The Communication Process - Springfield Public Schools - · PDF fileThe communication process is used in every social and professional situation. To begin to understand how to commu-nicate

TheCommunicationProcess

TheCommunicationProcess

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The communication process is used inevery social and professional situation. To begin to understand how to commu-nicate effectively, it is important tounderstand what communication is, howand why we listen, and the essence ofbasic communication decisions.

CHAPTER 1Putting Communication to Workfor You

CHAPTER 2Exploring the CommunicationProcess

CHAPTER 3The Communication Process and You

CHAPTER 4Discovering the Power of OralLanguage

CHAPTER 5Understanding NonverbalCommunication

CHAPTER 6Toward Effective Listening

Making a Successful Strategies Chart• Create a chart with the following cate-

gories: Successful Strategies, ChapterNumber, Date Practiced, and Result.

• As you progress through each chapterin this unit, prepare a list of strategiesthat you found beneficial in your dailylife either at home, in school, at work,or in the community.

• At the end of the study of the unit,share the strategies as a class, notingthe ones that seemed the most helpful.

Applying Communication SkillsApplying Communication Skills

CHAPTER 1

WHY IT’S IMPORTANTChoosing your words carefully canmake a big difference in the messagesyou send. Making the appropriatechoices in your actions and attitude,too, will help you be the most compe-tent communicator you can be.

To better understand theimportance of making appro-priate communication choices,

view the Communication in ActionChapter 1 video lesson.

2 Glencoe Communication Applications

“The difference betweenthe almost right wordand the right word ’tisthe difference betweenthe lightning bug and the lightning.”—Mark Twain, American author

and humorist

Visit the Glencoe CommunicationApplications Web site atcommunicationapplications.glencoe.com and click onOverview–Chapter 1 to previewinformation about communicationchoices.

PuttingCommunicationto Work for You

http://communicationapplications.glencoe.com


Section 1

Communication Choices

Look around you. You’re just starting a new class on communication.How will it affect your school work? Your job? Your relationships?

You may even be wondering, “Why should I study communication? I already know how to talk.”

Communication involves much, muchmore than just the spoken word. The way youdress, the way you walk, and the way you actall speak volumes about who you are.

UNDERSTANDINGCOMMUNICATION CHOICES

Communication is the process of creatingand exchanging meaning through symbolicinteraction. These symbols may be verbal,which means in the form of spoken or writtenwords, or nonverbal, perhaps in the form of

gestures, eye contact, or tone of voice. In anyinteraction between people, the message ismore than the actual words. It is the sum of all

the parts of that interaction:words, gestures, attire,

posture, and more.

When researching possible careers, remember that inevery career choice, verbal and nonverbal communica-tion are necessary to doing an effective job. Identifyseveral forms of nonverbal communication.

G U I D E T O R E A D I N GObjectives1. Use context as a basis to judge the

appropriateness of a communication choice.2. Identify how context determines roles and

norms and sets standards for makingappropriate choices.

3. Explain the importance of making com-munication choices that are appropriatefor self, listener, occasion, and task of asituation.

4. Explain the importance of effective com-munication skills in professional andsocial contexts.

5. Identify the tools needed to develop themind-set of a competent communicator.

Terms to Learncommunication standardcontext competent communicatorappropriateness task skillrole relationship skillnorm

3

Therefore, whether you are talking or not, youare constantly communicating messages toothers about yourself.

Being aware of the messages you’re send-ing will help you present an accurate pictureof who you are and what you want to convey.For example, imagine that you have anopportunity to try for a summer internship ata local television station. In preparation forthe job interview, you have researched thestation’s history, ratings, and broadcast mar-ket. However, you arrive at the interviewwearing a swimsuit, a T-shirt, and sandals.Even if you impress the interviewer with yourknowledge, you probably won’t get the job.The message you’ve presented through yourcasual attire—you’d rather be at the beachthan working—speaks much louder thanyour knowledge about the station.

MAKING CHOICESWhen we have to make choices, our

options usually aren’t simply right or wrong.What may be acceptable for one occasionmay be completely inappropriate for another.Dressing in a swimsuit, a T-shirt, and sandalsisn’t always a poor choice; that’s what you’dexpect to find at the beach. For the job inter-view, however, it was the wrong choice of attire.

Know the ContextWhat makes one communication choice

better than another? As in the case of theswimsuit, it all depends upon the context.Context is the situation in which communica-tion occurs. A beach is the perfect context forwearing a swimsuit.

Context includes the people present, theoccasion, and the task. Context is important incommunication because it provides a frame-work for communication and is the basis formaking appropriate communication choices.

Appropriateness is what is suitable for a spe-cific situation. The volume of your speakingvoice, for example, varies according to what’sappropriate in a given context. Shouting maybe appropriate at a soccer game; however, itmay get you into trouble during an exam.When you understand the specific contexts inwhich you are communicating, you can makethe best choices for your behavior because youhave a basis to decide if your communicationchoices are appropriate. In order to make thesedecisions, it is important to understand howroles and norms operate in a context.

Context Determines Roles and Norms

Each context has roles and norms. Thecommunication behaviors appropriate to thatcontext depend on both the roles you play


Dressing in business attirelike the attire in the photo-graph is appropriate for thecontext of an interview.What is the importance ofcontext in communication?

and the norms for communication behaviorin that context. Understanding the roles andnorms within professional and social contextsgives you a basis to decide if your communi-cation choices are appropriate.

Context Determines Roles A role isa part played in a specific setting or situation.Your role will vary depending on the contextyou’re in. Being aware of the roles you playand being flexible enough to change them asyou change contexts will help you make themost appropriate communication choicespossible.

For example, you often play the role of astudent. However, carrying that role into yourhome or your circle of friends would be veryawkward. Can you imagine raising yourhand to get a friend’s permission to speak? Oraddressing your mom in the same way you doa teacher?

While those examples may make it seemsimple enough to understand roles, in realitythe line between roles can blur. Suppose your

older sister is your boss at your after-schooljob. While she may tease you as your siblingat home, it would be inappropriate for her todo so as your boss. The context of the work-place determines the roles you will play.

When faced with complicated situations,it often is difficult to play the roles that havebeen set for you. Imagine that the grocerystore where you and your sister work has tocut back on its number of employees. As asupervisor, your sister is forced to lay off anemployee. Since you were the last to behired, you may be the first to be released.Making choices expected of a boss probablywill be difficult for your sister, since as a sis-ter she may resist having to lay you off.However, if she can distinguish between herroles as boss and sister, she can make theappropriate choice to help ensure her successat her job.

Context Determines Norms Eachcontext in which you find yourself brings withit its own norms too. A norm is a stated or

implied expectation. Inother words, a norm is aguideline of what’s appro-priate for a given context.

Dress code policies in aschool or workplace can beconsidered norms. Manyschools and offices havestated policies; they maybe written in the schoolcode of conduct or work-place employee manual.Your school’s policies maystate that certain types ofclothing may not be wornduring classes or someschool activities. Havingthat norm written downleaves little room for inter-pretation or error.

Putting Communication to Work for You 5

The role one plays as an employee in a fast food restaurant differs from the roleone plays at home. Identify two factors that will help you make the most appro-priate choices in the roles you play.

However, having a norm that is implied orunderstood is as binding as one that is writ-ten or stated. You can sometimes determineimplied norms by observing others’ behav-ior. Staying in tune with those implied normsis a key to being successful in both the socialand professional worlds. For example, thereare no written rules for dating. It’s clear,though, that if you ask someone out for adinner date, it’s inappropriate to arrive lateto meet him or her and ignore the persononce you show up. Knowing what’s expectedof you on a date will make your time moreenjoyable and increase the chances of asecond invitation!

Imagine that you have just accepted a jobas a sales clerk at your local pharmacy.During your interview, the supervisor didn’tmention the store’s dress code. You’re due toarrive for your first day on the job in an hour.What should you wear? Would jeans and a T-shirt be appropriate? How do you know?

You can’t err on the side of being over-dressed. If you go to your job in slacks and adress shirt and, once there, find out thatkhakis are acceptable, you’ve still made apositive first impression. Over time, you can relax your dress according to the norms of that workplace. On the otherhand, if you had arrived the first day wearing

jeans, your supervisor might have questionedyour judgment. Customers also might havehad difficulty taking you seriously. You’d befaced with overcoming a negative firstimpression plus the other new job pressures.

Consider another example. Imagine thatone of your main responsibilities at the phar-macy is taking telephone calls from customersand physicians. If no one tells you exactlywhat to say when you answer the phone,what should you do? Is the way you answerthe phone at home appropriate for the con-text of the pharmacy? Until you have achance to ask your boss, use the most profes-sional and polite greeting you can. Youshould assume that the accepted norm is ashigh as any standard you can imagine; onceyou have confirmed the actual norm, you canadjust your behavior.

Context Sets the StandardsPart of making appropriate communica-

tion choices depends on the standards you’veset. A standard is an established level ofrequirement or excellence. Your standardsare important because they are the founda-tion on which you make your communicationdecisions. They also guide you to make thebest communication choices for yourself.

There are no absolute rules in oral commu-nication. You, as a communicator, have theresponsibility to establish your own standards


COMMUNICATION

MAKING APPROPRIATECOMMUNICATION CHOICES

Understand the context.

Define your role.

Discover the communication norms.

Set the standards based on self,listener, occasion, and task.

SelfListenerOccasion

Task

Figure 1–1 Context Sets the Standards

for the situations in which you find yourself.You want to be satisfied with each communi-cation choice you make. As Figure 1–1 shows,to get the most satisfaction, you should makeyour choices based on four standards—whatis appropriate for yourself, your listener, theoccasion, and the task.

Appropriate for Self As you send andreceive messages, your first standard for mak-ing a communication choice should be what isappropriate for you. This means knowing whoyou are, what you want to achieve, and howyou want others to perceive you.

For example, if you want others to see youas serious about your job, you will want tomake communication choices that give thatimpression. If you work a part-time job afterschool, you might want to make sure youarrive on time, wear the appropriate attire,and communicate courtesy to customers.

Appropriate for Your ListenerPart of choosing what is appropriate for asituation depends on the people involved. Ifyou want others to respond to your messages,you consider their needs, desires, and limita-tions. This often requires you to be flexibleand patient. It may mean making carefullanguage choices, being aware of your ownand others’ nonverbal behaviors, and listen-ing carefully to others.

Making appropriate communicationchoices that are true to yourself and your lis-teners can be difficult. It also may takecourage to reach beyond your normal capa-bilities. For instance, the image you have ofyourself may include being somewhat shyand serious. However, your pep squad coachmight need you to communicate in a veryanimated and excited manner during a per-formance on the field. In order to be a suc-cessful pep squad member, you make acommunication choice that meets the coach’sneeds in that context.

Appropriate for the Occasion Yourcoach may not need you to be completely fullof energy at every practice—the occasiondoesn’t require it. The minute the half-timeshow begins, though, your enthusiastic selfneeds to shine through! The occasion, or time,place, and purpose, of an event makes specificdemands on your communication.

The behavior you display during the half-time show won’t be necessary for other occa-sions. Hanging out with friends after school,going to a student council meeting, andattending a tutoring session are occasionswhere you’ll act differently than you wouldduring the show. Each occasion brings with itdifferent expectations of appropriate behavior.


Appropriate Choices Communication situa-tions in the workplace can be informal conver-sations or formal meetings; can be held in anoffice, on a factory floor, or in an auditorium;and can involve customers, coworkers, or super-visors. In any situation, your communicationchoice should be appropriate for the context.

In groups of four to six students, list the tasksthat employees of a small retail clothing storewould have to accomplish during a particulartime period. Under each task, list appropriatecommunication choices for each. For example,one task might be to greet customers as theywalk through the door. It would not be appro-priate to ignore a customer, but it would beappropriate to ask if the customer needs anyhelp. Once each group has completed its list,prepare a skit that acts out the appropriatecommunication choices. As a class, discuss theeffects the choices would have on the successof the business.

Appropriate for the Task Imaginethat, in your attempt to better understandalgebra through a tutoring session, you clapyour hands, shout, and jump up and down.While your tutor may appreciate your enthu-siasm, she’ll probably give you a funny look.The task, or job, at hand didn’t require thekind of behavior you displayed. Listening andtaking notes would be more appropriate forthe task of trying to make sense of algebra.

Getting your classmates pumped up aboutthe big homecoming basketball game, on theother hand, calls for some shouting andjumping. The task you’re trying to accomplishin that context is very different from that ofthe tutoring session. Being flexible enough tomake the right choices, based on what’sappropriate for the context, will prove to beimportant for your success.

Throughout your life, you will be faced withsituations in which your idea about what’sappropriate for a situation collides with theactual demands of the context. Others mayexpect more from you than you expect ofyourself. The occasion or task of the situationmay require certain behavior from you that isnot your norm. The role you must play or

norms you must obey might challenge you. Inorder to be successful, you’ll need to put asideyour preferences, wants, or needs and rise tothat challenge!

A friend is one who chooses to help you,even when it is inconvenient for him or her. Agranddaughter who chooses polite andrespectful language in her grandfather’s pres-ence is a valued family member. A nurse whochooses soothing words and a pat on the armwhen trying to calm a nervous patient will bea success. Being aware of the demands of cer-tain contexts can help make appropriatechoices seem obvious. Making these choicescan help you become a more successful per-son in any context.

THE IMPORTANCE OFCOMMUNICATION SKILLS

Every time that you interact with anotherhuman being you are communicating. Asyou just read, communicating includes theentire set of messages that you send, from thewords you speak to the way you walk. Inaddition to the constant nonverbal commu-nication you’re involved in, you probablyalso spend a fair amount of time engaged inoral and written communication. While theskills needed to be effective in your oral and

Norms During Negotiations

The norm during business negotiationsin Denmark is for business people toavoid making any personal commentsto each other. Even complimentingsomeone on his or her attire can beconsidered inappropriate. Research thenorms of other countries with respectto discussing personal issues duringbusiness meetings and share your find-ings with the remainder of the class.


Oral communicationSelf-motivationProblem solvingDecision makingLeadershipHuman relationsTeamworkWork experience

12345678

Rank Skill

Figure 1–2 Skills Most Looked for in Potential Employees

written communication are already impor-tant in your school and social worlds, theywill grow in importance as you develop rela-tionships in your adult life and as you moveinto the professional world.

A business study based on responses from 1,000 employees shows staggeringresults. Those workers received an average of178 messages each day via telephone, e-mail,fax, pager, and face-to-face communication.That’s more than 22 messages every hour in atypical eight-hour work day. It also has beenestimated that, on any given day, the averagebusiness executive spends about 45 minutesof each hour communicating!

Everyone communicates at work in a vari-ety of ways. Depending upon your chosenfield, specialized knowledge may play animportant part in your job. When communi-cating with the maintenance crew, an airlinepilot must be able to explain in detail anyfaults in the aircraft. Similarly, a legal assis-tant must be aware of the technical languageused in legal briefs and rulings. More impor-tantly, he or she must be able to communicatein that language. The assistant who candefine thousands of legal terms but cannotspeak clearly, put together complete thoughts,or write cohesive paragraphs will be of littleuse to any legal firm.

As Figure 1–2 shows, oral and writtencommunication skills are vital in any profes-sion. A survey of 500 managers in retail,manufacturing, service, and finance indus-tries revealed the priority they place on oralcommunication: They ranked it first inimportance above other skills. In anotherstudy, 1,000 managers ranked the ability tocommunicate well higher than work-relatedexperience and academic achievement.Communication skills even have an impacton other important employee qualities, such as problem solving, leadership, andteamwork.

COMPETENTCOMMUNICATOR

Once you’ve made the choice about whatyour actions say about you, you need to besure your words also say what you mean.This helps you become a competent commu-nicator. A competent communicator issomeone who incorporates knowledge, atti-tude, and skills into his or her communica-tion to communicate effectively andappropriately. This course will provide youwith knowledge about effective and appro-priate communication. Before you get intothese vital details, though, it’s important toget into the mind-set of a competent com-municator. Being willing to acquire newknowledge and skills and having the rightattitude will help you do just that!

KnowledgeCompetent communicators recognize the

need to be informed. It is important to havecomplete, accurate, and recent information inorder to support ideas and to process mes-sages from others. Knowledge also includes

COMMUNICATION

COMPETENT COMMUNICATORSKNOW ABOUT

Communication

Themselves

Others (listeners, readers, andobservers)

The world around them

Reason and logic


POSITIVE NEGATIVEenthusiastic interested neutral/disinterested uninterested apathetic hostile

the ability to analyze and interpret informa-tion and to reason and think logically toreach decisions and make sound judgments.Knowledge also implies the ability to useinformation effectively. Finally, it includeshaving valid information and using “goodcommon sense.” For example, a knowledge-able voter tries to find out about candidatesand issues before voting.

AttitudesAttitudes influence the way you see your-

self and other people. These views influenceyour choices, and in doing so, also impactyour communication. As shown inFigure 1–3, attitudes generally are positive ornegative. Your behavior in a situation tendsto reflect the positive or negative tone of yourattitude. As a result, your attitude greatlyaffects your communication choices. If youhave a negative atti-tude in a class, youmay not listen or par-ticipate effectively inthat class, resultingin your being a lessthan competent com-municator. On theother hand, if yourattitude is positiveand enthusiastic, youprobably look for-ward to the class andexert extra effort todo well. Your positiveattitude enhancesyour communicationcompetence.

How Attitudes Impact OthersHave you ever heard the expression “One badapple spoils the bunch”? This describes howattitudes impact others. Employees with neg-ative attitudes about their jobs may criticizecoworkers and complain about conditions inthe workplace. Their negative thoughts,words, and behaviors can quickly impactother workers, who begin to respond and talknegatively as well. Employers generallyappreciate employees who demonstrate posi-tive attitudes and enthusiasm. This does notmean that employees with positive attitudesdo not have concerns or issues at work. It onlymeans that they have learned to deal withand reduce negative feelings so they—andothers—aren’t overwhelmed by them. Theyalso have learned to communicate their con-cerns in a positive way. There is a strong linkbetween employee attitudes, morale, produc-tivity, communication, and positive human

Figure 1–3 Attitude Rating Scale

Students’Opinions

Skill Employers’Opinions

Work in diverse groupsOral communicationWritten communicationAble to meet deadlinesBasic math skillsBasic computer skills

66%57%45%62%62%28%

13%9%6%8%8%

14%

Source: Roper Starch Worldwide Inc. for Amway/Junior Achievement

Figure 1–4 Are Students Ready for Work?


To analyze your task skills, follow these steps:

Step 1 As a class, brainstorm a list of com-munication tasks you perform inschool or at home each day.

Step 2 Select one of the tasks that you thinkyou do well.

Step 3 List all the communication skills youpossess that help you perform that

task. For example, being a good lis-tener and knowing teaching strategiescan help you with the task of tutoringyounger children.

Step 4 Which of these skills should you workon to make better? What other skillscould you develop to help you performthe task?

Analyzing Your Task Skills


interactions at work. Positive attitudes tend toreap positive results in professional and socialcontexts.

Managing Your Attitude Can youmanage and control your attitudes? Yes, youcan—and you probably should. The first stepis to recognize how attitudes are formed.Your attitudes basically are the result ofrelated experiences. For example, if youhave had positive experiences in school, youprobably have a positive attitude towardschool. If you think of most of your experi-ences as negative, your attitude towardschool may be negative.

Changing Your Attitude Can youchange your attitudes from negative to posi-tive? Yes. However, attitude adjustment maymean a change in your experiences. Peoplesometimes change their environment, friends,interests, or perhaps even their jobs to “makea fresh start.” This helps them bring aboutpositive changes in attitudes that have gonesour. For example, to change a negative atti-tude to a positive one, you might choose tospend more time with positive people. Youhave the choice!

SkillsAs Figure 1–4 shows, the gap between stu-

dents’ and employers’ views on students’workplace skill levels varies. Employers oftenare aware that competent communicatorsneed a wide range and variety of communi-cation skills. The skills necessary for makingappropriate communication choices and forusing communication strategies effectivelycan be divided into two categories: task skillsand relationship skills.

Task Skills Task skills are the communi-cation skills needed to do a job, complete atask, or reach a goal effectively. Task skillsinclude logically thinking through problems atwork or giving clear instructions for someoneto complete a task. They might also includemaking the choice to listen in a particular situ-ation so you can understand someone else’smessage. Task skills also include effectivelyusing nonverbal behaviors such as gesturesand eye contact to make your communicationclear and meaningful to others.

Relationship Skills Relationship skillsare the communication skills needed to nur-ture and maintain goodwill with people. They


Review Key Terms1. Define each term and write it

in a sentence: communication, context, appropriateness, role, norm, standard, competentcommunicator, task skill, relationship skill.

Check Understanding2. Would yelling with an

angry tone be appropriateat your school’s awardsbanquet? Explain why or why not, based on your understanding of context.

3. What four standards are important foryou to use when making communica-tion choices?

4. How might poor communication skillsaffect whether or not a person getshired for a job?

5. Identify and describe the three toolsneeded to begin to become a competentcommunicator.

6. Apply Imagine that you are a sales-clerk at an electronics store. An angrycustomer confronts you about a faultyCD player. What specific task skills andrelationship skills would you need tohandle this situation?

Visit the Glencoe Communication ApplicationsWeb site at communicationapplications.glencoe.com and click on Self-Check andStudy Guide 1.1 to review your understandingof making communication choices.

Section 1 Assessment

APPLICATION

Playing the Role of a Competent CommunicatorImagine that you have been asked to coach tee ball for ateam of first graders. In order to be an effective coach,there are some things you’ll need to do to be prepared.Divide a piece of paper into three rows. Label themKnowledge, Attitudes, and Skills. Then divide each row intotwo columns, labeling them Have and Need. Think aboutthe knowledge that you already possess to be a good teeball coach. Fill in your charts. As a class, discuss yourcharts. Brainstorm ways to acquire the knowledge, atti-tudes, and skills you still need to be prepared to coach.

include the ability to give and receive sugges-tions and praise. Tact, courtesy, and respectfor others also are good relationship skills.They include listening carefully to others soyou can understand the meanings and feel-ings they are attempting to convey.Relationship skills promote communicationthat allows you to interact successfully in anysituation.

Realizing the importance of communica-tion in the business world and understandinghow your communication choices impactyour social world can help you to develop thecommunication skills—verbal, nonverbal,and listening—that you need to be a compe-tent communicator. Communication applica-tions will help you to develop the professionaland social identity you desire.



To become a competent communicator, youmust understand what is and what is notappropriate in a given context. Part of knowingwhat’s appropriate is to analyze any informa-tion that is part of a communication exchangeor part of preparing to communicate.Analyzing information involves breaking itinto meaningful parts so that the speaker,reader, or listener can form an opinion about it.

e Learning the SkillTo analyze information, use the steps that

are listed below.

ePracticing the SkillRead the following passage and answer the

questions that follow.

You probably won’t be asked to writeresearch papers on the job, but most likely youwill have to research products and new ideasand write business letters, memos, andreports—all of which need to be organized andpresented clearly. And though you might nothave to give a formal speech before a largegroup, you may have to preside at a meetingor present ideas to a small group—and thoseideas must be presented clearly, concisely, andwith an effective style.

Writing papers and preparing speeches pre-pares you for on-the-job reports and corre-spondence. These assignments give you achance to show initiative, use judgment, applyand interpret information, research resources,organize ideas, and polish your style. Publicspeaking skills also help you inform and per-suade others at informal meetings and presen-tations. Good writers and speakers are notborn, nor is there a secret to their success. Likeany other skills, speaking and writing can belearned with practice and effort.

1. What is the main topic of the passage?

2. What are the main points of the passage?

3. Write a summary statement about thepassage.

ANALYZING INFORMATION


APPLICATION

To help you analyze your interests withrespect to a possible future career, dothe following:

1. Find the description of a particularjob you might want to pursue byresearching jobs on the Internet, innewspapers, magazines, or books.

2. Analyze the job description by listingthe main qualifications and responsi-bilities of the job.

3. Write a summary paragraph aboutyour qualifications for the job in lightof the tasks you have mastered andthose you still need to learn to func-tion effectively in that position.

4. Share your summary paragraph withother members of your class.

STEPS TO ANALYZE INFORMATION

Step 1 Identify the general topic of the informationbeing relayed.

Step 2 Identify the main points of the piece ofinformation.

Step 3 Summarize the information in your ownwords based on your understanding.

Would you rather build a house by yourself or with a group ofworkers? Even with all the latest power tools, building it on your

own would be a huge job.

Most people would agree that building ahouse with a team of people would be muchmore efficient than one person workingalone. This also holds true for communication

tasks. Every day, groups ofpeople come togetherin professional andsocial situations to

work, learn, and

have fun. Communicating in these groupsrequires special skills. It’s important to be pre-pared for the challenges that accompanybeing part of a diverse organization of people.

THE INFLUENCE OFORGANIZATIONS

Given its importance to communication,being aware of context will be an essential partof your study in this course. You will focusmainly on acquiring knowledge and buildingskills to apply in two specific areas: profes-sional and social organizations. In otherwords, your energy will focus on two worldsthat have a great effect on your life—the worldof work and the community in which you live.

Section 2

Working alone on a task such as a large masonry job canbe challenging. Identify some of the benefits of mem-bership in an organization.

G U I D E T O R E A D I N GObjectives1. Explain the importance of organizations

as contexts for communication.2. Describe three functions of organizations.3. Explain the concepts of personal and

organizational culture.4. Analyze the seven elements of organiza-

tional culture and their influence onmembers of the organization.

5. Identify appropriate strategies for com-municating across diversity.

Terms to Learnorganization culture shockculture social responsibilityorganizational conflict

culture

Communication in Organizations


To evaluate the organization of your school, followthese steps:

Step 1 As a class, make a list of groups withinthe organization of your school.

Step 2 From the list, select one of the groupsto which you do not belong.

Step 3 Identify the teachers or staff membersinvolved in the group you chose. Youmay wish to use a school directory tohelp you.

Step 4 Talk with one of these individualsabout the specific responsibilities the

group provides to the school or com-munity. Ask the person about how thegroup contributes to the goal of theorganization as a whole. Also ask himor her to share with you the kinds ofcommunication skills that are mostneeded in that group.

Step 5 At your next class meeting, share yourfindings. Discuss the purposes groupsprovide in your school or community.Analyze how each of the chosengroups comes together to form theorganization of your school.

Evaluating Organizations


In these two worlds, you’ll be faced withmany contexts. You may be a member of theecology club at school or work part-time at alocal construction company. In many contextsyou’ll find that you are not only a part of thegroup, club, team, or staff that seems mostobvious but also a member of a larger organi-zation. An organization is a number of peoplewith specific responsibilities who are united forsome purpose. Your school organization, forexample, is composed of its teachers, students,and staff members, as well as the variety ofgroups they form. The organization’s chief pur-pose is educating the youth of your community.

Organizations can be professional, relatingdirectly to the workplace, or social, relating toa society’s values, beliefs, interests, and thetalents of its people. Professional organiza-tions are set up to serve customers, clients, orstockholders. Social organizations are set upto complete the tasks of the society, commu-nity, and even the nation.

To be able to fully participate in the organ-izations that you’re a part of requires under-standing the context of each organization.Getting to know the people in your group, the

setting for meetings, and the purpose of theorganization are important. In addition,knowing your role within the organization aswell as any written or implied norms will helpyou make choices that are appropriate to thatorganization. It also will help you become avalued organizational member.

FUNCTIONS OFORGANIZATIONS

People develop interests, pursue variousgoals and ambitions, and meet many of theirneeds through their involvement in groups andorganizations. Having a positive experience asa member of an organization will depend uponwhether you receive benefits equal to or greaterthan the effort you must put into being a mem-ber. Membership can offer many benefits: aplace to spend time with friends, a way to learnnew skills, or an opportunity to earn academiccredit, to name a few. In addition to specificbenefits like these, the function of organizationsis to fulfill three broader needs: identity, unity,and preservation.

IdentityThe first reason why organizations are

important is that they provide a chance foryou to define who you are. If you were to listdifferent ways to introduce yourself to others,you might say, “I am a student.” You mightalso give more detail by saying, “I am amember of the junior class, an employee atthe grocery store, a member of the NationalHonor Society, and the goalie for the Rocketshockey team.” Regardless of the descriptionsyou choose, you probably identify yourself inrelation to some group or organization towhich you belong.

UnityPeople throughout history have united to

form colonies, governments, and corporationsto meet mutual needs and to accomplishcommon goals. By joining together, peopleoften can accomplish feats that no singleindividual can accomplish alone. In addition,working with others can build an individual’sself-confidence, providing him or her withfeelings of camaraderie and belonging. Whenpeople unite to achieve a common goal, indi-vidual differences are diminished and com-mon ground can be established.

PreservationFinally, organizations are important

because they preserve the things we believe inand find important. Just as churches preservereligion, choirs, choruses, and orchestras pre-serve our musical heritage. Historical societiesmaintain our awareness of history and renewinterest in historical issues, people, andevents. Corporations and other professionalorganizations in our country help preserveour economic system. Some social organiza-tions even contribute to our sense of charityand volunteerism.

CULTURE INORGANIZATIONS

An important aspect of every organizationis its culture. Culture is the set of life patternspassed down from one generation to the nextin a group of people. You may be most famil-iar with culture as a group’s specific lan-guage, food, and dress. However, yourfamily’s holiday celebrations or its definitionsof family roles are also examples of your fam-ily’s culture. If family members say, “This ishow we’ve done this since we were children,”they have adopted a particular behavior aspart of their culture.

Culture is learned behavior. You learnabout your culture from members of yourfamily, other students and teachers at school,and people in your community and nation.


A C T I V I T Y

Investigating OrganizationsOnline With classmates, generatea list of professional or socialorganizations that directly touchyour lives. Limit your list to the fiveorganizations in which you andyour classmates are most inter-ested. Log on to the Internet to findinformation about one of these fiveorganizations. You might investi-gate the services it provides, bene-fits for individual members, andcommunication skills needed forsuccessful participation. At your nextclass meeting, discuss your find-ings with the other students whoinvestigated the same organization.As a group, organize your findingsand then discuss them as a class.


UnderstandingOrganizational Culture

You may gain a better understanding oforganizational culture if you look at your per-sonal culture. Your personal culture is a pat-tern of behaviors that includes the languagesyou speak, foods you eat, sports you play,activities you enjoy, clothes you wear, musicyou like, and holidays and traditions youobserve. Your personal culture is the way youthink and the way you do things.

Organizational culture follows the sameprinciples. Organizational culture is how anorganization thinks, what it finds important,and how it conducts business. Organizationalculture is evident when a member talks about“the way we do things around here.”Understanding the culture of an organizationhelps you know the role that you have in theorganization. Understanding the culture of anorganization also helps you determine theexpected norms for your behavior.

Success in Organizations Whatdoes this mean to you? If you are to succeedin an organization, you needto be aware of as manyaspects of that organiza-tion’s culture as possible.Understanding an orga-nization’s culture canhelp you get a job whenyou prepare for andanswer questions in aninterview. It can helpyou keep a job becauseyour attitudes andbehavior support thebeliefs and policies ofthe organization. It canhelp you make choicesand build communica-tion skills that can lead to promotion and

recognition. Just as understanding yourschool’s policies on dress codes, grading stan-dards, and attendance can help you be a bet-ter student, understanding a professionalorganization’s expectations about telephoneetiquette, travel, and sick days can help yoube a better employee.

Think about a time when you changedschools, tried out for a team, or joined a newclub. Perhaps you have also had the experi-ence of getting a job and entering the work-place. If you have done any or all of thesethings, you have encountered organiza-tional culture. You may have made a smoothtransition, adapting easily to the culture ofthe organization. On the other hand, youmay have been overwhelmed by many of thedifferent expectations you had to meet.People often refer to the type of reaction that you experienced as culture shock.Culture shock is the confusion or anxietythat sometimes results when people comeinto contact with a culture different fromtheir own. Culture shock can happen in anyorganizational context.

© The New Yorker Collection 1994 Mick Stevens from cartoonbank.com. All Rights Reserved.

Elements of CultureEven though all organizations are unique,

they have several elements in common. AsFigure 1–5 shows, they include structure, sys-tems, values and beliefs, goals, environment,traditions, and heroes. How each organiza-tion approaches and implements these ele-ments makes up the organization’s culture.

It is wise to find out the specifics of these ele-ments in each organization you want to join.Whether you’re considering becoming a mem-ber of the staff at a large hospital or of theHabitat for Humanity team at your school,gathering information about the organization’sculture can help you know what to expect fromthe organization. It also can help you under-stand what the organization expects from you.

Structure Professional and social organi-zations have a specific structure. Structureincludes the parts of an organization as well asthe relationship between those parts. The struc-ture also reveals the functions and purposes of each part of the organization, as well as its place in the organization’s hierarchy. This

hierarchy, or chain of command, shows therelationship between parts of the organizationfrom the top down. Hierarchy answers questionsabout who is responsible to whom for what.

Your school district follows a specific structureand hierarchy. It probably has a board of edu-cation with officers and committees who havespecific responsibilities. The school also has asuperintendent who oversees a staff of assistantsuperintendents, directors, coordinators, princi-pals, supervisors, teachers, staff members, andyou, the student. The hierarchy of your schoolalso defines the functions of each of its parts.Who makes what decisions? Which person ordepartment is responsible for what areas?

Systems Communicating in an organi-zation, no matter its size, requires order andcoordination. This coordination can beachieved through systems, or networks ofchannels for orderly interaction. Otherwise,members would spend or waste all their timetrying to communicate simple messages.Imagine that the 17 employees of a small


Structure

Systems

Values andBeliefs

Goals

Environment

Traditions

Heroes

Elements of Organizational Culture

Figure 1–5 Elements of Organizational Culture

company receive every communication ofevery person in the company. If you do themath for that 17-person company, can youimagine the communication conflicts thatmany messages might create?

While communication must be orderly, italso must be simple to achieve. Systems ener-gize organizations by allowing information toflow easily within the structure. Systems alsoprovide channels of communication to thecommunity outside of the organization.

Again, your school can be used as an exam-ple of how systems operate within the structureof an organization. Think first of the methodsthat are used to inform students about eventsat your school. There may be morningannouncements over the public address sys-tem, a school newspaper, or colorful posters inthe hall to boost school spirit or to advertiseupcoming plays, concerts, or athletic events.

Other Communication Systems inOrganizations Some organizations alsoutilize other communication systems to keep thepublic informed. They may host open meetingsto invite public participation and input on cer-tain matters. Some organizations also holdhearings, town meetings, and focus groups toencourage members of the public to air theirviews, discuss issues, and solve problems.

Values and Beliefs At the core ofevery organization is a set of values andbeliefs that governs its policies and actions.A value is a priority or an idea that isprized or cherished. It is what you or yourorganization considers important. A beliefis an idea that someone holds to be true.

Personal Values Analyzing your ownvalues and beliefs and how they provide abasis for your behavior can help you under-stand organizational values. As an individual,you may value good grades. You may believethat hard work in school will bring rewards in

the future in the form of scholarships or a goodjob. This set of values and beliefs probably influ-ences your behavior. You may spend much ofyour free time studying and researching, work-ing ahead on school projects, or organizing classnotes. By influencing the behavior choices youmake, your values help define the image otherstudents have of you. The same is true of the val-ues and beliefs of an organization.

Organizational Values Professional organ-izations such as companies usually value mak-ing a profit. Some businesses also place a highpriority on the productivity and efficiency ofemployees. A company that recognizes therelationship between employee morale andproductivity may provide a number of benefitsfor employees, such as insurance, profit shar-ing, or investment opportunities. It also mayrecognize and reward employees for loyalty,

These individuals work on a newspaper thathelps inform and maintain open communica-tion within their organization. Identify someof the ways your school informs studentsabout events taking place within the school.

19

commitment, and leadership. Most companiesstrive to reach a balance between the profitsneeded to stay in business and the need to pro-mote morale among employees.

Social Responsibility To reinforce thistrend, many organizations are beginning torecognize the value of social responsibility.Social responsibility is an obligation or will-ingness to work toward the well-being ofothers. This may include placing a priority onenvironmental concerns and communityissues. Many business executives believe thata healthy company cannot survive in anunhealthy society for long. That belief isechoed by others who consider it their socialresponsibility to support their workers, theirworkers’ lives, and their communities.

Successful employees try to understand com-pany values and beliefs in order to anticipatewhat their employer will look for in their per-formance. Employees then have a basis formaking their own choices and can more accu-rately estimate the rewards and consequencesof their behavior.

Goals Organizations set and try toachieve goals. A goal is an end result or out-come that someone strives to attain.Organizational goals stem from the organiza-tion’s values and beliefs. Goals often arestated in mission statements. To be most effec-tive, goals should be laid out in detail withspecific plans within a set time.

A school district that values academicachievement may have a goal to raise testscores. A company that values diversity may seta goal of hiring more minorities. Service organ-izations often set goals for fund-raising.Employees are expected to share in efforts toreach company goals. Rewards and prizes oftenare offered as incentives to those who make out-standing contributions toward those goals.

Environment Environment refers toyour physical surroundings. Your culture isreflected in your home, your school build-ing, local architectural styles, and the con-dition of buildings or streets in yourcommunity. An organization’s environmentoften reveals its values and culture. Forexample, a company with brightly coloredwalls and comfortable chairs may placeimportance on the energy level, comfort,and productivity of its employees. A schoolwhose walls are covered with posters adver-tising an a cappella choir concert shows thatits music program is a priority.

City Year is an organization that promotes social respon-sibility by encouraging young people to participate incommunity service projects such as restoring homes.How do businesses promote social responsibility?

Look around and evaluate the environ-ment of your classroom. Is the roomcrowded or spacious? Colorful or drab? Doesit present a bright, safe, and comfortableenvironment? Does it have a climate thatinvites participation, curiosity, and creativity?How do these conditions affect your feelings,your attitude, or your communication?Environment affects the quality of interac-tion. This, in turn, influences the relation-ships, morale, and productivity ofindividuals within that environment.

Traditions Organizations usually havetraditions. A tradition is a practice or cere-mony that is carried out and celebrated in thesame manner year after year. Your schoolmay have an annual homecoming celebra-tion with traditional activities such as a peprally, a football game, the crowning of thehomecoming king and queen, and an after-game dance. Special ways of doing things setyour school apart from other schools and pro-vide an opportunity to celebrate your school.

Traditions in social and professional organi-zations usually are aimed at promoting highermorale and positive relations among mem-bers. Some businesses host holiday parties,awards banquets, and annual seminars. They

may recognize an employee of themonth or sponsor employee sportsteams. Such traditions provide asocial dimension to organizations.

Heroes A hero is an individ-ual who is respected and admiredfor the contributions he or she hasmade to an organization or tosociety as a whole. Heroes oftenserve as role models. Think for amoment about the heroes in yourschool. Perhaps a school hero isthe star of the school play, thepresident of the National HonorSociety, or a student with a physi-cal challenge who has overcome

overwhelming odds. Whether the school herois a student body leader, an academic leader,a courageous student, an athlete, or simply aperson who always smiles and offers encour-agement to others, the hero represents thevalues of your school.

Environment can influence relationships, morale, and even productivity.What does the photo suggest about this school’s environment?

TECHNOLOGYElectronic Research and Reporting As a class,generate a list of heroes. Include people of dif-ferent time periods to reflect a range of interestsand organizations. Try to include people of dif-ferent genders, ethnic groups, and ages. Do notneglect heroes from your own community orschool. Divide the list so that each person in theclass has one hero.

Use the Internet or an electronic encyclopediato gather information about your hero. Analyzewhat characteristics and contributions mightaccount for the hero’s status. Using word-processing software, write a brief essay explain-ing whether or not you think your assigned herowould be a good role model. Share your essays as a class. Discuss whether each hero on your class list reflects the values or priorities of a group or organization.



Michael Jordan, Mary Kay Ash,and John Glenn became heroesbecause of their accomplishmentswithin their respective organiza-tions. How can a hero affect theculture of an organization?

Professional and social organizations haveheroes whose values and behaviors have wonthe respect of others. Mary Kay Ash, forexample, is considered a hero by many busi-ness women because of her innovation, dedi-cation, and hard work. Michael Jordanbecame a hero not only because of his skill inbasketball but also because of his good natureand his positive attitude. John Glenn becamea hero twice. He was acclaimed a hero as ayoung man with his first venture into spaceand became a hero again at age seventy-seven with his return to space after a longcareer in the United States Senate.

Not all heroes become famous, however,nor do they all serve as positive role models.A class clown may be a hero to unmotivatedstudents because his or her disruptions pro-vide comic relief. In the same manner, a dis-honest or rebellious employee may becomea hero to workers who feel victimized bymanagement.

Whether positive or negative, heroes reflectthe values of a segment of an organization’smembers. Heroes also influence the behaviorof those individuals and ultimately affect theculture of the organization.

Just as heroes enrich our world, organiza-tions enrich many aspects of your life. Theyprovide you with outlets for your energy andcreativity, teach you new skills, and help youhelp others. Additionally, as organizationsadd to your life, you also give somethingback. You provide fresh ideas, new solutions,and broader perspectives with the individualculture you bring to an organization.

DIVERSITY INORGANIZATIONS

As people join together to form companies,countries, churches, and communities, theyform a rich mix of cultures. Today, many of thecultural barriers between people have been low-ered—even erased in some cases. People ofevery race, gender, and any legal age work sideby side. Segregation is becoming a trend of thepast. Peace throughout much of the world hasexpanded markets and communication amongnations, and technology allows us to instantlyconnect with almost anyone anywhere at anytime. As shown in Figure 1–6, this trend towarda more diverse population will continue.

It is important to remember, however, thatthis trend also may pose challenges. It is likelythat in many of the organizations you join,you’ll encounter people of different cultures,races, ages, religions, abilities, and genders.This is known as diversity, or variety, and ithas become the norm in today’s United States.Improved access for the physically chal-lenged, increased immigration, longer lifespans, and more opportunities for women allhave added to diversity in organizations.

The United States and the organizations thatare a part of it have become a sort of “saladbowl” of diversity. This salad bowl analogy, aterm popular in multicultural studies today, sug-gests that each individual can retain and valuehis or her own personal culture while workingcooperatively with others in an organization.

Because no two people are exactly alike, youencounter people of different ages and ethnicand religious backgrounds every day. Since youalso are unique, you add to the diversity of

groups in which you participate. As a result,you may be aware of the demands on commu-nication that result from people’s differences.For instance, if a student from another state orcountry comes to your school, it may be a chal-lenge for you to find a common interest thatyou can use as a basis for friendship. If you vol-unteer to visit residents of an assisted livingfacility, you probably will learn that you cannotuse your school slang to communicate.

Effects of DiversityThe effects of diversity can be either positive

or negative. Diversity can provide enrichmentand interest and promote people’s apprecia-tion of cultural differences as they get to knowone another. It can also cause conflict.

Enrichment Enrichment is a positiveeffect of diversity. Diversity can provide newinterests, ideas, understandings, and apprecia-tion for individuals. For example, sharing


Percent of Total Population

Under 1521.4%

15–2413.9%

25–3413.8%

65 or older12.7%

50–6414.6%

35–4923.5%

Caucasian71.4%

AsianAmerican4.0%

AfricanAmerican12.3%

Hispanic11.5%

Native American0.8%

2000

2025

Age Gender Ethnicity

Under 1520.1%

15–2413.1%

25–3412.9%

65 or older18.5%

50–6417.2%

35–4918.2%

Males48.9%

Females51.1%

Males50%

Females50% Caucasian

62.4%

AsianAmerican6.2%

AfricanAmerican13.0%

Hispanic17.6%

Native American0.8%

Figure 1–6 Projected Population Characteristics in the United States

experiences with a new student from anothercountry might expand your knowledge aboutgeography, history, or language. Talking witha parent or grandparent can help you tounderstand different times, different places, ordifferent ways of life.

The expression “If two people think exactlyalike, one of them is dispensable” can helpexplain the effect diversity can have on anorganization. People from differing back-grounds often tend to view things differently,have different ideas about solving problems,and take different stands on issues. In organi-zations where people can express openly theirideas and where people listen to one another,both the organization and individuals canbenefit, often leading to better ideas and bet-ter solutions to problems. In addition, diver-sity within an organization can help meet theneeds of a diversity of customers and commu-nity members. As a result, the organizationcan anticipate many of the demands it willface in the world market.

Conflict Conflict is often a negative resultof diversity. Conflict is the struggle between twoor more parties who sense interference inachieving goals. It can disrupt work and dis-tract people from reaching the goals of organi-zations. Different methods of problem solving,different work habits, and different communi-cation styles may be viewed as threatening bysome individuals. Any time these differencesare judged “right” or “wrong,” conflict is likelyto follow. It is important to realize that the dif-ferent ways of doing things don’t create theconflict; the responses to the difference do.

Individuals who cooperate to share respon-sibilities and benefits can use their diversityto resolve conflicts. Using common goals tobridge the gaps between cultures can helpthem avoid judging each other’s differences.

Most people today recognize that individu-als of different ages, genders, and ethnicitiescan work together and learn from each otherin professional and social organizations. As aresult, they can increase the collective knowl-edge and experience of any organization.

Cultural ChallengesAs you enter into organizations in the world

around you, you often may encounter culturalchallenges. As a result, real conflicts can occur.Think about the types of conflicts that mightresult in each of the following examples:

• A school strictly enforces its hair anddress codes. As a result, a young NativeAmerican student is required to cut hislong hair before he may attend classes.

• A school club has a strict policyagainst students wearing jewelry thatindicates religious preferences or cul-tural affiliation.

• A company’s work schedule conflictswith the celebration of a particular cul-ture’s special holiday or observance.


COMMUNICATION

DEALING WITH DIVERSITY

Learn about other cultures.

Avoid using language such as slangor dialect that is specific to yourindividual culture.

See your differences as anopportunity to learn and grow.

Avoid looking down on people whoare different in age, gender,ethnicity, religion, or physical andmental abilities.

Be willing to discuss culturaldifferences and adapt your behaviorto minimize them.

• A factory’s new uniforms are designedfor safety and mobility, but they con-flict with some employees’ traditionalcultural attire.

• An organizational policy appears toaward promotions based on age, gen-der, or ethnic identity.

If you are faced with an organizationalculture that threatens your personal culture,you have some important choices to make.Will you join the organization? If youalready are a member, will you leave? Oneway to avoid getting involved in an incom-patible organizational culture is to researchit before you join. Although many areas ofprofessional and social life may require someamount of compromise on your part, youmay decide to keep looking for an organiza-tion that is a better cultural match for you.

Challenges of Policies andProcedures If, after becoming involved inan organization, you become aware of policies

or procedures that present youwith personal conflict, you havea more difficult choice. Youmay choose to leave the organ-ization, try to change conflict-ing policies, or you may simplychoose to make the best of yoursituation.

For example, if you enter aschool that has dress and haircodes that are not to your lik-ing, you may have no choiceother than to conform. Youmight attempt to have these

policies changed, but in the meantime youmust be prepared to abide by the existingrules. In a work setting, your employer maynot allow time off for a religious holiday thatyou observe. In this case, you might choose tonegotiate for the time off—perhaps by work-ing on a different holiday to make up thetime. Basically, when you face a conflict with

© The New Yorker Collection 1981 Mischa Richter from cartoonbank.com.All Rights Reserved.


These students are required to wearschool uniforms. Organizational poli-cies, such as dress codes, sometimesconflict with personal beliefs. Whatchoices do you have if your beliefsconflict with policy?

an organization’s culture, your choices are toadapt, look elsewhere for an organizationwhose culture better matches your own, ornegotiate and compromise.

Changing Organizational CultureCan organizational culture change? Yes, butchange in the business world usually is grad-ual. Fortunately, most successful corporationslisten to their employees, clients, and customersand typically change their practices especially if this means an increase in profits and pro-ductivity. In the past, employee groups have

been successful in persuading businesses tomake changes such as more casual dress codeson Fridays, job sharing, and on-site child careat many companies.

As you move from the organization of yourschool into professional and social contexts,you’ll want to be ready to be a competentcommunicator. Knowing the special chal-lenges that communicating in organizationspresents can only help you be prepared forthe situations you’ll face. Communicationapplications will get you ready for the wideworld ahead of you!


Review Key Terms1. Define each term and write it in a sen-

tence: organization, culture, organiza-tional culture, culture shock,social responsibility, conflict.

Check Understanding2. Why is understanding the

contexts of different organi-zations important?

3. Explain the three primaryfunctions of organizations.

4. Why should you investigate the cultureof a professional organization beforeyou seek a job there?

5. How could information about an orga-nization’s goals, traditions, or heroes beused to predict the kind of skills neededby its members?

6. Solve Imagine that you work onlywith people of the opposite gender orwho belong to a different age group orethnic group. Explain your strategies tocommunicate effectively with them inthe face of diversity.

Visit the Glencoe Communication ApplicationsWeb site at communicationapplications.glencoe.com and click on Self-Check andStudy Guide 1.2 to review your understandingof the challenges to communicating inorganizations.

Section 2 Assessment

APPLICATION

Designing an Organization Think about the organizationsof which you enjoy being a member or would like tobecome a member. What is it about their organizationalcultures that appeals to you? How do they complementyour personal culture? Using the seven elements of culture,design the organization of your ideal workplace. Make anychanges to your organization’s culture necessary for theprofitability of your business.




Analyzing How You Communicate

How Do You Rate?

1. I consider the context of a situationwhen I make communication choices.

2. I think about my listener when I chooselanguage to explain something.

3. I think about what is appropriate orinappropriate to wear to a specialoccasion.

4. I stay informed on current events.

5. I generally have a positive attitude.

6. I participate in many organizations.

7. I benefit from my participation inorganizations.

8. I have a firm grasp of the culture ofmy school.

9. I often experience a sense of commu-nity between my culture and the cul-ture of the organization.

10. I change my behavior to meet theneeds of a variety of populations.

On a separate sheet of paper, respond to thefollowing statements. Put a check markbeside each skill you would like to improve.

KEY: A Always R RarelyU Usually N NeverS Sometimes

Analyzing How You Communicate

How Do You Score?Review your responses. Give yourself 5points for every A, 4 for every U, 3 for everyS, 2 for every R, and 1 for every N. Totalyour points and evaluate your score.

41–50 Excellent You may be sur-prised to find out how much you canimprove your skills.

31–40 Good In this course, you canlearn ways to make your skills better.

21–30 Fair Practice applying the skillstaught in this course.

1–20 Needs Improvement Carefullymonitor your improvement as youwork through this course.

Setting Communication GoalsIf you scored Excellent or Good, complete Part A. If your score was Fair or NeedsImprovement, complete Part B.

Part A 1. I plan to put the followingideas into practice:

2. I plan to share the followinginformation about communica-tion with the following people:

Part B 1. The behaviors I need tochange most are:

2. To bring about these changes I will take these steps:

The Writing ProcessThere are certain steps to follow when

writing a report, an article for the com-pany newsletter, a memorandum, a letter,or any other type of written information.These steps are recursive; that is, they donot always follow one another in orderand you may repeat steps until you end upwith the result you want.

Whether you will give the information toa supervisor or other individual, share withother team members, or present to a largeaudience, you need to put your ideas into alogical and useful form. Using the steps inthe writing process will help you do just that.

Writing tasks are completed in five steps:

Step 1 prewriting

Step 2 drafting

Step 3 revising

Step 4 editing/proofreading

Step 5 publishing/presenting

Step 1 Prewriting In general,the prewriting process is the

way you approach a givenwriting project. During

prewriting you decide onyour topic, establish your

purpose and audience,and research and plan

your writing. Yourpurpose is what you

want to accomplish through your writing orpresentation. Your audience is whoever willread or hear your words. Your planningincludes developing an outline.

Step 2 Writing a Draft After you havedefined your topic and audience and haveorganized your ideas, you can begin towrite a draft of your report. As you write,make sure your report has an introduction,the body, or main part, and a conclusion.

Step 3 Revising A first draft is the firstversion of a written work. Professionalwriters know that they must never turn ina first draft to a publisher because it is nota final, finished product. After finishingthe first draft, writers know that they musttake a critical look at their ideas and findways to improve them.

Some effective ways to review your writ-ing are to read the work carefully as if youwere seeing it for the first time. You mightchoose to read it aloud, listen to a taperecording of yourself reading it aloud, orhave someone else read it and give youfeedback. At this point you have the oppor-tunity to move sentences or paragraphsaround, improve paragraphs, and checkthe content and structure of your writing.

During the revision process, you canadjust the tone and style of your writing.Ask yourself if the writing reflects the pur-pose that you originally intended. Is the

The Writing Process


For additional information about the writing process, see the LanguageHandbook in the Communication Survival Kit found in the Appendix.e

language specific, descriptive, and non-sexist? Are the words and ideas clear?

Step 4 Editing/Proofreading Once youhave revised your draft, you still need torefine your work. Check for errors in sen-tence structure, capitalization, spelling,punctuation, and grammar. If you haveused word-processing software, run aspelling check on your work.

Step 5 Publishing/Presenting You noware ready to send or present your work toyour audience. Often, someone else, such asyour teacher, a supervisor or manager, or amember of an organization, will define themethod of delivery.

START

FINISH

1. Prewriting

Find a topic; establishyour purpose andaudience; researchand plan your writing. 2. Drafting

Organize your thoughts;get an introduction,body, and conclusionon paper in rough form.

3. Revising

Improve content,structure, and flowof your writing.

4. Editing/Proofreading

Check for errors in spelling,grammar, and mechanics;examine your writing asthough you were readingit for the first time.

5. Publishing/Presenting

Prepare writingfor written ororal presentation.


Follow the steps in the writingprocess to write a brief status reporton your activities in each of yourclasses over the last week.

• List the activities and assignmentsthat were given in each of yourclasses.

• List your progress in meeting thoseassignments.

• Write a first draft of your statusreport. Make sure you have anintroduction, body, and a conclu-sion. Your audience will be yourteacher.

• Revise the content, structure, orflow of your report where necessary.

• Edit and proofread your work forerrors in grammar, sentence struc-ture, spelling, punctuation, andcapitalization.

• Prepare the final draft of yourstatus report.


Visit the Glencoe Communication ApplicationsWeb site at communicationapplications.glencoe.com and click on Chapter 1 Activityfor additional practice in putting communication to work for you.

1. creating and exchanging meaningthrough symbolic interaction

2. specific situation in which communica-tion occurs

3. what is suitable in a particular instance

4. guideline to use as a basis for makingappropriate communication choices

5. people who have specific duties unitedfor a particular purpose

6. “the way things are done around here”

7. difficulties resulting from individual orgroup differences

8. confusion resulting from the clash oftwo cultures

9. uses effective communication skills

10. willingness to help others

e Reviewing Key TermsOn a separate sheet of paper, write the communication term defined in each item.

1. Why is it critical to understand andanalyze context when making commu-nication choices?

2. Why is appropriateness an importantconsideration in communication?

3. What can be used as a guide to deter-mine appropriateness?

4. What is the function of a standard inyour communication choices?

5. What three criteria can be used to determine if someone is a competentcommunicator?

6. Name and describe the three needs ful-filled by membership in organizations.

7. Analyze and respond to the statement“Culture influences every aspect of anorganization.”

8. What are two possible effects of diver-sity within an organization?

On a separate sheet of paper, answer the following questions in complete sentences.

e Reviewing Key Concepts

1




e Reading and Critical Thinking Skills

Communication Challenge Break up intogroups of three to five students. One group ofthree will act as judges. The other groups willwrite a scenario of a communication situationthey find challenging and make recommen-dations to remedy, solve, or avoid the situa-tion. Each group will then act out its situationfor the other class members and present its

recommendations. After each presentation,other groups will list communication strate-gies they believe will remedy, solve, or avoidthe situation. After all groups have presented,the three-judge panel will confer briefly tochoose the group that generated the mostappropriate list of suggestions. The panel willjustify their choices to the class.

e Cooperative Learning Activity

Chapter ProjectPlanning Choose a career or profes-

sion in which you are interested.Investigate your chosen profession. Consulta variety of sources for the information youneed. Find the answers to these questions:What is the employment potential in thisfield? What kind of educational and voca-tional training is most needed for employ-ment? Are there any special requirements

for entering the field, such as qualifyingexams, special fees, or licenses? What com-munication skills are especially helpful forgetting a job, keeping a job, and gettingpromotions in this field? Record your find-ings and prioritize your ideas.

Presenting Use your findings to developand give a three-minute presentation onyour chosen career.

Analyzing Information Read the excerptbelow and write a summary sentence of thepassage.

Whenever you make an important deci-sion in your life, you first “weigh the conse-quences.” A consequence is the result of anaction or series of events. For example, if you

were deciding whether to buy or rent ahouse, you might think about the advan-tages and disadvantages of both actions. Inother words, you examine the various resultsof each action. By analyzing the possibleoutcomes or consequences, you arrive at abetter understanding of the situation.

e Skill Practice Activity

1. Making Predictions Describe fivecommunication tasks that you might berequired to do as a worker in a businessof your choice.

2. Analysis Why is the hierarchy of acorporation important to the organiza-tion’s culture?

Documents

The Communication Process - Springfield Public Schools - · PDF fileThe communication process is used in every social and professional situation. To begin to understand how to commu-nicate