Message Distortion
Message distortion occurs whenever a message sent by one
communicator is interpreted differently by the person receiving the message. Complex
and costly examples of message distortion often occur on the job when someone
misinterprets instructions about completing a task.
The person who supervises or manages us has the power to reward us through any variety of ways such as raises, bonuses, positive evaluations, promotions, positive recommendations, desirable and beneficial job assignments, and any of a number of other positive things. That person can also punish us through a variety of means as well, such as not recommending a raise, giving us undesirable job assignments, unfavorable work schedules, or other negative things. Because of this power relationship with its inherent ability to reward and punish, people tend to distort information to please the boss. Employees tend to distort messages so to make themselves look good and downplay information that makes them look bad.
There is a large body of research that indicates the effects of the hierarchy on the distortion of messages. Just a few of those findings are that:
Employees tend to send more favorable than unfavorable information is sent up the organizational hierarchy, especially when that information is important.
Employees tend to send messages that please their supervisors or managers.
Employees tend to send information up the hierarchy that they think their supervisor or manager wants to hear.
Unfavorable information is more likely to be blocked from being sent up the hierarchy.
The more upwardly mobile an employee is, the greater the distortion of messages that go up the hierarchy.
The less that employees trust their supervisors or managers, the more that information is distorted as it moves up the hierarchy.
See aslo