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Managing Change Key 2 - Communication -continued
from page two
Keep in mind that, depending on the hierarchy or structure in
your organization, that you may need to think through the order
in which things are communicated to people at different levels.
Ordinarily, one's boss should be informed prior to major changes,
but again that will depend on the climate of the organization.
HOW:
Should you use oral or written communication? Below are some
guidelines for making this decision.
Oral face-to-face when:
1. Receiver is not particularly interested in getting the message.
Oral provides more opportunities for getting and keeping interest
and attention.
2. It is important to get feedback. It's easier to get feedback
by
observing facial expressions and asking questions
3. Emotions are high. Oral provides more opportunity for both
sender
and receiver to let off steam, cool down, and create a suitable
climate for understanding.
4. Receiver is too busy or preoccupied to read oral provides a
better opportunity to get attention.
5. Criticism of receiver is involved. oral provides more opportunity
to accomplish this without arousing resentment. Also, oral is
less threatening because it has not been formalized in writing.
Written communication is not private (at least as receiver sees
it) even though it might be marked personal and confidential.
6. Sender wants to persuade or convince. Oral provides more flexibility,
opportunity for emphasis, chance to listen and opportunity to
remove resistance, and change attitudes.
7. Oral is more natural. For example, in most cases it is more
natural to give instructions orally rather than writing them out.
Likewise it is more natural to communicate orally with someone
who has a desk next to you or who is in an office a few feet away
from your own.
8. Discussion is needed. A complicated subject frequently requires
discussion to be sure of understanding.
9. Receiver can't read language of the sender. Some people can
understand a spoken language but can't read it.
Use written communication when:
1. Sender wants a record for future references.
2. Receiver will be referring to it later.
3. Message is complex and requires study by receiver.
4. Message includes a step-by-step procedure.
5. A copy of the message should go to another person.
LIST OF BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION
1. Sender Barriers
1. Sender doesn't know enough about the receiver
2. Sender has a negative attitude toward message-doesn't want
to communicate it.
3. Sender has a negative attitude toward the receiver
4. Sender has a negative attitude toward communicating-doesn't
care
whether receiver understands or not.
5. Sender fails to get the attention and interest of the receiver.
6. Sender has poor communication skills (oral expression and/or
writing).
7. Sender picks wrong time
8. Sender chooses wrong method
9. Sender chooses wrong place.
10. Sender uses vocabulary that isn't clear to the receiver (ambiguous
and/or technical)
11. Sender doesn't communicate the right amount of information
(too little or too much)
12. Sender uses negative tone.
13. Sender in a hurry.
14. Sender fails to verify whether receiver understands.
2. Receiver Barriers:
1. Receiver is preoccupied with something "more important"
2. Receiver doesn't like/respect the sender.
3. Receiver is not interested in the message.
4. Receiver "knows": what the message is going to be
(or thinks so).
5. Receiver doesn't want to understand (message is unpleasant).
6. Receiver has emotional barriers (fear, anxiety, frustration).
7. Receiver is physically tired.
8. Receiver is thinking about what to say when the sender finishes.
9. Receiver is distracted.
10. Receiver pretends to listen when not listening.
11. Receiver pretends to understand when doesn't understand.
Back To Change Management Page
|Back to page one of this
article | Back to page
two of this article |
Other Managing Change Articles By Robert
Bacal
Understanding
The Cycle of Change, And How People React To It
The
Importance of Leadership In Managing Change
Leading
Those That Remain After Downsizing Or Job Loss
For
Managers - How Constant Change Affects Managers And Wears
Them Down And Out
Leadership,
Communication & Change
Understanding
The Seven Dynamics of Change
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