Communication in an Organization

Effective communication is a building block of successful organizations. It is significant for managers in organizations so as to perform the basic functions of management, i.e., planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling. Communication helps managers to perform their jobs and responsibilities. Managers generally devote approximately 6 hours per day to communication. They spend much time on face to face or telephonic communication with their superiors, subordinates, colleagues, customers or suppliers. Managers also use written communication in the form of letters, reports or memos wherever oral communication is not feasible.

Communication serves as a foundation for planning. All the essential information must be communicated to managers who in turn must communicate the plans in order to implement them.

Communication is a source of information to the organizational members for decision-making process as it helps to identify and assess alternative courses of actions.

Organizing also requires effective communication with others about their job task. Similarly leaders as managers must communicate efficiently with their subordinates so as to achieve the team goals.

Communication promotes motivation by informing and clarifying the employees about the task to be done, the manner they are performing the task, and how to improve their performance if it is not up to the mark.

Controlling is not possible without written and oral communication. There are various levels of hierarchy and certain principles and guidelines that employees must follow in a company. Employees must comply with organizational policies, perform their job role efficiently and communicate any work problem and grievance to their superiors.

Communication also plays a crucial role in altering individual’s attitudes, i.e., a well informed individual will have better attitude than a less-informed individual. Organizational magazines, journals, meetings and various other forms of oral and written communication help in moulding employee’s attitudes.

An efficient communication system requires managerial proficiency in delivering and receiving messages. A manager must be able to discover various barriers to communication, analyze the reasons for their occurrence and take preventive steps to avoid them. Thus, the primary responsibility of a manager is to develop and maintain an effective communication system in the organization.

2. Reorder the words so as to get 7 correct sentences:

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3. Answer the questions to the text:

1. Why is communication significant for managers in organizations?

2. Why is communication helpful to managers?

3. What examples of oral and written communication in organizations are given in the text?

4. Why does communication play a crucial role in moulding employee’s attitudes?

5. Why does an efficient communication system require managerial proficiency in delivering and receiving messages?

4. Give your arguments to support the following statements:

1. Effective communication is a building block of successful organizations.

2. Communication helps managers to perform their jobs and responsibilities.

3. Communication serves as a foundation for planning.

4. Organizing requires effective communication with subordinates and colleagues.

5. The importance of communication in leading can scarcely be overestimated.

6. Controlling is not possible without written and oral communication.

7. Communication plays a crucial role in altering individual’s attitudes.

8. The primary responsibility of a manager is to develop and maintain an effective communication system in the organization.

1. Read the text and name 11 barriers that can hamper effective communication in an organization.