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Getting Things Done Through
Effective Communication
Executives and managers are involved in
meetings, presentations, interviews,
conferences, telephone conversations, memos or
emails, participating in all sorts of
communications methods to exchange the necessary
information. In fact, when one examines an
organization, it can be easily seen that many
examples of verbal and nonverbal behavior exist.
Some communication specialists believe that
these and almost all other forms of behavior are
really means of communication and conversely
that all forms of communication reflect the
behavior of individuals. But, is this the case?
Well, if nothing else, the fact remains that in
every organization, communication occurs
constantly.
People who are concerned with human
communication do not focus on precisely what one
says or writes, but on how the persons involved
perceive and translate the message they send and
receive. Experts working in the behavioral
sciences and related areas have contributed a
great deal in recent years to the field of
communication. For example, valuable work on
theories of human communication has been done by
psychiatrist Jurgen Ruesch. Dr. Ruesch
identifies various communication networks as
follows:
- The intrapersonal network is entirely within
the individual and involves thinking and
feeling.
- The interpersonal communication network links
two or more persons.
- The group interaction network links groups of
people. Because of the number of people
involved, it is usually difficult to achieve
effective communication with everybody.
- The final network is cultural. Here there is
no specific originator or receiver of the
message. Certain symbols in our society-cars,
clothing, homes, morals, and the like-are part
of out cultural network. It is almost impossible
to correct or change the system because of its
powerful and pervasive nature.
Thus, it is easy to estimate the importance of
communication to managers. In an effort to
attain organizational goals, they use
communication to persuade, inform, and motivate
people who play key roles in getting things
done. Managers almost always get their jobs done
through other people. They may be skilled
controllers, production supervisors, or
directors of engineering, but they need people
to help them achieve their objectives. But the
only way to get other people to do what a
manager thinks should be done is through
communication.
Research indicates that although monetary awards
and fear of punishment might be effective
motivators, these rarely work on a long-term
basis. Communication, which often fulfills basic
social and egoistic needs, can and does work as
a positive motivator. In fact, some spoken words
of praise and recognition or a look that
reflects encouragement or approval may prove to
be just as effective a means of communication as
any written memorandum.
Source: Free Articles
About the Author
Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles for http://yourworkexpert.com/
- In addition, Jonathon also writes articles for
http://fitnessandourworld.com/ and http://businessworldnow.net/
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