Chapter 10 Analysis and Reaction
Chapter 10 Analysis
Chapter 10 deals with communication between leaders and followers. Proper communication skills are an essential factor in leadership success. The chapter covers the communication process, sending messages effectively, receiving messages effectively, communication gaps, confrontation, and constructive criticism. The communication process is described as an interaction between a sender and a receiver. The main types of communication are verbal communication and non-verbal communication. Non-verbal communication accounts for more than 50 percent of communicating, but both types of communication have to send a single message to avoid misinterpretation.
If communication breakdown occurs, both sender and receiver can be held accountable. Solving communication issues within a group is impossible without teamwork, honesty, and acceptable attitudes. However, some aspects of conversation do not have to be considered as breakdowns. For example, confrontations and criticism are natural occurrences that can create positive outcomes. In confrontations, it is possible to identify untapped power, unequal distribution of resources, and individual needs that have been suppressed. When delivering criticism, it is important to be future-oriented. When leaders deliver suggestions that are future-oriented, they convey other methods of performing actions rather than making the person feel guilty or promoting embarrassment, ridicule, and other negative situations.
Chapter 10 Reaction
One sentence at the beginning of chapter 10 reveals a significant communication gap. People in daily life communicate under the assumption that others are mind-readers. If the same approach is used in sports, the coaches will display poor leadership. Regardless of the purpose, leaders should know that meanings are lost if they are not decoded properly. If receivers interpret the meaning wrong, it is possible that the leaders do not convey their messages clearly, so it is their responsibility. For example, one message can objectively contain a double message, and it can be confusing to the listener. Another example is sending a non-verbal message in behavior, such as being unpunctual, and setting different requirements for the followers. Messages in all types of communication should always be clear.
Overall, the chapter presents the basics facts of communication and problem-solving in communication. In theory, the chapter covers adequate amounts of material required to understand communication and improve potential issues. However, application is more difficult than theory because most outcomes depend on the leader’s traits. For example, a leader should have patience and self-discipline to respond calmly to verbal conflicts. Successful communication depends on both sides, but leaders cannot control the followers’ traits directly. It is a leader’s responsibility to improve their positive qualities and use them communicate properly, resolve issues, and direct the followers’ energy. As long as leaders have enough self-criticism and self-awareness, that theory can be applied in practice.
