INTRODUCTION TO ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR - inventive and rational, resilient and flexible

4. As cultures
Organization
- values, principles, attributed ways of thinking
- Entity/company/institution comprising 2 or more 5. As political systems
people having a particular purpose - power, authority, responsibility, political
- Collection of people perusing defined objectives activity, patronage, etc.
- Can be understood as social system which forms 6. As psychic prisons
a formal human relationship - members are confined by their own
- process of identifying and grouping the work to be representation to the outside world and by the
performed, defining and delegating responsibility distortions of their own culture
and authority, and establishing relationships for - Tatak ng tao, kung saan ka nanggaling
the purpose of enabling people to work most 7. As flux and transformation
effectively together in accomplishing objectives - changing all the time, generative processes
(how it develops, grows and regenerates)
Boundaries of organization
8. As vehicles of domination
- this collectivity exists on a relatively continuous - they impose their will on others
basis, in an environment, and engages in activities - Dictates how society will work (take control
that are usually related to a set of goals over a market)
• Normative order (rules)
Organizational Behavior
• Ranks of Authority (hierarchy)
• communications systems, and membership - systematic study and application of knowledge
coordinating systems (procedures) about how individuals and groups act within the
Why study organizations? organizations where they work
- Those who study organizational behavior are
1. Organizations are a dominant component of a interested in several outcomes such as work
contemporary society attitudes (e.g., job satisfaction and organizational
- we are born in them and usually die with them; commitment) as well as job performance (e.g.,
our life space is filled with them; they are as customer service and counterproductive work
inevitable as death and taxes. behaviors).
2. We study organizations because they have
outcomes. Ob draws from other disciplines to create a unique
- Every organizations produces an outcome field
- Ex: educational institutions produce
graduates and professionals (outputs) who • Psychology - topics such as personality and
become part of the labor force/economy motivation
• Sociology - topic of team processes
Organizations as Metaphors
• Economics - relation to decision making;
1. Organizations as machines • Political Science - when we study power and
- with structures, levels and routines influence in organizations
- With a start and an ending (after • Medical science - study of stress and its
accomplishing its purpose) effects on individuals.
2. As organism
- Adaptive 3 Key levels of analysis in OB
- Adopt and create new
1. The individual - As a person
- Ex: san mig corp from food and beverages to
2. The group - How it affects the group
others
3. The organization - How a person handles the org
3. As brains
and influence the org
Why OB Matters? 2. Person-Job Fit
- degree to which a person’s skills, knowledge,
1. it is all about things you care about. OB can help abilities, and other characteristics match the
you become a more engaged organizational job demands.
member. Getting along with others, getting a great - Personal traits that enables a person for a job
job, lowering your stress level, making more - Ex: You can't be a walking trainer if you don't
effective decisions, and working effectively within have legs
a team. OB addresses them.
2. It matters because employers care about OB. A Behavior
survey asked employers which skills are the most
important for them when evaluating job - influenced by both personality traits and the
candidates, and OB topics topped the list (NACE situation
2007 Job Outlook Survey, 2008). - Some situations bring out the best in people
- Communication skills (verbal/written) and sometimes it does not, but it doesn't
- Honesty/integrity mean that they have a bad personality trait it's
- Interpersonal skills just that they are not in the right place
- Motivation/initiative
Values
- Strong work ethic
3. it matters because employers care about OB. The - Stable life goals reflecting what matters most to a
best companies in the world understand that the person.
people make the place. Organizations that value - Shaped by life experiences and tend to remain
their employees are more profitable than those consistent over time.
that do not. - Influence decision-making, perception of the
environment, and behavior.
• Job satisfaction
UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE AT WORK: INDIVIDUAL - higher when a company aligns with a person’s
DIFFERENCES values.
- Value alignment can affect job acceptance
Individual Differences (In workplace) and retention; dissatisfaction arises when an
People bring these in the workplace: organization does not support value
attainment, potentially leading to turnover.
- Personality • Early Family Experiences
- Physical abilities - People tend to shape their values based on
- Mental abilities how they were raised
- Stable traits - Ex: people from lower socioeconomic
o Having these traits dictates if you can be backgrounds or strict households often value
fit for a job or if its suitable for you and conformity, while those with emotionally
your personality distant parents tend to prioritize security.
• Values of a Generation
Interactionist Perspective: The Role of Fit
- Different generations (Ex: gen x, millennials)
1. Person-Organization Fit has more district different values
- degree to which a person’s values personality, - Ex:
goals, and other characteristics match those Gen x – individualistic, motivated if it aligns
of the organization. with their personal goal
- Values of the company matches the person, Baby boomers – less likely to work throughout
so that all employees will be the ‘same’ or life, more likely to desire promotions
have the same goal
 • Employment Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
- A person's values influence their career
- personality test that categorizes people into
choices; for instance, those who seek
personality types based on how they prefer to
excitement may choose high-risk jobs, while
think, make decisions, and interact with the
achievement-oriented individuals may pursue
world.
entrepreneurship.
• Summary of MBTI Types
Typologies of Values

1. Terminal Values (TV)

- end states people desire in life
- what we want to get out of life
- Ex: a world of beauty; an exciting life; family
security; inner harmony; self-respect
2. Instrument Values (IV)
- deal with views on acceptable modes of
conduct
- how we think we should act to get there
- Ex: broadminded; clean; forgiving;
imaginative; obedient
Positive & Negative Affectivity

- Behavior is also a function of moods.

Personality
• Positive people
- Tend to experience more positive moods
- Represents stable feelings, thoughts, and
- tend to be happier at work and their happiness
behaviors that make a person unique.
spreads to the rest of the work environment.
- Helps predict how someone may act or feel in
• Negative people
different situations.
- Attracts negative moods
- Understanding personality is useful for managing
- Focuses on “glass half empty”
organizational behavior.
- experience more anxiety and nervousness
- Assists in effectively placing employees in
suitable roles and organizations.

Big 5 Personality Traits Tips on how to work with negative affectivity

1. Openness 1. Understand that you are unlikely to change
- curious, original, intellectual, creative, and someone else’s personality.
open to new ideas 2. Keep an open mind.
2. Conscientiousness 3. Set a time limit.
- organized, systematic, punctual, achievement 4. You may empower them to act on the negatives
oriented and dependable they mention.
3. Extraversion 5. Ask for specifics.
- outgoing, talkative, sociable, and enjoying
social situations
4. Agreeableness Self-Monitoring
- affable, tolerant, sensitive, trusting, kind, and
warm - extent to which a person is capable of monitoring
5. Neuroticism his or her actions and appearance in social
- anxious, irritable, temperamental, and moody situations
Proactive Personality ATTITUDE

- person’s inclination to fix what is perceived as • Mindset

wrong, change the status quo, and use initiative to - “Human beings can alter their lives by altering
solve problems. their attitudes of mind.”
- They take actions to initiate meaningful change - Change in mindset
and remove the obstacles they face along the - The way you think will influence how you’ll act
way. • Disability
- “The only disability in life is bad attitude.”
Self-esteem - Not stopping when obstacles are on the way
• Elevation (Height/depths of success)
- degree to which a person has overall positive
- “Attitude, not aptitude, determines altitude.”
feelings about his or herself. High self-esteem
- If others can you it i can do it too
view themselves in a positive light, are confident,
• Doing it (positive mindset)
and respect themselves.
- The way to get started is to quit talking and
Self-efficacy begin doing. - Walt Disney
- Just Do It – Nike
- belief that one can perform a specific task
successfully.
Attitude
- Believing that we can do something make us
achieve to do it - refers to our opinions, beliefs, and feelings about
aspects of our environment.
Locus of Control
- the favorable or unfavorable evaluative reaction
toward something or someone that is developed,
- degree to which people feel accountable for own
maintained, and changed via the interactive
behaviors.
relationship among one’s thoughts, feelings, and
• Internal locus of control
behavior.
- believe that they can control their own
- We have attitudes toward the food we eat, people
destiny and what happens to them is their
we interact with, courses we take, and various
own doing
other things.
• External locus of control
- While attitudes give us hints about how a person
- feel that things happen to them because
might behave, it is important to remember that
of other people, luck, or a powerful being.
behavior is also strongly influenced by situational
constraints.
- “Attitudes are learned predispositions to respond
to an object or class of objects in a consistently
favourable or unfavourable way” (Gordon Allport).
• Implications
1. Attitudes are learned
- attitudes are formed on the basis of some
experience with or information about the
object.
2. Attitudes are predispositions and reside in the
mind of the individual.
- Something we learn when we were young
3. Attitudes cause consistent response
- attitudes precede and produce behavior.
- What we think affects what we do
Components of attitude is a different story as leaving will depend on many
factors: availability of alternative jobs, your
1. Cognitive (Mind) employability, and sacrifices you have to make
- what a person believes about the source of while changing your jobs.
the attitude
2. Affective (Feeling) How Can You Be Happier at Work?
- how a person feels about the source of the
attitude 1. Have a positive attitude about it. Your personality
3. Behavioral (Action) has a big role in it.
- how a person acts towards the source of the 2. A good fit with the job and company is important
attitude to your happiness.
3. Get accurate information about the job and the
Two job attitudes that have the greatest potential to company.
influence how we behave: 4. Develop good relationships at work. (friends,
mentors, social network)
1. Job satisfaction 5. Pay is important, but job characteristics matter
- Refers to the feelings people have toward their more to your job satisfaction.
job. 6. Be proactive in managing organizational life. (time
- It is probably the most important job attitude. management, good social network, being
- A recent Gallup survey, 90% of the employees proactive in getting to the source of stress, ask for
surveyed said that they were at least satisfied directions)
with their jobs. 7. Know when to leave. (extended period and there is
- little hope of solving the problems)
2. Organizational commitment
- the emotional attachment people have toward Job Satisfaction Organizational Commitment
the company they work for.
- Love working for ‘specific compnay’ becuase 1. Personality
of what they do and the environment they in - positive affective disposition; neurotic
• There is a high degree of overlap between job personality (moody, temperamental, critical
satisfaction and organizational commitment of themselves and others);
because things that make us happy with our job conscientiousness, self- esteem, locus of
often make us more committed to the control and extraversion are related to
company as well. positive work attitudes
• Companies believe that these attitudes are worth 2. Person-environment fit
tracking because they are often associated with - abilities matching job demands and personal
important outcomes such as performance, values match organizational values
helping others, absenteeism, and turnover. 3. Job Characteristics
- use of variety of skills; having autonomy at
How strong is the attitude-behavior link? It depends. work; receiving feedback; and performing
a significant task; high growth need.
1. Your attitude toward your colleagues may 4. Psychological Contract
influence whether you actually help them on a - an unwritten understanding about what the
project, but they may not be a good predictor of employee will bring to the work environment
whether you will quit your job. and what the company will provide in
2. It is worth noting that attitudes are more strongly exchange.
related to intentions to behave in certain way, - Work environment
rather than actual behavior. For example, when 5. Organizational Justice
you are dissatisfied with your job, you may have - level of how fairly we are treated; fairness of
the intention to leave. Whether you actually leave company policies and procedures, treatment
 from supervisors, and pay and other rewards Job Performance
they receive from the company.
- Treatment - or in-role performance, refers to the performance
6. Relationship at Work level on factors included in the job description.
- referring to relationship with coworkers and - Measures of job performance included the
managers – people we interact with, quantity and quality of work performed by the
their degree of compassion, level of social employee, the accuracy and speech with which
acceptance in our work group, and whether the job is performed, and the overall effectiveness
we are treated with respect. of the person performing the job.
- Job performance determines whether the person
7. Stress is promoted; rewarded with pay raises, given
- the amount of stress is related to satisfaction additional responsibilities, or fired from the job.
and commitment: experiencing role
Major Predictors of Job Performance
ambiguity (vagueness of responsibilities), role
conflict (contradictory demands at work) 1. general mental ability
and organizational politics; and job security. 2. how one is treated within an organization –
On the other hand, working under time fairness
pressure and having high degree of 3. stress – for example, financial stress
responsibility are stressful yet they can be 4. work attitudes – job satisfaction
perceived as challenges and tend to be 5. personality – particularly conscientiousness
related to high levels of satisfaction.

8. Work-Life Balance

Consequences of Positive Work Attitudes

1. high/er work performance, more engaged and

motivated to work
2. organizational citizenship behavior
- behaviors that are not part of the job but are
valuable to the organization, such as helping
new employees or working voluntary overtime
3. absent less frequently and for shorter duration
and demonstrate less aggression at work.
4. likely to stay with a company longer
5. on firm-level outcomes, positive work attitudes
are related to customer satisfaction and loyalty,
profitability, and safety in the workplace

Assessing Work Attitudes

1. attitude survey
2. exit interview
PERCEPTION have a tendency to self-efface may project low
confidence and take more blame for their failures than
- process with which individuals detect and necessary.
interpret environmental stimuli
- Sensation and perception are connected with False consensus error
each other, as what we feels is what we believe - Overestimating how similar we are to other
we see, in perception its how we interpret in what people, assuming that whatever quirks we have
we see are shared by a larger number of people than in
reality. For example, people who take office
Visual Perception
supplies home, tell white lies, or take credit for
- goes beyond the physical information available to other’s work to get ahead may genuinely feel that
us. First of all, we extrapolate from the these behaviors are more common than they
information available to us. really are.
- The white triangle you see in the middle is not - The problem for behavior in organizations is that,
really there, but we extrapolate from the when people believe that a behavior is common
information available to us and see it there and normal, they may repeat the behavior more
freely which may lead to high level of unethical or
Self-perception even illegal behaviors.
- Human beings are prone to errors and biases - You compare yoursef to others well in fact your
when perceiving themselves. Moreover, the type not avagae, hindi ka kasali sa karamihan
of bias people have depends on their personality. Social Perception
Many people suffer from self-enhancement bias.
- We describe how we see ourselves, sometimes - the study of how people form impressions and
we see things in ourselves that others don't see, make inferences about other people as sovereign
and vice versa personalities, where they learn about the feelings
and emotions of others by collecting the
• Self-enhancement information they gather from physical
- bias is the tendency to overestimate our appearance, verbal and non-verbal
performance and capabilities and see communication. Facial expressions, tone of
ourselves in a more positive light than others voice, hand gestures, and body position or
see us. People who have a narcissistic movement are just a few examples.
personality are particularly subject to this
bias, but many others are still prone to Stereotypes
overestimating their abilities.
- We see ourselves more positively - are generalizations based on group
characteristics. For example, believing that
• Self-effacement bias
women are more cooperative than men, or men
- is the tendency for people to underestimate
are more assertive than women, are stereotypes.
their performance, undervalue capabilities,
and see events in a way that puts them in a - They can be positive, negative, or neutral.
- What makes stereotypes potentially
more negative light.
discriminatory and a perceptual bias is the
- We see ourselves in the middle, false humility
tendency to generalize from a group to a
We may expect that people with low self-esteem may be particular individual. If the belief that men are
particularly prone to making this error. These tendencies more assertive than women leads to choosing a
have real consequences for behavior in organizations. For man over an equally (or potentially more) qualified
example, people who suffer from extreme levels of self- female candidate for a position, the decision will
enhancement tendencies may not understand why they be biased, potentially illegal, and unfair.
are not getting promoted or rewarded, while those who
Components of social perception 2. Attribution
- is the causal explanation we give for an
1. Observation
observed behavior. If you believe that a
1.1. People-physical influence
behavior is due to the internal characteristics
- Although society tries to train people
of an actor, you are making an internal
to not judge other for their physical
attribution.
traits, as social perceivers, we cannot
- An external attribution is explaining
help being influenced by hair, color,
someone’s behavior by referring to the
height, weight, style of clothing, tone
situation.
of voice, etc. making a first
- Example: Erin is complaining a lot because
impression.
she is a negative person (internal attribution).
- In other words, certain facial features
Erin is complaining because finance or
are associated with specific
accounting homework is difficult (external
personality types. Baby-faced people
attribution)
tend to be connected to helplessness
• Factors of Attribution
and harmlessness whereas people are
1. Consensus
perceived as stronger, more assertive,
- do other people behave the
and competent if they have small
same way?
eyes, low eyebrows, an angled chin,
- Lahat ng tao ganon mag
wrinkled skin, and small forehead.
behave
- Majority
1.2. Situations – context of experiences
2. Distinctiveness
- People are able to easily predict the
- does this person behave the
sequences or outcomes of an event
same way across different
based on the scope and depth of their
situations?
past experiences with a similar event.
- Are you same in evey situation
- The ability to anticipate the outcomes
of a situation is also highly influenced
3. Consistency
by an individual’s cultural background,
- does this person behave this
as this inevitably shapes the types of
way in different occasions in
experiences.
the same situation
- Situational observations lead humans
- Laging ginagawa without
to have pre-established notions about
exception
certain events or to explain the causes
of human behaviors.
- What you have in your enviroment is
what poeple will based and it will be
the basis of thier judgment by you
1.3. Behaviors and non-verbal
communication
- Non-verbal communication helps
3. Integration
people express their emotions,
- states that impressions are made from the
attitudes and personalities, the most
personal dispositions of the perceiver and a
dominant form of non-verbal
weighted average of the characteristics of the
communication is the use of facial
target individual.
expressions to channel different
- The differences between the perceivers are
emotions.
due to the fact that people use themselves as
-
a standard or frame of reference when judging
 or evaluating others, they tend to see that their
own abilities and traits are favorable for others
to have them as well, these Impressions
formed on others can be influenced by the
current and temporary mood of the perceiver.
-
4. Confirmation

Information integration theory

- states that impressions are made from the

personal dispositions of the perceiver and a
weighted average of the characteristics of the
target individual.
- The differences between the perceivers are due to
the fact that people use themselves as a standard
or frame of reference when judging or evaluating
others, they tend to see that their own abilities
and traits are favorable for others to have them as
well, these Impressions formed on others can be
influenced by the current and temporary mood of
the perceiver.
COMMUNICATION The Communication Process

• Purpose 1. Coordination
- Essential for coordinating actions and 2. Transmission of information
achieving goals in organizations. 3. Sharing emotions and feelings
• Definition: - The coordination of effort aligns people
- a process by which information is toward shared goals. Transmitting
exchanged between individuals through a information is essential to this process, while
common system of symbols, signs, or sharing emotions unites teams during
behavior. (Webster’s dictionary) celebrations or crises. Effective
• Managerial Importance: communication fosters understanding, builds
rapport, and achieves consensus.
- Managers spend 50%-90% of their time
communicating (Schnake et al., 1990).
- Strong communication skills are linked to
better performance (Penley et al., 1991).
• Impact of Miscommunication:
- Causes delays and interpersonal issues.
- Critical in high-stakes environments (e.g.,
operating rooms, airplane cockpits).
- Causes negative outcomes
o Data suggest that deficient
interpersonal communication was 1. Noise in Communication:
a causal factor in approximately - Anything that interferes with or distorts a
70% to 80% of all accidents over the message.
last 20 years - Types:
• Effect of Good communication in business a. External: Environmental
- poor communication costs money and distractions.
wastes time b. Internal: Receiver’s state (e.g.,
o 14% of each workweek is lost due to nervousness) or sender’s
poor communication (Armour, inaccuracies (e.g., vague wording).
1998). 2. Sender's Role:
- Asset for job seekers - Originates the message with a thought (e.g.,
o Highly sought after by employers— "Get more printer toner cartridges!").
89% of recruiters prioritize - Encodes the thought into words or symbols
communication and interpersonal (e.g., "Let’s order more printer toner
skills (Alsop, 2006). cartridges.").
- Good communication can help a company 3. Medium:
retain its star employees - The channel is used to communicate, such
o Access to necessary information as spoken words, written text, or signs.
improves employee satisfaction 4. Receiver's Role:
with their employers. - Receives the message and decodes it by
assigning meaning to the words.
Miscommunication a. The “grapevine” is a major source of
- Happens daily and is common. workplace information, with 70% of
- Involves breakdowns in the communication communication happening informally
process. (Crampton, 1998).
- The flow from sender to receiver and back b. Employees trust peers, but this
often misses the intended target. informal network can hinder
managerial communication.
Barriers to Effective Communication
7. Semantics:
According to George Bernard Shaw, “the biggest a. Words can mean different things to
single problem in communication is the illusion that it different people.
has taken place.” b. Business jargon and acronyms may
confuse outsiders.
1. Filtering:
c. Example: Different dialects in the
a. Distorting or withholding information to
Philippines have different meaning in
manage someone’s reaction.
certain words
b. Example: A manager hides bad sales
• Tips for Reducing Miscommunication-by-
figures from a vice president.
Jargon
c. The saying “Don’t shoot the
1. Know your audience
messenger!” reflects how people
2. Decode your acronyms
blame the sender for bad news.
3. Limit your jargon use
d. Why they filter:
8. Gender Differences in Communication
i. Past Experience
9. Differences in Meaning Between the Sender
ii. Knowledge and perception of
and Receiver
the speaker
10. Biased Language
iii. Emotional State
11. Poor Listening
2. Selective Perception:
a. Unconsciously filtering what we see Key Elements of Effective Communication
and hear to fit our needs.
b. Helps us manage too much information 1. Clarity and Respect:
but can lead to mistakes. a. Effective communication is clear,
3. Information Overload: factual, goal-oriented, and respectful.
a. Happens when the amount of 2. Avoiding Reductionist Language:
information exceeds the time or ability a. Referring to someone by one
to process it (Schick, Gordon, & Haka, characteristic (e.g., "a brain" or "a
1990). diabetic") oversimplifies their identity.
4. Emotional Disconnects: 3. Avoiding Harmful Language:
a. An upset receiver may misinterpret or a. Language that stereotypes or insults
ignore the message. based on age, ethnicity, sexual
b. An upset sender may struggle to orientation, or political beliefs
express ideas clearly. damages the communication process.
5. Lack of Source Familiarity or Credibility: b. It can also violate civil rights or
a. Uncertainty about or distrust in the workplace regulations.
source can hinder communication.
6. Workplace Gossip:
Listening in the Workplace Steps to Improve Listening Skills

1. Importance of Listening: 1. Commit to Listening:

a. Workers spend 55% of their time a. Make a conscious decision to listen
listening; managers up to 70%. and reduce distractions (e.g.,
b. Listening doesn’t always guarantee background noise).
understanding. 2. Show You’re Listening:
2. Impact of Listening Skills: a. Nonverbal cues: Nod or focus your
a. Related to career promotions (Sypher, attention on the speaker.
Bostrom, & Seibert, 1989). b. Verbal cues: Respond with phrases
b. Listening requires practice, skill, and like “Yes” or “That’s interesting.”
focus. 3. Observe Body Language:
3. Example – Starbucks: a. Pay attention to nonverbal signals for
a. Misheard orders could cost Starbucks additional context about the speaker’s
$1 billion annually. feelings.
b. Solution: A code for taking orders and 4. Use Silence Effectively:
echoing them aloud to ensure a. Silence allows you to process what
accuracy. has been said without immediately
reacting.
Active Listening 5. Ask Questions for Clarity:
a. Confirm understanding by repeating
1. Definition:
key details (e.g., “I’ll see you at 2:00
a. Paying full attention, understanding
p.m. in my office.”).
points made, asking questions, and
6. End with Gratitude:
avoiding interruptions.
a. Thank each other to acknowledge the
2. Benefits:
teamwork in the conversation.
a. Builds a real-time relationship
between sender and receiver.
b. Repeating and confirming messages 10 Ways to Improve Listening Habits
ensures accuracy.
c. Strengthens bonds between coworkers 1. Pause and Focus: Start by taking a quiet
and improves message flow. moment to prepare yourself to listen openly
and accurately.
How Can We Listen Actively? 2. Embrace Silence: Don’t stress about your
response; let silence guide understanding.
Carl Rogers gave five rules for active listening:
3. Collaborate: Summarize what you’ve heard
1. Listen for message content. and check for accuracy. Observe verbal and
2. Listen for feelings. nonverbal cues.
3. Respond to feelings. 4. Avoid Multitasking: Give your full attention to
4. Note all cues. listening; distractions lead to
5. Paraphrase and restate misunderstandings.
5. Show Empathy: Try to understand the
sender’s perspective, even if you don’t agree.
 6. Ask for Clarity: If confused, ask questions to Type of Communication
ensure understanding and help the sender 1. Written communication in which a message is
clarify. read
7. Make Eye Contact: Maintain eye contact (if 2. Verbal communication involving listening to a
culturally appropriate) to show engagement. person to understand the meaning of a
8. Stay Goal-Oriented: Keep the conversation message
on track by focusing on its purpose. 3. Nonverbal communication involving
9. Be Open-Minded: Listen without bias, ready observing a person and inferring meaning.
for insights or surprises. • Nonverbal Communication
10. Observe the Unspoken: Pay attention to 1. Body Language
body language and tone for deeper 2. Eye Contact
understanding. 3. Facial Expressions
4. Touch
5. Space – proxemics - the different kinds
of distance that occur between
Communication Freezers
people: intimate (0 t 18 inches);
These behaviors stop effective communication by personal (1.5 to 5 ft); social (5 to 7 ft);
making others feel judged or defensive. Avoid saying and public
or doing the following:
Communication Channels
1. Telling: Giving orders or instructions on what
to do. Informational Channel Information
Richness
2. Threatening: Using “or else” statements to
- Face-to-face conversation High
coerce someone. - Videoconferencing
3. Advising: Giving unsolicited suggestions or - Telephone conversation
saying what they “ought” to do. - E-mails Medium
4. Educating: Trying to teach or lecture the other - Handheld devices
person. - Blogs
- Written letters and memos
5. Judging: Offering negative opinions about the
other person. - Formal Written document Low
6. Fake Praise: Giving insincere compliments. - Spreadsheets
- Ex: Sandwich method
7. Psychoanalyzing: Assuming or analyzing
their thoughts or motives.
8. Minimizing: Downplaying their problems by
generalizing. Use Written Communication when:
9. Over-questioning: Asking too many or
irrelevant questions. 1. conveying facts
10. Joking: Making light of their concerns with 2. Message needs to become part of a
humor. permanent file
3. There is little time urgency
4. You do not need immediate feedback
5. The ideas are complicated
Use Verbal Communication when: 3. Social Media Presence:
a. Review your private profiles on
1. Conveying emotion and feelings platforms like Facebook or MySpace.
2. the message does not need to be permanent Avoid posting anything you wouldn’t
3. there is time urgency share at work.
4. you need immediate feedback 4. Google Yourself:
5. the ideas are simple or can be made simple a. Search your name online to see what
with explanations employers might find during
background checks. Be aware of your
E-mail Do’s and Don’ts
digital footprint.
1. DON’T send or forward chain e-mails
Cross-Cultural Communication
2. DON’T put anything in an e-mail that you don’t
want the world to see.
3. DON’T write a message in capital letters—this
is the equivalent of SHOUTING.
4. DON’T routinely CC everyone. Reducing inbox
clutter is a great way to increase
communication.
5. DON’T hit send until you’ve spell-checked
your e-mail.
6. DO use a subject line that summarizes your
message, adjusting it as the message
changes over time.
7. DO make your request in the first line of your
e-mail. (And if that’s all you need to say, stop
there!)
8. DO end your e-mail with a brief sign-off such
as, “Thank you,” followed by your name and
contact information.
9. DO think of a work e-mail as a binding
communication.
10. DO let others know if you’ve received an e-
mail in error.

Career Advice: Professional Communication Tips

1. Professional Email Address:

a. Use an email with your name for
business purposes (e.g., not “LazyGirl”
or “DeathMonkey”).
2. Voicemail Greeting:
a. Ensure your voicemail message
sounds professional, not overly casual
or party-like.