Assignment #1 Chapter 8 Case: Whole Food
BUS 322
Bachelor of Business Administrations
Strayer University

Discuss how the basic interpersonal communication model that is presented in Figure 8.1 can be applied to the interpersonal nature of an online forum.
The interpersonal communication model in figure 8.1 illustrates the key elements of interpersonal communication: the communicator, the receiver, the perceptual screens, and the message. Last month I received an overseas phone call from an ole buddy of mines. He and his family are stationed in Germany. Our phone connection was very bad. I bet we got disconnected at least a dozen times. I think everybody’s had that happen to them during a phone call. It’s the reason Verizon did their “Can you hear me now” campaign. When my phone drop that call, I knew it right then and there. I was annoyed, frustrated, and angry. Have you ever thought about why you don’t react the you do when you get disconnected? Being disconnected wasted my time. It interrupts the flow of what I was trying to accomplish, and it undermines my productivity. The bottom line is that connecting is everything when it comes to communication. In an online forum the communicator, the person originating the message still delivers the correspondences, which could be simple text, instant message or an email. I am convinced more than ever that good communication and leadership are all about connecting. According to John C. Maxwell, (Everyone Communicates Few Connects, 2010), If you can connect with others at every level one-on-one, in groups, with an audience-your relationships are stronger, your sense of community improves, your ability to create teamwork increases, your influences increases, and your productivity skyrockets. The biggest mistake you can make is not targeting your audience in mind that you would like to communicate with. It’s much like preparing a business plan. “The receiver is the person receiving the message. In order for any model to work, everyone has a role to play. When you know who the target audience is you can leave out (because they either already know it or don’t care about it,” (Michael Miller, 2002). Connecting with people begins with knowing people or what they want. The more you know about the specific people you are trying to connect with, the better off you will be. According to John C. Maxwell, 2010, Everyone Communicates Few Connects. Knowing your receiver is a must, get prepared. If you don’t have clarity concerning your listeners, your message will by muddy. That brings us into the perceptual screens, the windows through which we interact with people in the world. Connecting requires clarity. According to Nelson/Quick 2010 custom edition, Organization Behavior, the communicator and the perceptual screens influences the quality, accuracy, and clarity of the message. I believe that means having clarity of thought, which most often come from being prepared. While preparing on the internet you must know yourself. I believe that you must make yourself more valuable.
How does defensive communication enter into this case? It goes back as far when the two John Mackey and Perry Odak, CEO of Wild Oats, were attending a retailing conference in Manhattan 2001. Mackey shouted, “I am going to destroy you.” Defensive communication includes aggressive and angry communication as well as passive, withdrawing communication. The intensity of emotions played a large role in the escalation of this conflict. Mr. Mackey, in my opinion was a conflict escalator. The higher he went on that escalator, the more intense and serious the conflict and emotions became. According to the Case study, Mr. Mackey often equates a high level of assertiveness with aggressiveness. Although that’s the case with some people who are more assertive than average. “A person’s behavior tends to be more assertive or less assertive than that of a half of the population.” (Robert Bolton & Dorothy Grover Bolton, 2009). People with characteristics behaviors of more-assertive people are those who are; gestures more vigorously, have more intense eye contact, move more rapidly, speaks more rapidly, speaks louder, speaks more often, exhibit more risk-oriented behavior and demonstrates anger more quickly .
How is the internet transforming the way people communicate? The internet does not exist in a vacuum. It should be intergraded into your marketing program just as you would use public relations, advertising, direct mail, and outbound calls to make more sales. Enlightened companies are realizing that the Internet is but one more tool to use in a marketing program to build a brand identity and sell more products and services. Your Web site is the heart of your on-line business. One of the major factors that have led to the popularity of e-mails is its speed and ease of use. Just type away on your keyboard and in no time you can send a short message to someone. Using e-mails is much easier than writing a letter and putting it in the regular mail. The internet can be a tool for many useful communications purposes. Remember these words, “You Got Mail,” that was the slogan for AOL when your mail got delivered into your inbox on your computer. With the internet you can; send interoffice memos, make requests, make inquiries, conducts routine business transactions, provide status and reports, communicates when time differences are an issue, and seeking ideas. Internet can be effective vehicle for sending and receiving various forms of news and information when a live interaction isn’t really needed. As the preceding lists shows, its best straightforward situations that require simple but direct responses.
Discuss the ethical problems that are revealed by examining John Mackey’s online postings in relation to the communication provision of the Whole Foods Declarations of Interdependence? Business ethics is the study of what constitutes right and wrong, or good or bad, humans conducts in a business context. John Mackey in my opinion did not display good business ethics in his behavior. Whole Foods Declaration of Interdependence addresses ethics, a fundamental query that all us their employees, managers and personnel working for Whole displays. What sort of employee and person I strived to be? What values are important? What standards and principles should this company hold its members? According to (Kenneth Cloke and Joan Goldsmith, 2005), It investigates questions of right and wrong, fairness and unfairness, good and bad, duty and obligations and justice and injustice, as well as moral responsibility and the values that should guide the companies action. Ethics is the framework of values that Whole Foods use to guide their behaviors. In this Case study, Mr. Mackey mixes his personal life with his professional life. He wasn’t being honest with expense reports and the confidentiality and security was misguided. Mr. Mackey didn’t distinguish between friendly exchanges of benign information and malignant exchanges of harmful information.

References
People Styles at Work and Beyond / Robert Bolton and Dorothy Grover Bolton, 2009 Conflict Resolution at Work for Dummies / Vivian Scott, 2010
Small Business Financial Management Kit For Dummies / Tage C. Tracy, CPA John A. Tracy, CPA, 2007
Alpha Teach Yourself Business Plans in 24 hours / Michael Miller, 2001
Thriving in the workplace All-in-one for Dummies/ Marty Brounstein, Michael C. Donaldson, Peter Economy, Allen Elkin, PHD Sue Fox, Kevin Johnson, 2010
Am I the only SANE one working here? / Albert J. Bernstein, PhD, 2010
Resolving Conflicts At Work revised edition/ Kenneth Cole and Joan Goldsmith, 2005