The assignment this week was to visualize examples of the text below in the form of an email, voicemail, and face to face. Then to analyze how the three modalities conveyed effective communication by answering the questions below.
“Hi Mark,
I know you have been busy and possibly in that all day meeting today, but I really need an ETA on the missing report. Because your report contains data I need to finish my report, I might miss my own deadline if I don’t get your report soon. Please let me know when you think you can get your report sent over to me, or even if you can send the data I need in a separate email.
I really appreciate your help.
Jane”
How did your interpretation of the message change from one modality to the next?
I really could not see a drastic change between the different modalities. The email, the way it was written, portrayed a person that was asking for help. It was written in a tone that was inviting and not hostile at all. The words that made this obvious was please and appreciate. Look at the verbiage again below. Highlighted are the phrases that also showed this person was in deed asking the person in a nice way to get it done.
“Hi Mark,
I know you have been busy and possibly in that all day meeting today, but I really need an ETA on the missing report. Because your report contains data I need to finish my report, I might miss my own deadline if I don’t get your report soon. Please let me know when you think you can get your report sent over to me, or even if you can send the data I need in a separate email.
I really appreciate your help.
Jane”
What factors influenced how you perceived the message?
These phrases really show that this person is trying to not rock the boat with asking for the needed report. The question though, is not how he or she is getting the request met but how effective the communication is through email, voicemail and face to face. If I had to find a change from one modality to the next, I would have to say that the email did not give much expression except through words vs. the voicemail. The voicemail had a tone that also was not threatening nor did it sound like the report was of much importance. In a nice way it stated, I know you are busy; I need the report; can you please send it to me. However, listening to the voicemail gave the message a personal touch. The other modality of face to face was more personal, in that, the person is now standing over the cubicle asking kindly again for the report. All modalities reflected the same output of kindness and gentle request. They were not demanding and definitely not overpowering. The differences lay in the method used to portray a message.
Which form of communication best conveyed the true meaning and intent of the message?
I feel the best form of communication used was the face to face. Both the email and voicemail was inviting and showed that there was concern, however it had a “when you get it to me is when you get it to me” attitude. This is what I felt when reading and listening to it. The face to face was also non-threatening, however with the person’s facial expressions and tone of voice it allowed me to visualize that she really needed this report and she was over my desk requesting. How can anyone avoid this type of model?
What are the implications of what you learned from this exercise for communicating effectively with members of a project team?
Communicating effectively is very important when trying to get what you need done. All resources over the past few weeks have spoken about communication. The video, Communicating with Stakeholders, Dr. Stolovich brings up several points about communicating and the importance of. He says, “communication is clear, concise, and focused; it helps everyone stay on target.” He says that effective communication is influenced by:
Spirit and attitude
Tonality and body language
Timing
Personality of the recipient
He also states that when you have an important communication you probably want to deliver it live, be careful of ambiguity, and document well even after a live meeting.
Marty Blalock, from Wisconsin Business Alumni wrote “Why Good Communication is Good Business” The
Tips for Communication
• Whether writing or speaking, consider your objectives. What do you want your listeners or readers to remember or do? To achieve an objective, you need to be able to articulate it.
• Consider your audience. How receptive will it be? If you anticipate positive reception of your message, you can be more direct.
• Consider your credibility in relation to your audience. Also, consider the organizational environment. Is it thick or flat, centralized or decentralized? Each will have communication implications.
• How can you motivate others? Benefits are always your best bet. And if you can establish common ground, especially at the opening of a message, you can often make your audience
more receptive.
• Think carefully about channel choice, about the advantages and disadvantages of your choice, and the preferred channels of your audience.
• If you want to have a permanent record or need to convey complex information, use a channel that involves writing. If your message is sensitive, email may not be the best choice; the immediacy of face-to-face communication can be preferable, especially when you would prefer not to have a written record.
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References:
Blalock, M., December 2005. Why Good Communication is Good Business. Retrieved on November 21, 2011 from: http://www.bus.wisc.edu/update/winter05/business_communication.asp
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). The art of effective communication [Video]. Available from http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/EDUC/6145/03/mm/aoc/index.html.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). Communicating with stakeholders. [Video]. Available from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com.
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