Pages: 81

No chapter abstract available.

Pages: 17

This chapter traces the development of human communication and language that dates from the earliest periods of human existence. It also describes the emergence of communication as a discipline and fundamental early theories that continue to influence how scholars understand key concepts. In so doing, the chapter introduces some of the terminology used in the study of communication that is referred to in the chapters that follow. Some attention is also extended to the historical development of writing systems around the world.

Pages: 24

Interpersonal communication influences organisational success on many levels and is a crucial determinant of human relationships at work and the wellbeing of individuals. Any treatment of this subject matter, broad as it is, is unlikely to be entirely adequate in encompassing its many facets and implications, not least in intercultural settings. Thus, the purpose of this chapter is to provide selected insights into particular areas where interpersonal communication is relevant to the brief of the book. Throughout the text, the aspects of interpersonal communication presented here are further developed. For example, much more attention is given to interculturality in Part II. The chapter aims to provide an explanation of the nature of interpersonal communication and to address some key lines of enquiry including; communication styles, listening, trust, self-disclosure and nonverbal communication.

Pages: 25

Communication is the basis of organisational success and employers recognise that it is essential to hire individuals who can command a level of expertise in this skill. This chapter explores the relationship between organisations and communication and the nature of organisational communication as a sub-discipline. It does so by addressing some key illustrative themes drawn from an extensive literature with a particular focus upon the contexts of change communication and the role language plays in organisations. The aim of the chapter is not designed as a stand-alone summary of organisational communication but as a preparation for appreciating the chapters that follow in this text.

Pages: 13

The wellbeing of employees is essential to the success of organisations because when mental and physical health is overlooked or disregarded, people do not function well at work. The responsibility for wellbeing rests with both workers and organisations. This chapter explores the concept of wellbeing and how stress, burnout, and ill-health can create a gamut of unwanted outcomes on micro and macro levels. It draws on themes such as grief and gratitude and briefly alludes to other lines of enquiry emerging from the wellbeing literature. The chapter concludes with some remarks about how colleagues and organisations can support those who need it – which includes most people, at one point or another. Wellbeing as a topic is presented in fairly broad terms and some topics introduced are developed and expanded throughout the rest of the book.

Pages: 74

No chapter abstract available.

Pages: 27

Chapter 5 begins with an exposition of globalisation in order to provide a conceptual backdrop to the discussion of culture and intercultural communication in workplace contexts. Definitions of culture are discussed as are the skills and abilities demonstrated in cultural intelligence that bring benefits to a variety of organisational contexts and to individuals. Various models that inform intercultural communication are presented in this chapter with some critical appraisal of their contribution and value.

Pages: 11

This chapter discusses the concept of gender and explains some of the associated terminology in an ever-developing context. It focuses upon workplace communication that includes language and behaviour and considers some of the implications for belonging and equality. Throughout the chapter, it argues for inclusivity and the celebration of gender diversity.

Pages: 15

This chapter explains the concept of intergenerational communication and its underpinning assumptions, noting critical arguments and perspectives brought to its study. The discussion includes some detail about the assumptions surrounding six generational cohorts participating in the workforce today, acknowledging that some of the characteristics/generalisations about each of them have not been consistently supported by empirical data. The chapter concludes with the observation that particular generations will find values, motivations, and forms of communication with which they can connect with some others, just as some tensions will be identified amongst generations on the same basis. Managing both the synergies and tensions of intergenerational communication is the responsibility of individuals and management, largely through the raising of awareness translated into strategies for professional development.

Pages: 15

Individuals experience spirituality in many ways and those experiences and beliefs influence how they feel about workplace issues and interact with others. Employee diversity serves to highlight the expression and consequences of spiritual beliefs. Spirituality is not limited to religious contexts or religious people, and can be experienced by non-religious individuals when they seek and gain a sense of higher purpose and meaning in their working lives. Scholars of workplace spirituality have revealed much about the benefits of spiritual belief for individuals and organisations when it is understood, supported, and managed well. Those benefits are accessible to most people, but particularly to individuals with spiritual intelligence and organisations that enjoy the direction and insights of spiritual leaders. The chapter concludes with some practical suggestions for enhancing inclusive spiritual perspectives and experiences in workplace environments.

Pages: 122

No chapter abstract available.

Pages: 35

This chapter investigates three intertwining topics: negotiation, persuasion, and managing conflict in the workplace, largely through a communication lens. A long and rich tradition of research on the topic of communication processes in negotiations exists and is continually providing new insights though some bemoan the disproportionate attention paid to decision making in negotiation. Much of the attention in this chapter focuses on bilateral negotiation, given the emphasis on interpersonal communication in the text as a whole but, of course, negotiations are often multilateral – that is, involving multiple parties. The chapter begins with an explanation of why and when it is advantageous to negotiate and when it is best not to. Readers are invited to engage with some of the definitions of negotiation in critical ways. Concepts such as ‘interests’ and ‘positions’ are distinguished, as are the broad approaches of integrative and distributive negotiations. Negotiation is a process and unfolds through a series of stages that are explained in terms of their purpose and with a view to planning. The chapter explains the role played by third parties in the form of mediation, conciliation, or arbitration. Innovations in information communication technology (ICT) have significant implications for how people negotiate. One way in which ICT professionals are making a positive impact is by reducing the possibility of prejudice in online negotiations. Building on Chapter 5 in Part II about intercultural communication, this chapter draws on additional theories that are focused upon the context of intercultural negotiations. Topics such as face, decision making, power, time, offers and concessions, gift giving, as well as suspicions are explored, amongst others, through the lens of intercultural negotiation, cultural theories, and dimensions of relevance. Negotiation is a form of conflict, so the two concepts are closely intertwined and both are therefore represented within this chapter. The likely causes of conflict in the workplace are discussed and conflict styles that individuals bring to them are also explored. Strategies that can effectively be brought to conflicts in order to manage them effectively are outlined towards the end of the chapter.

Pages: 15

This chapter is essentially concerned with group communication regarded as a sub-discipline of organisational communication. Extensive literature exists that broadly supports a view that for groups and teams to be effective, communication needs to be prioritised. Drawing upon scholarly work, this chapter considers how those who work in groups and teams collaborate and make decisions in order to fulfil shared goals. The terms ‘teams’ and ‘groups’ are often used interchangeably and although these concepts are defined and distinguished, the chapter assumes considerable overlap. Paradigms and lines of enquiry in group communication literature are described. How groups develop and those circumstances that help to enhance and impede their functioning is also discussed. Within the context of groups, leaders emerge or are appointed. The chapter therefore gives some brief attention to leadership theories and the interrelationship of leadership and communication.

Pages: 19

This chapter begins with a brief discussion of how ‘growth’ is constructed from individual and organisational perspectives. The historical development of mentoring and its complex, conceptual relation to coaching is explored. Research findings reveal multiple benefits in establishing and maintaining effective mentoring processes but reaping any rewards will largely depend upon contextual factors. Although the majority of mentor/mentee relationships are assigned in a top-down process, researchers are now exploring the advantages of peer-to-peer mentoring where peers have more recent experience of certain activities in the organisation than a manager and can also encourage reciprocity in the sharing of perspectives and ideas. Some consideration is also given to approaches that are conducive to diverse and inclusive organisational cultures. The chapter provides direction on principles to guide the mentoring process, some of which are relevant to mentee wellbeing, and explains the phases that provide a structure to the process. The second half of the chapter is devoted to coaching as a means of developing employees and drawing attention to communication strategies of relevance to the success of both mentoring and coaching.

Pages: 18

This chapter considers the concept of ethics, its study, and how it is relevant to communication in the workplace. Ethics has a critical function in communication and both constitute a form of social activity. Neither construct can be divorced from the contexts of culture, society, the places where people work, and how they engage with one another. It would be difficult to disentangle the ethical import from any communication and, thus, the assumption that communication can be ethical or unethical. Communication is an essential element in an interconnected world but its effectiveness depends, to one extent or another, on ethical considerations. Certainly, ethical communication should be ‘legal, socially responsible and in accordance with community standards’. The rise in business ethics courses is an indication that educational institutions (and indeed, the societies that influence what is included in higher education curricula) value ethical communication. However, despite an increasing focus upon ethics education, Pasmore and Woodman at least, find it difficult to be sanguine about the impact on organisations and their ethical practices. The meaning of ethics is derived from the Greek word ethos, meaning character or customs so the connection with the assertion that ethicists concern themselves with social norms, habits, and societal rules is embedded into the way we conceptualise ethics today. This chapter provides a rudimentary account of some key ideas arising largely from the sub-discipline of business ethics and raises some workplace contexts where ethical principles may help to guide decision making and behaviour especially when some sort of dilemma is apparent. Although the scope of ethics is wide, in terms of the societal contexts to which it can be applied, business ethics is most appropriate to this text because it pertains to (but is not limited to) internal organisational communication and interpersonal relationships. Indeed, business ethics determines the nature of communication through a variety of lenses including the spiritual, sociological, biological, and how people behave in environmental settings. The aim of the chapter is less one of instruction and more a means to stimulate reflection and discussion in ways that may help employees and their managers to appreciate and address the ethical implications of a broad range of issues as they arise. In keeping with the aims of St. John-Brooks the chapter seeks to draw attention to some of the practical aspects of how ethical dilemmas impact on day-to-day activities and in ‘real-life’ organisational settings rather than presenting ethics as an esoteric and abstract scholarly line of enquiry.

Pages: 13

In many ways, this chapter is a continuation of the previous one on ethics because it concerns issues where compassionate and ethical human behaviour appear to have been compromised. It outlines areas of concern for organisations and the wellbeing of those who are employed by them in the contexts of bullying, extreme work hours, and human trafficking.

Pages: 20

This chapter identifies and explains the nature of some powerful human emotions such as anger, anxiety, happiness, sadness, and jealousy and considers how they impact upon people at work. It addresses the role of organisational discourse with respect to governing emotion through emotional rules and the regulation of emotions in organisational contexts in the form of emotional labour. Linkages between emotions and communication are outlined, drawing upon concepts such as emotional intelligence (EI) and techniques that can be brought to improve EI. Some attention is also given to the communication of emotions through a cultural lens.