Cross Cultural Communication5a Winning Conceptthe Benefits Of Organiz ✓ Solved

CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION 5 A Winning Concept: The Benefits of Organizational Communication Prepared by Student Name Date New England College Course MG5415 Organizational Communication for Leaders Julie Zink, Ph.D. Abstract Communication is a critical and effective medium that conveys information to a recipient or a group. While it is important to convey a message concisely, an effective communicator commands undivided attention. The benefits of effective organizational communication when executed well, cultivates a sense of commitment and loyalty within its employees, as well as instilling that they are an essential component to the overall success of the organization. Keywords: Organizational communication, strategy, leader, vision, mission, goals, management A Winning Concept: The Benefits of Organizational Communication “One of the greatest responsibilities of an organization’s leadership is to communicate with unwavering clarity the values on which the organization has been built (Vern Dosch, 2016).†Introduction Communication is a fundamental and essential function of civilization from the cradle to the grave.

It is the backbone of the universe’s existence as we know it, creating and cultivating a type of social bondage that occurs between human beings and living things alike. In the business world, it is the absolute nucleus that determines how effectively we will communicate, react, interact, and share information with each other. In fact, if we are to consider organizational communication as a field in its own right, it would be apt to label it as a subcategory of a much larger and broader discipline of communication studies. As a subcategory, organizational communication’s composition comprises analysis, consideration, and criticism of the role of communication in organizational contexts. Defined, organizational communication is, “the way in which an organization gives the public and its employee’s information about its aims and what it is doing (Cambridge, n.d.).†Organizational communication is also a component of effective management in a workplace environment.

The main functions are not only to inform but persuade and promote both support and goodwill. Communication is the lifeline of an organization, always providing the necessary information to ensure effective performance in all business activities. Communication in an organization is fundamental to running a successful business. It also requires active participation that encompasses the Board of Trustees and or Directors, Chief Executive Officer and or President, C-Suite leaders, management, and the teams that report to the managers. While management is the means to achieving organizational goals, efficiency and effectiveness of management depends on effective communication.

Every minute aspect of management hinges upon successful communication. Without effective communication, an organization cannot feasibly create and convey its credo: its vision and mission statement, the strategic plan, conveying how one shares or disseminates information, or even actively communicating within the organization, one’s clients, providers, and even vendors. Factors That Contribute to Successful Organizational Communication Factors that contribute to successful organization communication include a clear vision and mission statement, a current strategic plan, clear goals and objectives, and a steadfast commitment to the company’s success. In fact there are a number of areas that support successful organizational communication that include processes, structures, and even forms of communication that transpire between the Board of Directors, the leadership, and of course the different layers of management.

In order to set up a safe structure for an organization to successfully promote effective organizational communication, it should be readily adaptable to the situations at hand and responsive to the needs of the outside environment. There should be open and frequent communication within the organization through various mediums, in addition to potentially developing internal/external newsletters, media campaigns, and holding meetings or even conferences depending on the size of the organization. Within the structure itself, there should be clearly defined roles and policy guidelines for the employees. By empowering employees with open decision making at all tiers, members should also share a stake in the organization’s process and outcomes.

Leaders should lead by example which means leadership should begin at the very top. Membership of the Board should exhibit not only mutual respect but understanding and trust as a whole. They should demonstrate a willingness to compromise or collaborate in the best interests of the organization. Effective Leadership and the Management Paradox The term “Leadership†is somewhat loosely defined, since there is no clear or consistent language to determine the meaning of leadership. For many, it denotes providing a clear vision, the ability to lead others, completing tasks, or motivating others to succeed within their defined roles and goals.

It is important to note that while there are leaders, there are also leaders who are not so effective in their roles. Leaders need to be visionaries who steadfastly steer a course for their organization regardless of the obstacles they will need to overcome. While a leader may not be born with the necessary abilities or skill sets, they may be acquired along the way by learning through experience and through example. In fact, by relying on different types of behavioral traits, a leader may successfully influence others, in addition to executing and accomplishing the organizations goals regardless of the circumstances. Souba (2006), suggests that there is a clearly defined misalignment between that of leadership and its management.

While leadership is focused on change, creating a new strategic vision, and transforming the corporate culture, management’s focus is more aligned with creating and maintaining order, maintaining a level of consistency, standardization, meeting goals and budget, in addition to being ever efficient and effective. Bernard Bass, a specialist in transformational leadership, once stated that, "Leaders manage and managers lead, but the two activities are not synonymous (Coutts, n.d.).†Paradoxically, this equates to managers not actually making good leaders and good leaders not actually making good managers. Managers are typically responsible for the planning, investigating, and organization of business processes.

Leaders deal with the interpersonal aspect of a manager’s position. To be a good leader, we need to be confident within ourselves. The Four Stages of Organizational Change (OLC) The concept of organizational change was first introduced in 1950 by British economist and philosopher, Kenneth Boulding (Nasar, 1993). More than half a century later, Boulding’s concept has been adapted to fit many different disciplines that include, but are not limited to, management, marketing, and public administration. According to Boulding’s concept, the organizational life cycle may be segmented into four stages similar to that of a natural living life cycle: Birth, youth, maturity, and decline/death (Ionescu et al., 2007).

Organizations, like all living things, have a limited lifespan. While some lives span a longer duration than others, each stage of development is both predictable and sequential, from the cradle to the grave. In order for an organization to be successful, it must have a strong foundation in organizational communication. Furthermore, it is important for leaders to truly understand and realize exactly which phase their organization is in, in order for them to adopt strategies that best suits their current situation. It is important to note, however, that both external environmental events and internal circumstances can clearly impact the success of an organization.

According to an article by Inc., (n.d.), “The OLC model's prescription is that the firm's managers must change the goals, strategies, and strategy implementation devices to fit the new set of issues. Thus, different stages of the company's life cycle require alterations in the firm's objectives, strategies, managerial processes (planning, organizing, staffing, directing, controlling), technology, culture, and decision-making.†Organization Stages of Development (Daft E5-6 p.175) Source: The Power of Negotiation Negotiation is prevalent everywhere throughout our daily lives be it at a personal level or through the daily business communications that we conduct internally or with the outside world.

It can be as simple as negotiating with a toddler to get them to do what you want, making a deal with your team if you reach a certain goal, or even contracting a negotiation. There are three forms of negotiation: · Soft negotiation · Hard negotiation · Principled negotiation According to Fisher et al., (2011), the soft negotiator is determined to avoid any type of personal conflict at all costs. These individuals will make concessions readily in order to be able to make an agreement. The outcome for this type of negotiation is typically unpleasant and the soft negotiator nearly always walks away feeling completely exploited. For some individuals, using the hard approach creates a better outcome though potentially at a higher cost, straining the relationship that actually began the negotiation in the very first place.

For the hard negotiator, this is a battle of the wills. Neither side is willing to retreat, ultimately resulting in a stale mate, since neither side is willing to give concession to their own demands. The final type of negotiation is a strategic combination of soft and hard skills. The objective is to look at the mutual gains wherever possible and when there is conflict, ensure that the results are based on some form of fair standard that is “independent of the will†on either side: Hard on merits, and soft on people. This is deemed to be the fairest and most satisfactory form of negotiation and both parties walk away feeling quite successful regardless of the outcomes.

Groupthink Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when a group of individuals actively focus on minimizing any type of conflict. It is the influence to which these individuals have the overall desire for conformity rather than conflict. It is the conscientious ability to reach a consensus decision without any form of critical evaluation or even counter viewpoints. For smaller organizations, the concept of Groupthink may be considered beneficial but for larger organizations which deal with much more complex issues, avoiding Groupthink may be beneficial to their business practices, since it cultivates open discussion rather than conformity (Cain, 2012). The Manager’s Hot Seat: Problem Solving Building critical thinking and decision making skills is an integral part of organizational communication.

On a daily basis we are faced with distractions and yet it appears that there is never enough time to dedicate to effective problem solving. For many leaders, being able to solve the problem quickly and move on, alleviates the immediate issues at hand. Yet, whether we see the glass as half-full or half-empty, determines how we view problems that are presented to us. For many it is one more obstacle, but for others it is yet another opportunity to improve. Llopis (2014) noted that problem solving is the essence of what leaders do.

He further states that, “As leaders, the goal is to minimize the occurrence of problems—which means we must be courageous enough to tackle them head-on before circumstances force our hand. “ The Employee Brand While a brand is an organization’s identity, an organization does not have the luxury of creating its own brand. Its brand evolves through the product and the type of clientele that it attracts. Furthermore, employee branding actually shapes its employees behavior so that they emulate the brand identity through their everyday work behavior. A strong brand, not only serves to position the organization at a desired level but invokes trust and loyalty enabling organizations to create long term sustainable relationships with their employees and customers.

Conclusion Today’s challenges in the workplace include incorporating innovative and engaging ways to involve and motivate employees while at the same time, meeting and enhancing the organization’s bottom line. Organizational communication is a critical element in a company’s success, especially if a leader is to lead and be the perpetrator of change. Valuable skills of organizational communication include interpersonal communication, small group communication, conflict management, inter-cultural communication, writing, and managing organizational change. Great leadership starts at the top. It is this type of leadership that is indicative in an organization when problem solving appears completely seamless.

Such an ability, enables both employee and organization to continually grow and improve, strategically. When problem solving results in chaos, sadly, it is indicative of a serious leadership deficiency. To stay true, organizations must concentrate on developing organizational leaders who will stay focused on their core mission, maintain effective management practices and communication, drive “program†effectiveness, and hold team members accountable. Effective organizational communication is the backbone of corporate success. It is through this, that employees become more committed and loyal to their organization with the knowledge that they are a valued and essential component of their company’s success.

References Cain, S. (2012, January 13). The Rise of the New Groupthink. Retrieved September 26, 2016, from groupthink.html?_r=0 Coutts, P. (n.d.). Leadership vs. Management.

Retrieved September 28, 2016, from Davenport, B. T. (2015, February 20). The 4 Stages of the Employee Value Proposition. Retrieved September 26, 2016, from employee-value-proposition/ Dosch, V. (2016). Quotes About Organizational Leadership (73 quotes).

Retrieved September 26, 2016, from Fisher, R., & Ury, W. (2011). Getting to yes: Negotiating agreement without giving in (p. xxviii). New York, NY: Penguin. Ionescu, G. G., & Negrusa, A.

L. (2007, December). The Study about Organizational Life Cycle Models. The Study about Organizational Life Cycle Models, 8 (4), 5-17. Retrieved September 20, 2016, from Kinicki, A, Fugate, M. (2016). Organizational Behavior: A Practical, Problem Solving Approach (p.256).

New York, NY. McGraw Hill. LLopis, G. (2013, November 4). The 4 Most Effective Ways Leaders Solve Problems. Retrieved September 26, 2016, from most-effective-ways-leaders-solve-problems/ Mosley, R. (2015, May 11).

CEOs Need to Pay Attention to Employer Branding. Retrieved September 26, 2016, from employer-branding Nasar, S. (1993, March 20). Kenneth Boulding, an Economist, Philosopher and Poet, Dies at 83. Retrieved September 28, 2016, from philosopher-and-poet-dies-at-83.html Organizational communication Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2016, from Organizational Life Cycle. (n.d.).

Retrieved September 25, 2016, from Soci110 module 5. (n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2016, from Souba, W. W. (2006, December 30). The Leadership Dilemma. Journal of Surgical Research, 138(1), 1-9. doi:10.1016/j.jss.2007.01.003

Paper for above instructions

Abstract:
Effective communication is essential for the success and productivity of any organization. This essay explores the benefits of organizational communication, highlighting its role in fostering employee commitment, trust, and a cohesive work environment. It emphasizes that success in communication facilitates the execution of managerial functions, promotes employee engagement, and ultimately leads to enhanced organizational effectiveness.
Keywords: Organizational communication, leadership, engagement, strategy, employee commitment

Introduction

Organizational communication is crucial in establishing the framework within which businesses operate. It provides a means through which leaders convey their vision, mission, and goals to all stakeholders. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, organizational communication refers to how an organization disseminates information to its employees and the public regarding its purposes and activities (Cambridge, n.d.). Effective communication is not solely about transmitting information; it is about creating a culture where information flows freely and employees feel valued.
This essay discusses the fundamental role that organizational communication plays in enhancing employee commitment and organizational success. It outlines several factors that contribute to successful communication, the impact of effective leadership, and the importance of recognizing the organizational lifecycle.

Factors Contributing to Successful Organizational Communication

Successful organizational communication is reliant on several components, including a clear mission statement, strategic planning, and a commitment to employee empowerment. Leaders must articulate a vision that resonates with employees (Dosch, 2016). When employees understand an organization's objectives, they are more likely to align their efforts with those aims, fostering a sense of belonging and loyalty.
Moreover, utilizing various communication channels, such as internal newsletters, meetings, and digital platforms, can significantly improve engagement (Davenport, 2015). Regular feedback loops encourage participation, allowing employees to voice their opinions and suggestions, which are invaluable for fostering an inclusive culture.

Effective Leadership and the Management Paradox

Leadership is pivotal in shaping an organization’s communication culture. However, the distinction between leadership and management can create a paradox. Leaders often focus on vision and change, while managers prioritize order and consistency (Souba, 2006). The interplay between these two roles plays a fundamental part in communication effectiveness.
As Bernard Bass indicates, while leaders manage and managers lead, those behaviors are not interchangeable (Coutts, n.d.). Thus, effective leaders must possess a blend of interpersonal skills that facilitate open communication and nurture relationships across organizational levels.

The Four Stages of Organizational Change

It is vital to recognize the organizational life cycle when discussing communication strategies. Kenneth Boulding's model identifies four stages: birth, youth, maturity, and decline (Nasar, 1993). Each phase comes with unique challenges that require tailored communication strategies.
For example, during the youth stage, organizations might focus on establishing a brand identity, requiring transparent communication to shape perceptions. Conversely, during the maturity phase, maintaining employee engagement becomes critical to avoid stagnation; thus, communicating the organization's direction and actively seeking employee input is essential.
Effective communication strategies must adapt to each stage to ensure that employee morale and commitment remain high.

Negotiation in Communication

Negotiation is an integral part of organizational communication. Fisher and Ury (2011) classify negotiation into three forms: soft, hard, and principled. Soft negotiators avoid conflict, which may lead to suboptimal outcomes, while hard negotiators engage in a battle of wills, straining relationships. The principled style, however, combines the best aspects of both, focusing on mutual gains while maintaining respect for individuals (Fisher & Ury, 2011).
In organizational contexts, adopting a principled negotiation approach can help resolve conflicts amicably, further enhancing communication and trust in the workplace.

Groupthink and Its Implications

Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that can hinder effective communication within organizations. It occurs when a group's desire for consensus overshadows critical evaluation of alternative perspectives (Cain, 2012). While groupthink might simplify decision-making in smaller organizations, it poses risks for larger organizations that face complex issues. Encouraging dissenting opinions is vital to guard against groupthink, allowing for diverse ideas that spur innovation.

The Importance of Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Leaders must develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills to navigate organizational challenges effectively. Llopis (2014) asserts that problem-solving is central to effective leadership, and mitigating issues head-on is essential for success. Leaders who view problems as opportunities set a positive tone within their organizations, which can enhance employee morale and commitment.
Encouraging an environment of open discussion and empowering employees to take initiative can create a culture that values problem-solving, resulting in enhanced organizational effectiveness.

Employee Branding and Loyalty

The identity of an organization is not solely defined by its products or services; it is also shaped by its employees. According to Mosley (2015), effective employee branding aligns employees’ behaviors with the organization's identity, fostering loyalty and an ongoing commitment to the organization’s goals. A strong employer brand enhances employee satisfaction and helps attract top talent, ultimately benefiting the organization.

Conclusion

In conclusion, effective organizational communication is the backbone of corporate success. It requires a commitment from leadership to establish open channels of communication, empower employees, and acknowledge the various stages of organizational development. The interplay between negotiation styles, awareness of groupthink, and fostering a culture of critical thinking further contributes to enhancing communication effectiveness.
To spearhead change and cultivate an engaged workforce, organizations must invest in leadership that emphasizes communication as a strategic priority. Those who prioritize effective communication strategies will experience heightened employee commitment, loyalty, and overall organizational success.

References

1. Cain, S. (2012, January 13). The Rise of the New Groupthink. Retrieved from [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com)
2. Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.). Organizational communication Definition. Retrieved from [Cambridge Dictionary](https://dictionary.cambridge.org)
3. Coutts, P. (n.d.). Leadership vs. Management. Retrieved from [Leadership Resources](https://www.leadershipresources.com)
4. Davenport, B. T. (2015, February 20). The 4 Stages of the Employee Value Proposition. Retrieved from [HR Zone](https://www.hrzone.com)
5. Dosch, V. (2016). Quotes About Organizational Leadership. Retrieved from [Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com)
6. Fisher, R., & Ury, W. (2011). Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. New York, NY: Penguin.
7. Llopis, G. (2013, November 4). The 4 Most Effective Ways Leaders Solve Problems. Retrieved from [Forbes](https://www.forbes.com)
8. Mosley, R. (2015, May 11). CEOs Need to Pay Attention to Employer Branding. Retrieved from [Harvard Business Review](https://www.hbr.org)
9. Nasar, S. (1993, March 20). Kenneth Boulding, an Economist, Philosopher, and Poet, Dies at 83. Retrieved from [The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com)
10. Souba, W. W. (2006, December 30). The Leadership Dilemma. Journal of Surgical Research, 138(1), 1-9. doi:10.1016/j.jss.2007.01.003