Page 425 - Fundamentals of Management Myths Debunked (2017)_Flat

424 Part 4 • Leading
that the sales manager needs to clarify the initial
communication. Similarly, managers can look for
nonverbal cues to tell whether someone’s getting
the message.

wHy sHoulD simPliFieD lAnGuAGe be
useD? Because language can be a barrier, man-
agers should consider the audience to whom the
message is directed and tailor the language to
them. Remember, effective communication is
achieved when a message is both received and
understood. For example, a hospital administrator
should always try to communicate in clear, easily
understood terms and to use language tailored
to different employee groups. Messages to the
surgical staff should be purposefully different
from those directed to the marketing team or office
Anthony Devlin/PA Wire URN:11384241/AP Images
Ana Botin, executive chairman of Spain’s employees. Jargon can facilitate understanding if
Banco Santander, is respected as an
empathetic listener and a good it’s used within a group that knows what it means, but can cause problems when used
communicator and consensus builder. Shown outside that group.
here communicating with employees at a
bank in London, Botin asks questions and
listens to feedback from employees, Do you really listen OR do you just hear?
customers, and shareholders that helps
her plan the company’s strategy.
wHy musT we lisTen AcTively? When someone talks, we hear. But too often we
don’t listen. Listening is an active search for meaning, whereas hearing is passive. In listen-
ing, the receiver is also putting effort into the communication.
Many of us are poor listeners. Why? Because it’s difficult, and most of us would rather
do the talking. Listening, in fact, is often more tiring than talking. Unlike hearing, active
listening, which is listening for full meaning without making premature judgments or
interpretations, demands total concentration. The average person normally speaks at a rate
of about 125 to 200 words per minute. However, the average listener can comprehend up to
23
400 words per minute. The difference leaves lots of idle brain time and opportunities for the
mind to wander.
Active listening is enhanced by developing empathy with the sender—that is, by put-
ting yourself in the sender’s position. Because senders differ in attitudes, interests, needs,
and expectations, empathy makes it easier to understand the actual content of a message.
An empathetic listener reserves judgment on the message’s content and carefully listens to
what is being said. The goal is to improve one’s ability to get the full meaning of a com-
munication without distorting it by premature judgments or interpretations. Other specific
behaviors that active listeners use include making eye contact, exhibiting affirmative nods
and appropriate facial expressions, avoiding distracting actions or gestures that suggest
boredom, asking questions, paraphrasing using your own words, avoiding interrupting
the speaker, not talking too much, and making smooth transitions between being a speaker
and a listener.

wHy musT we consTrAin emoTions? It would be naïve to assume that managers
always communicate in a rational manner. We know that emotions can cloud and distort
communication. A manager who’s upset over an issue is more likely to misconstrue incom-
ing messages and fail to communicate his or her outgoing messages clearly and accurately.
What to do? The simplest answer is to calm down and get emotions under control before
communicating.

wHy THe emPHAsis on nonverbAl cues? If actions speak louder than words, then
active listening it’s important to make sure your actions align with and reinforce the words that go along
Listening for full meaning without making with them. An effective communicator watches his or her nonverbal cues to ensure that
premature judgments or interpretations
they convey the desired message.