Criminal Justice Supervision and Management
... is more complex. It looks like this: Sender-Encoding-Channel-Decoding-Recipient. You still have a “sender” but the message must be constrained so that it is accurate, short and understandable, or “encoded” by the sender. The message is then sent through a “channel” to be “decoded” by the “recipient”. A “channel” refers to one or more of the human senses, including verbal and nonverbal aspects of communication. Decoding is the interpretation of the message by the recipient. You need feedback from the recipient to know that your message was decoded and understood correctly. “Noise”, as we discussed in class, is anything that reduces the accuracy of a communication. Language seems to be the biggest “Noise” causing factor since at times some people have an inability to, “find the right words”, to express what they want. Feedback is a technique used to ensure your message or orders were understood, but it is also used to let subordinates know that have done a good job or to let them know they need improvement. Feedback needs to be specific and valid if it is going to be effective. It can lead to trust between both the supervisor and subordinate. The students in the class discussed the different communications patterns, barriers to communication and how to overcome them, and how to listen effectively. Communication comes in two patterns, one way and two-way communication. One-way communication is basically, “I tell you what to do and you do it.” It has the drawbacks of misunderstandings and resentment, but it is quicker. Two-way communication is better in my opinion since the exchange of information goes both ways. You can immediately know if the person you are talking too understands, has questions, or is confused. There is a risk associated with two-way communication in that some control and authority must be sacrificed for the communication pattern to succeed. Barriers to communication can be numerous and may really hinder the communication process. A subordinate may not want to give you honest feedback if he is worried about making you angry, losing his job, or offending someone. Examples of physical barriers to communication are poorly operating radios, terrible handwriting, or even loud traffic noise. Psychological barriers to communication are things like your emotional state, hostility, education level, and prejudices. Lack of sleep or working long hours can cause physiological barriers to communication and really hinder a person’s ability to understand simple directions. Using big words with vague meanings can also hinder communications. Regardless of the cause, you should always strive to limit or minimize the effects that communication barriers have on your interpersonal communication. Being a good listener will also make you a good communicator. Tips for being a great listener includes paying attention to the speaker, not showing a lot of emotion, not interrupting, and criticizing. Asking meaningful questions and repeating major points will also help your skills and show people you are a caring listener. On the other hand, non-verbal communication can cause real problems in that you may say one thing, but your stance, eyes, and attitude can say something entirely different. Even the ...