Page 422 - Fundamentals of Management Myths Debunked (2017)_Flat

CHAPTER 13 • Managing Communication and Information 421
How Does FilTerinG AFFecT communicATion?
Filtering refers to the way that a sender manipulates
information so that it will be seen more favorably by
the receiver. For example, when a manager tells his
boss what he feels that boss wants to hear, he is filtering
information. Does filtering happen much in organiza-
tions? Sure it does. As information is passed up to senior
executives, it has to be condensed and synthesized by
subordinates so upper management doesn’t become
overloaded with information. Those doing the condens-
ing filter communications through their own personal
interests and perceptions of what’s important.
The extent of filtering tends to be the function
of the organization’s culture and number of vertical
levels in the organization. More vertical levels in an
organization mean more opportunities for filtering. As
organizations become less dependent on strict hierar- Tomas van Houtryve/VII/Corbis
chical arrangements and instead use more collabora- Employees gesture during a conversation in
tive, cooperative work arrangements, information filtering may become less of a problem. the break room at the offices of Facebook in
Paris, France. Body language, which includes
In addition, the ever-increasing use of e-mail to communicate in organizations reduces gestures such as hand motions, and facial
filtering because communication is more direct as intermediaries are bypassed. Finally, expressions are areas of nonverbal
the organizational culture encourages or discourages filtering by the type of behavior it communication that can express fear,
shyness, arrogance, joy, anger, and other
rewards. The more that organizational rewards emphasize style and appearance, the more emotions and temperaments.
managers will be motivated to filter communications in their favor.

How Does selecTive PercePTion AFFecT communicATion? The second bar-
rier is selective perception. We’ve mentioned selective perception before in this book. We
discuss it again here because the receivers in the communication process selectively see
and hear based on their needs, motivations, experience, background, and other personal
characteristics. Receivers also project their interests and expectations into communications
as they decode them. The employment interviewer who expects a female job applicant

Exhibit 13–2 Barriers to Effective Communication

BarrIer DescrIptIon
Filtering The deliberate manipulation of information to make it
appear more favorable to the receiver.
Selective Perception Receiving communications on the basis of what one
selectively sees and hears depending on his or her
needs, motivation, experience, background, and other
personal characteristics.
Information Overload When the amount of information one has to work with
exceeds one’s processing capacity.
Emotions How the receiver feels when a message is received.
Language Words have different meanings to different people.
Receivers will use their definition of words being
communicated.
Gender How males and females react to communication may filtering
be different, and they each have a different communi- Deliberately manipulating information to make it
cation style. appear more favorable to the receiver
National Culture Communication differences arising from the different selective perception
languages that individuals use to communicate and the Selectively perceiving or hearing a communication
national culture of which they are a part. based on your own needs, motivations, experiences,
or other personal characteristics