Conversational Messages
Organizational Conversation
What better way to learn about organizational conversation than watching The Office? The show is filled to the brim with relatable workplace situations, from your gossipy coworker to your boss’s crazy demands. Truthfully, most of the scenes depicted are too wacky to be real and they show more “don’ts” than “dos”. But it is still a good and entertaining tool in navigating the conversational playground of workplace culture. We handpicked these clips below to demonstrate the classifications of organizational communication.
Formal/ Upward Communication
Episode: Business Ethics
The scene here is a business ethics seminar conducted by HR Representative Holly for the office employees. In the wake of one of the employee’s (Ryan) business scandal, the seminar breaks into chaos when their boss Michael allows everyone to openly declare any ethical dilemmas they have encountered in the workplace. Secrets come out, with some problems being heavier than others.
Despite the discord that erupted, Holly’s seminar is a good example of downward communication. As an HR representative, it is her job to handle any interpersonal conflicts happening in the workplace. Through the seminar the employees of Dunder Mifflin were able to express their feelings about the organization to the management. In turn, the management was able to give their feedback and advice to the employees which is a form of downward communication (more on that later). The important thing here is to note that when the management sets up a nonthreatening system for upward communication, chances are employees will respond positively and will express themselves more truthfully. Holly gave her full, unbiased attention to the workers’ comments which is what all management ought to do when listening to their employees. No matter how simple or difficult the employees’ message are, they are vital to the growth of the organization so it is crucial that the upper ranking members listen to them.
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Episode: Koi Pond
Downward communication isn’t all about bosses giving orders to their employees. It also consists of explaining goals or changes in the system, giving advice to employees, and assessing their performance. In this episode, office boss Michael gives some sensitivity training to his employees. Things do not go as expected (as is always the case in Dunder Mifflin) but this provides us with a good example on downward communication. It’s important for a boss to really get to know his employees. When you watch the series, you will notice that Michael regularly conducts these kinds of meetings in order to set things straight in the office. Bosses have to give their employees sufficient information about their work so the employees will know if they are doing their job properly. In other cases, bosses will share information that will be beneficial to the workplace environment such as sensitivity training. Michael’s relationship with his employees is unconventional; there is a lot of behavior and dynamics that we wouldn’t see in reality (after all, it’s a television series). Notice that the criticism may start out as constructive but it all goes haywire and hurtful words are thrown around instead. When giving criticism, not everyone will react as you expect them to so you have to be cautious about the language and tone you use. Be firm but not harsh.
Episode: Boys and Girls
Lateral Communication
In this scene, the women of Dunder Mifflin meet to talking about working as a woman in the office. This is essentially what lateral communication is: communicating between equals. The women employees are gathered to share their insights, lessons, and problems about the workplace (not before being interrupted by pesky boss Michael). Ideally, lateral communication fosters good relationships among coworkers and builds their morale and satisfaction. Even simple conversations between people working on the same floor or with the person working next to your cubicle are examples of lateral communication.
Episode: The Gossip
Informal Communication: The Grapevine
Did you hear it through the grapevine? Initially, we think that most topics coming from the grapevine are all gossip. While this might be true, more formal topics concerning work-related issues can be discussed because of the grapevine but the way in which we talk about it is what makes it informal. Take this episode for instance. Michael regrets revealing that someone in the office is having an affair, so he spreads a bunch of lies about everyone else to cover his tracks. It’s really bad behavior for a boss (or anyone) to do this, but let’s try to see if we can learn anything from this example. Personal issues can also be dragged into the grapevine, which makes things trickier. But whether job-related or personal, grapevine messages are all deemed to be important to the workers. In Michael’s case, the employees should have taken his messages prompts critically. With the grapevine, we can never be sure of which is true or not. Also notice that Michael’s messages spread instantly to the other employees. So remember that anything you say in the grapevine will probably be found out by other people, whether you like it or not. It’s best to be cautious about anything you say. Real matters or conflicts must always be brought up to the proper authorities to be resolved or discussed. On a more positive side, being in on the grapevine helps you feel more connected to the heart of the organization since this is where employees feel more of themselves.
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One final note...
Organizational conversation can be a tricky area to maneuver. Things are not always in black and white. Expect a lot of grey areas. This conversation between Holly and Michael from the episode discussed earlier, “Business Ethics”, should give an idea on the challenges of workplace communication.
Michael: I am just saying that I don't think that you understand what I am saying.
Holly: No, you are saying that we should sweep it under the carpet, accept the discount on supplies, not fire Meredith and pretend like the whole thing never happened.
Michael: Yes.
Holly: What am I saying?
Michael: Well... bleh busted. I don't...
Holly: I'm saying that her behavior is unethical and a little icky and I don't think I want to work in an environment where that sort of conduct is tolerated.
Michael: Well, you have to tolerate a lot when you are part of a family.
Holly: It's not a family. It's a workplace.
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What do you think? Can a workplace be a family too? Or should personal matters always be separate from the office?