Team Discussion Questions

Distortions in Vertical Communication in Organizations

 

  • Break up into your 4 teams – work on answers to team discussion questions:
     

Team 1 – present a brief summary of

  i.      weaknesses of Classical/ Mechanistic Management systems for the organization and,

  ii.  give concrete, specific examples members of your group have experienced of communication breakdowns in vertical communication caused by condensation and accenting

 Team 2 – present a brief summary of

 i.      weaknesses of Classical/ Mechanistic Management systems for the individuals and

 ii.   concrete, specific examples members of your group have experienced of communication breakdowns in vertical communication caused by assimilation and whitewashing

 Team 3 – present a brief summary of

 i.      ways to overcome problems of upward and downward communication and

 ii.  concrete, specific examples members of your group have experienced of communication breakdowns in vertical communication caused by trained communication incapacities and number of links in the chain

 Team 4 – present a brief summary of

 i.      ways to overcome problems of interpersonal barriers to vertical communication and

 ii.   concrete, specific examples members of your group have experienced with problems caused by interpersonal barriers, esp. related to power differentials and mistrust,  inaccurate perceptions of others information needs and norms that discourage clarification efforts

 

  • Teams report