Assessment of Communication as a Crucial Tool in Organizational Management
Abubakar Tijjani T.
Department of Mass Communication, Kampala International University Uganda
ABSTRACT
Communication is a vital tool in organizational management, as it helps employees understand the organization’s mission, philosophy, and objectives. However, challenges such as the use of a chain or vertical channel, disregard for informal means, poor communication skills, illiteracy among junior workers, and inability to operate modern communication systems pose significant obstacles to effective communication. This paper recommends adopting multiple channels of communication, ensuring information flows vertically, horizontally, and laterally across the organization. Informal communication should be considered important and not relegated to the background. Regular training for management and staff is necessary to enhance performance and avoid incorrect interpretation of information. Lastly, management should avoid using high-sounding words when passing information to illiterate junior staff.
Keywords: Communication, Organizations management, Employees
INTRODUCTION
For an organization to be stable, happy, peaceful, advance, and perform effectively, communication must be successful. To accomplish all of their tasks, including planning, directing, regulating, making choices, and carrying out those decisions and goals, the organization and groups depend on good communication. Since communication between individuals and units is necessary for leadership, management, operations, and performance, it cannot occur or be achieved without it. Communication is the primary means of contact, comprehension, and interpersonal relations [1]. The degree of employee morale, work satisfaction, and motivation are heavily influenced by the efficacy, openness, and level of communication. There will be gaps and blackouts concerning the actions, issues, demands, and expectations of employees and management if there are communication challenges. Without an efficient system of communication, group and organizational coordination and activities would be challenging. Through communication, people, groups, and organizations may coordinate and be led to accomplish goals. Communication is key to the effectiveness of purpose, plan execution, and mobilization towards goal and plan achievement. As a result, communication is crucial to the administration of organizations and groups. In order to better understand communication as a vital instrument in organizational management, this study is being done.
According to [2], communication is the continual activity through which individuals try to convey meaning to others. All management processes, including planning, organizing, leading, regulating, and good coordination, are connected through communication. The management of individuals through teams and small groups necessitates constant communication. According to [3], communication is the process of coming up with, sharing, and understanding ideas, information, viewpoints, and emotions. It is an exchange between two or more people that involves sharing. In organizations, communication is typically seen in terms of the following: (a) The communication medium, such as reports and letters, among others; and (b) The communication competence, such as providing instructions and preside over meetings. (c) The structure of communication, such as the chain of command, committees, and similar structures. The formal communication that exists inside an organization is represented by these three factors, which is distinct from the informal elements of communication. According to [4], communication is the process through which subordinates are made aware of the work at hand, the resources required to complete the assignment, their respective responsibilities, and the anticipated outcomes. The conveyance of a message and the subsequent reply from the recipient to the sender, demonstrating understanding, constitute effective communication.
[5] Asserts that communication is crucial inside a company for the following reasons: In order to complete any management task, including planning, organizing, leading, and managing, it is necessary to engage in communication. Additionally, managers spend a significant amount of time engaging in communication, Communication, according to [4], is the process through which subordinates are informed about the tasks at hand, the resources needed to fulfill the assignment, their individual duties, and the expected results. Effective communication is the delivery of a message and the following reaction from the recipient to the sender indicating understanding.
According to [5], communication is essential inside a firm for the following reasons: Every management activity, including planning, organizing, leading, and managing, requires communication in order to be completed. The amount of time managers spend communicating is also crucial.
It is impossible to overstate the value of communication in any company. Lack of knowledge will undoubtedly cause disorder, making organizational objectives impossible to achieve. Effective communication does not, in most businesses, flow freely. Organizations have employed a variety of communication technologies, which has reduced productivity since the proper system wasn’t used to reach the right person at the right time. Larger businesses can experience more complicated communication issues. It can be challenging for managers to maintain excellent communication so that their subordinates get signals that are factual and undistorted.
Communication Forms
The various forms of communication categorized by [6] are:
- Language: The cornerstone of communication is language, which is essential for all communities, from the oral to the global. Without language, it would be difficult to distinguish, to the greatest extent possible, between the three types of improbability, comprehension, achievement, and success. According to Luhmann’s perspective, language is accountable for constitutive communication since it ensures that parties to conversations between two or more parties can comprehend one another.
- Dispersal Media (font, printing, electronic media respectively radio communication): Every civilization, from the prehistoric civilisation to the modern day, needs dispersion media, according to Lukmann. He defines dispersal media as media that freezes or conserves knowledge in some way. The appearance of letters made it possible to connect with the community and disseminate information.
- Symbolically generalised communication media or success media (truth, love, estate/money, force/authorisation, belief, art, core values): There was only one thing left, the desire for specific media that may increase the likelihood of communication success, after language eased the comprehension of communication and dispersion media eased the achievement of receiving them. Because the third type of media really accomplishes the purpose of communication, it might also be referred to as symbolically generalized media. These media serve as a reflection of many social contexts, and as a result of their widespread use, communication is successful on a variety of levels. Obeying a supervisor’s order is more likely than obediently following a subordinate’s order. It is more likely that someone you love will make an appeal to you than someone you don’t even know. But the creation of a narrative that may be universal is solely responsible for these media’s success.
Communication Types
[7] categorized the forms of communication taken into account in this work as follows: (i) formal, (ii) informal, (iii) interpersonal, and (iv) non-verbal.
Importance of Communication in Management
Human issues are not automatically solved through communication. But for them, it can be a miracle cure. There is a long history of academic research linking communication with social stability, particularly in times of conflict. Conflict, for instance, arises when communication between participants to a dispute breaks down or is completely absent. According to [8], communication is the process of “sending and receiving meaning, ideas, thoughts, views, and sentiments, and an interchange of all these among individuals who share goals and can discuss them in order to find solutions” Where communication falls short of this, there may be reasons why it was employed insufficiently or not at all. The aforementioned shows how important communication is to maintaining not just an organization but also society as a whole. An environment free of conflict or inference may be created via communication to help companies function. Many people have realized the value of communication over the years. According to [9], communication still fulfills this essential role of connecting individuals inside all organizations in order to accomplish a shared goal.
Besides the primary function, there are also the following
- Effective communication is a prerequisite for managing success. It also helps one be successful in other managerial roles. Almost all management-related activities include communication. To make the process function, communication is necessary.
- Power is frequently obtained by efficient communication, which is the path to power. For exercising authority or taking on leadership roles, communication skills are crucial.
- Time used in communication: The amount of time spent on communication by an organization’s management demonstrates the value of communication. Therefore, effective communication is the key to management’s success.
- Facilities effective training: Management benefits from communication while hiring and training employees. Communication is the most often utilized instrument for the exercise, from hiring through the training stage of the workforce in the firm. Ample communication will be guaranteed for as long as the students and the trainer must be in continual contact.
- Communication is an integral part of the management function: Lack of communication prevents managers from becoming productive. Visions of grandeur and direction are characteristics of successful management. That is, they have a clear vision for what they want the organization to become and they share this vision with other members of the organization in order to move the company in the direction that it should go.
Barriers to Effective Communication
A simple explanation for complicated issues is a breakdown in communication. The reality is that we are not as successful at communicating as we believe we are, and this ineffectiveness is at least one of the causes of many of the issues. Interpersonal relationships can fail for a variety of reasons, and these obstacles and breakdowns make it difficult to create fluid communication inside the business. It’s crucial for communicators to get feedback to ensure their message is comprehended since in many conversations, the message may not be understood exactly as intended. Active listening, clarification, and reflection techniques can be helpful, but a successful communicator must also be aware of the obstacles to clear communication. There are various communication obstacles, and they might appear at any point during conversation. Barriers may cause your message to be disrupted, and as a result, you run the risk of squandering time and/or money by creating misunderstandings. Overcoming these obstacles and communicating a message that is clear and succinct are necessary for effective communication. A few typical impediments to successful communication are as follows:
The use of jargon, over complicated or unfamiliar terms
- Tackles and emotional hurdles
- Lack of interest, diversions, or irrelevance to the recipient iii. Differing points of view and perception
- Physical obstacles to nonverbal communication
- Physical impairments like speech impediments or hearing issues expectations and biases that might result in inaccurate assumptions or stereotyping. People frequently hear what they expect to hear instead of what is really stated and draw the wrong conclusions as a result.
- Cultural distinctions: The accepted social standards and acceptable methods of expressing emotions vary widely among countries. The idea of personal space, for instance, differs throughout cultures and between Cultural and various social contexts.
CONCLUSION
Communication management is crucial for organizations to effectively communicate their mission, philosophy, and objectives to employees. However, challenges such as the use of chain/vertical channels, disregard for informal means, poor communication skills, illiteracy among junior workers, and inability to operate modern communication systems pose significant obstacles. Public organizations should adopt multiple channels of communication, ensuring information flows vertically, horizontally, and laterally across the organization. Informal communication should be considered important and not relegated to the background. Training on communication skills is essential for both management and staff to ensure well-understood information and challenges. Regular training on modern communication systems is necessary to enhance performance. Management should avoid using high-sounding words when passing information to illiterate junior staff to avoid incorrect interpretation.
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CITE AS: Abubakar Tijjani T. (2023). Assessment of Communication as a Crucial Tool in Organizational Management. IAA JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES (IAA-JSS) 9(2):10-14. https://doi.org/10.59298/IAAJSS/2023/1.2.11000