In management all leaders are tasked with making decisions, some tougher than others. Management decisions could include something as simple whether or not to put a coffee maker in the break room to something as difficult as laying off a group of employees. No matter how big or small the issue is managers should use the decision-making process to insure they are making the right decision. The eight step decision-making process described by Robbins, De Cenzo, and Coulter (2015) includes identifying the problem, identifying the decision criteria, allocating weights to the criteria, developing alternatives, analyzing alternatives, selecting an alternative, implementing the alternative, and evaluating the decision effectiveness …show more content…
Without communication visions, missions, and values cannot be realized by those a manger intends to lead. Communication, as defined by Robbins, De Cenzo, and Coulter (2015), is simply “a transfer of understanding and meaning from one person to another” (p. 365). Proper communication involves formulating thoughts, communicating those thoughts through the right channels, and making sure the receiver understands what a manager is communicating. Common barriers that can cause a breakdown in communication consist of filtering, emotion, gender and even language. In order to insure a manager’s message is being heard, one should consistently ask for feedback. As feedback is received managers should, just as the receiver should, actively listen. Active listening is the process of listening to what somebody is saying without interruption and without creating your own idea of that person’s message before the message is fully communicated. Even after the person is done communicating their thoughts an active listener should repeat back to what they heard to insure they are receiving the correct message. If the active listen is still unsure of the message, they should then ask for clarification. Active listening can be tough, but when done right it can help both parties involved come away with a clear understanding that the message was sent and received. Understanding that there are multiple ways to communicate, some of which are none verbal, active listening can be even more difficult. For example, active listening via email communication has its own set of challenges. Although more difficult, one should still try to receive the entire message before jumping to conclusion. After the message has been sent and received, communicate back that the message has been received. If at any point there message is still unclear, ask for clarification and provide feedback when necessary. Throughout this