Communicating for Managerial Effectiveness: Problems / Strategies / Solutions

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Author, Phillip G. Clampitt (Hendrickson Professor of Business) skillfully integrates theory, research, and real-world case studies into models designed to enhance understanding of complex communication issues and guide thoughtful responses to the challenges. The book's "Wheel of Communication Effectiveness" model illustrates the unified nature of a world-class communication system. Communicating for Managerial Effectiveness, Fifth Edition equips students, managers, and executives with the strategies and tools to address common communication problems experienced in organizations with the goal of learning how to add value to their organizations by communicating more effectively. Some of these challenges include:

Communicating about major changes Spanning organizational boundaries Selecting the proper communication technologies Transforming data into knowledge Addressing ethical dilemmas Providing useful performance feedback Cultivating the innovative spirit Building a world-class communication system

NEW TO THE FIFTH EDITION

New model for assessing, managing, and mastering traditional and developing communication technologies Emphasis on social media with current and relevant examples New research on decision-making heuristics and biases New "how-to" tools and exercises to demonstrate how to craft effective communication strategies and develop tactics "Historical Hyperlinks" feature with insights from fascinating leaders including Teddy Roosevelt, Martha Graham, Socrates, and Juliette Gordon Low to explore the communication challenges they faced and how they resolved them Have You Ever Formulated a Response to Someone's Idea Before the Person Finishes Speaking? Watch a video from the author now: http://www.youtube.com/watch'v=8TmiVpOlLjk Students, visit the author′s Student Study Site which features video links, web resources, eFlashcards, web quizzes, and more at www.mycmebook.net !

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Foreword (p. xiii)
• Preface (p. xiv)
• Introduction (p. xvii)
• Section 1 Foundation (p. 1)
• Chapter 1 Understanding Communication (p. 3)
• Propositions (p. 3)
• Proposition 1 Communication Can Best Be Described in Terms of Probabilities (p. 5)
• Proposition 2 Context Shapes the Probabilities by Creating Default Assumptions (p. 10)
• Proposition 3 Context Building Is a Dynamic Process (p. 12)
• Proposition 4 The Context May Act Like a Black Hole (p. 13)
• Proposition 5 Context Construction Is Uniquely Sensitive to Time Sequencing (p. 14)
• Proposition 6 There Are Multiple Messages in Each Communication Event (p. 15)
• Proposition 7 Content and Context Interact to Produce Meaning (p. 16)
• Implications of the Propositions (p. 18)
• Explore the Employees' Context (p. 18)
• Carefully Manage Employee Expectations (p. 19)
• Carefully Frame Messages (p. 19)
• Sculpt the Proper Context (p. 20)
• Anticipate Possible Interpretations (and Misinterpretations) of Messages, Events, and Symbols (p. 21)
• Be Aware of the "Law of Large Numbers" (p. 22)
• Use the "Blackout" Tactic to Clarify Potentially Ambiguous Messages (p. 23)
• Pay Attention to Secondary Messages (p. 23)
• Recognize the Utility of Credible Sources (p. 23)
• Conclusion (p. 24)
• Key Concepts (p. 24)
• "Drill Down" Exercises (p. 25)
• Ancillaries (p. 25)
• Notes (p. 25)
• Chapter 2 Examining Communication Approaches (p. 27)
• The Arrow Approach (p. 28)
• Judging Effectiveness (p. 30)
• Explaining Communication Breakdowns (p. 31)
• Origins (p. 33)
• Evaluation (p. 34)
• The Circuit Approach (p. 34)
• Judging Effectiveness (p. 35)
• Explaining Communication Breakdowns (p. 35)
• Origins (p. 36)
• Evaluation (p. 38)
• Communication as Dance (p. 39)
• Communication Is Used for Multiple Purposes (p. 39)
• Communication Involves the Coordination of Meanings (p. 40)
• Communication Involves Co-Orientation (p. 41)
• Communication Is Rule Governed (p. 41)
• Communicators Develop a Repertoire of Unconscious Skills (p. 42)
• Communication Can Be Viewed as a Patterned Activity (p. 43)
• Conclusion (p. 45)
• Key Concepts (p. 45)
• "Drill Down" Exercises (p. 46)
• Ancillaries (p. 46)
• Notes (p. 46)
• Chapter 3 Scrutinizing Ethical Issues (p. 49)
• Fundamental Assumptions (p. 52)
• Every Communication Decision Has an Ethical Dimension (p. 52)
• Communication Ethics Involves Both Motives and Outcomes (p. 53)
• Fundamental Ethical Principles Should Guide Decision Making (p. 53)
• Ethical Dilemmas (p. 54)
• Secrecy (p. 54)
• Dissent (p. 55)
• Leaks (p. 56)
• Rumors and Gossip (p. 57)
• Lies (p. 58)
• Euphemisms (p. 60)
• Ambiguity (p. 60)
• Apologies (p. 60)
• A Strategic Approach to Corporate Ethics (p. 61)
• Corporate Culture (p. 64)
• Organizational Policy (p. 65)
• Personal Commitments (p. 69)
• Conclusion (p. 72)
• Key Concepts (p. 72)
• "Drill Down" Exercises (p. 73)
• Ancillaries (p. 73)
• Notes (p. 73)
• Chapter 4 Imparting the Organizational Culture (p. 77)
• What Is Culture? (p. 80)
• Does Culture Matter? (p. 81)
• Culture Affects the Bottom Line (p. 81)
• Culture Influences How an Organization Analyzes and Solves Problems (p. 82)
• Culture Influences How the Company Will Respond to Change (p. 82)
• Culture Affects Employee Motivation and Customer Satisfaction (p. 83)
• How Can We Discover the Culture? (p. 84)
• Examine the Corporate Slogans, Philosophies, and Value Statements (p. 84)
• Reflect on the Type of People in the Organization (p. 85)
• Study Symbols and Heroes (p. 86)
• How Can We Evaluate the Culture? (p. 87)
• Does the Organization Seek to Close the Gap Between the Stated Culture and Actual Culture? (p. 87)
• Is the Actual Culture Suited for the Organizational Challenges? (p. 87)
• Does the Actual Culture Fit the Employees' Beliefs and Values? (p. 88)
• How Can Leaders Effectively Impart the Culture? (p. 88)
• Craft Actionable Cultural Statements (p. 89)
• Appropriately Socialize Employees (p. 90)
• Develop Symbolic Reminders of the Core Values (p. 91)
• Link Values With Specific Behaviors (p. 92)
• Filter Information Through the Values (p. 93)
• Tell the Right Stories and Create Opportunities to Originate Stories (p. 94)
• Use Rewards as Powerful Reminders (p. 95)
• Manage Conflict Through the Values, Not the Hierarchy (p. 95)
• Routinely Evaluate Progress on the Core Values (p. 96)
• Assist in the Evoluation of the Meaning of the Values (p. 96)
• Conclusion (p. 97)
• Key Concepts (p. 98)
• "Drill Down" Exercises (p. 98)
• Ancillaries (p. 98)
• Notes (p. 98)
• Section 2 Communication Challenges (p. 101)
• Chapter 5 Selecting and Using Communication Technologies (p. 103)
• The B-C Model: A Deeper Look (p. 106)
• Attributes (p. 106)
• Benefits (p. 107)
• Costs (p. 108)
• Value (p. 109)
• How Perspective Shifts Value (p. 110)
• User Perspective (p. 110)
• Time Perspective (p. 112)
• Micro/Macro Perspectives (p. 113)
• What to Do? (p. 113)
• Promote a Robust Mind-Set of the Benefits and Costs of Communication Channels and Technologies (p. 114)
• Consciously Decide on the Appropriate Cost-Benefit Trade-Offs (p. 119)
• Detect and Respond to Patterns That Develop With Technology Usage (p. 125)
• Embrace the Promise of Social Media While Managing Its Risks (p. 130)
• Conclusion (p. 137)
• Key Concepts (p. 137)
• "Drill Down" Exercises (p. 137)
• Ancillaries (p. 138)
• Notes (p. 138)
• Chapter 6 Managing Data, Information, Knowledge, and Action (p. 143)
• The D-I-K-A Model (p. 145)
• Data = Representations of Reality (p. 146)
• Information = Data That Provide Relevant Clues or News (p. 147)
• Knowledge = The Framework or Schema for Organizing the Relationships Between Pieces of Information (p. 147)
• Action = The Deeds or Decisions Made Based on Knowledge (p. 148)
• Variations of the Model (p. 148)
• The D-I-K Loop (p. 150)
• The K-A Loop (p. 151)
• The I-A Loop (p. 151)
• Managing the Data-Information Relationship (p. 152)
• Recognize the Inherent Flaws of All Data and Information (p. 152)
• Determine What Employees Really Need to Know (p. 153)
• Analyze Both Quantitative and Qualitative Data (p. 154)
• Harness the Power of Product-Embedded Information (PEI) and Just-in-Time Information (JITI) (p. 155)
• Use Imagery to Dramatize Information and Summarize Complex Data Sets (p. 156)
• Reduce the Number of Links in the Communication Chain (p. 158)
• Managing the Information-Knowledge Relationship (p. 160)
• Evaluate the Credibility of the Evidence (p. 160)
• Organize the Same Information in Different Ways (p. 162)
• Identify What You Don't Know (p. 164)
• Discern the Underlying Patterns (p. 165)
• Test Models and Theories (p. 166)
• Managing the Knowledge-Action Relationship (p. 167)
• Create Strategic Knowledge-Sharing Communities (p. 167)
• Focus Reports on Actionable Issues (p. 169)
• Speed Up the Transformation Process, Even at the Expense of Accuracy (p. 170)
• Conclusion (p. 171)
• Key Concepts (p. 171)
• "Drill Down" Exercises (p. 171)
• Ancillaries (p. 172)
• Notes (p. 172)
• Chapter 7 Providing Performance Feedback (p. 177)
• Performance Feedback Principles (p. 178)
• Everyone, Whether They Acknowledge It or Not, Has Performance Standards (p. 179)
• High Performance Standards Foster Employee Development and Organizational Viability (p. 180)
• All Employees "Receive" Feedback About Their Performance (p. 180)
• The Ideal Feedback System Drives Employees to Identify, Perform, and Commit to the Evolving Performance Standards (p. 181)
• Implementing a Successful Feedback System (p. 181)
• Do Employees Know Their Job Responsibilities? (p. 182)
• Do Employees Know the Standards by Which They Are Being Evaluated? (p. 183)
• Do Employees Receive Useful Informal Feedback? (p. 184)
• Do Employees Receive Useful Feedback From Performance Appraisals? (p. 184)
• Communicating Performance Feedback (p. 186)
• The Method (p. 187)
• The Message (p. 190)
• Conclusion (p. 198)
• Key Concepts (p. 199)
• "Drill Down" Exercises (p. 199)
• Ancillaries (p. 199)
• Notes (p. 199)
• Chapter 8 Communicating Across Organizational Boundaries (p. 203)
• The Nature of Boundaries (p. 206)
• Potential Problems of Boundaries (p. 207)
• Investment Losses (p. 207)
• Customer Service Failures (p. 208)
• Unmotivated Employees (p. 208)
• Contributing Factors (p. 209)
• Language Differences (p. 209)
• Culture (p. 210)
• Use of Space (p. 213)
• Structure of Rewards and Punishments (p. 214)
• The Arithmetic/Geometric Factor (p. 214)
• What to Do? (p. 216)
• Select and Train the Right People (p. 216)
• Implement Error Correction Processes (p. 217)
• Encourage Activities That Promote Shared Experiences and Common Goals (p. 219)
• Integrate Boundary Spanning Into the Structure of the Organization (p. 222)
• Promote a Collaborative Communication Style (p. 224)
• Conclusion (p. 226)
• Key Concepts (p. 227)
• "Drill Down" Exercises (p. 227)
• Ancillaries (p. 227)
• Notes (p. 228)
• Chapter 9 Communicating About Change (p. 231)
• Approaches to Change (p. 233)
• Top-Down (p. 234)
• Bottom-Up (p. 235)
• Integrative Approach (p. 235)
• Selecting the Degree of Communication (p. 236)
• Undercommunicating (p. 236)
• Overcommunicating (p. 237)
• "Goldilocks" Zones (p. 237)
• Reactions to Change (p. 237)
• The "Iceberg" Model (p. 240)
• Contextual Analysis (p. 244)
• Audience Analysis (p. 247)
• Strategic Design (p. 250)
• Tactical Preparation (p. 255)
• Conclusion (p. 261)
• Key Concepts (p. 261)
• "Drill Down" Exercises (p. 261)
• Ancillaries (p. 262)
• Notes (p. 262)
• Chapter 10 Cultivating the Innovative Spirit (p. 265)
• Misconceptions (p. 267)
• Myth 1 Innovation Is Risky (p. 268)
• Myth 2 All Innovations Spring From Revolutionary "Big" Ideas, "Paradigm Shifts," or Grand Schemes (p. 269)
• Myth 3 Innovation Is Product Focused (p. 270)
• What Is Innovation? (p. 270)
• Idea Generation (p. 270)
• Feasibility Analysis (p. 271)
• Viability Assessment (p. 272)
• Implementation (p. 272)
• Implications (p. 273)
• A Perspective on Success and Failure (p. 275)
• Potential Success (p. 276)
• Failure (p. 276)
• Temporary Success (p. 277)
• Enduring Success (p. 277)
• Implications (p. 277)
• Strategic Traffic Signals (p. 278)
• Cultivate an Innovative Culture (p. 279)
• Develop Company Programs, Policies, and Practices That Foster Innovation (p. 281)
• Properly Reject "Bad Ideas" (p. 283)
• Conclusion (p. 285)
• Key Concepts (p. 285)
• "Drill Down" Exercises (p. 285)
• Ancillaries (p. 286)
• Notes (p. 286)
• Chapter 11 Building a World-Class Communication System (p. 289)
• Assess (p. 292)
• Communication Audits (p. 293)
• Pulse Process (p. 294)
• Strategize (p. 295)
• What Is a Communication Strategy? (p. 297)
• How Do You Craft a Communication Strategy? (p. 298)
• What Makes a Communication Strategy Effective? (p. 303)
• Implement (p. 307)
• Assess-Strategize-Implement in Action (p. 309)
• Conclusion (p. 309)
• Key Concepts (p. 310)
• "Drill Down" Exercises (p. 310)
• Ancillaries (p. 310)
• Notes (p. 311)
• Glossary (p. 313)
• Index (p. 321)
• About the Author (p. 331)