Nonverbal Feedback and Virtual Organizations

This week we will discuss communication in organizations and organizational design and change. In organizations, communications flow between individuals, between levels in the organizational hierarchy, between departments, and between the company and outside publics (Cutler, 2010). How effective is the communication within your organization and what means are utilized to communicate? What can organizations implement to ensure communicative efforts are clear, concise, and available? What makes communication a critical success factor? First, communication takes place in every managerial activity (Scott & Mitchell, 1976). Also, poor communication leads to conflict and quality communication helps to resolve conflict (Trewatha, Newport, & Johnson, 1997). Further, communication skills are a key factor in career success. Those who can make effective verbal presentations are more likely to be perceived as potential leaders. Individuals who write well make positive impressions during a job search and as employees

Communicative Techniques

Nonverbal communication plays a major role in one-on-one interactions. Along with spoken words, tone and other nonverbal cues accompany every message transmission. The forms of nonverbal communication include kinesthetic cues, appearance and dress, artifacts, touch, space, and paralanguage. According to Birdwhistell (1970), kinesthetic cues are messages communicated by nonlinguistic body language or movements. These include messages conveyed by various parts of the body. How would you perceive an attempt at communication if the messenger had their hands placed on their hips, and the head was in a downward movement? Could this be perceived as a challenging stance? What message can be interpreted and what would be a like response?

Written messages at work can take the form of memos, e-mails, instant messages, letters, and reports. The messages may range from short texts or tweets to longer, more formal letters and reports to committees or management teams. As is the case with spoken messages, the sender and receiver should be aware of potential barriers to communication. The advantage of writing results from the ability to carefully consider each word and sentence prior to transmitting the message (Bell, 2004, 79–92).

Barriers to Communication

Barriers can be associated with every element of a basic communication model, or as sender, encoding, transmission medium, decoding, receiver, and feedback barriers. A second approach analyzes communication barriers in terms of individual differences, situational factors, and transmission problems. Overcoming these barriers includes duties carried out by the sender, the receiver, and both parties.

Formal communication consists of information that travels through organizationally designated channels. Many traditional written channels have been adapted to more sophisticated technologies. Computer-based digital channels include e-mail, instant messaging, social media, videoconferencing, intranets, and extranets (Baack, 2012).

Organizational design

How would you describe your current organization? Is there a Hierarchy of authority, coordination of activities or common purpose or goal? An organization, according to Barnard (1938/1968), is a system of consciously coordinated activities or forces of two or more persons. Organizing involves completion of the company’s structure by establishing lines of authority and responsibility. There are three types of authority to include line authority, staff authority, and functional authority. Where does your organizations authority practices fall in line? It is critical, according to Baack (2012) that when an organizational design has been completed, several key elements are in place, including the chain of command/hierarchy of authority as well as vertical and horizontal dimensions of structure.

The Virtual Organization

Emerging technologies have led to two new types of organizational design. Virtual organizations are geographically distributed, with members bound by a long-term common interest or goal, communicating and coordinating their work through information technology. The boundaryless organization seeks to eliminate internal barriers and hierarchy along with the vertical and horizontal boundaries between a company and its customers and suppliers (Baack, 2012). Ahuja and Carley (1998) define a virtual organization as a geographically distributed organization whose members are bound by a long-term common interest or goal, and who communicate and coordinate their work through information technology. Virtual organizations work across space, time, and organizational boundaries with links strengthened by webs of communication (Lipnack & Stamps, 1997). Often, virtual organizations employ small numbers of workers and outsource most business functions, commonly including manufacturing, distribution, and marketing, which are facilitated by the Internet (Cascio, 2000). Do you have the ability or motivation to work or manage a virtual organization? What if your organization decides to change its structure do you feel you could accept the change or become resistant? Unfortunately there are some leaders and members that cannot or refuse to accept change and this can be a crippling factor in terms of productivity and meeting set goals. Baack (2012) suggests organizational structure and changes in organizational structure influence a series of outcomes. These impact the nature of a manager’s job. Among outcomes influenced by organizational design are the number and types of decisions made at all ranks; the amount of authority held at all levels; the number of tasks performed by entry-level employees; formality of relationships; role clarity and role ambiguity; and perceived chances for advancement.

References

Ahuja, M. K., & Carley, K. M. (1998). Network structure in virtual organizations. Journal of Computer- Mediated Communication, 3(4).

Baack, D. (2012). Organizational behavior. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Barnard, C. (1968). The functions of the executive. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. (Original work published 1938).

Bell, Arthur H. (2004). Writing effective letters, memos, and e-mail. Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series.

Birdwhistell, R. (1970). Kinesics and context. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.

Cascio, W. F. (2000, December). Managing a virtual workplace. Academy of Management Executive, (4), 1149–1168.

Lipnack, J., & Stamps, J. (1997). Virtual teams: Researching across space, time, and organizations with technology. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Scott, W. G., & Mitchell, T. R. (1976). Organization theory: A structural and behavioral analysis. Homewood, IL: Richard D. Irwin.

Trewatha, R., Newport, G., & Johnson, L. (1997). Management: Embracing change in the 21st Century. Houston: Dame.