CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• INTRODUCTION

Communication is the glue that holds organisations together.  Communication assists organizational members to accomplish both individual and organizational goals, implement and respond to organizational changes, coordinate organizational activities, and engage in virtually all organizationally relevant behaviours.  Yet, as important as this process is, breakdowns in communication are pervasive.  The anonymous with who said  “I know you believe you understand what you think I said but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant” was being more than humorous; she or he was  describing what every one of us has experienced: a failure to communicate.

To the extent that organizational communications are less effective than they might be, organizations will therefore be less effective than they should be.  For example in many companies, new employee orientation programs represent the first important opportunity to begin the process of effective communication with an employee.  At Marriot International, the worldwide hotel and resort chain, 40 percent of new employees who leave the organization do so during the first three months on the job.  At least that had been true historically.  Recently, the rate of departures has been significantly reduced because Marriot has embarked on a concerted effort to improve the content and manner in which it communicates with new employees during orientation.  In addition to formally providing more information, each new employee is assigned a “buddy” who serves as a vital communication link to which the newcomer has unrestricted access. Marriot helps ensure that its frontline service personnel communicates effectively with their guests by ensuring that Marriot Communicates effectively with its employees starting from their very first day on the job.

It would be extremely difficult to find as aspect of a manager’s job that does not involve communication serious problems arise when directives are misunderstood, when casual kidding in a work group leads to anger, or when informal remarks by a top-level manager are distorted.  Each of these situations is a result of a break down somewhere in the process of communication.

Accordingly, the pertinent question is not whether managers engage in communication inherent to functioning of an organization.  Rather, the pertinent question is whether managers will communicate well or poorly.  In other words, communication itself is unavoidable.  Every manager must be a communicator.  In fact, everything manager communicates something in some way to somebody or some group  the only question is “with what effect?” This point will become apparent as you proceed through the chapter.  Tremendous advances in communications and information technology among the people in organizations leaves much to be desired.  Communication among people does not depend on technology but rather on forces in people and their surroundings.  It is a process that occurs within people. Below is a simple input-out diagram showing the process of communication flow and evaluation.

Communication also serves as an instrument of social interaction. It help us to understand people, to understand them and predict their responses to situations.  It is a means by which power is acquired, exercised and sustained; it is the medium through which relationships are established, attained and maintained.  It also provide a means by which people in business world wide communicate, exchange information and developed plans.  Communication helps orient workers to one another to achieve the goals of the organization.

Communication is the lubricant that keeps the machinery of the organization, it is the means through which roles are identified and assigned.  It is the life blood of an organization.  The above consideration of communication emphasizes its importance in human skill.  To organise is to communicate.  Thus no organization can survive without effective communication in achieving its objectives.

Human skills are all the skills that are required in order to understand other people and interact effectively with them. Managers need these human skills most in every aspect of their work especially in directing, since their main job is to get things done through people working with them and for them.  An effective communication is one of the human skills all managers must possess, which is the ability to transfer information effectively.  This should be complemented with the welfare of the staff which induces health care, promotion, accommodation, and staff development.

In an organization, the threat and weaves everything together is communication, it keeps internal operation running smoothly and at same time it fosters good relation with people outside the organization.  Business men have to communicate in different ways to persuade people to patronize their business.

Successful communication is a two way process, a manager has to be attuned to the reaction of people to what has been said and more importantly to listen to what they have to say in return. “in this modern age, virtually life is modelled by both the message and the medium” in a home, there is the need for communication among the members of the Family.  In the class room too, there is also the need for a teacher   to impart knowledge to the students.  In the business world-wide, communication must take place to keep such a business alive and active functioning. The manners at which people work and coordinate their efforts in achieving organizational objective depend greatly on how well they can communicate.  Communication in an organization helps in the coordination of two or more people working together to achieve a common objective.  It helps in solving and innovation of problems as problems are solved say in day out in the organization.  For managers to lead effectively information skills training in the organization for managers to lead effectively, informing and influencing subordinate, peers, and supervision, is necessary.  Also, in appraising and regulating the performance of the human resources, there is a direct relationship between communication skills training in the organization.  Furthermore, in appraising and regulating the performance of the human resources, there is a direct relationship between communication and productivity.  Employees work more effectively when managers show them that they are valuable to the organization through passage of memos, policy manuals written evaluation etc.  Managers have to make communication clear for them especially in matters that affect them directly. Lacham and Mescon (1985) say “Even the best efforts to encourage good will and productivity will fail if a manager in one syllable barks”.

The need for effective communication in an organisation is great concern to both management and employees.  Management awareness of the importance of communication is evidenced by the fact that:  “Nigerian business men and industries spend a huge amount of money annually on improving communication with employees”.  However, “Despite the importance of communication in most organization”  This project therefore, intends to examine how ineffective communication can affect the objectives of an organization.  It will also seek ways of achieving excellent communication in order to achieve the objectives of the organization with special reference to Bank PHB PLC, Kaduna.