Organizational_Change

The Importance of Communication Gregory Williams Grantham University The Importance of Communication In our society today, people cannot function if they do not know how to communicate. If organizations and small businesses are going to have success, each person within that organization must master the art of communication. There are many different definitions circulating around as to what defines communication. Ralph Losee (1999) defines communication as a complementary informative process. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., Communication is the exchange of meanings between individuals through a common system of symbols. Whichever definition individuals decide to use, they should remember that communication is a two way process. As this communication progresses, there is an interchange of ideas, feelings, or facts known as the process of communication. This process of communication is a sequential of events that goes from the sender to the receiver and then back to the sender. This is how the process works. The sender is the person who has the idea and wants to convey it to the receiver. The formation of the idea is the first step of communication. The idea is then converted into a message by either verbal or non-verbal methods. This process of converting the thought of the sender into a message is called encoding. The message is very important because this is the content that the sender wants to convey. The thought, idea, emotion or anything the sender wants to convey whether it’s verbal or non-verbal, is called the message. The way or the medium of sending the message is called the channel. The channel can be oral, written or non-verbal. The receiver is the person who receives the encoded message. Decoding is the process where the received message is being understood. When the message reaches the receiver, it’s not always clear which means there are chances of misinterpretation of the message. The last part of the communication process occurs after receiving the message; the receiver reacts or responds to the sender. The reply from receiver to sender is called feedback. In order for communication to be interpreted the way the employer wants it to be, the correct type must be used. Communication within an organization may be either formal or informal. With formal communication the process used could be upward, downward, horizontal, or diagonal. With this type of communication, everything is done through a formal style. Upward communication starts from bottom level to top level. For example, employees convey messages to the managers. Upward communication provides the necessary feedback. Upward communication is also important because workers are able to submit suggestions for the welfare of the organization. Downward communication starts from higher level to bottom level. For example, managers convey messages to employees. This is a convenient channel to explain policies and organizational procedures. Downward communications also allows the managers ways to appraise the subordinates for their performance. Horizontal communication refers to the flow of communication among the people at the same level of authority. For example, if one manager wants to speak to another manager or one employee to another employee. The main reason for horizontal communication is for developing teamwork and promoting group coordination within an organization. Diagonal communication is communication between departments or employees in the same organization. This is the most used channel of communication. Diagonal communication is extremely important for promoting, understanding and co-ordination among various departments. Informal communication is when informal channels are used to transmit formal information. An informal channel of communication in an organization is called the Grapevine. Grapevine communication follows no set rules and usually spreads very fast going in any direction. Grapevine communication comes most time in the form of gossip, or casual talk in the hallways or around the water cooler. This form of communication is good sometimes for also keeping up staff morale. In today’s world, what you say and how you say it will determine if you fail or succeed. If organizations expect to grow and be productive, the managers in charged would have to learn how to communicate effectively with all members of their business. There are several advantages to communicating effectively in an organization. First, good communication will help the mangers promote motivation among its employees. Employees enjoy knowing what it is they have to do, how to do it, and how to improve on it if they are not working up to standards. Second, communication is a source of information to the employees explaining what decisions are going to be made if any. If an organization needs to go through a change, the managers must be able to communicate this change to the employees. Third, communication plays a huge role in changing a person’s attitude. A well-informed employee will have a much better attitude than a less informed employee. Finally, good communication will assist in controlling employee’s behavior. Employees are expected to comply with policies and procedures of the organization. Thus, communication will help with controlling functions of management. Having an effective and efficient communication system will allow managers to grow their companies. References Ralph Losee (1999), Journal of Information, Communication, and Library Science, 5(3) pp. 1-15