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  • Communication – Communication Technologies & Behavior

    In the last byte, we looked at the various technologies that were available today. In today’s section, we begin our journey looking at how Communication Technologies affect Behavior.

    Most of the technologies we discussed over the last couple of bytes form part of Information Communication Technology (ICT). ICT refers to the various technologies such as electronic mail, voice mail, teleconference, and wireless access which are used for impersonal communication. These technologies provide faster, more immediate access to information that any earlier technology. This instant exchange makes the concept of schedule and office hours irrelevant in the modern world – these considerations are less relevant if not completely irrelevant. Thus these technologies have an important influence on the behavior of people using these technologies.

    It is given that almost all forms of computer-mediated communication are impersonal in nature – the sender interacts with the machine (not a human being) and the receiver also interacts with the machine (not the human sender). As discussed earlier – flaming is definitely an issue in these cases. The tact, grace, etc are all lost and there is no element of interpersonal communication that would prevent the managers from being blunter when using ICT!

    The nonverbal cues that one relies to decipher a message is absent in the new technologies – gesturing, touching, facial expressions, eye contact are all missing so the emotional elements of message gets difficult to assess. Through Video Conferencing and the use of smilies in these communication means to certain extent this reduces – but there are still a lot of gaps present!

    It would be interesting to note, that the cues to the positions of power also disappears in the use of emails!

  • Communication – Information Technology 2

    In the last byte, we began our discussion on the various communication technologies. In today’s byte, we continue this discussion further.

    Continuing our discussion on the use of email in workplace communication, it is also been seen that the absence of face to face communication in emails could make some people feel much less inhibited when using email and could end up using e-mail and end up sending “caustic” messages! These emails containing caustic messages could also be called “flaming” email – given that these message have a hostile, abusive, or bullying content in them.

    Another technology that is available today is the “voice mail system”; these enable users to retrieve messages from remote locations! Fantastic right? However, timely retrieval of these messages is important – in case these messages are not retrieved in time – it could either be outdated (a message that you cannot act on given the delay in reading it). It is extremely possible that employees with a problem early in the day would feel upset with the slow response for their queries over the voice mail!

    Fax Machines are another piece of the marvel of information technology age – where immediate transmission of documents etc is possible. But with the increasing power of emails the use of these machines is slowly on the decline.

    Cell Phones we know today are completely a common place phenomenon – these permit communication while away from the office and commute too. With smart phones, the power of cellular communication is no different from a wired desk based communication! While the power of cell phones can provide us seamless connectivity, one would need to be careful about the use of cell phones while driving!

  • Communication – Information Technology

    In the last byte, we briefly looked at written communications tools generally used in an organization. In today’s byte, we look at communication technology in a bit more detail.

    Information technology that uses computers as a medium for communication is no more a tool that is built for the technical specialists – it has moved on to develop ability by which today’s managers can directly access information at the click of a button! Databases and ad-hoc queries are today commonplace – and these empower the manager with tremendous information that could help intelligent business decision making.

    Internet penetration is not just limited to just the access of databases – Electronic mail or simply e-mail that we so commonly use today is an extremely powerful tool. Face-to-Face or telephonic conversations are synchronous in the sense that they require both the sender and the receiver of the communication to be available at the same time; however e-mail frees up the requirement. The sender could leave a message and the receiver could access it at his/her own convenient time and reply. It also reduces the time-delays that are associated with the postal mail and has the potential to provide an immediate reply.

    If one is to choose between face-to-face communication and electronic mails – the preference; research shows, varies with the nature of the decisions and may depend on the complexity and content of what needs to be communicated.

    We shall continue this discussion further in the next byte.

  • Communication – Written

    In the last byte, we looked at how modern technology is redefining the communication, before we look at these technologies in a bit more detail; it would be interesting to look at and classify written communication where internet could easily play a role and taking them online. This blog deals with such written communication:

    Written communication tools in a work place could be one of the following classes:

    1. Forms
    2. Manuals
    3. Reports
    4. Letters
    5. Memorandums
    We shall try to briefly look at what role each of these performs:
    Forms typically find uses when there exist some predefined characteristics of the process need an input from the person interacting. Forms typically have a pre-defined number of fields that reduces the need to actively engage someone else from the work environment. Manuals detail out the policy and process and how they need to be functioning. Reports generally provide a status update of the activities executed. Letters and Memorandum are generally used for a more formal yet personal communication in organizations. Letters are formal communications often with people outside the organization, while memo are used inside the organization,

  • Communication – Advent of Modern Technologies

    In the last byte, we looked at Positive Healthy Communication, in today’s byte; we look at how the concept of communication is changing with the advent of modern technologies.

    Thus far in we have discussed how nonverbal behaviors act as important cues in establishing trust in a work setting amongst colleagues, however increasing use of modern technology seems to be complicating the reception of cues which would generally happen in a face to face conversation. This is not to state that modern technology used in communication should be avoided – it is an essential feature of today’s management style. It is really hard to imagine a work place today without access to internet, telephone, etc!

    It is not just the reaction time that gets reduced by the use of such modern technology, it also helps reduce costs if effectively designed and applied to use – One could easily think of how much a supply chain company like – FedEx could save by shifting the tracking of calls from a physical scheme to an internet based tracking!

    Today’s business managers have access to more communication tools than ever before and it is important to get an understanding on the use, influence of these technologies in the workplace – this could enhance the effectiveness of the work itself! In spite of all benefits it would be also interesting to look at the role of information technology in actually addressing the ethical issues at work!

  • Communication – Positive Healthy Communication

    In the last byte, we looked at the table of common non-verbal cues from managers to employees. In today’s byte, we discuss – Positive Healthy Communication.

    To begin the discussion, let us define the concept of “communicative disease”. Communicative Disease in the contact of discussion here refers to the absence of heartfelt communication in human relationships leading to loneliness and social isolation. Such a behavior is seen to have adverse effect on heart and cardiovascular systems of the body and in extreme cases could also cause premature death.

    The term Communicative Disease was coined by James Lynch to explain the above mentioned behavior. He also says that heartfelt communication could be a healing dialogue and could act as an antidote in such cases. This means – the general thought that communication is a cognitive activity of the head would now need to be broadened to also include the role of heart in the communication process.

    Positive, healthy communication is an important aspect of “working together” – both interpersonal and interpersonal. A balance between head and heart is achieved when the individual is able to have a health internal conversion between his or her thoughts and feelings, ideas, and emotions! The external or inter-personal dimension refers to the cooperative work behavior based on positive, healthy, and open communication based on trust and truthfulness. Honest competition within the workplace is not inconsistent!

  • Communication – Listening

    In the last byte, we had an accuracy related discussion when one is to decipher non-verbal cues. In today’s byte, we show a table developed by C. Hamilton and B.H Kleiner from “Steps in Better Listening”, and has been adopted from the Reference book.


  • Communication – Non Verbal 2

    In the last byte, we looked at paralanguage dimension of non-verbal communication. In today’s byte, we discuss some study done on how accurately these nonverbal communication cues are decoded.

    It has been observed that many people including judges with several years of experience have a greater confidence in their ability to decipher these non-verbal queues than their actual ability to do so! This generally happens due to incomplete or inaccurate interpretation of the non-verbal cues.

    Expert trainer – Paul Ekman, who has trained judges, secret service agents, and polygraphists to detect lies; says that the best way to detect lies is to look for inconsistencies in the non-verbal cues. Disparities between the subject’s words, body languages, voice etc are some cues that could help in this direction.

    If one were to ask – Why is non-verbal communication important to managers? It is because it is important for the managers to understand the impact on the meaning of the message being communicated. Definitely the employees pick up various non-verbal cues in the following situation – when the managers looks away when the employee speaks with him, doesn’t acknowledge any greetings, etc.

    The Manager would therefore need to consider the total meaning of the message, in all media of communication. A message would have a greater meaning in specific context and the cues could be better and interpreted with an ease.

    It would be interesting to have a quick table of common non-verbal communication cues from manager to employees and we shall provide that in the next byte.

  • Communication – Non Defensive 6

    In the last byte, we looked at facial expressions and eye-contact and saw what role they played in non-verbal communication. In today’s byte, we look at paralanguage and see what role this played in non-verbal communication.

    Verbal forms of communication – focus on what is being spoken, and could be written and transferred to the receiver. However, in addition to what is being spoken, we find that there exists a component of how it is being spoken that creates an effect on the listener. The “how” it is being spoken component consists of variations in speech like pitch, loudness, tempo, tone, duration, laugh or cry – all these form the focus of paralanguage dimension of non-verbal communication.

    These variations could be attributed to various meanings and then these cues help the receiver decipher the underlying meaning more effectively. Some of such examples could be –
    If one speaks at a rapid pace, and is also loud – it could be taken as being nervous or angry!

    In addition to how the communication was spoken, there are some “fillers” that we introduce in speaking – especially when we do not get the appropriate words- some such usages are “mmmm…” or “ah-ah” etc typically used to see if the receiver jumps in to help fill in a few words etc also form the subject matter of paralanguage.

  • Communication – Non Defensive 5

    In the last byte, we looked at kinesics. In today’s byte, we look at facial and eye behavior.

    In most face-to-face communication we find a wealth of information coming from the facial expressional and the eye behavior. It is a rich source of nonverbal communication. Many a times, the face gives unintended clues that to emotions that sender is trying to hide.

    It would be interesting to know that smiles have a universal meaning! While frowns, raised eyebrows and wrinkled foreheads would need to be interpreted in conjunction with the person (actor), the situation and the culture.

    Eye contact enhances reflective listening and along with smiling – it indicates a positive emotion. But again the cultural context begins to play a major role here – in some countries the direct gaze could be interpreted as honest, truthful and forthright in the US context, but could mean completely differ in the Arabic world! (It could be interpreted as serious offence to look directly at a woman). In Asian cultures, it is considered good behavior to bow the head in deference to a supervisor than look at his/her eyes directly.