A Study of Communication Dilemmas and Adjustment Model for Managers

• Main Authors: Liao,Wen-Lan, 廖文蘭
• Other Authors: Chia-Yu Chang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2008
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/824753

博士 === 國立臺北科技大學 === 技術及職業教育研究所 === 96 === The purpose of this article attempted to explore managers’ dilemmas about communication and describe the adjustment model of communication. It tries to understand the managers’ dilemmas of organizational and interpersonal communica- tion and find the adjustment process of communication and adjustment results for managers when facing the communication situation which are caused by transitions of role, workplace, or external environment. A grounded theory study method and design was adopted and the subjects were 26 managers working in the enterprise. The study used in-depth interview to collect data, and constructed the adjustment model of communication under changing situations. Conclusions are summarized as follows: First, when managers faced changing communication situation caused by transitions of role, workplace or external environ- ment, they would use the former communication behavior. Because communication situation changed, it caused dilemmas about organizational and personal communica- tion and brought negative feelings to managers. Using the past method of communication and process in the new communication situation is not useful, so managers think about how to face the new communication situation. In order to reduce the negative feelings and achieve the purpose of commu- nication and working, managers start the adjustment process of their communication behavior. Then managers will take positive attitude with self-encouragement and positive thinking, and they will also seek supports and adjust their thinking and attitude. They will quit only facing to the most difficult situation. The strategies managers use to adjust their communication behavior are acquisition of communication knowledge, improvement of communication skill and increase of communication ability. By comparing the differences before and after communication adjustment, we find that managers used only one way for communication in early stage of communi- cation adjustment and couldn’t use different methods in different situations. However, when communication method was adjusted, managers’ communication methods tend to be multiple, flexible, and soft, and they understand the importance of interpersonal-relationship. Managers will use their own way fitting themselves to adjust their communica- tion model, but there are still many difficulties and hindrances. Besides, when communication training course and managers’ personality are mismatched, managers will wonder the necessity to change. This will reduce the effect of communication adjustment. When managers adjust their communication model, they will need helps from their fellows, guidance and positive feedbacks from his boss, and full authorization. Arranging communication training course, supporting budget, setting standard rules, assistance from other departments and information supplied from HRD are really useful. Generally, managers’ adjustment process of their communication behavior takes about three to six months. Managers’ adjustment process of communication is repeated between adjustment and self-examination. They adjust their behavior and modify the adjustment method according to the result of adjustment. Thus the process of communication adjustment is a continuous cyclic process of feedback and modification. When communication was adjusted by managers, different benefits were occurred in the organization. The results of adjustment for managers are explained in the dimensions of cognition and experiment accumulated. In managers’ dilemmas about communication and adjustment model, there are communication dilemmas for first-time managers or senior managers who faced workplace or external environment changes and brought negative feelings. Then managers will think about the method of communication adjustment in order to increase their knowledge¸ skills and ability of communication. They will use all the related resources in order to adjust their communication behavior. Communication adjustment model is a continuous cyclic modification process and won’t succeed in one step. Even when communicating in the same way with the same person in the same event, the results will be different in various time, so managers will adjust their communication behavior according to the result of communication and accumulate their experience continuously. Then managers could use the right way to communicate in any situation and build their unique communication adjustment model.