Managerial Communications according to Hynes is a strategic three layer approach to communication that managers and employees alike can use to and incorporate in order to create an efficient and effective work environment. Hynes separate’s the managerial communication process into three distinct layers in order to form a total approach to how the process should be incorporated.
The first layer is based on trust and open communication. By incorporating both climate and communication in the first layer Hynes allows us to see that in order to build a positive work environment there must be trust between the employee and employer. Trust allows employees to build a stronger foundation with their employers and thus improves work performance. At the same time in order for the employee to gain trust in their manager it requires that those managers use correct communication skills to speak to their employees. Open and accessible environments lend to allow for better overall communication in the workplace.
Take for example, two employees and their relationship with their manager. Employee John has a friendly relationship outside of work with his manager, he has built a foundation of trust and communication with his manager on a personal and professional level. The second employee Joe only communicates with his manager at work and has also built a professional relationship with his manager. While both employees has a foundation of trust with their manager John may feel he has a closer relationship and that allows him to have a more open yet less professional level of communication with his manager. While the friendship is not always an issue it can become problematic of the manager and employee do not know how to separate the two and not let personal emotions interfere with work relationships.
Hynes’ second layer takes into account the need for managers to consider the sender, receiver, and the purpose of the communication. (Hynes, 2008) These three variables have are equally important. A manager must send his message in a manner that he/she is aware of his intended recipient and how they as the receiver will interpret the message received. This type of communication requires the need for a manager to know how to properly approach their intended target. The receivers lack of knowledge in either the message, trust in the manager or even their own personal feelings at the time can impact how the receiver interprets the message and this must be taken into account.
Using John and Joe as an example our manager Mike needs to advise his team about a new procedure that is taking effect. The company will begin to incorporate overseas employees into their group and outsource a portion of the work that was done in house. Mike needs to ensure his team is abreast of the situation and communicate how this will impact their daily work life. While Mike and John are friends he may be able to communicate the information with John in a more informal mode than he would with Joe however both Joe and John are equal level employees and Mike needs to make sure that his form of communication will reach both of them in a manner that it is professional and not one-sided. Mike opts to hold a group meeting with both employees. He realizes that his relationship with John can impact the trust that Joe has in him therefore he must ensure that he conveys his message equally with both of them in a manner that does not show any level of favoritism. Mike did not speak to John about the merger outside of the office so this is also going to be news to him. How Mike address both employees with impact the relationship they continue to foster.

The third layer of communication consists of managers taking into account four methods of effective communication: message content, message channel, the physical environment and the time of communication. (Hynes, 2008) Managers must incorporate the four elements into their communication with their intended audience. The third layers depends of the sender, receiver and purpose of the message, as well as the culture and climate. (Hynes, 2008)
The message content has four different factors. First factor is how is the message is perceived, was it neutral, positive or negative? Next is how does the message deal with fact or opinion, a message needs to be conveyed using facts not opinions. The third factor is the messages importance to the receiver. Emphasis needs to be placed on the message so as to properly covey how important the message is. The fourth and final factor is controversy. If the message is controversial then the manager needs to ensure they are using neutral words.
News of a potential merger and outsourcing can be perceived by employees in number of ways. If our manager Mike gives his team a positive message and conveys all the benefits of the merger and partial outsourcing then his team will have a positive reaction to the news, whereas if Mike chooses to simply address the situation and not present it as a positive approach for his group then the reaction will be negative. His team may feel their jobs are in jeopardy and not look at the merger in a positive light. Since it is a controversial topic, Mike needs to ensure that he using correct wording so as to ensure the message is received correctly by his team of employees.
Hynes uses an onion to exemplify the strategic approach to managerial communication. Each layer is peeled back to reflect a new layer of the approach. While one layer is no more important than the other each layer has its own importance and role in effective communication methods. Below is an example of a communication message using Hynes approach.
Mike is the call center manager for a large telecommunications firm. He is aware that his company is in the process of completing a merger with an Asian firm that will begin to handle their business technical accounts in house. The business department was previously handled by one of his teams. Mike needs to ensure that his team understands that they are not being replaced but that this is a good movement for the company and will enable them to focus more one the other aspects of their job and allow the new form to handle the business technical accounts. Mike has decided to send an email and follow up with a town hall forum an hour later in order to ensure his team understands the full girth of the message. This will also allow him to ensure they comprehend the importance of this new merger.

Good Day Team,

It is with extreme excitement that I announce that Global Tech has finalized its merger with Asian based Data Comm. This merger will bring great financial gain for both companies and also alleviate some of the pressure our in house team has been experiencing with workload.
Many of you are aware that the addition of Data Comm to our repertoire means that they will begin handling the Business Technical Accounts that were previously handled by our Premier team. The Premier Team is not being replaced, this will allow them to fully focus on our Business Elite group and give them the proper attention those accounts require.
This merger will benefit each and every one of our team members as you will now see the benefits of having the vast resources Data Comm can provide in assisting you with your daily work load. There will not be any lay-offs nor any reduction of hours or workforce as a result of the merger. All will remain the same, the only change will be the business technical accounts.
I invite each of you to meet me in the large conference room in order to sit down and answer and questions or concerns you may have at 3:00pm. If you have any concerns you would like to address in private please feel free to come by my office and speak to me in person. I welcome any questions, comments or concerns.

Respectfully,

Mike Smith