ORGANIZATIONAL

COMMUNICATION
FUNCTION HALL, MISAMIS UNIVERSITY
SEPTEMBER 9, 2017
PASS THE
MESSAGE
T R U S T M E , T H I S I S R E L AT E D
CRITERIA FOR WINNING

• Accuracy
– For every incorrect word, the total score is deducted 1 point. The same applies
for missing words
• Order
– For every word nor in order, the total score is deducted 1 point.
• Speed
– In case of a tie, the team who accomplished the challenge faster wins.

HIGHEST POSSIBLE SCORE: 25

GROUP A

Artificial amateurs, aren't at all

amazing.
Analytically, I assault, animate things.
GROUP B

Broken barriers bounded by the bomb

beat
Buildings are broken, basically I’m
bombarding
GROUP C

Casually create catastrophes,

casualties.
Cancelling cats got their canopies
collapsing.
WINNER!
WHY IS COMMUNICATION
ESSENTIAL?
• An organization is a group of people communicating and working towards
achieving a common goal.
• Communication is the basis for the way in which an organization functions
COMMUNICATION
IN THE
WORKPLACE
O R G A N I Z AT I O N A L C O M M U N I C AT I O N
 FLO W O F
C O M M U N I C AT I O N

University FORMAL
President • Upward
• Downward
Departme Departme Departme Departme
nt Head nt Head nt Head nt Head • Horizontal

Staf Staf Staf Staf INFORMAL

• Grapevine

Staf Staf Staf Staf

COMMUNICATION PROCESS

medium
send messag receive
er e r
WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

PRINCIPLE OF PARSIMONY:
people usually try to complete tasks with the least efort that will produce a
satisfactory solution. In task-oriented dialogue, this produces a tension
between conveying information carefully to the partner and leaving it to be
inferred, risking a misunderstanding and the need for recovery
WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

• Noise
• Poor choice and/or use of channels
• Nonverbals do not support verbals
• Diferences in common ground
– Semantics (choice of words, definition of words)
• Absence of feedback/ poor feedback
• Information/data overload
EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
O R G A N I Z AT I O N A L C O M M U N I C AT I O N
USE THE RIGHT CHANNELS

• Memos
• Letters
• Phone calls
• Email
• Meeting
• other
USE THE GRAPEVINE TO YOUR
ADVANTAGE
• Use it as a reinforcement for formal communication
• Use it to monitor what is happening in the organization
• Use it as efective feedback to changes
• Do not try to stop the grapevine
CHECK FOR AND USE FEEDBACK

EVIDENCE FOR UNDERSTANDING

• The hearer shows continued attention.

• An initiation of a relevant next contribution, for example an answer to a
question.
• An acknowledgement like “uh huh” or “I see”.
• A demonstration of understanding, for example a paraphrase.
• A display of understanding, i.e., a repetition of some (or all) of the words
used.
USE MOTIVATION

• Values
• Beliefs
• Attitudes
• Needs
• Goals
LEARN THE CULTURE

• Use culture as common ground

• Also use it to understand how information flows
KEEP A DATABASE OF FORMAL
COMMUNICATION
• Formal communication usually have paper or email trail
• Use it to avoid information overload
BECOME MORE OPEN TO
SUGGESTIONS
• Have opinion surveys
• Have an open door policy
• Have a suggestion system
SOURCES:

• Littlejohn, S. W., Foss, K. A., & Oetzel, J. G. (2017). Theories of Human

Communication. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press, Inc.
• Neher, W. W. (1997). Organizational communication: challenges of change,
diversity, and continuity. Boston: Allyn and Bacon..