Let’s Hear Each Other Now?

When companies start new projects, things can easily get unorganized.  Problems can quickly come up, and those problems must be quickly resolved. When internal problems arise, management team members say “can you hear me now?”  Is it because they tend to be more focus on their perspective being heard?  However, management team members say “let’s hear each other now!” and expect to hear other perspectives, not just his or her own.

It is common for management team to used unscheduled e-mails and memoranda to solve problems.  However, this method of communication has been ineffective.  To improve communication, plan on adopting a better model of communication.   This better model of communication should improve problem solving, increase efficiency and accuracy.

As you can see, there are many types of communication channels (Robbins & Judge, 2007).  Therefore our goal should be to communicate to each other with great information, feedback, and personal touch.  In other words, we want our communication channel to have high richness.  Communication channels, such as face-to-face and videoconference are better for complex, not routine situation.  High performing managers tend to communicate through rich channels. 

These high performing managers tend to implement rich communication through methods such as managing-by-walking-around (Robbins & Judge, 2007).  Managing-by-walking (MBWA) around is a rich source of communication, because they get up and communicate face-to-face with personnel.  Besides MBWA meetings are rich communication channels.  However, bulletins, memos, e-mail are not ideal, because they can be easily misread and misunderstood. 

So when dealing with the formation of the customer service department management team members should communicate through richer channels.  This will improve problem solving between management. Also, adopting one of the models of communication developed by organizational behavior experts will improve problem solving.

 The first model of communication is “effective communication”.  According to Organizational Behavior 12ed “effective communication” is when management team members decide which channels- bulletins, letters, recorded speeches, e-mail, voice mail, online discussion boards, live speeches, telephone conversations- are best for certain situations. Along with choosing the best communication channel, managers must practice active listening by paraphrasing their team member statements and giving them feedback as they communicate. 

When managers are trying to coordinate department managers it is common for them to use email.  However, the best communication channel is face-to-face and one-on-one (group) trainings or meetings.  Another communication channel could be video conferencing because managers from different countries, cities, and/or states can communicate simultaneously with info, and immediate feedback.

 These methods are ideal, because when effective communication is implemented, it easier for personnel to trust each other and think more positively about each other and their job.  Also, they are more than likely to believe that their team members are not liars and feel connected to them on a professional work level, which will cause an increase in work productivity.

As you can see, there are many benefits to effective communication.  Once a company implements effective communication, its organization will have a closeness that will make it easier for the management team members to be more successful.  One reason for this closeness is the barriers that hinder effective communication will be minimized.  Examples of communication barriers would be the following: 

1. Team members only telling management what they want to hear.  These team members avoid telling the managers, employees, or coworkers the whole truth.  They want to manipulate others into believing a lie. 
2. Team members perceiving a stereotype about sex, race, to be true, even if it is not. 
3. Team members having too many people, too many assignments, too many e-mails forward to them.  So they tend to ignore, pass by important information. 

When effective communication is taking place, personnel are better equipped to handle the barriers, when they start to develop in the organization.

The second model of communication is achieving less uncertainty, distortions, ambiguities, and incongruities in communication (Robbins & Judge, 2007).  According to Organizational Behavior 12ed to achieve less uncertainty in communication managers must use different forms of channels.  They can’t just have the face-to-face meetings, but they also need informal communications from all personnel (managers, employees, coworkers).  To communicate effectively to team members manager should be aware of their worker’s temperament, strengths, and weaknesses.  This informal communication can help the management team to know which individuals are people-oriented, task-oriented, etc and implement the best way to communicate to them. 

Also, the implementation of the vertical, lateral, and informal communication helps the company to be more cohesive.  When management team members are listening and speaking the companies’ expectation and goals are clearer.   So, if all management team have less uncertainty on how to communicate, then they can better clarify job expectations and job activities.

Once personnel have less uncertainty when communicating, there is more satisfaction in the job.  More satisfaction in the job, leads to employees and management having a more positive respond towards the companies’ expectations and agendas.  Moreover, the decrease of uncertainty causes communication between all personnel to be more common, which will more than likely improve work productivity and performance. 

In the case of our organization, some employees were terminated, demoted, not demoted, and promoted.  As a result, some employees were stressed and tensed.  However, if management explains very clearly ways to prevent termination and demotion and obtain promotion it will lessen the tension in the work environment and help the members of the organization to have a better group performance.  This means that management is communicating to employees their weakness and strengths.  When management is consistent with these procedure personnel will more than likely view the company as consistent, fair.  These points of views will surely help the organization maintain a positive work environment.

In conclusion, these models will help the company obtain a productive working environment with members of management stating “let’s hear each other now” because they know that effective communication and clear communication results in a positive work environment.

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