Chapter 8 - Management skill - COMMUNICATING

• definition - the exchange of information between two or more parties
• internal communication - occurs between two or more people within an organisation
• upward communication - employees report up the chain of command
• downward communication - information is sent down the chain of command
• horizontal (lateral) communication - between people at the same level in the organisation
• principles of effective communication - accuracy, appropriate language, preparation, confidentiality and feedback
• chain of command - the path of authority along which instructions are passed - from top management down to subordinates
• verbal communication - the exchange of information and ideas in speech
• advantages of verbal communication - fast communication, repeat the message, personal connection and powerful impact
• disadvantages of verbal communication - no record, not listening, lack of preparation and message length
• written communication involves using the written word to transfer information between people
• advantages of written communication - record, reference, speed and accurate
• disadvantages of written communication - slow feedback, security, cost and delayed decision-making
• visual communication involves using images, graphs, photos, maps and symbols to communicate messages
• advantages of visual communication - easy to understand, easy to recall and presentation
• disadvantages to visual communication - cost, cannot be used alone and over-use
• meeting - a gathering of at least two people to discuss a topic or topics with the purpose of making a decision on matters discussed
• reasons for holding a meeting - sharing information, decision-making and problem-solving
• notice - an invitation ofr people to attend the meeting
• agenda - a list of items to be discussed at the meeting
• a chairperson is responsible for opening, running and closing a meeting
• the secretary is responsible for organising the meeting
• annual general meeting - held once a year and is attended by the director and shareholders of a limited company
• extraordinary general meeting - meeting of the board of directors and shareholders to discuss an urgent issue, such as a takeover bid, that cannot wait until the next agm
• board meetings - attended by the firm's board of directors and are usually held at regular intervals
• statutory meetings - must be held once in the life of the company
• ad hoc meeting - takes place at short notice to discuss a matter that has arisen unexpectedly but needs to be resolved quickly
• general meeting - held on a regualar basis between management and employees
• memo - a short written message used by a business for internal communication
• report - a formal written document used to present data and information to the people who requested it to be written
• barriers to effective communication - timing, language, information overload, not listening and lack of trust
• advantages of effective communication - productivity, industrial relations, customers, improved decision-making and employee morale