Managing Communication in Business - Essay Example

Kinds of Non-Verbal Communication that Affect Communication in Organizations Roll No: Teacher: 10th October 2008 University  Table of Contents Kinds of Non-Verbal Communication that Affect Communication in Organizations 3 Introduction 3 1.Kinesics 3 2.Artifacts 4 3.Haptics 5 4.Proxemics 5 5.Occulesics 6 6.Olfactics 7 7.Facial Expressions 7 8.Environment 8 9.Physical Factors 8 10. Paralinguistics 9 Conclusion 10 References 11 Kinds of Non-Verbal Communication that Affect Communication in Organizations Introduction Communication is an aspect that plays a vital role in establishment of string ties in an organizational setting. Communication can be divided into verbal and non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication is informed to have a more influential impact as compared to verbal communication. Non-verbal communication can be categorized into many different forms. The different kinds of communication that affect communication in organizations are kinesics, artifacts, haptics, proxemics, occulesics, olfactics, facial expressions, environment, physical factors and paralinguistics (Argyle 1988). Organizational communication is very important as for a business to precede and expand, the management should have strong communication ties with its employees. Non-verbal communication is a category of communication that plays a crucial role in terms of organizational communication. In this paper, all kinds of non-verbal communication are described that can affect organizational communication. Along with the description of forms of non-verbal communication, the factors such as gender, age and culture are also analyzed in the paper. After description of all the forms of non-verbal communication, a conclusion is given. The conclusion summarizes the whole essay in a short form. 1. Kinesics Kinesics can be explained as body movements (Pelachaud, et. al 1996). There are many kinds of bodily movements such as making use of emblematic signs through hands or fingers, making use of hands or legs to stress on or illustrate something, by regulating spoken or listened words and sentences, expression of feelings through bodily movements and gestures and by making use of some adapter to indicate towards a meaningful situation (Depaulo 1992). Body movements are employed in many ways to communicate non-verbally (Argyle 1988). Making use of emblems, adapters, illustrating, adjusting and revealing feelings and gestures, all come in kinesics. In an organizational setting, people make use of kinesics to communicate and by repetitive usage of some bodily movements; people identify them (Burgoon, et.al 1996). For different cultures, people make use of different emblems for the same message. For example, for admitting to some suggestion, many people make use of bowing the head a little, while others can make use of hands to indicate, “Yes” (Gudykunst and Ting-Toomey 1988). Through body movements, people can communicate their feelings and expressions (Harbridge 1998). In case, a person is tense, he/she can move back and forth that is a clear sign of his/her tension. Gender also makes difference as women use different body movements to communicate the same message as men. 2. Artifacts Artifacts are the objects that people employ while being at work or at other places such as use of make-up, jewelry, color of clothing, type of clothing, creams, colons, perfumes and so on. According to researches, these objects add to a personality and play a crucial role in non-verbal communication (Argyle 1988). While being at work, people tend to make use of soft colors of clothes, light jewelry and soft make-up. Gender is an important factor as men employ fewer artifacts as compared to women. Age also matters as people belonging to older generation try to make use of light colors while young ones prefer rich colors (Harbridge 1998). Culture also affects the usage of artifacts. People from different cultures make use of different artifacts (Gudykunst and Ting-Toomey 1988). Many people make use of rings, lockets and much more to depict their culture. Artifacts help in delivering non-verbal messages (Campbell, et. al 1985). According to researchers, different colors of clothing have different impacts on people (Miller, et. al 1977). Blue color brings sooth while red creates disturbance. Women make use of light jewelry and make up to draw attention. Perfume is also a helpful tool for non-verbal communication, as people feel good while communicating to a person who has made use of a good perfume (Harbridge 1998). On organizational level, making use of artifacts is very effectual as it helps people to correspond to each other in a more effective manner. 3. Haptics Haptics refers to non-verbal communication that takes place through touching. Touching is considered very fruitful by different people. It is being informed that touching positive can always bring good results (Argyle 1988). Touching can be employed to communicate non-verbally. For different cultures, touching is considered differently. In some cultures, touching harder is considered warm among men at working places but in other cultures, it is considered entirely important to touch softly whether the touchable person is a man or woman. Gender also plays an important role in terms of haptics. While touching women, the person involved in touching should be sure that he is not making rough use of his autonomy (Depaulo 1992). Haptics include handshake, patting, holding hands, kissing, rubbing and slight slapping (Burgoon, et.al 1996). The person making use of haptics or touching can easily reveal his/her purpose and his message. People tend to understand messages through touching quite easily. Nevertheless, on the other hand, touching should never be misused or it will bring bad consequences. In organizational setting, haptics is very effective and influential (Campbell, et. al 1985). For example, pat on shoulder from a superior works as an encouragement while handshaking also indicates towards warm welcoming feelings. 4. Proxemics Proxemics deals with the space that a person keeps for himself/herself or a space that is allotted to a person. Proxemics also deals with distance, which people keep between themselves while communicating or corresponding. In an organizational setting, space and distance both are very meaningful. A person of lower working position is allotted less space while a person with a higher rank enjoys more space (Burgoon, et.al 1996). This can be seen in terms of sitting space that is provided to employees working in an organization. Space is categorized in four types, which are social, personal, intimate and public. For different work environments, different spaces are allocated (Pelachaud, et. al 1996). Distance is also of much importance. In business settings, a suitable distance is kept while communicating non-verbally. As far as gender is concerned, it is seen that women keep less distance to each other while communicating. In different cultures of the world, distance and space is allocated differently (Gudykunst and Ting-Toomey 1988). While communicating in an organizational setting, the workers keep different distances between each other. While communicating to a person of higher rank, the distance kept is wide while communicating to a person of lower position or equivalent position, the distance is much less (Depaulo 1992). 5. Occulesics Occulesics can be explained as eye contact. Eye contact plays a very crucial role in non-verbal communicating (Harbridge 1998). While communicating, people consider that if a person is looking towards them while they are speaking, they are listened at that time and in case of no eye contact, they consider otherwise (Burgoon, et.al 1996). In organizational communication, eye contact should be there and it affects communication between individuals and groups. It is reported that the leader of a team, managers or personnel of higher ranks make a prolonged eye contact as compared to other employees. Eye contact also informs about the interest of a person towards a discussion or communication topic while lack of eye contact and increased blinking shows lack of interest. It is further informed that the eyeball dilates when a person shows interest towards communication and it contracts, when there is no interest in the communication process. Improved eye contact increases interaction (Argyle 1988). In some cultures, people who do not try to make eye contact and keep eyes down are considered modest. Gender also makes a difference in eye contact. Men keep prolonged eye contacts as compared to women (Gudykunst and Ting-Toomey 1988). 6. Olfactics Olfactics refers to non-verbal communication that deals with smell and odor (Miller, et. al 1977). While communicating to people, the smell that a person has is of much significance. People try to communicate less to those people who have an unpleasant smell while communication seems to be prolonged with those who have pleasant smell (Burgoon, et.al 1996). Usage of perfume is considered essential at work places because there can be problems concerning body smell due to many reasons. Organizations are affected by olfactics because their business runs on effective communication with customers and if workers have unpleasant smells (Depaulo 1992). The customers will try to opt for another location for their job done. Gender also plays an important role. Opposite sexes appear to like the odor of each other. 7. Facial Expressions Facial expressions are considered very significant in communicating the message. With the help of facial expressions, the listener can get the point more easily. In organizations, facial expressions count too much. When the boss is angry, it is all on his/her face. When the manager is happy, it is all on his face. All the emotions and feelings can be easily indicated the facial expressions (Argyle 1988). Facial expressions include the contribution of eyes, lips, mouth, cheeks, nose, chin and teeth. Some facial expressions are found to be the same in different cultures such as smiling, angered, surprised, and disgusted and many more. Some people are able to control their facial expressions but most of the people express them and have no control on them (Harbridge 1998). Facial expressions indicate whether a person is listening and paying attention to the other communicator or not (Campbell, et. al 1985). In organizations, non-vernal communication in form of facial expressions is very effective. People tend to understand even difficult messages with the help of facial expressions. Eyes, cheeks, lips, eyebrows and nose change their shape a bit to indicate the emotion related to the talk (Gudykunst and Ting-Toomey 1988). Different people give different facial expressions for different kinds of communications but some types of facial expressions resemble to each other (Depaulo 1992). Age also makes a difference in the deliverance of facial expressions. The people who are old cannot express as authentically as can the young because of wrinkles and weakened facial bones. 8. Environment Environment is another factor that affects verbal communication to a great extent in organizational setting. Environment also communicates to the people in it. In organizations, the color of walls and cabins, managerial offices and other settings reveal the thoughts of the owners and communicate about their standards (Argyle 1988). A spacious environment is considered better for an effective communication while communication in a closed environment that is congested is not considered effective as people try to leave the place as soon as they can (Harbridge 1998). All the furniture and other working stuff that is provided in a work environment indicate towards the place of the worker and the status of the organization for which, he/she is working. Gender is considered meaningful in environment setting. It is seen that the places where both genders work together are more organized and refined (Burgoon, et.al 1996). Culture affects the environment setting of an organization to a great extent because any organization indicates towards the cultural background of its owners (Campbell, et. al 1985). 9. Physical Factors Physical factors include appearance, height, hair, gender, attractiveness and figure. Physical attractions are very important in terms of business promotion and other activities associated to business (Miller, et. al 1977). Physically attractive persons are employed for the promotion and marketing of products and brands of a business (Burgoon, et.al 1996). In organizational settings, physical factors also accommodate people with effective communication. People with good personalities and attractive physic are considered more effectual in communicating to other people. It is also seen that people tend to communicate frequently with physically attractive people. Non-verbal communication with the help of physical factors is very effective (Argyle 1988). People also try to communicate to opposite gender more enthusiastically. Culture also plays a role in consideration of physical factors. For different cultures, different physical factors are considered attractive and persuasive. People who take benefit of their physical factors appear more successful than others do (Depaulo 1992). Communication always helps in making strong relationships and communication by a strong and attractive personality persuades the customer towards attainment of the products of the company or organization (Pelachaud, et. al 1996). 10. Paralinguistics Paralinguistics deals with vocal cues that are employed during communication. The vocal cues include involvement of pitch, volume, speed, accent, style and tone (Burgoon, et.al 1996). We also make use of vocal fillers such as ugh, oh and many others. All these come under the heading paralinguistics (Harbridge 1998). Paralinguistics is an important form of non-verbal communication. Effective communication is there when people make use of paralingusitics. They tend to increase and decrease their volume, tone, pitch and speed while communicating, all of which are indicative (Campbell, et. al 1985). Organizational communication is affected by paralinguistics to a great extent. When someone is angry, his/her volume of voice increases (Miller, et. al 1977). Varied tone is also effectual in delivering the right message. Women try to speak in a low volume while men speak louder generally as compared to women (Argyle 1988). Pitch of men and women is also different as women have shrill voice while men have grave (Pelachaud, et. al 1996). Culture is an important factor in organizational communication. People tend to behave diversely on the basis of their cultures (Gudykunst and Ting-Toomey 1988). For example, people from different cultures express anger differently. Conclusion In this paper, different kinds of non-verbal communication are described, which can affect communication in organizations. There are different forms of communication such as kinesics, artifacts, haptics, proxemics, occulesics, olfactics, facial expressions, environment, physical factors and paralinguistics. All of the mentioned forms are described in the paper. The description shows that all the mentioned forms of communication affect the communication in organizations. It is also shown, how gender, age and culture influence different forms of verbal communication in organizations. People from different cultures behave differently in terms of certain non-verbal communication techniques. Different genders behave differently in some situations. Age matters a little but it also influences non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication is very essential for successful and fruitful working. References Argyle, Michael 1988, Bodily Communication (2nd ed.), International Universities Press, Madison. Burgoon, J. K., Buller, D. B., and Woodall, W. 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