Daily Test Assignment on Organizational Communication

DAILY TEST ASSIGNMENT ON ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION Questions: 1. Identify what the organizational communication problems are in the school in the case above! Explain and give reasons why you categorize it as an organizational communication problem! 2. What kind of communication should the principal do to dynamize the performance of teachers and education personnel at the school? Why? 3. Here, you are demanded to describe and explain the organizational communication tactics and games that are can played in an organization. (5) what are the possible organization to gain an advantage or to protect yourself? (6) what are the major organizational communication games that you seen in an organization? (7) what games or tactics may you engage in to make a difference in an organization? (8) in the context of organizational education, think the exten to which organizational communication has been good or bad and explain why (9) imagine, how does a boss view the organizational communication in an organization? (10) is he or she a victim of organizational communication or a skillfull player? Answer: 1. Before answering the problems in the case, it is a good idea to re-understand the meaning of organizational communication itself. Communication or in English written as communication, is defined by Hafied Cangara (in Prietsawany, 2021, p. 1) as an effort to create togetherness or build togetherness between two or more people. Another definition is presented by Berelson & Stainer (in Prietsawany, 2021, p. 1) which states that communication is a process of conveying information, ideas, emotions, expertise, and others. Weaver himself defines communication as a procedure in which a person's thoughts can influence others. Based on several expert opinions, we can conclude that communication is a method or procedure carried out between two or more people to influence each other's thoughts either directly or through auxiliary media. The organization itself is a container or place for several people who have the same interests and goals to work together in achieving their goals. Organizational communication means a process of conveying information from one person to many people who work together to achieve the desired results. In the activities of an organization or institution, especially an organization that focuses on education management, it is certainly inseparable from the communication process that occurs. Sutisna (in Prieisawany, 2021, p. 13) stated that "formal communication occurs in selecting information for reporting purposes, bias deviations can easily creep in. Furthermore, people usually want to hear pleasant reports. As a result, there is often a transfer of information that is embellished or distorted". Informal communication itself was expressed by Ukas (in Prietsawany, 2021, p. 13) who explained that informal communication is unofficial communication and occurs when organizations exchange thoughts, suggestions, ideas or information privately. This informal communication is of course carried out freely and more familial, for example in everyday conversations at lunch, so that the flow of communication that occurs is more intimate and functions to build bonds and friendships than when communicating in a formal atmosphere. If a leader pays more attention to informal communication, he will know the interests and concerns of personnel and the attitudes of members towards the organization and the problems they are facing. Therefore, educational management will be successful if there is a good communication process (formal and informal) where ideas or ideas are discussed between leaders and members to find the right solution to the problems being faced. In the case study above, it was stated that a principal complained because he felt hostile and disliked by the teachers at the school. After communicating through direct interviews, the reason why this happened was found. The teachers at the school said that the work system implemented by the principal did not suit them. The principal's work system, which was too democratic and free, turned out to be incompatible with teachers who were not used to it because they usually always had clear directions. In my opinion, based on the explanation above, the problem faced by the principal was the incompatibility of the work climate that he applied to the teachers at the school. Miller (in Dian, 2020, p. 68) explains that work climate is a fundamental value of enthusiasm in how to manage a relationship and organize it. Another opinion related to work climate is given by Wirawan (in Dian, 2020, p. 69) who explains that work climate is the perception of organizational members (individually and in groups) and those who remain in touch with the organization (eg suppliers, consumers, consultants, and contractors) about what exists or what happens in the internal environment of the organization on a regular basis, which ultimately influences the attitudes and behavior of the organization and the performance of organizational members who then find organizational performance. Steve Keineer (in Dian, 2020, p. 69) quoted from the Dimensions of Work Climate (Martinz & Shilpzand, 2015) states that there are six dimensions of work climate that mutually influence the performance of organizational members, including: • Flexibility Conformity (flexibility adjustment) Flexibility conformity means freedom of behavior for members and also adjustment to the work tasks that have been given. This is related to the rules set by the organization, existing policies and procedures. • Responsibility (responsibility) This is related to employee feelings about the state of the organization where management pays attention to the implementation of tasks properly, predetermined goals and also tolerance for mistakes or things that are not appropriate or not good. • Standards (standards) This is related to employee feelings about the state of the organization where management pays attention to the implementation of tasks properly. • Reward This relates to employees' feelings about appreciation and recognition for good work • Clarity This relates to employees' feelings that they know what is expected of them and relates to their work, role, and organizational goals • Commitment Theme This relates to employees' feelings about their pride in belonging to the organization and their willingness to go the extra mile when needed. It can be concluded that the problem being faced by the principal is the mismatch in the work climate given by the principal to the teachers as its members. 2. After discussing the problems currently being faced by the principal, namely the mismatch in the work climate given by the principal to the teachers, to fix everything, the principal as a leader must carry out proper communication. It is understood that communication has a very important role, especially in organizations where many people are interconnected. Communication is a means of interaction needed by an individual as one of the most basic social processes in human life. Organizational communication is said to be a system because in the process of organizational communication it will involve leaders or superiors and members who interact with each other. In an organization, the type of communication that is believed to be most effective in changing individual attitudes and behavior is interpersonal communication (Budi, 2021). Discussing organizational climate, Davis & Newston (in Aselina, 2019, p. 63) defines that the maximum quality of organizational climate will certainly affect motivation, achievement, and job satisfaction. Arni Muhammad (in Aselina, 2019, p. 63) broadly defines that every organizational leader must pay attention to the organizational climate because it greatly influences the behavior of members and the process of achieving the desired organizational goals. In her book, Aselina (2019) wrote that there are 4 (four) management styles that influence organizational climate, including: • Directive management style, a method used by superiors who demand their members to follow what they say or order. • Coaching style, where the leader or principal asks his members to carry out his orders through two-way interaction • Supportive style, where a leader feels confident in the abilities of his members so that he frees members to carry out their ideas and provides full support. This communication occurs in two directions, both formally and informally • Delegation style, where members are given the authority to carry out their tasks according to the goals of the organization. The leader only provides direction and carries out control and evaluation. Of the four management styles above, in my opinion the management style currently applied by the principal at his school is a supportive management style that frees teachers to carry out their ideas freely. However, because the teachers feel that there is a mismatch in work style between the teachers and the principal. So the first thing that the principal must do is change his management style to influence and improve the organizational work climate, which in the end will have an impact on the quality of the results and performance of the teachers. Based on the case study above, the principal may be able to change his supportive management style to a directive management style or a coaching management style. This is because the two management styles are communicated through two channels, the principal as the leader and the teachers as members. So that the teachers will no longer feel ignored or completely free without direction. 3. Communication strategy is the best combination of all communication elements starting from the communicator, message, channel (media), recipient to influence (effect) designed to achieve optimal communication goals (Fadhli, 2021). Effendy (in Fadhli, 2021) explains that communication that occurs within an organization is divided into 3 (three) parts, namely: vertical communication, horizontal communication, and diagonal communication. • Vertical communication is communication that occurs from top to bottom (downward communication). This means that in this communication flow, the communicator is on the side of the leader or superior, while the members are in the position of the recipient of the information. Vertical communication in an organization has a significant contribution to the journey of the organization. Because usually the form of vertical communication itself is an order from a superior or a leader's direction to its members. • Horizontal communication is communication that occurs between members who have the same position, for example communication between middle members and middle position members. This communication usually occurs in informal life and is more relaxed than the vertical communication flow. Horizontal communication itself is usually done to build friendly relations or to get to know each other. • Diagonal communication, which is a combination of communication flows carried out by work members, both staff and leaders in an organization. This diagonal communication is also often called cross communication where the communication flow carried out is not only limited to leaders to members or members to the same members, but can also be members to leaders and or lower members to members with higher positions. a) One of the organizations where I feel I get benefits or can protect myself is a writing organization such as a copywriter. Because for me writing is the same as communicating with many people but through a medium of delivery, namely writing. For me personally, writing can give me time to think and pour out my thoughts so that other people can take the same thing from it. b) The most dominant in organizational communication that I have ever seen in an organization is a principal or department head in my department. Because he plays a role as a leader, therefore he plays the most important role in the communication flow that occurs in the organization. c) The communication tactic or strategy that I use in the organization from the three types of communication strategies above is the diagonal communication strategy. Because diagonal communication does not only include and is limited to a one-way strategy where members only listen to their superiors or leaders, but can also move and innovate with their ideas after communicating to their superiors. d) Based on the case example in number 1, one of the best communication styles or management in my opinion is the directive management communication style and the coach communication style. This is because the directive management communication style is characterized by a leader as an example and as a superior giving direction to his members regarding the work and targets of the goals to be achieved. Similar to the directive management communication style, the coach communication style gives direction and orders to its members with two-way communication. This means that members are not only obliged to obey and follow the leader with his orders, but also have the right to convey their thoughts so that in this way both can exchange ideas to find solutions so that the goals to be achieved can be achieved. While the bad organizational communication style in my opinion is the supportive communication style where members work alone without direction from their leaders. For example, we often find it in everyday life. Many of the principals who serve only provide unclear instructions and let the teachers work on their own. Even many principals who should also be responsible as supervisors or teacher supervisors during the teaching and learning process (KBM) do not do their jobs well, some even do not do it at all. e) When I became a leader, rather than being a dictatorial leader and holding full power, I became more of a leader who could be a colleague and a place to exchange ideas with his members. f) In my opinion, the principal is classified as a skillful player because he quickly realized changes in the work climate and changes in attitudes and decreased performance of the teachers at the school.