1

Organizational Behavior - Discussion Week 11

Summary Chapter 11 and 12

Communications and Leadership

Gautam Gurnani

University of the Cumberlands
 2
Organizational Behavior - Discussion Week 11

Summary

Many people forget that listening is a key part of communication. The communication processs

highlights the importance of listening to ensure that each party understands (this does not mean

you have to agree with) the other parties input. Failing to actively listen means that you are really

only understanding your input and the reasons for your input i.e. your perceptions of the

situation. This can be linked to your frame of reference.

Ask yourself, are you really listening to understand the other person's point of view, their

concerns, their objections or resistance and their feelings? Or is your main focus on telling the

other person what you want to tell them and hoping/expecting that they will agree with you or

come on board?

Active listening is a real skill. It is a skill that must be developed if you want to develop effective

communication skills. Active listening means being silent and listening to understand rather than

assuming, jumping to conclusions, finding fault or just waiting for your opportunity to speak.

(Robbin, 2013, p.201).

To develop effective communication skills you also need to consider the huge role that non

verbal communication plays. We are always communicating something to others, even when

silent. It is important to be aware of what your body langauage and facial expressions are

conveying to others and to yourself.

 3
Organizational Behavior - Discussion Week 11

Your non verbal communication will convey to others interest/disinterest;

agreement/disagreement; approval/disapproval; confidence/no confidence; concern, belief in

you/product/information etc. Therefore, your listeners or receivers of information are creating

their meaning from a combination of what you say, how you say it, the tone of voice and your

body language.

When you are listening to others your body language is also communicating as above. Poor body

language here can break the communication down. Paraphrasing and summarizing are great

communication skills to develop. They help gain a clear picture of where both parties are in the

communication and what has been agreed.

A good leader is strategic with their thinking, they understand what result business is trying to

achieve and how the business to achieve these results. They will ensure all of their decisions and

actions are consistent with the vision.

They don't react to the day-to-day noise in their business, instead, they seek systematic and

strategic solutions that not only resolve today's problems but also prevent future problems from

occurring.

Further, a good leader will continually scan for things that are out of their control including

changes in their operating environments. When they see a change in their environment that might

stop them from achieving their results, they will quickly develop contingency plans to ensure

that the things they cannot control do not stop them from meeting or exceeding their targets.
 4
Organizational Behavior - Discussion Week 11

Knowing how to accept feedback is another leadership skill that will teach you a lot about your

leadership style. Resist the temptation to resist the feedback. Don't explain, defend or deny.

Listen silently to try to understand clearly what the other person is saying. You don't have to

agree with the feedback you get, but be receptive to getting the feedback.

Effective leaders have many common qualities. Making the effort to practice and learn the skills

it takes to be an effective leader will enable you to use the style of leadership necessary in any

situation you come across.

Reference:

Robbins, S. & Judge T. (15 edition 2013). Essentials of Organizational Behavior.  Boston,

MA:  Pearson