NMIMS Global Access

School for Continuing Education (NGA-SCE)

Course: Business Communication and Etiquette

1. Share the organizational grapevine that you have experienced in your career
or industry. In your opinion please highlight how grapevine communication is
beneficial & detrimental to any organization. (10 Marks)
Solution: Grapewine communication in Small IT firm for promotional
opportunities
In today’s dynamic world of constant career changes and promotion opportunities,
grapevine is an effective communication channel that can be used to a great
advantage by people indulging in it. Grapevine is an unofficial communication within
the organisation, where the information is passed through word of mouth at informal
gatherings, for example, during lunchtime, at tea breaks, or even at water-coolers. It
is basically an office gossip, which one comes to know through friends and
acquaintances in a confidential way. Generally gossip is considered to be damaging
and is also unwelcome, but office gossip is something that can be used for personal
benefits and gains.

Grapevine can be tactfully used by the employee for his professional growth.   It can
be used as an effective agent for job search. Many a times, people get to know
about openings in different companies through such unofficial lunchtime discussions.
It is also helpful for those who are looking for a change as well as promotion within
an organisation. People interacting from different departments can pass on useful
information about possible openings in a department within an organisation, which
otherwise is difficult to get.

Those looking for promotion can assess their capabilities based on these
discussions that generally take place on personal and sometimes official matters,
and preparedness of others competing for the same position. This platform can also
be used by bosses, who are trying to make some judgment about their subordinates,
and can get to know through trusted sources the information they would find difficult
to get otherwise, but which may help in the employee’s assessment.
Office grapevine can be used to promote a personal agenda by employees. To climb
the ladder of success, individuals must make everyone around them aware of their
abilities. People around him should know what he is capable of apart from his
assigned job. It can be used effectively if one is trying to make a move in terms of
nature of job by passing on information about his strengths, potentials and
achievements, which is likely to be captured through some complicated route by
those who are responsible for making appropriate decisions in such cases.

Sometimes through office grapevine some useful inside information may be passed
on that can be used to one’s advantage. However, it should be kept in mind that
people should not over-react to information they get unofficially from such sources.
They should appropriately react only after ascertaining the truth behind such
information. For example, if one hears that he may be laid off because of the closure
of a department or some policy change in the organisation, spontaneous action to
this should be avoided. It is definitely a useful information for the employee and can
help him adjust to the shock that would otherwise come if the same information were
announced to him one fine morning by the management. 

But, instead of getting panicky and getting ready to look for a change straightaway,
this information can be shared with one’s bosses and if some element of truth is
found, one can negotiate his position through alternative means, either by a transfer
of department or some other possible solutions.

Grapevine discussions sometimes revolve around the behaviour of a new person

joining the organisation. It is always a good option to know in detail about any new
person in the organisation, especially with whom or under whom one is likely to
work. This can help in dealing appropriately with the person. If one is acquainted with
the likes and dislikes, principles, style of working of the new person with whom he is
going to work, then a good working relation can develop among them. It may also be
a helpful tool for a manager or a leader who is going to head a new group.
Information regarding the team members, as to whether they are happy with the
change of guard or not, what type of relationship they shared with the previous boss
etc, can be of great help, as he can plan an appropriate staff management strategy
and decide how to get the best out of them, based on such information.
To take advantage of office grapevine, it is necessary that one becomes a part of it,
and for that to happen, one should develop good contacts in the office. It should be
kept in mind that it is not easy to get into a group, outside one’s own department.
One requires constant work and it is not a single day’s job. Unless one becomes a
part of the diverse groups indulging in such office gossip, one cannot make the best
use of office grapevine. Only after this level of contact is developed, one can come to
know about the confidential news of the office. Once we get a piece of confidential
information, we can circulate it and get some more confidential information in return.

It is very important to realize the importance of networking in today’s world, which is

always connected through Internet and connected to every one possible out there on
the web. A person interacting with another person during lunchtime or over tea
breaks can possibly have access to all the relevant information the other person has
gathered through his contacts. Indirectly, one’s network gets extended immediately,
even without realizing that he has added a few more contacts in his list of network.

2. To facilitate inter-departmental cooperation, what measures would you

recommend to your colleagues and subordinates to take? What kind of
barriers in communication do you face and what is your strategy to overcome
them? (10 Marks)
Solution: We will take following measures to facilitate inter-departmental
cooperation
1) Encourage communication between the various departments of our business.
One of the problems that many companies have is that departments keep to
themselves and do not communicate freely. Foster an environment of free
communication between the employees and managers of various
departments. When we share information, do it with all of the departments
instead of playing favorites. If we treat each department as if it is important, it
can help improve the communication between them.

2) Have group functions that include all of the departments of our business.
When possible, have company mixers, holiday parties and other events that
 allow our employees to get together. If employees never have a chance to
visit with one another outside of work, it can harm their potential relationships.

3) Set up mandatory lunch meetings occasionally. While we cannot reasonably

expect our employees to eat lunch together every day, having a lunch
meeting once every two weeks or once a week can help our employees bond.
Require employees from all departments to eat lunch together and visit with
one another.

4) Listen to input from all of the various departments of a business. If we

encourage input from all of the departments of the business, it will help
promote fairness. This way, each department will feel as if it has a say in how
the business operates.

Barriers of communication and strategy to overcome

There are many reasons why interpersonal communications may fail. In many
communications, the message (what is said) may not be received exactly the way
the sender intended. It is, therefore, important that the communicator seeks
feedback to check that their message is clearly understood.

The skills of Active Listening, Clarification and Reflection may help but the skilled
communicator also needs to be aware of the barriers to effective communication and
how to avoid or overcome them.

There are many barriers to communication and these may occur at any stage in the
communication process. Barriers may lead to our message becoming distorted and
we therefore risk wasting both time and/or money by causing confusion and
misunderstanding. 

Effective communication involves overcoming these barriers and conveying a clear

and concise message. 

Overcoming barriers of communication

1) Eliminating differences in perception: The organization should ensure that
it is recruiting right individuals on the job. It’s the responsibility of the
interviewer to ensure that the interviewee has command over the written and
spoken language. There should be proper Induction program so that the
policies of the company are clear to all the employees. There should be
proper trainings conducted for required employees (for eg: Voice and Accent
training).

2) Use of Simple Language: Use of simple and clear words should be

emphasized. Use of ambiguous words and jargons should be avoided.

3) Reduction and elimination of noise levels: Noise is the main

communication barrier which must be overcome on priority basis. It is
essential to identify the source of noise and then eliminate that source.

4) Active Listening: Listen attentively and carefully. There is a difference

between “listening” and “hearing”. Active listening means hearing with proper
understanding of the message that is heard. By asking questions the speaker
can ensure whether his/her message is understood or not by the receiver in
the same terms as intended by the speaker.

5) Emotional State: During communication one should make effective use of

body language. He/she should not show their emotions while communication
as the receiver might misinterpret the message being delivered. For example,
if the conveyer of the message is in a bad mood then the receiver might think
that the information being delivered is not good.

6) Simple Organizational Structure: The organizational structure should not be

complex. The number of hierarchical levels should be optimum. There should
be a ideal span of control within the organization. Simpler the organizational
structure, more effective will be the communication.

7) Avoid Information Overload: The managers should know how to prioritize

their work. They should not overload themselves with the work. They should
 spend quality time with their subordinates and should listen to their problems
and feedbacks actively.

8) Give Constructive Feedback: Avoid giving negative feedback. The contents

of the feedback might be negative, but it should be delivered constructively.
Constructive feedback will lead to effective communication between the
superior and subordinate.

9) Proper Media Selection: The managers should properly select the medium
of communication. Simple messages should be conveyed orally, like: face to
face interaction or meetings. Use of written means of communication should
be encouraged for delivering complex messages. For significant messages
reminders can be given by using written means of communication such as :
Memos, Notices etc.

10)Flexibility in meeting the targets: For effective communication in an

organization the managers should ensure that the individuals are meeting
their targets timely without skipping the formal channels of communication.
There should not be much pressure on employees to meet their targets.

3. You are the leader in a healthcare industry. You often work closely with your
Corporate Communications and PR team so they can ensure a positive brand
image for your chain of hospitals.

a. To stay updated and connected with the latest trends in the industry, state
and justify your opinion on the importance of boundary spanning? (5 Marks)
Solution: importance of boundary spanning
Boundary Spanning is an effort within an organization that involves activity aimed at
bridging one or more recognized organizational boundaries to facilitate the flow of
information across such boundaries.”
There are many examples over the years where boundary spanning has occurred so
that both companies have benefitted. The term boundary spanning was coined after
world – war 2, and it was found that most of the companies benefitted when they
exchanged Intel. The growth was faster and more efficient when boundary spanning
was applied.

There are 3 ways that boundary spanning can be used by an organization.

1) Within the department – As an individual, we can contact a different
individual from the same department to solve a problem. Example would be a
sales guy contacting a senior sales guy to solve an issue. The boundary here
is just the difference in their levels within an organization and such boundaries
should anyways not exist.

2) Within business units – There can be information and resources exchanged

within strategic business units. A most common example is that advertising
and marketing costs are generally bourne by different business units of an
organization. These units then co ordinate within themselves to use the
budget appropriately. R&D might co ordinate with sales, product management
might co ordinate with service, so on and so forth.

3) With other businesses – Many a times i have seen that boundary spanning
is done when two different businesses want something in common. For
example, if 2 businesses have the same customer and the customer wants
something unique, then the businesses can collaborate within themselves to
 give a better solution. Same ways, cooperative advertising is a term wherein 3
different business entities are marketing.

One point which is most useful for organizations is that boundary spanning is
literally a requirement when we are looking for holistic marketing. Holistic
marketing means that the marketing manager is trying to present a united front to
the customer. He is trying that each and every customer touch point is excellent
in its response and it is building the brand for the company.

A holistic approach for an organization can only be achieved through boundary

spanning. In an organization, if we want to measure performance and growth,
then boundaries will have to be made. But we have to span them from time to
time to become a better organization.

b. A recent incident of insensitive patient interaction at your hospital has

tarnished your image in the media. What will you do to control the damage and
handle the crisis? (5 Marks)
Solution: Every organization is vulnerable to crises. If we don’t prepare, we will
incur more damage. Experience demonstrates that organizational leadership often
does not understand that in the absence of adequate internal and external
communications:
 Operational response will break down.
 Stakeholders will not know what is happening and quickly become confused,
angry, and negatively reactive.
 The organization will be perceived as inept, at best, and criminally negligent,
at worst.
 The length of time required to bring full resolution to the issue will be
extended, often dramatically.
 The impact to the financial and reputational bottom line will be more severe.
The basic steps of effective crisis communications are not difficult, but they
require advance work in order to minimize damage. Hence we will take
following steps to handle the above mentioned crisis.
1) Anticipate Crises: If we’re being proactive and preparing for crises, gather
our Crisis Communications Team for intensive brainstorming sessions on all
the potential crises that could occur at our organization. There are at least two
immediate benefits to this exercise:
 We may realize that some of the situations are preventable by simply
modifying existing methods of operation.
 We can begin to think about possible responses, about best-case/worst-case
scenarios, etc. Better now than when under the pressure of an actual crisis.

2) Identify and Train Spokespersons: Categorically, any organization should

ensure, via appropriate policies and training, that only authorized
spokespersons speak for it. This is particularly important during a crisis. Each
crisis communications team should have people who have been pre-
screened, and trained, to be the lead and/or backup spokespersons for
different channels of communications.

3) Establish Notification and Monitoring Systems: Today, we need to have –

immediately at hand – the means to reach our internal and external
stakeholders using multiple modalities. Many of us have several phone
numbers, more than one email address, and can receive SMS (text)
messages or faxes. Instant Messenger programs, either public or proprietary,
are also very popular for business and personal use. We can even send audio
and video messages via email. And then, of course, there is social media.
This may be the best/fastest way to reach some of our stakeholders, but
setting up social media accounts for this purpose and developing a number of
followers/friends/contacts on the various social media platforms (e.g.,
Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+) is not something we can do after a crisis
breaks, because nowhere does news of a crisis spread faster and more out of
our control than on social media. Likewise, monitoring feedback from all
stakeholders during a crisis situation allows us to accurately adapt our
 strategy and tactics. Both require monitoring systems be established in
advance. For traditional and social media, Google Alerts are the no-cost
favorite, but there are also free social media tracking apps such as Hootsuite.
There a variety of paid monitoring services that provide not only monitoring,
but also the ability to report results in a number of formats. Monitoring other
stakeholders means training personnel who have front-line contact with
stakeholders (e.g., Customer Service) to report what they’re hearing or seeing
to decision-makers on our Crisis Communications Team.

4) Develop Holding Statements: While full message development must await

the outbreak of an actual crisis, “holding statements,” messages designed for
use immediately after a crisis breaks, can be developed in advance to be
used for a wide variety of scenarios to which the organization is perceived to
be vulnerable, based on the assessment we conducted in Step 1 of this
process.

5) Finalize and Adapt Key Messages: With holding statements available as a

starting point, the Crisis Communications Team must continue developing the
crisis-specific messages required for any given situation. The team already
knows, categorically, what type of information its stakeholders are looking for.

6) Post-Crisis Analysis: After the copies are no longer interacting with the air-
circulating device, the question must be asked, “What did we learn from this?”
A formal analysis of what was done right, what was done wrong, what could
be done better next time and how to improve various elements of crisis
preparedness is another must-do activity for any Crisis Communications
Team. I have developed a formal process for accomplishing this, but even a
solid in-house brainstorming session can do the job.