Communication - Impacts of Attitude on Communication

1. Introduction

There are various factors affecting communication, one of those is attitude which has a huge impact and plays an essential role in improving or destroying the communication. Thus learning about “Impacts of attitude on communication in workplace” help managers conduct and adjust their attitudes to gain the success in communicating at workplace.    

2. Impacts of attitude on communication

2.1. Impacts of negative attitude on communication

Negative attitudes can lead the managers into a failing communication, which influences the effectiveness of their business and management (Chang, 2012).

Leaders communicate with negative attitudes cannot bring out the accurate judgment about the given situation. Without an open and fresh perception, leaders can acquire the information from followers erroneously following the old way of thinking and make a wrong decision. Moreover, negative attitudes cause the repression and contradiction in leader’s mind and mentality. This reduces the faculty of managers in recognizing the problems or increases the probability of wrong awareness in finding out the problems. In circumstances that are more serious, conflicts between leaders and followers can be made, which destroys not only the communication but also the relationships in workplace (Mortensen, 2011).

Negative attitudes of leaders, through the failure of communication, can indirectly affect badly the relationships with followers, lose the recognition from colleagues and thus, the leaders are not promoted or have to face with the risk of losing job. Additionally, not only leaders but also the followers are influenced by negative attitudes such as decreasing their performance, their creativity and their retention since they cannot communicate effectively with their managers (Podsakoff et al., 1990).  

2.2. Impact of positive attitude on communication  

Conversely, leaders with positive attitudes gain success in communication thus, reinforce their relationships with colleagues and advance in their careers (Chang, 2012).

Beside of avoiding bad impacts of negative attitude, positive attitudes help leaders build up an open as well as honest communication with their followers, which creates a comfortable atmosphere for employees to express themselves since they feel that their thoughts are listened and respected. Moreover, bringing positive attitudes into the communication makes a friendly environment for both leaders and followers to work in since positive one have contagious impacts and thus, everyone can be energized and attracted by the leaders. This improves not only labor relations but also the performances and efficiency of all staffs (Mehrabian, 2011).

3. The importance of shifting to the positive attitude

As mentioned above, negative attitudes can “lead to destruction, while positive attitudes lead to construction” (Halford, 2009). Thus, it is crucial to have positive attitudes in a workplace to enhance network and motivate coworkers, therefore achieve greater success in the workplace.  For this reason, success of the organization depends on the managers’ attributions and attitudes towards their colleagues. Although it is not easy to practice and maintain positive attitudes in the communication with others, there are several tips on how to avoid and shift from negative to the positive attitudes in the workplace.

Various researchers suggest different guidelines in shifting from negative to positive attitudes and all of them meet into one main point which is adopting assertive style in the communication. Accordingly, effective communication by conveying positive attitude begins from using assertive style in the communication. People with assertive style of communication are those who usually empathize, encourage others and express their thoughts and feelings clearly without domineer and pushy effects, instead, they discuss issues in a calm and cool way (Bate, 2009).