The Meaning in a Message
The
key to being a successful project manager is to use effective
communication. Informal and formal
communication is a vital part of any project, and effectively communicating our
needs and desires to others is a crucial aspect that many of us sometimes
forget (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, & Sutton, 2008). The American society and culture is accustom
to portraying messages through various forms of medium such as email,
voicemail, text messages, and face to face interaction (Portny, Mantel,
Meredith, Shafer, & Sutton, 2008).
The medium and tone of a message is an extension of us, and at times the
way others perceive that message can be incorrect. This can cause conflict and possibly error
(Federman, 2006).
Society
over the past twenty years now contains new forms of ways to communicate a
message, but it is many times leads to confusion or misinterpretation of the
message. Items such as voice tone, body
language, and the formation of our sentences and words we choose can all impact
communication of a message. In the scenario,
this week, Jane needs additional information from Mark in order to complete her
tasks on time. The three forms of
mediums she uses are email, voicemail, and face to face conversation (laureate,
2012). All three messages take on a different
tone and meaning. After examining the
three forms of communication, the reader sees how important choosing the
correct form of communication is when dealing with certain issues. How do the three different mediums change the
meaning of the message?
Email Communication
Email
is an efficient and quick way to convey a message to a friend or colleague, and
it is common place to use it more than the telephone or face to face
communication. It is true that email is
making workers more efficient, but it can also cause problems with the meaning
of a message taking place. In our
scenario, Jane’s email comes across as abrupt, and she has a sense of
frustration with Mark. Any email
etiquette article will inform a person that using simple manners and words such
as “please” and “thank you” can change the entire meaning of a message (McKay,
n.d.). It is possible that Mark can
perceive this message in the wrong way, and it can change the entire working
relationship between Jane and Mark (laureate, 2012). Any time, one uses email to convey an urgent
message, it is important to use the proper tone. It is even appropriate with people you are
familiar with in a workplace to use a more personal tone such as, “hope all is
well with you” (McKay, n.d.). Using
email without thinking about the message we send can cause negative effects on
a project or personal relationships.
Voicemail Communication
The
use of voicemail is sometimes a better way to communicate our messages. The tone of a person’s voice can have a major
impact on conveying a message. A harsh
or abrupt tone or not beginning our message with cordial introduction such as “hello
Mark…” can portray the wrong meaning of a message (wikihow, n.d.). In addition, a pleasant tone is much more
effective way in communicating. Jane’s
message in this scenario is better than the email because of the tone she uses
with Mark. It is much more pleasant, and
she begins her message with “Hi Mark”.
This message takes on a much different meaning and may not be as abrupt
sounding to Mark as the email message did (laureate, 2012). Voicemail is a better way to get an important
message to a co-worker, and one should consider using it the next time an
important deadline or a sense of urgency is necessary.
Face to Face Communication
The
new forms of technology in communication make the art of face to face meetings
a scarce source by some people in the corporate world. With budget crunches and more job responsibilities
for a person, it is not always possible to meet in person with co-workers or
clients. It is a form of communication
that is sometimes the most effective way.
Hand gestures, arm positions, proximal distance to a person, eye
contact, and facial expressions all play an important role in conveying a
message (wikihow, n.d.). Jane uses a
formal but polite way to speak with Mark in the scenario. Her smile, arm position, and eye contact
makes her message much friendly and will allow Mark to respond to her requests
and needs much better. If she uses a
more gruff tone or has her arms in a crossed position of her body, then it can
send the wrong signal to Mark (wikihow, n.d.).
Keeping these basic rules in mind when meeting face to face can achieve
a positive impact on any conversation and achieve the results we desire.
Conclusion
The
meaning of this lesson is a valuable one for anyone entering the world of
instructional design, project management, or just desiring to learn proper communication
skills. It is important to keep all
these items in mind when speaking with others.
As the old saying goes, “you can catch more flies with honey, than with
vinegar” is true in any form of communication.
People are more apt to do something for you more quickly if you take the
time to treat them in a corteous and polite manner. Respect can go a long way and is sometimes lost
in our busy lives. This scenario is a
proper reflection and lesson for all of us to use our manners and say “please”
and “thank you” because these words will never go out of style.
References
Federman, M. (2006). What is the Meaning of The Medium is the
Message? Retrieved on
January 20, 2013
from http://individual.utoronto.ca/markfederman/article_mediumisthemessage.htm.
Laureate (2012). The Art of Effective Communication. Retrieved on January 19, 2012 from
McKay, D. (n.d.). Email Etiquette. Retrieved on January 20, 2013 from
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.
Wikihow.com (n.d.).
How to Communicate with Body Language.
Retrieved on January 20,
Hi Eric,
ReplyDeleteHow interesting that although I am in agreement with all the facts you mentioned about the different forms of communication, I received a different impression from the different scenarios. Gillard and Johansen, 2004 mention in their article that even when two people have the same experience, their mental image of such experience will not be identical. This proves to be true in this case; as I felt that the best form of communication was the e-mail. I found it polite, justified, to the point and did not interpret it as abrupt. What a great indication of how different people interpret the same message and how important it is for the sender to take into account the personality of the receiver.
References:
Gillard, S., & Johansen, J. (2004). Project management communication: a systems approach. Journal of Information Science, 30(1), 23-29.
Eric,
ReplyDeleteWhen I listened to the voicemail method of communication I did not think it was any better than the email communication. I think this is a perfect example of how messages can be interpreted differently based on the receiver. To me, the voicemail sounded like something that had been scripted for her to say and she didn't really feel any personal connection to the situation or to Mark. While it was slightly better because the voicemail did not sound as urgent or demanding as the email, it still did not leave me with the desire to want to complete what was requested. I actually read an article in which the author recommends not leaving a voicemail at all. Dave Johnson (2011) suggests four tips for proper email etiquette: 1. Don't leave a voicemail 2. Don't even call (as it can be easily ignored) 3. Keep it short 4. The first thing you should say when leaving a voicemail are your name, how you can be reached and what you need. I don't know if I agree with all of Johnson's tips, but I do think there is value in some of them. The decision to call and leave a voicemail should be determined by the information you are trying to convey and the relationship that exists between the sender and the receiver.
References
Johnson, D. (2011, October 4). Voicemail etiquette in the office: Top 5 rules. Moneywatch. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505143_162-28652563/voicemail-etiquette-in-the-office-top-5-rules/
Eric,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the insight and additional resources you provided this week. This week’s resources and post really have me thinking about true communication. As a manager in our program communication appears to be our biggest problem. Poor communication in the workplace leaves in its wake low motivation, poor productivity and high employment costs (English,2005). English,2005 also shared the following that in business that impact poor communication:
1. Increased employee turnover
2. Increased absenteeism
3. Poor customer service
4. Ineffective change management
5. Failed project delivery
6. Greater incidence of injuries
7. Higher litigation cost
8. Lower shareholder return
If I were an owner of my own company I could not afford any of the factors above.
Reference
English, L ( 200)Why Communication Practices Are Important retreived January 26, 2013 form http://www.businessperform.com/workplace-communication/workplace_communication.html