Business Communication In Organisations – Concepts, Barriers, Challenges and Relevance to the Governmental Sector.
Business Communication In Organisations – Concepts, Barriers, Challenges and Relevance to the Governmental Sector.
By Dinesh K Kapila, Asst Gen Mgr, NABARD Regional Office, Shimla
(dineshkapila2002@yahoo.co.in, dineshkapila2009@gmail.com, 9805056733, 0177-2629792, 0172-2669757. c/o NABARD, Block 32, Kasumpati, Shimla 9).
Abstract – The importance of communication has been defined / delineated in the captioned article. It examines and encompasses its historical context and the broad convergence of views about it, specially in its applicability to corporate bodies / institutions and to governmental institutions in particular. The best practices in communication has been identified and discussed before suggesting methods / modes of better communication systems in a governmental context. The linkage of motivation and beter communication has been highlighted also in the quest for higher productivity, higher production and better customer service. The issues typical to governmental institutions have been kept in view while developing the paper.
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Communication as such is inherent in all phases of managing, though it is one of the most important components of effective leadership. It can be defined as the process of transfer of information from the sender to the receiver in such a manner that the information is understood by the receiver. Any attempt at discussing the process of communication has to focus on the sender of the communication, the transmission of information itself and the receiver of the message being transmitted. The barriers to effective communication and the mode of feedback also need to be discussed in any analysis of the process of communication.
Process of Communication - It would be quite appropriate to state at the outset that the communication function is the means to bring about a unity in organizing any activity. This leads to modification in behaviour, effects changes, ensures information is relevant, enables the goals to be achieved etc. in any form of organization. Chester I Barnard views organization as the means by which people are linked together in an organization to achieve a common purpose. This is actually the fundamental function of communication as any group activity is impossible without communication, as coordination and change can be effected by communication only. Katz and Kahn, studying communication from a sociological perspective saw social systems as ‘restricted communication networks’.
Harold Koontz, Cyril O’Donnell, Heinz Weihrich state that in its broadest sense, the purpose of communication in an enterprise is to effect change to influence action towards the welfare of the enterprise. Any business requires information about prices, competition, technology, finance, business cycle and government policies. This information or knowledge is the foundation for decisions to be taken for product lines, quality, production ratios, marketing strategy, organizational structures etc. the processing of this information and undertaking of any action in any enterprise is a complicated process in large organizations specially.
Communication is essential for the internal functioning of enterprises because it integrates the managerial functions. The need for communication is to (i) establish and disseminate the goals of an enterprise, (ii) develop plans for their achievement, (iii) organize human and other resources in the most effective and efficient manner, (iv) select, develop and appraise members of the organization, (v) lead, direct, motivate and create a climate in which people want to contribute and (vi) control performance.
Communication not only facilitates the managerial functions but also relates an enterprise to its external environment. It is only through information exchange that managers become aware of the needs of customers, the availability of suppliers, the claims and needs of stakeholders, the governmental regulations, concerns of society etc. organizations can be open and interactive with their environment only by communication.
Although organizational leaders have the major responsibility for effective communication, every employee in the organization shares this responsibility. Communication is a two way process in which everyone is both an originator and receiver. Information flows vertically along the chain of command and crosswise. Crosswise communication is the horizontal flow of information among persons on the same or similar organizational levels, without superior – subordinate relationships.
Put simply, the communication process involves the sender who transmits the message through a selected channel to the receiver. The sender has a thought or idea, which is then encoded in a manner that is understood by both the sender and receiver. The mode or channel can be oral or written but the receiver has to be receptive to the message to decode the thought. The main barriers to communication could be a noisy or confined environment which impacts the development of a clear thought, encoding may be incorrect because of ambiguous symbols, transmission may be interrupted by static in the mode of transmission, inattention may cause incorrect decoding and prejudices may cause misunderstanding. Many situational and organization factors affect the process of communication, such as educational, sociological, legal-political, economic, specially of the external environment. Geography, time, organizational structure, managerial and non managerial processes and technological issues are also vital in the process of communication.
Essentials of Good Communication - The American Management Association brought out in 1955 the Ten Commandments of Good Communication which are applicable even today, these are –
1. Clarify ideas before attempting to communicate.
2. Examine the purpose of communication.
3. Understand the physical and human environment when communicating.
4. In planning communication, consult with others to obtain their support as well as facts.
5. Consider the content and overtones of the message.
6. Whenever possible, communicate something that helps or is valued by the receiver.
7. Communication, to be effective, requires follow up.
8. Communicate messages that are of short run and long run importance.
9. Actions must be congruent with communication.
10. Be a good listener.
Listening for the hard pressed executive is vital, it’s a feedback tool of immense importance. Feedback should both be given and asked for. Effective and genuine listening generates trust and confidence amongst subordinates. Keith Davis proposes ten guides to improving listening; (i) Stop talking, (ii) put the talker at ease (iii) show the talker that you want to listen (iv) remove distractions (v) empathise with the talker (vi) be patient (vii) hold your temper (viii) go easy on arguments and criticism (ix) ask questions (x) stop talking !!. Davies emphasizes the first and last are most important.
Carl R. Rogers and F.J. Roethlisberger reiterate the above by a simple experiment, in any argument in an organisational context, a person may speak only after the ideas and feelings of the previous speaker are repeated accurately to the speaker’s satisfaction. It sounds simple but is difficult to practice as it requires listening, understanding and empathy.
Best Practices in Communication - Now we can explore the best practices in communication among top performing organizations, this is essentially sourced from the “Secrets of Top Performers: How Companies with Highly Effective Communication Differentiate Themselves” by Bill Trahant. The study indicates there is a strong correlation between effective employee communication and superior organizational performance. Effective organisations – that is with effective organizational results and communications practice –
• Keep the customer front and centre in all employee communication programmes.
• Design communication programmes that engage employees in ‘running the business’.
• Work to continuously enhance the communication effectiveness of managers.
• Leverage the talents of internal communicators to manage change effectively.
• Measure the impact of employee communication on key business metrics.
• Maximize the employee experience brand.
There is a debate on whether employees first or the customer for makes for better organisational communication, this should be ideally viewed in the focus of the organization, a purely service oriented organization may even have to keep both aspects first, while a retail oriented organization may need to be employee centred. A manufacturing organization or an organization such as the RBI with a primarily internal focus (less focus on retail) may need to place employees first in communication systems. The testing of the efficacy of communication systems should be a continuous process at regular intervals for enabling mid course correctives to be applied. The usage of evolving technology suitable to the generation now moving into the employment market also needs to be studied for applicability.
Applicability of Best Practices to Government Owned Organisations / Specially Corporate bodies - These findings are equally relevant for governmental agencies that want to improve employee alignment and enhance operating effectiveness. Each finding / aspect as above can be studied in the context of applicability to the governmental sector, specially the corporate sector.
- Focus on Customer - People who seek out public sector / governmental sector employment are likely to be motivated by factors other than money. Governmental agencies should accordingly focus on making their employees take pride in their work, see it as something special and contributing to nation building. The linkage with the end customer should also be established, say the contribution of customs to the national exchequer. This builds employee motivation and engagement. Senior officials should always stress the social significance of the jobs performed on behalf of the public. Job significance needs to be stressed as also non task related values such as allegiance, teamwork, professionalism and determination. Employees should be able to observe the downstream benefits of their work by way of direct contact programmes.
- Engage Employees in running the business - The Governmental agencies have to innovate and find methods to engage employees in contributing to running the business at the section, office, departmental, unit levels etc. this would align workers with the oranisational mission. The NTPC has done this effectively as has SAIL. Staff at various levels have to be encouraged to work in more collaborative ways, maybe by redesigning employee job objectives and performance parameters. Organizations may even allow employees to participate in their own appraisal process encourages professionalism and shared values. This is particularly true with the younger Indian generation now coming of age, the youth joining governmental organizations is more independent mined, willing to ask questions and to seek empowerment. They seek a place or identity in the vast labyrinth of the government. Creating social and virtual networks, regular interaction with seniors, aligning people around common mission goals are some modes to achieve it.
- Help Mangers Communicate Effectively – Concise, consistent, frequent communication from senior executives to employees is critical in creating a climate of strong organizational alignment in governmental agencies. It has a direct bearing on employee morale and motivation and can enable organizational motivation. This would enable employees ‘to understand, embrace, and deal openly with resistance to change’. Training needs to be imparted particularly on communication starting from top executives, as the need for governance to be more effective and responsive becomes more imperative, this is the most vital aspect.
- Manage Change effectively – A variety of modes, such as town hall meetings, top level executives meeting employees in informal groups, employee surveys, web casts, internal webs sites, etc should be used in a wide manner to send a consistent message from the senior executives. In the purely governmental sector, the excessive hierarchy orientation must be gradually dismantled with a focus on reaching out to the officials at the lower rungs of officialdom. The messages need to percolate by interaction than by a reliance on circulars. Presently, the rigid compartmentalisation in most purely governmental organizations (engaged in governance per se), results in a high social barrier often bordering on the feudalistic. Crucial information about organization change should be shared transparently and training to frontline staff must stress how their roles relate directly to achieving the organizational mission and how the change in the focus and nature of their jobs is a necessity. HR professionals in governmental agencies must be professionals from this field and conduct workshops to articulate key values and behaviour required at work.
- Employ HR Professionals – This aspect is not really appreciated by some of the Governmental Owned Organisations, specially the banking sector. As the RBI empowers the banks and the GOI removes barriers, the quest for productivity should see the placement of HR professionals at the Board / Below Board levels as in the Public Sector Industry Organisations for enabling better communication systems to be designed and a more pro active approach to be developed. In case independent wage agreements are introduced for individual banks or groups of banks by size, as is often stated, then this would be imperative.
The governmental sector, specially the purely governance centric organizations, are often viewed as excessively rigid, inward focused, procedure oriented and lacking in public empathy. A better designed internal communication system, concurrently accompanied with other initiatives (empowerment, ergonomic offices, rewards and punishments) would certainly enable an improvement in perception of the governmental sector including the policing function. The government owned corporate institutions are certainly placed on a better footing in perception and productivity but better communication systems would ideally enable higher productivity. This should be worked upon by the concerned stakeholders on priority as the nation modernizes and seeks a higher growth path with equity.
References –
Books
• Chester I Barnard – ‘The Functions of The Executive’
• Harold Koontz, Cyril O Donnell, Heinz Weihrich – ‘Management’.
• Daniel Katz, Robert Louis Kahn – ‘The Social Psychology of Organisations’.
• Keith Davis – ‘Organisational Behaviour’
Articles.
• Carl R. Rogers and F.J. Roethlisberger – “Barriers and Gateways to Communication”. HBR Nov Dec 1991.
• Bill Trahant – ‘’Secrets of Top Performers : How Companies with Highly Effective Communication Syatems Differentiate Themselves’’. The Public Manager, Fall 2008.
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By Dinesh K Kapila, Asst Gen Mgr, NABARD Regional Office, Shimla
(dineshkapila2002@yahoo.co.in, dineshkapila2009@gmail.com, 9805056733, 0177-2629792, 0172-2669757. c/o NABARD, Block 32, Kasumpati, Shimla 9).
Abstract – The importance of communication has been defined / delineated in the captioned article. It examines and encompasses its historical context and the broad convergence of views about it, specially in its applicability to corporate bodies / institutions and to governmental institutions in particular. The best practices in communication has been identified and discussed before suggesting methods / modes of better communication systems in a governmental context. The linkage of motivation and beter communication has been highlighted also in the quest for higher productivity, higher production and better customer service. The issues typical to governmental institutions have been kept in view while developing the paper.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Communication as such is inherent in all phases of managing, though it is one of the most important components of effective leadership. It can be defined as the process of transfer of information from the sender to the receiver in such a manner that the information is understood by the receiver. Any attempt at discussing the process of communication has to focus on the sender of the communication, the transmission of information itself and the receiver of the message being transmitted. The barriers to effective communication and the mode of feedback also need to be discussed in any analysis of the process of communication.
Process of Communication - It would be quite appropriate to state at the outset that the communication function is the means to bring about a unity in organizing any activity. This leads to modification in behaviour, effects changes, ensures information is relevant, enables the goals to be achieved etc. in any form of organization. Chester I Barnard views organization as the means by which people are linked together in an organization to achieve a common purpose. This is actually the fundamental function of communication as any group activity is impossible without communication, as coordination and change can be effected by communication only. Katz and Kahn, studying communication from a sociological perspective saw social systems as ‘restricted communication networks’.
Harold Koontz, Cyril O’Donnell, Heinz Weihrich state that in its broadest sense, the purpose of communication in an enterprise is to effect change to influence action towards the welfare of the enterprise. Any business requires information about prices, competition, technology, finance, business cycle and government policies. This information or knowledge is the foundation for decisions to be taken for product lines, quality, production ratios, marketing strategy, organizational structures etc. the processing of this information and undertaking of any action in any enterprise is a complicated process in large organizations specially.
Communication is essential for the internal functioning of enterprises because it integrates the managerial functions. The need for communication is to (i) establish and disseminate the goals of an enterprise, (ii) develop plans for their achievement, (iii) organize human and other resources in the most effective and efficient manner, (iv) select, develop and appraise members of the organization, (v) lead, direct, motivate and create a climate in which people want to contribute and (vi) control performance.
Communication not only facilitates the managerial functions but also relates an enterprise to its external environment. It is only through information exchange that managers become aware of the needs of customers, the availability of suppliers, the claims and needs of stakeholders, the governmental regulations, concerns of society etc. organizations can be open and interactive with their environment only by communication.
Although organizational leaders have the major responsibility for effective communication, every employee in the organization shares this responsibility. Communication is a two way process in which everyone is both an originator and receiver. Information flows vertically along the chain of command and crosswise. Crosswise communication is the horizontal flow of information among persons on the same or similar organizational levels, without superior – subordinate relationships.
Put simply, the communication process involves the sender who transmits the message through a selected channel to the receiver. The sender has a thought or idea, which is then encoded in a manner that is understood by both the sender and receiver. The mode or channel can be oral or written but the receiver has to be receptive to the message to decode the thought. The main barriers to communication could be a noisy or confined environment which impacts the development of a clear thought, encoding may be incorrect because of ambiguous symbols, transmission may be interrupted by static in the mode of transmission, inattention may cause incorrect decoding and prejudices may cause misunderstanding. Many situational and organization factors affect the process of communication, such as educational, sociological, legal-political, economic, specially of the external environment. Geography, time, organizational structure, managerial and non managerial processes and technological issues are also vital in the process of communication.
Essentials of Good Communication - The American Management Association brought out in 1955 the Ten Commandments of Good Communication which are applicable even today, these are –
1. Clarify ideas before attempting to communicate.
2. Examine the purpose of communication.
3. Understand the physical and human environment when communicating.
4. In planning communication, consult with others to obtain their support as well as facts.
5. Consider the content and overtones of the message.
6. Whenever possible, communicate something that helps or is valued by the receiver.
7. Communication, to be effective, requires follow up.
8. Communicate messages that are of short run and long run importance.
9. Actions must be congruent with communication.
10. Be a good listener.
Listening for the hard pressed executive is vital, it’s a feedback tool of immense importance. Feedback should both be given and asked for. Effective and genuine listening generates trust and confidence amongst subordinates. Keith Davis proposes ten guides to improving listening; (i) Stop talking, (ii) put the talker at ease (iii) show the talker that you want to listen (iv) remove distractions (v) empathise with the talker (vi) be patient (vii) hold your temper (viii) go easy on arguments and criticism (ix) ask questions (x) stop talking !!. Davies emphasizes the first and last are most important.
Carl R. Rogers and F.J. Roethlisberger reiterate the above by a simple experiment, in any argument in an organisational context, a person may speak only after the ideas and feelings of the previous speaker are repeated accurately to the speaker’s satisfaction. It sounds simple but is difficult to practice as it requires listening, understanding and empathy.
Best Practices in Communication - Now we can explore the best practices in communication among top performing organizations, this is essentially sourced from the “Secrets of Top Performers: How Companies with Highly Effective Communication Differentiate Themselves” by Bill Trahant. The study indicates there is a strong correlation between effective employee communication and superior organizational performance. Effective organisations – that is with effective organizational results and communications practice –
• Keep the customer front and centre in all employee communication programmes.
• Design communication programmes that engage employees in ‘running the business’.
• Work to continuously enhance the communication effectiveness of managers.
• Leverage the talents of internal communicators to manage change effectively.
• Measure the impact of employee communication on key business metrics.
• Maximize the employee experience brand.
There is a debate on whether employees first or the customer for makes for better organisational communication, this should be ideally viewed in the focus of the organization, a purely service oriented organization may even have to keep both aspects first, while a retail oriented organization may need to be employee centred. A manufacturing organization or an organization such as the RBI with a primarily internal focus (less focus on retail) may need to place employees first in communication systems. The testing of the efficacy of communication systems should be a continuous process at regular intervals for enabling mid course correctives to be applied. The usage of evolving technology suitable to the generation now moving into the employment market also needs to be studied for applicability.
Applicability of Best Practices to Government Owned Organisations / Specially Corporate bodies - These findings are equally relevant for governmental agencies that want to improve employee alignment and enhance operating effectiveness. Each finding / aspect as above can be studied in the context of applicability to the governmental sector, specially the corporate sector.
- Focus on Customer - People who seek out public sector / governmental sector employment are likely to be motivated by factors other than money. Governmental agencies should accordingly focus on making their employees take pride in their work, see it as something special and contributing to nation building. The linkage with the end customer should also be established, say the contribution of customs to the national exchequer. This builds employee motivation and engagement. Senior officials should always stress the social significance of the jobs performed on behalf of the public. Job significance needs to be stressed as also non task related values such as allegiance, teamwork, professionalism and determination. Employees should be able to observe the downstream benefits of their work by way of direct contact programmes.
- Engage Employees in running the business - The Governmental agencies have to innovate and find methods to engage employees in contributing to running the business at the section, office, departmental, unit levels etc. this would align workers with the oranisational mission. The NTPC has done this effectively as has SAIL. Staff at various levels have to be encouraged to work in more collaborative ways, maybe by redesigning employee job objectives and performance parameters. Organizations may even allow employees to participate in their own appraisal process encourages professionalism and shared values. This is particularly true with the younger Indian generation now coming of age, the youth joining governmental organizations is more independent mined, willing to ask questions and to seek empowerment. They seek a place or identity in the vast labyrinth of the government. Creating social and virtual networks, regular interaction with seniors, aligning people around common mission goals are some modes to achieve it.
- Help Mangers Communicate Effectively – Concise, consistent, frequent communication from senior executives to employees is critical in creating a climate of strong organizational alignment in governmental agencies. It has a direct bearing on employee morale and motivation and can enable organizational motivation. This would enable employees ‘to understand, embrace, and deal openly with resistance to change’. Training needs to be imparted particularly on communication starting from top executives, as the need for governance to be more effective and responsive becomes more imperative, this is the most vital aspect.
- Manage Change effectively – A variety of modes, such as town hall meetings, top level executives meeting employees in informal groups, employee surveys, web casts, internal webs sites, etc should be used in a wide manner to send a consistent message from the senior executives. In the purely governmental sector, the excessive hierarchy orientation must be gradually dismantled with a focus on reaching out to the officials at the lower rungs of officialdom. The messages need to percolate by interaction than by a reliance on circulars. Presently, the rigid compartmentalisation in most purely governmental organizations (engaged in governance per se), results in a high social barrier often bordering on the feudalistic. Crucial information about organization change should be shared transparently and training to frontline staff must stress how their roles relate directly to achieving the organizational mission and how the change in the focus and nature of their jobs is a necessity. HR professionals in governmental agencies must be professionals from this field and conduct workshops to articulate key values and behaviour required at work.
- Employ HR Professionals – This aspect is not really appreciated by some of the Governmental Owned Organisations, specially the banking sector. As the RBI empowers the banks and the GOI removes barriers, the quest for productivity should see the placement of HR professionals at the Board / Below Board levels as in the Public Sector Industry Organisations for enabling better communication systems to be designed and a more pro active approach to be developed. In case independent wage agreements are introduced for individual banks or groups of banks by size, as is often stated, then this would be imperative.
The governmental sector, specially the purely governance centric organizations, are often viewed as excessively rigid, inward focused, procedure oriented and lacking in public empathy. A better designed internal communication system, concurrently accompanied with other initiatives (empowerment, ergonomic offices, rewards and punishments) would certainly enable an improvement in perception of the governmental sector including the policing function. The government owned corporate institutions are certainly placed on a better footing in perception and productivity but better communication systems would ideally enable higher productivity. This should be worked upon by the concerned stakeholders on priority as the nation modernizes and seeks a higher growth path with equity.
References –
Books
• Chester I Barnard – ‘The Functions of The Executive’
• Harold Koontz, Cyril O Donnell, Heinz Weihrich – ‘Management’.
• Daniel Katz, Robert Louis Kahn – ‘The Social Psychology of Organisations’.
• Keith Davis – ‘Organisational Behaviour’
Articles.
• Carl R. Rogers and F.J. Roethlisberger – “Barriers and Gateways to Communication”. HBR Nov Dec 1991.
• Bill Trahant – ‘’Secrets of Top Performers : How Companies with Highly Effective Communication Syatems Differentiate Themselves’’. The Public Manager, Fall 2008.
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