Handbook of Principles of Organizational Behavior - Soltanieh ...

COMMUNICATE SUCCESSFULLY BY SEEKING BALANCE
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different perceptions about the communicator (see Chapter 21 for a more detailed discussion
of trust). The first dimension, competence, has to do with conveying to others that
they can trust in the abilities and capabilities of the communicator. In the case of a manager,
the competence of the manager affects the perceptions employees and colleagues
have of the manager ’s ability to deliver promises, accomplish goals, and lead effectively.
Low competence on the part of the manager can quickly lead to distrust on the part of
the employees and result in lack of attention on the part of those receiving the manager
’s messages. Similarly, perceptions that an employee lacks competence can have negative
consequences on gaining increased responsibilities, promotion, and raises. Communicating
competence requires that a person understands what is expected for the roles that one
plays, as an employee, a negotiator, or a manager; further, the individual must understand
how these expectations are shaped by the culture of the specific organization. The individual
needs to be able to enact those expectations when they communicate.
The second dimension of trust is integrity, which is the expectation that a communicator
will adhere to high ethical and moral standards A manager may be competent in her job
performance, but if she lacks a moral compass, acting without clear principles for determining
fairness and discipline or without attention to organizational policies designed
to protect and uphold rights of employees, distrust will quickly ensue. Communicating
integrity involves articulating the fair and reasonable principles that guide judgments and
actions.
Dependability (or what is also referred to as conscientiousness, see Chapter 2 ) is the
third dimension of trust: knowing that a person can be counted on to do what he says he
will do. When a job needs to be done, the best person for the job is one who is both competent
to do the job as well as dependable to get the job done (and, of course, will do so
with integrity).
The last dimension of trust is benevolence: communicating that the other person’s best
interest is kept in mind. This dimension involves letting people know that they are important,
that their goals and needs have value, that their ideas are heard and considered,
and that the communicator can be trusted to act on their behalf. However, communicating
this aspect of trust requires careful attention to that fine balance of attending to the
job and attending to the people doing the job. A manager cannot act with too much integrity,
but communicating too much benevolence can undermine the working relationship
that the manager maintains with the employees, especially if benevolence is not balanced
with competence and dependability. And too much benevolence on the part of employees
may be perceived as weakness or may result in a manager taking advantage of employees who
communicate too much goodwill. By all means, communicate benevolence but do so with
attention to the requirements of the organizational roles one must play.
Communicating trust, in all its dimensions, involves a balance between taking into
account both who you are as the sender of the message and with whom you are communicating.
One size does not fit all when it comes to communicating trust. Messages
must be tailored with the recipient in mind and adjusted based on the feedback the recipient
communicates in return. Credentials, which communicate competence, only go so far.
The most competent employee who is not dependable may soon be left out of decision
making. And a manager who acts only as a sender of messages is likely to find that his or
her communication is not reaching those meant to receive the message or the message has
but a limited effect.