Strategies for Landing an Oracle DBA Job as a Fresher
Communication skills week 3
1. WEEK 3
Benefits of Effective Communication
Challenges of Business Communication
BY
WARDAH AZHAR
2. Important Questions:
Why is communication important in school
organizations?
What are the steps in the communication process?
Why is it difficult to obtain accurate information
from upward and downward communication
flows?
3. What symbol systems do humans use in their
efforts to communicate?
What role does non-verbal communication play
in the process?
What are the barriers to effective
communication?
What are some techniques we can use to
overcome these barriers?
What influence has technology had on
communication?
4. Importance of Communication
Communication is the life blood of the school
organization, just a walk through a typical
school and one can observe numerous
communication activities.
Secretaries are typing memos, reports and
letters, and communicating with the public on
the telephone.
5. Principals are in conference with teachers or
students, or members of the community, as well
as with school board members
Teachers are communicating with students,
exchanging information
Dieticians are exchanging ideas with the
lunchroom staff and on and on and on…
Today’s school administrator has a complex job
and effective communication is vital for their
survival
6. The Steps Involved in the
Communication Process:
Ideating – developing an idea or message –
information to be transmitted
Encoding – symbols, words, non verbal
cues, pictures or diagrams
Transmitting – memos, letters, telephone, e-
mail, policies, face to face verbal
communication
7. DEVELOPS
IDEA
ENCODES TRANSMITS BARRIER
SENDER MESSAGE RECEIVER
RECIEVES BARRIER DECODES ACTS
SENDER
ADMIN
FACULTY
STUDENTS
BOARD
MEMBERS
PARENTS
STATE
GOVT.
FED.
GOVT.
ENCODING
VOCAL
INFLECTION
PICTURES
DIAGRAMS
NON
VERBAL
WORDS
CHARTS
STEPS IN THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS
13. PROXEMICS
(PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT)
INTIMATE ZONE
ZERO –TWO FEET
PERSONAL ZONE
TWO-FOUR FEET
SOCIAL ZONE
FOUR-TWELVE
FEET
PUBLIC ZONE
MORE THAN
TWELVE FEET
MUST KNOW THEM INTIMATELY WELL ACQUAINTED
USUALLY TREAT THEM AS IF THEY DON’T EXISTACQUAINTANCE WITH A PURPOSE
14. Physical Space , Consider This:
Employees of higher status have bigger, better,
offices, better furniture, more windows etc.
Offices of higher status employees are better
protected
Superiors feel free to walk in on subordinates
Subordinates hesitate to walk in on superiors
16. Downward Communication
Used by most large schools that are hierarchical in nature
Flows from Superintendent to Assistant Superintendent to
Principal to Assistant Principals to Faculty to students
Necessary to clarify district’s goals, provide a sense of
mission, assist in indoctrinating new employees, inform
employees about educational changes that impact the
district and to provide subordinates with data regarding
their performance
17. Problems With Downward Communication
Subordinates select and prioritize messages in accordance
with their perception of their boss’s
character, personality, and motivation
Sender does not devote enough time to learn whether
messages have been received and understood
Those at the top may shut off this channel at certain times
and on certain subjects or withhold information on a need to
know basis
Downward communication tends to be dominate in
mechanistic organizations, as opposed to organic systems
which are more open and unidirectional in flows of
information.
18. WAYS TO IMPROVE DOWNWARD
COMMUNICATION
Adopt training sessions for administrators to
help them learn better ways to communicate
Get out of the office and walk around, talk to
employees on “the firing line”
Conduct regular supervisory-subordinate
discussion sessions, which will help
identify, analyze, and solve problems in
collaboration with subordinates
20. Benefits
Provides feedback to administrators from
downward communication
Helps monitor decision making effectiveness
Helps gauge organizational climate
Deals with problem areas quickly
Provides needed information to administrators
21. Problems With Upward Communication
Subject to filtering and distortion because subordinates
do not want superiors to gain information that could be
damaging to the subordinates
Highly cohesive groups tend to withhold information
that might be damaging to the group as a whole
Lower level subordinates show less openness to upward
communication than those who are at higher levels in
the organization
22. DEVELOPS
IDEA
ENCODES TRANSMITS BARRIER
SENDER MESSAGE RECEIVER
RECIEVES BARRIER DECODES ACTS
SENDER
ADMIN
FACULTY
STUDENTS
BOARD
MEMBERS
PARENTS
STATE
GOVT.
FED.
GOVT.
ENCODING
VOCAL
INFLECTION
PICTURES
DIAGRAMS
NON
VERBAL
WORDS
CHARTS
STEPS IN THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS
28. PROXEMICS
(PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT)
INTIMATE ZONE
ZERO –TWO FEET
PERSONAL ZONE
TWO-FOUR FEET
SOCIAL ZONE
FOUR-TWELVE
FEET
PUBLIC ZONE
MORE THAN
TWELVE FEET
MUST KNOW THEM INTIMATELY WELL ACQUAINTED
USUALLY TREAT THEM AS IF THEY DON’T EXISTACQUAINTANCE WITH A PURPOSE
29. Physical Space Consider This:
Employees of higher status have bigger, better,
offices, better furniture, more windows etc.
Offices of higher status employees are better
protected
Superiors feel free to walk in on subordinates
Subordinates hesitate to walk in on superiors
31. Downward Communication
Used by most large schools that are hierarchical in nature
Flows from Superintendent to Assistant Superintendent to
Principal to Assistant Principals to Faculty to students
Necessary to clarify district’s goals, provide a sense of
mission, assist in indoctrinating new employees, inform
employees about educational changes that impact the
district and to provide subordinates with data regarding
their performance
32. PROBLEMS WITH DOWNWARD
COMMUNICATION
Subordinates select and prioritize messages in accordance with
their perception of their boss’s character, personality, and
motivation
Sender does not devote enough time to learn whether messages
have been received and understood
Those at the top may shut off this channel at certain times and on
certain subjects or withhold information on a need to know basis
Downward communication tends to be dominate in mechanistic
organizations, as opposed to organic systems which are more open
and unidirectional in flows of information.
33. WAYS TO IMPROVE DOWNWARD COMMUNICATION
Adopt training sessions for administrators to
help them learn better ways to communicate
Get out of the office and walk around, talk to
employees on “the firing line”
Conduct regular supervisory-subordinate
discussion sessions, which will help identify,
analyze, and solve problems in collaboration
with subordinates
34. EMPLOYEE MEETINGS
Meetings to probe job problems, and needs
Determine what administrative practices help or hinder
subordinate job performance
Provide feedback to administrators and encourage subordinates
to offer ideas
Help subordinates feel self worth and importance
Studies show these meetings reduce turnover and improve
subordinates attitudes
35. EMPLOYEE MEETINGS
Meetings to probe job problems, and needs
Determine what administrative practices help or hinder
subordinate job performance
Provide feedback to administrators and encourage subordinates
to offer ideas
Help subordinates feel self worth and importance
Studies show these meetings reduce turnover and improve
subordinates attitudes
36. OPEN DOOR POLICY
Encourages subordinates to walk in and talk to
administrators many levels up
They are encouraged to talk with immediate supervisors first
to eliminate resentment among administrators who are
bypassed
Some barriers exist such as subordinates who do not want to
be identified as having a problem
37. EMPLOYEE LETTERS
Subordinates can submit letters to administrators or
suggestions
All letters are anonymous
All submissions must be answered without delay
Replies can be delivered to the appropriate lower level
administrators in cases where the communicator is
anonymous
38. PARTICIPATION IN SOCIAL GROUPS
Act as unplanned upward communication
Examples are:
Parties, picnics, golf outings, cookouts, retreats, and
other employer-sponsored events
Main barrier can sometimes be a lack of attendance
40. ASSIST. SUPT.
FOR PERSONNEL
DIRECTOR OF
PERSONNEL
CHIEF
NEGOTIATOR
SUPERINTENDENT
ASST. SUPT. FOR
INSTRUCTION
ASST. SUPT.FOR
BUSINESS
ELEM. ED.
COORDINATOR
SECONDARY ED.
COORDINATOR
ELEMENTARY
PRINCIPAL
SECONDARY
PRINCIPAL
DIAGIONAL COMMUNICATION
ACCOUNTANTS
41. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Used when employees feel the organizational forms of
communication have failed
Exists in all organizations
Nearly five out of six messages are carried this way
rather than formal methods of communication
This form of communication is very rapid
It has both positive and negative features
42. Positive features include:
Keeps subordinates informed about important
organizational matters
Gives school administrators insight about subordinates
attitudes
Provides subordinates a relief valve to vent emotions
Provides a test of subordinates feelings about a new
procedure or policy without making formal commitments
Helps build morale by passing positive comments
regarding the organization
Rumor- is the one item that gives the grapevine its bad
reputation
43. FRAMES OF REFRENCE
PEOPLE INTREPRET COMMUNICATIONS DIFFERENTLY DUE TO:
LEARNING CULTURE EXPERIENCES
IF PARTICIPANTS
HAVE A
COMMON FRAME
OF REFERENCE
EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
IF FRAMES OF
REFERENCE ARE
DIFFERENT
COMMUNICATION
MAY BE
DISTORTED
44. FILTERING
CAN BE
INTENTIONAL
OR
UNINTENTIONAL
ERRORS IN
ENCODING
AND DECODING
DUE TO
DIFFERENT
FRAMES OF
REFERENCE
EXPERIENCELEARNING CULTURE
ADMINISTRATORS
WITHHOLD
NEGATIVE
INFORMATION
EMPLOYEES
MANIPULATE INFORMAITON
IN ORDER TO AVOID
THE APPEARANCE
OF HAVING A PROBLEM
46. INFORMATION OVERLOAD
UNCERTAINTY
DUE TO
EXTERNAL
TURBULANCE
INCREASED
SPECIALIZATION
LEARNING DISABILITIES
EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED
EDUCABLE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED
PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED
ADVANCES IN COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGY
COMPUTERS
THE INTERNET
MORE INFORMATION
THAN SCHOOLS CAN ABSORB
ADMINISTRATORS SELECT PARTS
OF INFORMATION IN ORDER
TO MAKE DECISIONS
WHICH RESULT
IN BAD DECISIONS
47. SEMANTICS
DIFFERENT
WORDS
HAVE DIFFERENT
MEANING TO
DIFFERENT PEOPLE
SENDER CANNOT
TRANSMIT
UNDERSTANDING
OR
MEANING
CONCRETE WORDS
HAVE LITTLE
DIFFERENCE FROM
SENDER TO
RECIEVER
ABSTRACT WORDS
MAY
CAUSE
DECODING PROBLEMS
(SEMANTICS)
COMPUTER
TYPEWRITER
BOOK
OFFICE
LOVE
HAPPINESS
LIBERAL
CONSERVATIVE
48. STATUS DIFFERENCES
CREATED BY:
TITLES
OFFICE SIZE
FURNISHINGS
CARPET STYLE
STATIONARY
PRIVATE SECRETARY
RESERVED PARKING
SALARY
THOSE WITH HIGHER
STATUS HAVE MORE
COMMUNICATION
DEMANDS ON THEM
NECESSITATES
LIMITING
COMMUNICATION
TO THOSE WHO
HAVE DIRECT INFLUENCE
49. ELEMENTS THAT CAN HELP WITH
OVERCOMING COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
EMPATHY UNDERSTANDINGREPETITION
FEEDBACK LISTENING
50. REPETITION
SEND THE SAME
MESSAGE
OVER, AND OVER
AND OVER
USE MULTIPLE
CHANNELS
TELEPHONE
LETTER
MEMO
FACE TO FACE
USING
THIS METHOD
REDUCES
CHANCE OF
COMMUNICATION
ERROR
EXAMPLE:
FOLLOW UP
FACE TO FACE
WITH A
LETTER OR
MEMO
LETTER OR MEMO
ALSO SERVES AS
REMINDER
OR
DOCUMENTATION
IF NEEDED
MULTIPLE
CHANNELS
EXPRESS TO THE
RECEIVER
THE IMPORTANCE
OF THE
MESSAGE
51. EMPATHY
A TECHNIQUE TO
UNDERSTAND THE
RECEIVERS
FRAME OF
REFERENCE
SENDER SHOULD
PUT THEMSELVES
IN THE RECEIVERS
SHOES
WHEN COMPOSING
THE MESSAGE
THE GREATER THE
GAP IN LEARNING,
CULTURE, AND
EXPERIENCES THE
GREATER THE
EFFORT
MUST BE
52. UNDERSTANDING
COMMUNICATION
IS ONLY
EFFECTIVE TO THE
EXTENT THAT THE
SENDER AND
RECEIVER
BOTH HAVE A HIGH
DEGREE OF
UNDERSTANDING
ADMINISTRATORS
MUST ENCODE
MESSAGES IN
WORDS AND SYMBOLS
THAT ARE
UNDERSTANDABLE TO
THE RECEIVER
SOME RESEARCH
HAS SHOWN
THAT
MUCH OF THE
COMMUNICATION
SENT TO
EMPLOYEES IS
BEYOND THE LEVEL
OF THEIR READING
ABILITIES
53. FEEDBACK
FEEDBACK IS A
MUST TO
ENSURE THAT
MESSAGES HAVE
BEEN UNDERSTOOD
AND RECEIVED
AND HELPS THE
SENDER AND
RECEIVER OBTAIN
MUTUAL
UNDERSTANDING
STUDIES SHOW
THAT SCHOOLS
THAT USE
DOWNWARD
COMMUNICATION
NEED EFFECTIVE
UPWARD
COMMUNICATION
TO HAVE
EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
54. TWO WAY COMMUNICATION TAKES MORE TIME BUT PROVIDES
MORE SATISFACTION AND IS RECOMMENDED IN ALL BUT THE
SIMPLEST AND ROUTINE TRANSMISSIONS OF INFORMATION
TO SOLICIT FEED BACK TRY THESE QUESTIONS:
How do you feel about my statement?
What do you think?
What did you hear me say?
Do you see any problems with what we have talked about
55. SUGGESTIONS REGARDING FEEDBACK
PROMOTE AND CULTIVATE FEEDBACK BUT DON’T FORCE IT
REWARD THOSE WHO PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND USE IT
WHEN POSSIBLE GO STRAIGHT TO THE SOURCE AND OBSERVE
THE RESULTS-DON’T WAIT FOR FEEDBACK
GIVE FEEDBACK TO SUBORDINATES ON THE OUTPUT OF
FEEDBACK RECEIVED
56. LISTENING
ADMINISTRATORS SPEND OVER 70% OF THEIR TIME COMMUNICATING
ESTIMATES INDICATE THAT OVER 30% IS DEVOTED TO LISTENING
TESTS OF LISTENING COMPREHENSION SUGGEST THAT THESE
INDIVIDUALS LISTEN AT ONLY 25% EFFICIENCY
ADMINISTRATORS MUST LISTEN MORE EFFECTIVELY IN ORDER
TO COMMUNICATE MORE EFFECTIVELY
57. SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING LISTENING SKILLS
STOP TALKING
PUT THE TALKER AT EASE
SHOW THE TALKER YOU WANT TO LISTEN
REMOVE DISTRACTIONS
EMPATHIZE WITH THE TALKER
BE PATIENT
HOLD YOUR TEMPER
GO EASY ON ARGUMENT AND CRITICISM
STOP TALKING
58. SUMMARY
Communication is an important skill because school
administrators spend over 70% of their time
communicating
The process involves six steps:
ideating, encoding, transmitting, receiving, decoding, a
nd acting. Non-verbal communication involves
encoding and decoding body language
Vocal cues, use of time, and spatial relationships help
us to understand vocal messages
59. SUMMARY CONTINUED
Communication within school organizations flow in
four directions, downward, upward, horizontally, and
The major informal information flow is called the
grapevine
The grapevine carries both accurate information and
rumors
The barriers to effective communication include
differing frames of reference, structure, information
overload, semantics, and status differences
60. SUMMARY CONTINUED
Techniques for overcoming barriers to communication
include repetition, empathy, understanding, feedback,
and listening
62. Globalization
For a company it means to “survive
To establish markets (both local and foreign)
The world is a large mix of nationalities and people.
63.
64. Global context
Culture Ethnocentrism
Behavioral characteristics
of a nation/ community.
Judging other groups or
countries by the cultural
standards of your group.
65. Try to Guess in which Countries the
Following Communication and Cultural
Habits Exist
What do you think of culture in which people sign
their last names first?
What is your reaction when two signatures appear at
the bottom of a bussiness letter?
Why don’t people put the month first, then the
day, rather than day first, then the month?
What is your impression of a foreign letter that is
intentionally not concise?
