Communicating
Effectively
In this week’s assignment we were asked to view the
multimedia program “The Art of Effective Communication”. In this program we observed a piece of
communication in three different modalities: written text (email), audio
(voicemail), and video (face-to-face).
After each modality we were asked to take notes on how we interpret the
message.
Reflection:
How did your interpretation of the message change
from one modality to the next?
Email
Jane sent an email to Mark expressing her concerns
about the missing report. She needed
Mark’s part of the report to conclude her part of the project. Jane’s email was clear and straight to the
point. Stolovich (n.d.) stated that
communication should be clear, concise, and focused. This helps everyone stay on target. Although Jane was clear in her email I also
felt the email was a little pushy. I
felt that Jane was concerned about how Mark was doing but also concerned about
the work at hand. In my opinion it is
very had to tell how urgent a situation is through email. I believe that email is
really for less urgent messages.
Voicemail
When I heard Jane’s voice I felt that the message
changed for me. The message became a
little more personable. In a voicemail
the listener generally tries to understand and remember the message the first
time through. Tone of voice and language
yield clues about relative importance and urgency (Gradous, n.d.). My interpretation of the massage changed from
email to voicemail because I was able to hear her voice and that helped me to
understand how concerned she was about receiving the information she need to
finish her part.
Face-to-Face
Above all I felt that this modality was the best. In order to get an effective delivery I feel
that face-to-face is the best way. It is
especially best when the information that needs to be communicated is urgent. Stolovich (n.d.) stated that effective
communication is influenced by:
-
- Spirit and attitude
-
- Tonality and body language
-
- Timing
-
- Personality of the recipient
Jane’s spirit, attitude, tonality, and body language
was very good. The video showed that
Jane was not mad but concerned about what was going on with the report.
Having effective communication amongst team members
is very important. It makes the team
feel that they can trust and help each other.
In this exercise I felt the best modality for communication was
face-to-face. However, when face-to-face is not an option it is very important
to make sure that an email and or a voice mail is delivered professionally and
with a clear purpose.
References
Gradous,
Deane., (n.d.). Chart of comparisons. Retrieved from http://managementhelp.org/businesswriting/email-versus-voice-mail.htm
Portny,
S. E., Mantel, S. J., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., &
Kramer, B. E.
(2008). Project management: Planning,
scheduling, and controlling projects.
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Stolovitch,
H. (n.d.). Communication with stakeholders. [Video Media]. Laureate
Education, Inc.
Now that I went back and read the email again, I see your point about it being a little pushy; it seems more urgent than the other two modes. It is difficult to put this situation in context because we really do not know the history behind the message. Has there been early communication, is Mark lagging? The F2F conversation made it seem the least urgent so my interpretation changed as the modes of communication changed. When I saw the F2F communication my initial response was "why not just send an email?".
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Tim
I also feel that the face-to-face delivery of the messages presented this week was the most effective. As convienient as emails and text messages are, sometimes the words just don’t come across as effectively as they do when mixed with body language and facial expressions of the one delivering the message. As human beings, we are social beings, and while we can hide our feelings behind computer screens in an attempt to be professional and polite, when body language is combined with our words, the message can take on a whole new meaning. As instructional designers, and as people, we get one chance to make a first impression, and it is important to chose our words as carefully as we chose our actions in order to make it a positive experience for everyone.
ReplyDeleteJennifer,
ReplyDeleteGreat overview on this weeks multimedia ' The Art of Effective Communication'. I agree as well with face-to-face communication is the most adequate and it expresses your message clearly and the receiver gains a clear understanding. Alike you, I feel email and voice mail are other forms of communication to reach the receiver if you can't reach them face-to face. Have you ever misinterpreted the meaning of a message?
Jen
ReplyDeleteStolovitch (n.d.) conveyed in this week's resources that communication is not just words. When you try to effectively communicate with other stakeholders on the project, you should try to maintain professionalism. Your tone, attitude, body language, work selection, and timing could influence your communication Stolovitch (n.d.). This week's assignment activity really opened my eyes to how various methods of communication can be interpreted. Whatever form communications take, however, you should plan and prepare so their messages are received and correctly interpreted by project audiences (Portny, Mantel, Meredith Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer, 2008).