Wow. This was really a great assignment. After all, we communicate everyday using one of the three modalities or sometimes all three and I guess I really never gave thought to the topic “The Art of Communication”. As I read the e-mail, listened to the voice mail, watched and listened to the face-to-face message, I saw the slight differences that each form of communication can make when delivered in different formats. My interpretation of the message was the same from each modality, but I think the tone and urgency that was set made all the difference.
The e-mail was very wordy and confusing at first. I had to read it several times to totally understand exactly what was requested of the receiver. I found the e-mail to be a bit confusing and the tone that was set was panicky with a sense of confusion. The second form of communication the voice- mail, I felt was more direct and firm in its’ tone. There was a sense of urgency without panic or confusion. The last form of communication face to face had a soft and friendly tone. The message was very clear.
As Dr. Harold Stalvich stated, 93% of communication is not words. Effective communication is influenced by spirit and attitude: tonality and body language and the personality of the recipient. When communicating with members of a project team, effective communication can accomplished by integrating at least two forms of communication to convey a message. Sharing through writing for example, allows the project manager to provide historical records of the information shared ( Mantel, Meredith, Portny, Shaffer & Sutton p. 358). Face to face sharing can help project managers learn team members’ backgrounds, experience, and styles. It can provide a forum for people to explore the reasons for and interpretations of a message ( Kramer et al., 2008 p. 60).
Therefore, project managers need an effective way to share information. As a project manager I would use written and face-to-face as my primary forms of communication. Voice mail could then be used a resource for reinforcement.
References:
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.
Laureate Education (2010) Media “Communicating with Stakeholders.”
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It is so clear through this assignment how correct Dr. Stalvich was! I agree with you that the email and voice mail both conveyed the message, but did so in an urgent and firm way. Your description of the face-to-face scenario was right on target. I believe that the tone of the message was due in large part to the body language. By gesturing and leaning over the listener's cubicle, the speaker is setting a non-confrontational feeling, one that is most likely to get the report in a friendly manner.
ReplyDeleteHi Karen,
ReplyDeleteI like the fact that you brought up Dr. Stalvich's statement that 93% of communication is non-verbal. This is so true, and relates to the effectiveness of the face-to-face communication. The woman making the request approached with a friendly smile, maintained eye contact, and communicated the sense of urgency well in the tonal quality of the voice and by the mere fact that she made the effort to make the face-to-face request. If someone goes out of their way to make a request of me face-to-face, I can appreciate that effort and recognize that the request has a lot of merit. I also, personally, don't mind email as the request is documented well in this instance; voice mail requests are a distant third in my personal preference hierarchy.
Jason