Communicating Effectively



The Art of Effective communication is the topic for today’s blog.

We have been given three examples of communication and are asked to interpret each one,  address factors that influenced how we perceived the message and what we thought best conveyed the true meaning and intent of the message.  And most of all what did we learn from this exercise.  Each example had the same basic message. Jane is trying to get hold of Mark.  He has a report that she needs.  If she doesn’t receive the report ETA, she might miss her deadline.  Meanwhile, Mark is a busy man with meetings and his own reports.

• Email
• Phone
• Face to Face

Let us start off on some key points by Dr. Stolovitch.

1. Avoid ambiguity.  Be precise and make sure everyone understands what was meant.
2. Document everything.
3. Be diplomatic.
4. Communication is not just words

I personally don’t think it matters what form of communication you use as much as you communication properly.

I found two great articles.  One was by Satish Rana, 3 essays on Face-to-face communication vs. emails or phone calls, and the other was by Lynn Gaerter-Johnson.  Both had their own point of view.

Rana states that, “Many people hold the view that face-to-face communication is better than other types of communication, such as by letter, email, or telephone calls. I do not agree with that view. There are many reasons that support my point of view, and I would explore a few of the most important ones here”(Rana, 2010).  She makes a very good point.  We do live and work in a very busy world.  The most convenient way to communicate in today’s world is by e-mail or phone.  Time is not the only factor, but we must consider economics.  The plain truth is that some people find it difficult to communicate face to face.

In contrast, Rana states that face- to- face communication helps you to know and to see how the person looks like physically, and thus help you to know a person’s character and attitude as compared to other forms of communications such as e-mail”.  Okay, so what does this tell us.  It just depends?  If  I wasn’t confused before, I am now.

Then we have Gaertner-Johnston’s article that states, ” In a recent class in British Columbia, a director spoke about the company’s focus on better communication. He said, “Face to face is always best, then phone, then email. Whenever you can, choose face to face.”  Later in her article she make some sense, ” Do you want better communication? Then stop by my office if you need to end my project or want to get to know me, call me if you want my opinion or a date for lunch, and email me if it’s midnight where I live or you are sending routine data.  Face to face, phone, and email–which is the best form of communication? All of them”( Gaertner-Johnston, 2009).Which I totally agree.

How did your interpretation of the message change from one modality to the next?

I found minor change in the messages from email, phone or in person.

What factors influenced how you perceived the message?

When addressing any type of written communication, you should follow some of Dr. Stolovitch advice

• Begin with a clear purpose
• State what you mean. Or the Situation
• Include possible solutions
• Indicate if sign off is required
• Specify the form that the response is required to be done in
• Keep tone of all communication business friendly and respectful

For phone or face to face pay close attention to attitude, tonality, timing, and the personality of the recipient.  The same goes for face to face, but with one more thing added, body language.  Remember, they can see you.

Which form of communication best conveyed the true meaning and intent of the message?

I really think this is up to the individual. I personally didn’t like Jane’s body language or attitude with the face to face example.

What are the implications of what you learned from this exercise for communicating effectively with members of a project team?

Any of the three could and will at some time affect team members or the project team.  Each person has their own personality and their own agenda.  The problem lies in addressing communication concerns.  There are a number of ways to do that.

There are many variables that can influence communication and your project.  Can or should you use formal or informal communication? This is depending on whether the client comes from an educational, corporate, government, and/or organizational background.  The most important communication strategies are to avoid ambiguity, document everything, be diplomatic, and remember communication is not just words.  If you don’t communicate with your team members, your project could fail or experience project creep.

Reference:

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d.). The art of effective communication [Multimedia]. Project Management in Education and Training. Retrieved from Week three resources.

Rana, Satish. ((2010). Face-to-face communication vs. emails or phone calls. Retrieved from http://www.rajputbrotherhood.com/eng/articles/3-essays-on-face-to-face-communication-vs-emails-or-phone-calls.html

Gaertner-Johnston, Lynn. (2009).  Face to Face, Phone, and Email–Which Is the Best Communication?  Retrieved from http://www.businesswritingblog.com/business_writing/2009/03/face-to-face-phone-and-emailwhich-is-the-best-communication-.html

Advertisement