Module I, UNDERSTANDING COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS

Module I : Understanding Communication in Business

by Dr. Anubha Ray

Dept. of English, CUTM

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Module I, UNDERSTANDING COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS

Chapter - 6

STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING ORGANIZATIONAL

COMMUNICATION
Communication is at the heart of the organization. It is the key to organizational success. It
exists in everything we say and do, and also in tings we dont say and dont do. It is the
essence of the organization, it is all pervasive.
Eileen Scholes

Objective:
To know the strategies for
improving organizational
communication.
Chapter-1

Communication is a critical function in organizations, from the very small to the very large.
Even one-to-one communications can be fraught with challenges and misunderstandings. By
communicating purposefully and focusing on results and relationships, businesses can
leverage effective communication strategies to generate solid results with multiple audiences.

6.1. Open Feedback

An open communication environment is one in which all members of the organization feel
free to share feedback. Now-a-days organizations are adopting inclusive communication
strategy to encourage feedback from the employees. Inclusive communication strategy is one
in which explicit steps are taken to ensure that all employees feel they are involved in
decision that affect their day-to-day way. Organization with secretive communication
environment can stifle involvement and that results in lost ideas and opportunities. Employee
involvement is a key factor that affects employee satisfaction and success. Several successful
techniques for opening feedback channels have been already used by corporates.
These problems can be coped and curbed out by following some techniques:
1.
360-degree Feedback: This is a formal system where people are free to give and
receive feedback from insiders as well as outsiders including customers and suppliers. This
technique is used in companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Motorola and others.
2.
Suggestion Systems: Many organizations have suggestion boxes as well as
question boxes placed around the organization and encourage employees to provide
suggestions, so that new ideas are implemented. Question boxes provide an opportunity to the
employees to ask questions and request for information. For example, the idea of mounting

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Module I, UNDERSTANDING COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS

film boxes onto cards that hang from display stands, which is common today, originally came
from a Kodak employee.
3.
Corporate Hotlines: Organizations now-a-days have installed corporate hotlines
ready to answer questions and listen to comments. This is useful during times of change when
employees have a lot of questions.

6.2. Use simple language

Use of simple language and use of jargons wisely can facilitate communication. Whenever a
specialized language is used, the speaker must be familiar with the audience. Simple and
straight forward yet polite language is bound to be effective. Speakers must speak the
language of their audience. Follow the KISS rule (Keep it short and simple).

6.3. Avoid Overload

When people are confronted with more information than they can process at any given time,
their performance tends to suffer. They are not able to concentrate on any one information.
This condition is known as overload of information. Although to survive in a competitive
world requires doing many things at once but it should take place without threatening the
performance of the employees. Fortunately, several things can be done to avoid, or at least
minimize, the problem of information overloaded.
6.3.1 Some of these are given below:
1.
Rely on Gatekeepers: There are people who control the flow of information to
potential overloaded individuals, groups or organizations. They are known as gatekeepers.
2.
Practice Queuing: People must line up incoming information so that it can be
attended in an orderly way and prevent them from overloading or blocking the way.

6.4. Walk the talk

Now-a-days the CEOs of the organization practice walk the talk that is to match their
actions to their words. A Company Head will lose trust from his employees if my door is
always open to you is written in front of his door, but is never available for discussion.
Effective communication demands consistency in words and actions. Both words and actions
must match.

6.5. Good Listener

The golden rule to an effective communication is to listen attentively. Since communication
is a two way process, it involves more than just presenting ones message. It is equally
important to be able to comprehend the message sent by others. Effective listening is an
important skill which has to be practiced and developed within us.
Some of the tips to improve effective listening are as follows:

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Module I, UNDERSTANDING COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS

Try to understand what the speaker wishes to say or convey.

Never stop the speaker in between or rush with your question and statements. They
will come at the end of the conversation.
Avoid communicating at a noisy place like crowded bus, market place, construction
site, railway station, busy streets as noise over- power the actual content.
Stop being judgmental while listening. suspension of your judgment either on the
topic or the speaker is important for attentive listening.
You should encourage the speaker with non-verbal cues and signals so that he/she
continues to speak.

Conclusion
Communication has been called the glue that holds organization together to the electricity
that power- up a place. It remains a vital and crucial tool in building, sustaining and
protecting corporate reputation. It is also necessary to understand and deal with
communication failures arising out of certain factors.

Dept. of English, CUTM

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Module I, UNDERSTANDING COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS

PRACTICE
Long Answer Type Questions:
1) Discuss the strategies to bringing about effectiveness in communication for business
purposes.
2) Give 3 ways in which you might encourage your employees to give your feedback on
daily operation.
3) Discus any 3 barriers that lead to miscommunication in an organization.
4) Write short notes on
a. Open feedback
b. Walk the talk
c. Communication overload
5) Managers spend 40% of the time listening
6) Write the 3 important elements for effective listening?

Short Answer Type Questions:

a) When the process of communication is hierarchical, information flows through a
number of _________________ points.
b) _________________ communication is the richest medium because it is
personal.
c) Telephone line staffed by corporate officials ready to answer question and listen
are called ___________.
d) The formal system of communication where people give feedback to others at
different levels and receive feedback from them as well as outsiders are called
___________.
e) When communication channels are over loaded, _________ and _________ can
be done to minimize the problem of information overload.

Dept. of English, CUTM

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