Creating Effective Communication

     To better understand the factors that affect communication and what is deemed effective communication, I viewed a piece of communication that was presented in three different modalities from “The Art of Effective Communication”. After hearing the message communicated in each modality, I recorded my interpretation of the message, the factors that influenced this interpretation of the message, and my overall impression of the form of communication. You can view my thoughts for each communication form below.

• Email: The beginning of the email sounded a bit pushy, demanding, and a bit off-putting. Often times, when you insert words like “that” into “in that all day meeting today”, it can immediately make a sentence sound negative or condescending. (I am pretty sure everyone can think of an argument where someone used the word “that” to make a clear point that they are not happy.) Additionally, the email keeps bringing up the writer’s needs and presents it in a demanding “do this or else” tone. Thankfully, some manners are shown throughout with the word “please” and the sign off “I really appreciate your help”, so the email ends of a better note than it began.
• Voicemail: Some of the same issues I had in the email were evident in the voicemail as well. The caller put a lot of emphasis on words or parts of the sentence that can convey the idea of frustration, self-focused needs, and the want for immediate results. Granted, the caller is trying to get the data she needs ASAP to meet her deadline, but the tone in her voice can easily come across as confrontational and demanding.
• Face-to-Face: If you have ever heard of the 7-38-55 rule, then you know that words make up only 7% of communication (Michail, 2020). The other 93% goes towards the tone in one’s voice and the body language they convey. This is clearly evident in this example of face-to-face communication. The speaker is using her tone and body language to convey a very different message than the email and voicemail. Her tone and body language convey an attitude of peace and curiosity rather than confrontation and hostility. When you see the speaker smiling at Mark and using her tone to put an emphasis in understanding Mark’s busyness rather than her needs, Mark will feel less threatened, more understood, and ultimately more willing to bend over backwards if he needs to get the speaker what she needs.

     In looking at this activity, it is clear to see the implications this activity on my work as a PM or ID. For sake of time, here are just a few:

1. The intended message can get skewed or misinterpreted easily when the communicator is not careful about the words and tone they use. Undoubtedly, the face-to-face form of communication was the most effective form of communication, as it conveyed additional factors of communication that are usually lost in written or audio forms. Dr. Stolovich (Walden University, LLC, n.d.) actually encourages PMs or anyone involved in communicating information often to meet in-person when possible, and to save very important information that contains sensitive information or a delicate topic for in-person communication only. 
2. When you take the time to build trust with the key members or stakeholders of the project, they will be more willing to help you out. This is especially true in that when you take the time to carefully communicate with these key individuals so they feel respected, heard, and involved, they will be more willing to help you out and will even bend-over-backwards in hard situations to make sure you get what you need (Walden University, LLC, n.d.). This form of careful communication involves not just the tone and choice of words you use but also the frequency and amount in how often and how much you communicate with them. Studies have shown that when a stakeholder is kept engaged and satisfied through communication within a project, the results are better not only for the project but the company at large (Aakhus & Bzdak, 2015).
3. We have learned a lot about how to create and implement a communication plan, but what is always of equal value is modeling the expected forms and rules of communication. Just as how modeling is an important factor in instructional coaching, modeling expectations for communication can also be an excellent way to create effective communication (Knight, 2022). If my tone or words come across as hostile and demeaning, then that attitude will likely be reciprocated back to me. If my tone and words come across as supportive and cooperative, then that attitude will likely be reciprocated back to me. However, it is always wise to meet with key members or stakeholders on a project to understand how we can best meet each other’s needs in order to communicate effectively instead of in our preferred forms and views of communication (Walden University, LLC, n.d.).

     Overall, understanding how words, tone, and body language affect communication is a primary concern for anyway working in or leading a project. This activity was a great way of demonstrating the necessity for PMs to be aware of the factors that can positively or negatively impact communication and create standards for communication that makes everyone involved satisfied, engaged, and pleased.

References

Aakhus, M., & Bzdak, M. (2015). Stakeholder engagement as communication design practice. Journal of 

     Public Affairs (14723891), 15(2), 188–200. https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.1569
Knight, J. (2022, February 9). Success factor 4: Coaching process. Instructional Coaching Group. 

     https://www.instructionalcoaching.com/blog/success-factor-4-coaching-process
Michail, J. (2020, August 24). Council post: Strong nonverbal skills matter now more than ever in 

     this “New normal.” Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/08/24/

     strong-nonverbal-skills-matter-now-more-than-ever-in-this-new-normal/?sh=616b53d05c61
Walden University, LLC. (Executive Producer). (n.d.). Communicating with stakeholders [Video file]. 

     Retrieved from https://waldenu.instructure.com
Walden University, LLC. (Executive Producer). (n.d.). Practitioner voices: Strategies for working 

     with stakeholders [Video file]. Retrieved from https://waldenu.instructure.com
Walden University, LLC. (Executive Producer). (n.d.). Project management concerns: 

     Communication strategies and organizational culture [Video file]. Retrieved from 

     https://waldenu.instructure.com