A Transactional Communication Analysis of Middle Managers
Introduction
This paper provides my analysis of an oral presentation using the transactional model of communication. This model is most appropriate to my analysis, as this presentation seeks understanding and agreement of a mid-level management group. The goal of the transaction is to gain buy-in and support of a training program from mid-level managers. My role is to prepare and verbally present information to a small group of managers. My analysis focuses on the systems perspective of the three expanding spheres of the model to reach the goal- integral, strategic and tactical. My analysis is not a detail of all the elements of the spheres. It explains some of my thoughts, in preparing for the transaction, and approaches, which were important to reaching agreement. In my conclusion, I offer why I believe this transaction is, and how one can measure, that success.
The Integral Sphere
The integral sphere, status and input assumptions, changes most slowly. The culture of my organization lies in its past and current strengths. We excel in specialized services and expertise; however, this strength is our weakness. We have few that think in terms of systems and what is best in the organizational perspective. We lose business and continue to do so, because of labor costs. Our response to new business is using a team of people, rather than the one or a small few. Our customers desire people who are generalists, not specialists, who are knowledgeable in several areas. To meet our customer’s needs and our business of tomorrow, we must retrain the existing workforce. The manager’s focus today is not toward the future business of the organization, for they imme...
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...olution or mutual agreement among others. Both models are a part of this transaction and show the need for systems thought. The results of any message, though, are never complete until another interprets it as intended. Feedback is necessary to confirm receipt of the message, in this case understanding and agreement by a group. In this transaction, the feedback is not only agreement from the meeting, but by what continues thereafter. The feedback of success here appears evident by the lingering conversations after the meeting. The manager’s chats are positive and supportive of the program. It is an optimistic view, with no negative criticism or wrongful interpretations thus far. In this case, it appears resolution is a complete success. This is not always the case. Time and the future shall tell- if managers really can agree.
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Being an effective communicator is the key to success for a leader. Communication is defined by the authors in the text Organizations: Behavior, Structure, and Processes as transmitting information and understanding, usi...
Hybels, Saundra, and Richard L. Weaver. Communicating effectively. 4. ed. New York [u.a.: McGraw-Hill, 1995. Print.
Communication is the process of transmitting information or messages from one person to another. It’s a process by which individuals or groups or organizational units undertake transactions in a variety of ways and within different areas with the aim of carrying out organizational goals (Griffin,
During the 1980s and 1990s, in our increasingly global marketplace, downsizing and re-engineering became a common practice in business, eliminating much of the need for middle managers, cutting costs, speeding up decisions, and flattening organizational hierarchies worldwide. Middle managers began to be seen as unnecessary costs, easily replaced by displacing responsibility downward to their subordinates, and uncooperative, even having a negative impact on change.
Modern day organizations have to constantly change to meet the demands of customers. Workers have to change with the organizations to be able to perform new functions and complete new sophisticated tasks.
Over the recent four months in Communication 1402 class, I have addressed three formal speechs and completed a number of chapters in the corresponding textbook “Communication Works”. This course of Communication aims to provide general information what public speaking is and how to address a public speaking. Recalling back the experience during the processes of completing the Speech to Imform, Speech to Persuade, and Group Presentation, I will draw a conclusion about this course and these three presentations in five aspects, comprising my previous perception of public speaking before this course; learning from the Speech to Inform; the goal and evaluation of Speech to Persuade; learning from the Group Presentation; the most important thing learned from this course.
McLean, S (2010). Developing business presentations. In Business Communication for Success (pp. 371-414). Retrieved from
I am pleased to take the course 1Q-MGT510X-A3-07-Managerial communication through which I have gained extensive knowledge regarding the managerial skills and communication with employees especially at my work place; I have chosen this topic for my curriculum practice paper final paper so that I can better explain how the learnings of this course reflected at my work place.
Changes that occur within an organization do not occur on its own. Organizational change entails detailed management and planning. Organizational change does not occur overnight and resistance within the employees is inevitable. Having organized management who is prepared to provide leadership is imperative in providing solutions to the issues of resistance. Although resistance to change is inevitable, an organization must experience change in order to sustain changes, whether economical, technological, or financial. The success of an organization depends on how well the organization manages and responds to the change. It is imperative for an organization to involve the employees in the change since the employees
“Metathesiophobia” a tongue-tying word for the fear of change—a fear which most people, if honest with themselves, will admit to have experienced. Change,even when relatively minor and even when it is wanted can become unsettling and unnerving—and consequently intimidating. And with fear usually comes stress and resistance. For leaders, fearing or resisting change and hesitating at venturing into the unknown can be their own, their followers’ and their organizations’ undoing. It is a truism of today’s business environment that the only thing which remains the same is change—and change is more abundant, rapid and complex than ever before. Mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings or downsizings, increasing globalization and market upheavals are just a few of the dramatic transitions that leaders and their organizations need to deal with at an unprecedented level. Another source of transition is the short life of technology with rapidly increasing rates of obsolescence and replacement requiring individuals and organizations to engage in constant learning processes. In addition to it, the people who make up organizations, work groups, and teams often keep shifting at a breakneck pace. Institutional loyalty is hardly what it was before (the Bureau of National Affairs has recently reported that employee turnover is occurring at the highest rate in nearly twenty years), and it is common for people in organizations to be quickly shuttled in and out of various assignments. Managers’ ability to deal with this type of change—losing well-known team members and working with new and unfamiliar colleagues—has a profound impact on the organizational effectiveness and productivity.
When organizational change proves necessary, all people at all levels of the organization should address change as a “how,” “what,” and “why” problem in order for the change to be sustained over time.
Both employing organizations and individuals must be prepared for the coming changes or fund their success limited. As for businesses, globalization and a rapidly evolving workforce are redefining how we think about competence, creativity, productivity, and the structuring of organizations.
Barger, N. J., & Kirby, L. K. (1995). ‘The challenge of change in organizations: Helping employees thrive in the new frontier.’ Mountain View, CA: Davies-Black Publishing.
Choosing a topic for this paper was very difficult. Many topics seemed very interesting, but after reviewing many topics the choice was clear. I also took into consideration the fact that we would be presenting these topics to the class. So, I choose the communication process. It is very important in management. Having been a manager for three years, I felt I would be able to explain this topic well to the class.
It is apparent that the only thing constant in business is change. Organizational change is often an overwhelming challenge for business leaders, managers and employees alike. The need for change may be the result of market shifts, economic environment, technology advancements or changing work force skill-set demands. Today Organizational change occurs for reasons that originate external to the organization (Chandler, 1996: Hannan & Freeman, 1984), as well as internal to the organization (Baker 1990: Prechel 1994). Thus, External constraints, internal constraints, resource dependency and increasingly growing competitive markets force organizations to change in order to maximize economic potential. Although organizational changes are usually a response in reaction to an event, companies and leaders should still expect to encounter issues. Organizations need to be more proactive and contingent on how to handle the problems that will inevitably come about. This will make the process of organizational change go smoothly as well as reduce resistance through proper management techniques. Resource dependency argues that both environmental and organizational constraints impact organizational change (Pfeffer & Salancik, 2003).