Statement of the Problem – Leadership’s Failure in Effective Communication
Slyvan Green
GM599.01
Applied Research Project
May 14, 2018
Professor
Dr. Craig McCoy
Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to investigate and analyze a real-world organizational problem. Communication is a dynamic and complex process and should not be taken lightly. This is because a large percentage of what happens in an organization is depended on good communication (Luthra & Dahiya, 2015). In any case, if communication were an easy subject, leaders would not require many meetings to make a decision. However, leaders hold many meetings to gain clarity on some issues that affect their organization. During such sessions, effective communication can make it easier for them to reach a consensus while poor interaction may lead to wastage of resources as leaders would have to participate in endless meetings to resolve issues. Due to this, many organizations hire managers who are capable communicators (Luthra & Dahiya, 2015). This is because they believe effective leaders should have the ability to persuade others, create value systems for the organizations they work for, motivate their subordinates, and support teamwork.
According to Luthra and Dahiya (2015, p.43), communication plays a critical role in a leader’s fate. Good leaders have to be right communicators. Those who fail to learn the skill of effective communication are either not made leaders, or when they become leaders, they have a difficult time managing the other employees. Most work in many organizations is completed through teamwork (Luthra & Dahiya, 2015). Team members need to communicate with one another to enable them to work smoothly. A good leader should have the ability to inspire subordinates to embrace the art of effective communication. Those who communicate well are likely to get things done while poor communicators tend to get stuck on issues and end up failing to achieve the set goals (Luthra & Dahiya, 2015). As such, those who intend to occupy leadership positions someday must work on their communication skills. They must develop the ability to be responsible for communication between themselves and others. Therefore, becoming an expert communicator should be the responsibility of everyone who intends to become a successful leader in the future (Luthra & Dahiya, 2015).
This paper will investigate a common organizational problem that affects all organizations. It will address the issue of poor leadership and how it can translate into ineffective communication in organizations by carrying out a literature review on this issue. The research will focus on practical examples from several selected organizations. The findings of this research will advance the reader’s understanding of the role of leaders in promoting effective communication in organizations.
Statement of the Problem
The statement of the problem revolves around how organizational leadership needs to improve their role within the communication chain and find solutions to re-enforce the importance throughout the organization. The work that employees carry out in most of the firms involves communication. This could be communication amongst employees, between employees and customers, between management and the board, between the board and investors, between employees and vendors, or even between creditors and employees. Communication between any of these groups could be verbal or written (Atwater & Waldman, 2008). At the same time, nonverbal communication would also play an essential role in influencing the success of oral communications.
Therefore, proper leaders understand the power of effective communication to an organization. Due to this, they usually take the responsibility to promote ethical leadership in their organizations. It is important to note that right direction starts with the leaders themselves (Atwater & Waldman, 2008). They have to set a good example to their followers before requiring the other employees to embrace the practice of engaging in effective communication. Things usually go wrong in any firm whenever the leadership of that particular company fails to take responsibility for excellent communication. This effect may occur in situations where an organization's leadership practices ineffective communication which trickles down to the rest of the workforce (Atwater & Waldman, 2008).
In most of the cases, the effects of ineffective communication will be observable through failures. This could be the failure to meet set targets, inability to meet deadlines, disorganization in implementing organizational decisions, or a breakdown in a firm's system (Keyton, 2011). All these failures represent significant issues that arise when a firm has poor communication. For example, if an employee is working on a particular project but faces an obstacle that makes it difficult for them to proceed, it is only prudent for the employee to communicate such a challenge with their supervisor. If there is excellent communication in a company, this becomes easy, and the involved stakeholders work together to find a solution (Keyton, 2011).
Effective communication makes it easy to identify solutions since every affected person will be making contributions on what they think should be done to eliminate the obstacle. However, if the organization has a communication breakdown, the employee will most probably not communicate well with his manager. This could be because the employee could be afraid how their supervisor may respond. Because of this, the employee might decide to go ahead and do what they think is best to manage the situation (Keyton, 2011). In some cases, this could end up compromising the outcome of the project an employee was working on. In such a case, the significant issue might be an inferior product, a missed deadline, or a sacked employee. However, the underlying problem is poor communication. Therefore, organizations should be interested in addressing communication breakdown or poor communication to prevent significant issues which can be represented as failure to meet individual goals (Keyton, 2011).
Intended Audience
The intended audience for this applied research product include current leaders and future leaders. Current leaders refer to employees who influence their workplaces. The current leadership could consist of all managers, directors, supervisors, and experienced employees whom organizations rely upon to train younger employees. On the other hand, future leaders include anyone who aspires to become a leader in the future. This could include young employees or college students who are about to join the workforce. This group of people is likely to be interested in knowing how leaders can promote effective communication as well as how leaders can be responsible for effective communication.
Value to the Audience
This applied research project will promote greater understanding of the communication challenge and how leadership can fix communication problems in organizations. In particular, this paper will highlight common barriers to effective communication and what leaders should do to eliminate such obstacles (Luthra & Dahiya, 2015). Some of the obstacles include discussed will include lack of self-confidence, lack of trust, inappropriate planning, and ignoring feedback from subordinates, among others. It is worth noting that all these barriers can be overcome when leaders become responsible for effective communication.
A reader of this paper will understand how leaders can improve communication. Following practical suggestions that this paper makes will lead to effective communication in organizations. For example, readers will know why it is crucial for leaders to encourage feedback in organizations (Keyton, 2011). A leader should support all types of input whether positive or negative. In some cases, subordinates will only provide positive feedback. This means they will only communicate with their leaders when things are going well. This creates a significant problem because operational efficiency in every organization relies heavily on diagnosing challenges and finding a solution to ensure everything moves smoothly (Keyton, 2011). Readers of this report will know how to avoid such difficulties by doing what is necessary to receive accurate feedback from employees. For instance, leaders must explicitly tell employees that they expect feedback. Subordinates should be free to provide negative input without fearing repercussions. It is the responsibility of a leader to welcome disagreements on various issues. This makes direct reports free to communicate their opinions and suggestions without worrying how their leaders will react. Therefore, leaders should identify areas that require feedback (Keyton, 2011). When an employee is communicating feedback, a good leader should listen attentively and encourage employees instead quarreling them for specific issues. The effectiveness of how a subordinate receives input depends heavily on the kind of interaction that a leader promotes. Therefore, it the responsibility of a leader to watch employees keenly for any nonverbal cues that might suggest they are not comfortable (Keyton, 2011).
Meta-Analysis Methodology
Merely put Meta-Analysis is a powerful and useful research technique in integrating and synthesizing existing empirical studies (Swanson and Holton, 2005). The method uses statistical approach to find the sum of a family of related empirical studies with the purpose of seeing a relatable pattern. The strength of meta-analytic research relies on being an analysis of analysis whereas the researcher, and you can analyze multiple studies, offer guidelines for future research, the ability to reuse the method to refine and develop an existing theory (Swanson and Holton, 2005). The weakness of using meta-analysis lies in the potential for it to have a personal bias in researching the findings due to interest, potential confusion in mixing the studies and overemphasizing the effects of the studies (Rosenthal and DiMatteo, 2001). Meta-analysis researchers are not able to operationalize new hypothetical notions past the variables and study aspects that have not been encompassed in current researchers (Swanson and Holton, 2005). Another disadvantage is continuous from the noticeable difference from the other studies. Lastly, the drawback of meta-analysis is its dependence on an individual impact on many forecasters on dependent variables.
Meta-analysis has a relation to the iterative approach as this method can assist researchers in processing results in various phases. The interpretation of an iterative approach to the advancement of the research project is to activate changes and modifications to the research project (Zimmerman et al., 2007). The other application of this technique is that it ensures the growth of the research, are discovering that the success of the affecting version of the research project was executed correctly. This practice is designed to end or enhance the quality of the functionality of the research project. The idea is to present a comparison in support of a broader point of view to be adopted in both the applied research and the scholarly research of the main issues. Qualitative and quantitative methods are part of the holistic approach to applied and scholarly organizational research. Organizational knowledge is birthed both for academic purposes and for practical application, all aspects of human experience. Each phase the researcher gets closer to unearthing ideas; they can apply those findings to the study. The iterative approach provides an assist to researchers in moving their research along in each phase of the study.
As researchers, meta-analysis allows us to close the gap between the advancement of knowledge through academic research by learning enough about contributing to approaches that help introduce understanding into practitioner decision making (Lawler and Mohrman, 2011). Researchers should view this as critical to dissemination and adoption of information and use this knowledge can help close the loop in academic research. Once the gap is closed, researchers can use the theoretical experience to foster a more substantial influence in organizational practice.
To investigate the real world organizational problem dealing with ineffective communication, the emphasis should be placed on finding several unbiased outlets such as peer-reviewed academic journals that researched similar topics and ideas. Taking that information, closing the gap and pinpoint areas of constant focus such as failure in leadership or organizational design can be finalized. This route also allows researchers, to look at findings on a regional level or global to see if there any similarities or differences in development, mentorship, and communication trends. With meta-analysis, researchers can analyze those each analysis and find patterns and then loop it back to their initial point of research. Or in this case a research project.
Brief Review of the Literature
In researching data, finding credible sources is necessary to build a case for credible and unbiased intel. It is critical for researchers to review their literature as they move forward in their research and the topic that is being researched as those who author the literature are often experts in the subject matter (Adams, 2007). Often the author of a review or a piece of literature will reference ideas and topic that are related to what the research is chiefly working on. Also, these journals or article will use ideas of other authors with the goal of presenting various concepts and ideas from others who will assist the researcher in finding impactful information to build a case in that area of research. For this research, a review of three peer reviewed pieces of literature is offered to help reinforce the case that effective communication is a part of leadership and it benefits the success of an organization if effective communication is championed within the company.
At the start of this paper is was stated that the work that employees carry out in most of the firms involves communication. This could be communication amongst employees, between employees and customers, between management and the board, between the board and investors, between employees and vendors, or even between creditors and employees. Communication between any of these groups could be verbal or written (Atwater & Waldman, 2008). To reiterate, the statement of the problem revolves around investigating ineffective communication.
The first peer reviewed article focused on a meta-analysis that revealed positive relations between leaders who frequently use effective communication and the effect on knowledge sharing and job fulfillment (de Vries, Bakker-Pieper, and Oostenvelf, 2010). Leaders who have human-oriented skills often get the best results in maintaining a healthy organizational environment that promotes communication. Also, these employees often see growth in their role and turn-over is reduced.
The second peer reviewed article from a group of researchers found that in the move to better train leaders, communication skills such as written and verbal communication skills are the most frequently reported skill that workers feel within many organizations are critical for effective leadership (Kalargyrou, Pescosolido, and Kalargiros, 2012). The authors of this article agree that leaders must be strong communications who are not afraid of their voice and must speak boldly.
The final peer reviewed article that was selected was from Franco Gandolfi as he believes that the concept of leadership is ingrained in the competence of communication (2012). Leaders must understand that the effectiveness of leadership revolves the context of promoting a culture that thrives in communication up and down the organization. This research found that transformational leader seems to be the most established in embracing this method as they normally tend to depend on oratory and rhetorical skills to articulate their vision and explain their reasoning behind their messages (Gandolfi, 2012).
The dots that the research needs to connect is that if leaders “lead” the charge in promoting effective communication, knowledge sharing is improved internal throughout the organization. This benefits the customers externally because the customer or end user gets the results in the form of services that will keep the customer returning and doing business with the organization thus improving the competitive advantage with rival competitors. Examples of failing in this area, have seen leaders who do not promote effective communication or fosters an environment of poor communication. And, the results were negative and in most cases a team assessment can reflect that sentiment with a large percentage of team personnel citing poor communication from their leader. In continuing to research this topic, there are findings that show more ideas for the need to improve communication in troubled organizations.
Findings and Conclusions, and Ethical Implications
The purpose of research is often associated with gathering data, dissecting the findings, and presenting a fitting conclusion to the research which will offer incites to the discovery of potential solutions to a problem. As a reminder for the problem that was presented at the beginning of this paper centered on how poor leadership or even leadership’s failures to neglect the importance of communication has led to ineffective communication in many organizations. During the process of research and reviewing the data that was presented in the peer reviewed literature, the findings suggest a simple link between the improvement of communication and the overall improvement of an organization performs.
For my research, the discover of the findings and the conclusions made show the relation of logic that ties into a revised focus on retaining leaders and employees on how the dangers of ineffective communication. Below is a logic diagram, which is a tool for researchers to show the layout of the research in diagrammatic form and it is designed to provide the data that has been found, results from the findings, the conclusions that were drawn and the solutions that can be implemented (Vandenbosh, 2003).
From the discovery of my findings, the conclusions are presented in a more diagnostic form:
· If effective communication is to work up and down the chain, then leadership must be an integral part of establishing effective communication and ultimately avoiding ineffective communication.
· If effective communication is determined to be important to the workflow of the organization then, the organization’s mission statement should be a part of the efforts in establishing effective communication.
· If failure in effective communication leads to high turnover rates and enforces a negative culture in the workplace then, the entire organization should participate in efforts as this can foster a more positive culture and build trust.
With the details from the research on this problem, below is what has been discovered using the logic diagram:
With adding logic to research comes the responsibility to be ethical and provide research that is honest and displays integrity (Adams, Raeside, and Hafiz, 2014). As with journalism or scientific research, the research that is being conducted in this class needs to be ethically responsible. To become an ethically and responsible researcher, the critical thought or idea that is important to have in the research is that the goal of the research is to benefit others and create a clear path to providing a solution to the problem that is being researched (Holton and Swanson, 2005). Also, having belief in your research is another critical element that is needed to be an effective researcher. Passion is something that is needed in any arena that we enter and it is an important piece we need to be effective or even better, successful! Lacking in this area may prove ineffective in the research process and the research itself may never be completed (Holton and Swanson, 2005). Without passion, researchers can become easily swayed into using data that is biased or lacking in facts.
Implement Alternative Conclusions
Alternatives to traditional communications planning comes from the acknowledgement that staff will not be with an organization forever and thus engages in the planning, evaluating and implementing of measures that will tackle changes when key communications are announced. Traditional communications training will focus on the most senior and top level management team instead of all key positions that are crucial for the smooth running of the organization.
The alternative approach can be to create a communications department for the organization. The goal is to create a team that has a valuable opportunity to be a key component in assisting all phases of the company om disseminating effective communication throughout the organization. The desired impact is to decrease the number opportunities of ineffective communication. The communications team can supervise management on how to properly communicate with team members and external customers in a manner with transparency and conciseness.
A second approach could be the upgrading the means of communication by redesigning the process. Leaders don't naturally assume that their position should involve communication. So often the motivating force behind their leadership is hitting organizational objectives. The direction given can become empty and team members may not receive the message or they may translate the message negatively and the results do not come across as it is planned. The third alternative approach can be to decreasing outsourcing of roles. As opposed to accept that all work should be performed globally, leaders occasionally reassess whether exercises can be more cost-adequately handled remotely. When communicating to a global team the messages can be misconstrued team members can feel confused as to what leadership wants them to do or what is the priority goal in the organization.
The fourth approach includes exchanging work force briefly with other associations. This methodology expands on the thought that associations can incidentally exchange assets for their common advantage. Overabundance limit in one association is in this way tapped incidentally by others. Preference of this methodology is that leaders can learn different styles of communication or see who has high potentials can be pooled for use by other organizations. Elective methodologies are most likely being progressively utilized as directors as a part of cost-delicate associations struggle to meet SP&M challenges while getting themselves limited in the outside contracting and inside advancing that they might do.
Summary
This paper analyzes how leaders can be responsible for communication in their organizations. It looks at what leaders do wrong and what they can do well to promote effective communication. With meta-analysis, an exploration of peer review journals and articles that focus on failures in leadership due to interaction was examined with the goal of closing the gap on research and find the patterns that continue the trend. Also, the paper will analyze how poor communication hurts organizations. With the completion of the review of the literature, research on data concerning the problem has been found and though that discovery, the ability to draw conclusion are now made that can assist with the creation of solutions to the problem.
References
Adams, J. (2007). Research Methods for Graduate Business and Social Science Students. New Delhi: SAGE Publications.
Adams, J., Raeside, R., & Khan, H. A. (2014). Research Methods for Business and Social Science Students. New Delhi: Sage Publications Pvt. Ltd.
Atwater, L., & Waldman, D. (2008). Leadership, feedback and the open communication gap. New York: Taylor & Francis.
de Vries, R.E., Bakker-Pieper, A., & Oostenveld, W. (2010). Leadership = Communication? the relations of leaders' communication styles with leadership styles, knowledge sharing and leadership outcomes. Journal of Business and Psychology, 25(3), 367-380. doi:http://dx.doi.org.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/10.1007/s10869-009-9140-2
Gandolfi, F. (2012). A conceptual discussion of transformational leadership and intercultural competence. Revista De Management Comparat International, 13(4), 522-534. Retrieved from https://libauth.purdueglobal.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/docview/1355867197?accountid=34544
Holton, E. F. & Swanson, R. A. (2005). Research in Organizations: Foundations and Methods of Inquiry. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.
Kalargyrou, V., Pescosolido, A. T., & Kalargiros, E. A. (2012). LEADERSHIP SKILLS IN MANAGEMENT EDUCATION. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, 16(4), 39-63. Retrieved from https://libauth.purdueglobal.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/docview/1037802790?accountid=34544
Keyton, J. (2011). Communication and organizational culture: A key to understanding work experiences. New York: Sage.
Lawler, E. E., & Mohrman, S. A. (2011). Useful Research: Advancing Theory and Practice. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Luthra, A., & Dahiya, R. (2015). Effective leadership is all about efficiently communicating: Connecting leadership and communication. International Journal of Management & Business Studies, 5(3), 43-48.
Rosenthal, R., & DiMatteo, M.R. (2001). Meta-analysis: Recent developments in quantitative methods for literature review. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 59–82.
Swanson, R. A. & Holton III, E. F. (eds). (2005). Research in Organizations: Foundations and Methods of Inquiry. [Books24x7 version] Retrieved from http://common.books24x7.com.lib.kaplan.edu/toc.aspx?bookid=11859
Vandenbosch, B. (2003). Designing solutions for your business problems: A structured process for managers and consultants. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Leadership’s failure in creating Ineffective Communication
Findings
Conclusion
Solutions
Data
Low Morale
End of Year Surveys Scored Low 3 years in a row in same areas.
Effective communication has to work up and down the chain of command.
Leadership must be an integral part of the process.
Encourage Transformational Leadership
Turnover is increasing
Rebuilding trust is a top priority.
Transparency is lacking
Richierich49
GM599Unit5Assignment1StatementoftheProblem-AlternativeConclusions1stDraft1.docx
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