1. Share the organizational grapevine that you have experienced in your career or industry.

In your opinion please highlight how grapevine communication is beneficial & detrimental
to any organization.

Answer: My company is a service company. It‟s a multinational company, so it`s based in

several cities across the globe. Hence, I was exposed to people from different nationalities,
which was quite exciting for me, as the exposure was good and I was being exposed to various
kind of technologies and working standards. Within few days‟ time, I came to know about the
fact that my colleagues didn`t really share a cordial bond with my supervisor. They were not
really happy with his decision making and working style. And they were not very vocal about it,
the issue was always discussed and cribbed about behind his back. In front of him there was a
pretention that the situation is normal and they are happy with his leadership style. They all were
unhappy and helpless.
As per their opinion, the supervisor`s leadership style was dictatorship. He never considered
others ideas and views worthy enough to be implemented. And, was always imposing his
thoughts on the project which were mostly wrong. He lacked humanitarian touch with his team
members and was never considerate with leave approvals. In the beginning, I actually didn`t
believe in the gossip, as being a junior I was always kept as a shadow in the team. But later on
upon being given responsibility I was exposed to his bossy nature. He never left a chance to
mock me as I was new in the field, and never gave me challenging work, which gave me an
opportunity to grow and learn. I was always very submissive and scared in his presence while
working, and was actually looking for a way out of this situation. Being a prey of the similar
situation, in order to share my thoughts and frustration unknowingly I became a part of the group
who used to gossip about him, and were always seeking for ways to avoid him or tackle him.
This is my personal experience of organizational grapevine.

According to Professor Keith Davis “Grapevine arises from social interaction, it is as fickle,
dynamic and varied as people are. It is the exercise of their freedom of speech and is a natural,
normal activity”.

In „Grapevine‟ network, information does not flow in a particular direction, as we have seen
with formal networks. The information is also not passed on through official channels such as
memos, notices or bulletin boards. The information need not be circulated within the
organisation, but could be passed on outside the work environment, wherever co-workers or
colleagues meet socially. Thus, informal networks are based more on friendship, shared personal
or career interests.

For example, co-workers often meet outside the office premises sometimes for lunch, picnic or
while commuting, and they tend to discuss work. In such situations information may then be
passed on to each other about happenings in the company, such as layoffs, the company‟s plans
for acquisitions etc. Such communication is free from any formalities.

This type of informal network is not just for idle rumours and may be useful in many ways. First
of all, it sometimes fills in the „transparency gaps‟ left by formal networks. Such gaps usually
occur during times of crisis such as strikes or layoffs. The strikes and layoffs may not be
officially announced. Secondly, it may help to confirm important information, such as the fact
that the company is going in for a major acquisition. Thirdly, the grapevine can be used for a
constructive purpose by the organisation.

As per experts, the most powerful communication tool in the workplace is the “grapevine”. If
manipulated properly, this form of communication can greatly benefit a company. If ignored, the
grapevine can create havoc within an organization. Grapevine communication can never be
avoided or eliminated. It circulates information quickly and is oblivious to any damage it
creates. At the same time, it is an essential part of human environment by which it fills in the gap
of the formal communication system. Although it can be the source of inaccurate rumours, it
often functions positively as an early warning signal for organisational changes.
For example, at times people or organization use grapevine as a litmus test before taking or
announcing a huge decision or proposal. Like, the government could get the press to publish
news in the local paper that there is going to be a petrol price hike soon, just to test the reactions
of the general public. If the reaction is negative, then the news may be withdrawn on the basis
that it is just a rumour. Similarly, organisations could deliberately plant proposals in the minds of
their employees, just to test their reactions.
One way to combat the potential destructive consequences of the inaccurate information is to
take the time to listen to the grapevine instead of ignoring it. Once managers are aware of the
content of the grapevine, they can head off potential problems by manipulating further grapevine
communications by injecting factual information into the pipeline. This actually serves a dual
purpose. It helps to keep managers informed on what issues are important to their employees and
also keeps the managers aware of whether or not they are properly providing official information
to their employees. In most cases, lack of company provided information is at the root of the
problem for employees will often make up their own scenarios.

Example: A senior manager got married in a private ceremony in his hometown

and a survey conducted next day at 4p.m. showed that 59% of the employees constituting all
departments knew about it through grapevine or informal communication. Some important points
to be remembered while an informal communication takes place:
a. Everyone is free to tell anything to anybody provided it maintains certain
organizational protocols.
b. It is a mechanism for fostering social interaction and cohesiveness among
organizational members, and a way of informally sharing and testing of ideas.
c. There is a rapid flow of information, but the information may not be fully accurate.
The advantages of the grapevine communication are:
 Information spreads through the grapevine rapidly as it bypasses the formal
communication channels.
 The management can use the grapevine to quickly communicate information
informally.
 Managers and employees can use the grapevine to verify the accuracy of the
information that they receive.
 It is inexpensive.
 It gives employees a channel to express their anxieties and opinions without any
fear.

The disadvantages of the grapevine communication are:

 The name suggests it is informal; the information may not be absolutely true or
may be distorted.
 It usually leads to rumours in organization.
 Informal communication may not be always active and as such, it is not
dependable.
 It can sometimes lead to leakage of confidential information.
 It does not hold any relevance to the status or position of the individual concerned.

2. To facilitate inter-departmental cooperation, what measures would you recommend to

your colleagues and subordinates to take? What kind of barriers in communication do you
face and what is your strategy to overcome them?

Answer: As per Dr Alison Whybrow, an award winning psychologist,“Working in a particular

profession, you get trained to think, analyse and operate in a particular way,” . Many times, those
same attitudes and procedures run counter to how folks in other departments function. “In a
busy, complex and frequently changing work environment, [workers are] just not aware that their
colleagues are looking at a different landscape.” This creates friction between departments and
communication strain.

Measures to improve Inter-departmental cooperation

Offer context: There are many departments in a company: technical, HR, Marketing, finance.
And each department follow different style of working and has different matter to work on. It is
difficult to understand the work on other side, which often leads to conflicts, confusion and
unproductive meetings. To keep everyone on their toes, it is important to provide powerful
context that will really rally troops together. So in order to get work on floor, it is important to
jointly decide come and decide what kind of work will come out of collaboration and its future
prospects. This will ensure good team work and positive outcome.

Needs and concerns of others: Mutual understanding plays an important role in fostering
stronger interdepartmental communications . With empathy, members from different teams may
come together to support their respective long-term goals and visions. Collectively, they are
better equipped to drive meaningful results for their employer. One department should take care
the needs and concerns of other department. It will definitely improve their inter-relationships.

Take parts in successes and failures: There should be a level of understanding and
collaboration between departments. Also, they should be accountable and responsible for their
part of chunk in job. And at times of issues, the respective manager should come forward in
support and help. This strengthens the bond and faith among them.

Encourage feedback: Team leader may take the decision but he/she should always listen to the
ideas and suggestions of his team members and ask them to provide some inputs. All
departments should follow this practice. If you encourage employees to provide their opinions, it
will help promote fairness. This way, all departments will have confidence that they have some
crucial role in business operations.

Show gratitude and be thankful: You always feel good when someone is praising your work
and appreciate your duties. If we show sincere appreciation and gratitude to the employees, it can
go a long way in building long term relationships and cooperation.

Barriers to Communication
1. Language barrier – Different languages, vocabulary, accent, dialect represent
national or regional barriers often acts as barriers for clear understanding. Semantic gaps
are words having similar pronunciation often causes confusion among groups and delays
the task.
2. Cultural barriers – Age, education, gender, social status, economic position,
cultural background, temperament, health, beauty, popularity, religion, political belief,
ethics, values, motives, assumptions, aspirations, rules/regulations, standards, priorities can
separate one person from another and create a barrier.
3. Individual barrier – Interpersonal barriers are what ultimately keep us from
reaching out to each other and opening ourselves up, not just to be heard, but to hear
others. It may be a result of an individual's perceptual and personal discomfort. Style,
 selective perception, halo effect, poor attention and retention, defensiveness, close
mindedness, insufficient filtration are the Individual or Psychological barrier.
4. Organizational barrier – It includes poor organization's culture, climate, stringent
rules, regulations, status, relationship, complexity, inadequate facilities/ opportunities of
growth and improvement; whereas, the nature of the internal and external environment like
large working areas physically separated from others, poor lighting, staff shortage,
outdated equipment and background noise are physical organizational barriers.
5. Attitudinal barrier – It comes about as a result of problems with staff in the
organization. Limitation in physical and mental ability, intelligence, understanding, pre-
conceived notions, and distrusted source divides the attention and create a mechanical
barrier, which affect the attitude and opinion.
6. Channel barrier – If the length of the communication is long, or the medium
selected is inappropriate, the communication might break up. It can also be a result of the
inter-personal conflicts between the sender and receiver, lack of interest to communicate,
information sharing or access problems, which can hamper the channel and affect the
clarity, accuracy and effectiveness.

Overcoming the barriers to communication

Organisational action
Employees of an organisation accomplish workplace communication through several
communication channels for example via chats , emails, telephonic meetings etc. One of the
commonly cited problems in organisations is the poor workplace communication. Hence
organisations need to take few steps to ensure effective communication. Some of the steps which
an organisation can take to overcome the barriers to effective communication are as follows:
 Encourage feedback – Organizations should encourage feedback mails after
meetings and briefing. Feedback can tell the managers whether the message has reached
the receiver in the intended way or not.
 Create a climate of openness – During communication one should make effective
use of body language. He/she should not show their emotions while communication as
the receiver might misinterpret the message being delivered. For example, if the conveyer
of the message is in a bad mood then the receiver might think that the information being
delivered is not good.
 Avoid Information Overload: The managers should know how to prioritize their
work. They should not overload themselves with the work. They should spend quality
time with their subordinates and should listen to their problems and feedbacks actively.
Individual action
An individual can take certain actions to overcome the communication barriers. These actions
will help to improve interpersonal relationships with others both in one‟s personal and business
life. Some of the actions that an individual can take are:
 Active listening – This means listening to the meaning of the speaker‟s words,
rather than listening without hearing, or „passive listening‟. Passive listening is a barrier
to communication, whereas real communication takes place when we listen actively, with
understanding.
  Careful wording of messages – Messages should be worded clearly and without
ambiguity, to make sure that the message that is received is the same as the message that
is sent.
 Selection of appropriate channels – Individuals should be competent enough to
choose the right communication channel, depending on the situation.
 Avoidance of technical language – The language used in communication must be
as clear as possible. Usage of unnecessary technical terms can lead to misunderstandings.
 Right feedback – Feedback is an important communication skill. The correct
feedback can elicit the correct action. The feedback given must be a proper combination
of criticism and information sharing.

3. You are the leader in a healthcare industry. You often work closely with your Corporate
Communications and PR team so they can ensure a positive brand image for your chain of
hospitals.

a. To stay updated and connected with the latest trends in the industry, state and justify
your opinion on the importance of boundary spanning?

b. A recent incident of insensitive patient interaction at your hospital has tarnished your
image in the media. What will you do to control the damage and handle the crisis?

Answer: a) Boundary spanning is a form of business where one tries to establish relation both
within and outside the firm. It is an effort that involves activity aimed at bridging one or more
recognized organizational boundaries to facilitate the flow of information across such
boundaries. These days, boundary spanning plays a key role in any organization. People involved
interact with individuals and groups outside the organization to obtain valuable information to
help the innovation process. It allows a company to gain more innovation information from other
businesses. It's useful to gain insight from other organizations about the current trends one might
not be aware of. Not only management; employees can also get information from one or more
companies and bring information back to their business and improve performance.

Firms regularly pursue integration between sales and marketing to improve information and
resource exchange between the two. Boundary spanning communication includes meeting with
other companies for planning, informal conversations, and written communication. It is
important for the company to maintain communication with different companies to help them
gain the knowledge needed to develop an innovative product. It's essential to communicate
formally through meetings and also through informal channels. It gives one the power to absorb
knowledge from other sources. It is one of the best mean for cost and time management. It's
necessary for a smaller organization to be more open to gaining information from their outside
environment because they do not have the same resources as larger companies. Large companies
have the money to invest more in infrastructure, technology, and research. Sometimes large
corporations utilize boundary spanning to gain even more money or competitive advantage.

Boundary spanning may be used within the department, within business units and with other
businesses as well. Basically, it is helpful and should be present at each level. In healthcare
sector also, boundary spanning has great value. Boundary spanners support collaboration by
exchanging information, knowledge and resources with staff from other units; making
connections across boundaries; managing conflict and building trust. Greater collaboration
benefits patient care, particularly for patients who need input from more than one specialty, by
enabling healthcare staff to communicate effectively and work together cohesively. For example,
information shared with patients is more consistent across professions, resulting to less
contradictory information. In addition, boundary spanners support organisational change
initiatives by engaging others in the change process, creating effective and efficient outcomes.
Leaders who effectively reach beyond present boundaries have the advantage when faced with
solving problems, creating innovative solutions and evolving to thrive in today‟s interdependent,
complex world. The benefits of boundary spanning include:

 Increased organizational agility to respond to a dynamic marketplace

 Advanced cross-organizational innovation processes
 Achievement of mission-critical bottom-line results
 An engaged and empowered workplace at all levels
 Flexible, cross-functional learning capabilities to solve problems and adapt to
change
 Better-managed risks and rewards through enduring cross-sector partnerships
 Higher-performing virtual teams
 Global mindsets and cross-regional collaboration

b) A brand name serves many purposes and meaning to people. It may mean a symbol of quality
or it may be associated with his/her lifestyle. In fact, consumers buy brand images rather than
products. Some brand images ensure consumer loyalty and they come to stand for an entire range
of ideas, sentiments, etc. As mentioned in the question, this is a big organization having chain of
hospitals all over India. If someone is giving negative feedback or someone is not satisfied with
the services or behaviour, it could ruin their brand image and convey wrong message to the
customers.

In the given scenario, one of the patient was not satisfied as the interaction was quite insensitive
and not proper. In the healthcare industry, one needs to treat their patients well, understanding
their queries and problems and accordingly provide them the best solution. This practice should
be followed in all clinics or hospitals all over the country. In this case, because of this issue,
brand image of the organization affected badly in the media. As a big player in the healthcare
market, it has to be controlled from causing further damage.

1.First of all, company should actually check for the authencity of the complaint and the depth of
the matter. If the matter is true, serious steps should be taken.

2. As a responsible organization, company should apologize for the situation and take the
responsibility. Reasoning should be logical and acceptable.

3. Organization should apologize to the concerned patient and assure them the best services in
future and proper compensation should also be offered.
4.Proper instructions should be given to the all staff members regarding taking care of the
patients and how to interact with them. Then try to show goodwill by going above and beyond to
make up for it. “Although customers will accept an apology, you must monitor the media for any
negative reviews about your brand. Be ready to provide a positive response and let the public
know what you have done to avoid the mistake from happening again.”

5.In the end follow up with the patient if they are still doing well and ensure them better services
in future to repair the tampered image and their opinion about the brand and service chain.

6.A public statement should be issues in public to explain the situation and the steps taken to
repair it. This will bring back the faith of people in brand and the positive image will be
preserved.

Concluding, every organization should be accountable for their actions. No matter whose fault it
is, it`s their responsibility to keep everyone under the umbrella and ensure no damage is done to
the brand name and image. And customer is God, as told by Mahatma Gandhi, hence their
satisfaction should always be the priority.