Idle time…• Hearing <>

listening

Hola

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Effective listening

• Make eye contact.• Exhibit affirmative heads nods and

appropriate facial expression.• 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.

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Bibliography:

• Robbins, Comportamiento Organizativo, Prentice Hall, 1999.