Identify the barriers to effective written communication within the organization.
Which of the following is not an Environmental or Physical barrier to effective communication?
a. Time
b. Space
c. Noise
d. Outdated Computers
d. Outdated Computers
Outdated Computers do not cause distractions which lead to inattentiveness or total alterations of the message which causes miscommunication.
What leadership style communicates using a top-down approach to communication?
a. Coaching
b. Autocratic
c. Affiliative
d. Pacesetting
b. Autocratic
Autocratic, or authoritarian leaders, are often described as those with ultimate authority and power over others. These leaders tend to make choices based upon their own ideas alone and do not listen to their team or seek input from others.Instructions are directly sent to subordinates.
TRUE OR FALSE?
Having multiple types of communication increases productivity.
TRUE: Having multiple choices ensures persons with different communication styles the ability to receive the message according to their preferred style.
TRUE OR FALSE?
The use of Jargon will not inhibit effective communication within an organization.
FALSE:
The use of unfamiliar terms or over-complicated technical terms, can be misunderstood and lead to ineffective communication.
Not all leadership styles require excellent communication skills.
a. True
b. False
False:
Communication is the most important aspect of excellent leadership (Towler 2003). A leader is also one of the employees with excellent talents, and has the potential to step forward and teach those who lack experience and skill set, attempting to instill skills by inspiring them and assisting them in attaining their individual, team, and organizational goals
Which of the following can be done by managers to improve productivity at your organization?
a. Expecting employees to understand what is required by themselves
b. Providing clear and definite instructions
c. Criticizing challenging ideas by employees
d. Reinforcing the leaders ideas
b. Providing clear and definite instructions
Employees respond better to clear instructions. This reduces the risk of inaccurate assumptions and guessing
TRUE OR FALSE
Are encoding and decoding influenced by emotional state?
TRUE:
A person's emotional state affects how they send a message and how a message may be interpreted.
Is there one particular leadership style which allows for the most effective communication in any given business?
Yes
No
Answer: Yes
As Zulch (2014) states different leadership styles have an impact on communication. As different communication styles have an impact on leadership similarly different leadership also influences communication. With a change, a change in style the impact of communication also alters. E.g. In situations where the leader has to handle a tough or critical situation,he/she needs to be decisive and leadership style will become authoritative, but must have a control on his communication otherwise it may become a miscommunication or an ineffective one. In another example where has to deal with a group with different work attitudes and styles, here he needs to be more people centric and should communicate in a way that he will be able to communicate at individual levels even while interacting with a group.
What effect does regular feedback and meetings have on productivity?
Regular feedback increases productivity. Formal and informal feedback provides opportunities for clear open communication so that employees stay on task.
State an effect that cultural differences may have on effective communication:
a. misconstrued message
b. promoting a healthy company culture
c. alleviating conflict
Misconstrued Messages:
Cultural differences could prevent effective communication due to misunderstandings which may occur as a result of differences in speech and intent.
Marsha has recently been transferred to a new school as the principal. From the report given, her predecessor used an autocratic style of leadership which created a great deal of tension, mistrust and misalignment of tasks. Marsha’s goal is to implement changes to create a synergistic effect by improving the communication amongst staff members with a change in leadership style. From the options below, what are the four best methods Marsha can utilize to improve communication?
Conduct team meetings
1:1 feedback sessions
Carry her staff members for drinks after work
Finding out information about her worker’s personal affairs
Communicating about project status or progress
Collaboration on cross-functional tasks
Non-verbal communication
Involving staff members in decision making processes
Conduct team meetings
Communicating about project status or progress
Collaboration on cross-functional tasks
Involving staff members in decision making processes
Sarah keeps her mobile phone's volume on loud throughout meetings and on the group's work table due to any emergencies which may arise.
Would this have any effect on productivity even if it never rings?
Yes, regardless of whether it rings or not, it is still a distraction and negatively impacts communication.
For communication to be effective all participants must be actively engaged. This is so they may receive all the information which would increase productivity.
Which two of the following are not effective methods of communication?
(a) Poor listening skills
(b) Unclear language
(c) Body language
(d) Appropriate medium
1. Poor listening skills:
Poor listening skill leads to misunderstanding
2. Unclear language:
Leads to misinterpretation
What leadership style will aid effective communication wherein subordinates are allowed to indulge in open discussions as the leader guides the decision making process?
a. Autocratic
b. Democratic
c. Authoritative
d. Laissez-faire
e. Coaching
b. Democratic
The Democratic leadership style is one where decision making is decentralized and shared by subordinates. This allows for increased collaboration and a variety of innovative ideas.
TRUE OR FALSE?
When the workplace is more open and transparent, and when communication runs smoothly within the organization, there will be less friction and misunderstanding amongst members of the workforce.
TRUE:
While friction and misunderstandings may not be avoided from time to time, their intensity and duration can be prevented. Remember that while there are times wherein issues cannot be avoided, when misunderstandings and friction become way too much, these issues could cause the downfall of a company.