We witness incidents of effective and ineffective organizational communication on a daily basis. While some organizations may have more occurrences of one over the other, the examples we observe provide valuable insight into improving our own communication skills.
My organization has very effective organizational communication skills regarding the implementation of new policies and procedures. When a new policy or procedure is enacted in our organization it is communicated to employees through e-mail, inter-office mail, and posted in the appropriate locations throughout our facility. The extensive distribution of the new policy or procedure ensures it is readily available to the appropriate audience, as well as guarantees employees are aware of, and have access to, the proper documentation.
Admittedly, a recent example of poor organizational communication occurred last week in an e-mail correspondence between our production manager, a manufacturing supervisor, and myself. In the e-mail I incorrectly stated the supervisor had requested a specific change, when in fact the supervisor had discussed the change with the Director of Engineering, who then approved the change and requested its execution. My inaccurate statement left the supervisor feeling as though I was placing blame on him for the undesirable change, in turn producing a defensive reaction. Looking back, I should have reviewed my choice of words more carefully before sending the e-mail. This would have allowed for more effective communication, in turn resulting in the issue being dealt with more efficiently than it was.
Reflecting on examples of good and bad organizational communication provides valuable insight into how we can be more effective communicators in the future. I think it is important to continually observe communication tactics and learn from them to achieve continual improvement. What tactics do you employ to improve your communication skills?
It takes a strong will to admit when you have made a mistake. Owning up to it and proposing a solution so ensure it does not happen again is a very valuable skill. Co-workers and managers all appreciate this capability. *As long is it doesn’t always happen.
ReplyDeleteTom I completely agree with you. Taking ownership when one makes a mistake is highly valuable. Typically, when one makes a mistake it is a lot easier to put the blame on someone else or an outside factor. Because Greg has the ability to recognize when he has made a mistake he will be able to rectify the same mistake in the future, thus improving his organizational communication skills.
ReplyDeleteGreg I really enjoyed learning about your poor example of organizational communication. In fact, your example reminded me of myself. When I am sending e-mails I am constantly re-reading them to make sure they sound proper and suitable for all recipients. The last thing I want to do is come off rude or pushy. With that said, sometimes it takes me awhile to wrap my head around the right vocabulary that I should use in a given situation. Hopefully, this form of communication becomes easier with years of practice.
Greg, this is an interesting and unfortunately a scenario that I have seen more than once within our organization. Additionally, email is sent off and with tone so the message is often misinterpreted. Taking the scenario you provided a bit further I have experienced people become extra defensive when receiving an email if it has come from a person tat there may be underlying conflict with already.
ReplyDeleteOne tactic I have made a concerted effort to employ within my daily routine is to rely on phone or face to face conversation as a primary vehicle of conversation if my message is intended to a smaller or more local audience.
I feel that we excessively rely on email and use the fact that the email was send as a way to wash your hands of the responsibility; the proverbial throwing the ball in your court.
Thank you for sharing. I just have a thought on the rolling out the new policy. As you mentioned in your company, they sent out e-mails and use baords to post the policies. I think it still may not be able to make sure that the policy is understood and at least everyone has gone through it. How about declaring a new policy as an company wide meeting? A spokesperson will read out the policy and explain where employees can access the policy documents. Also, explain that department supervisors are responsible for following these policies. That way, there is accountable person and not just an e-mail.
ReplyDeleteWord choice in written communication is critical. You don't get a chance to explain what you meant after hitting the send button. And even when you are attentive to word choice, people may still find reason for offense dependent on their own filters.
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