Communicating Effectively

            This week’s assignment was to reflect on communication by watching the video “The Art of Effective Communication”. There were three different types of communication that was sent between two co-workers; email, voicemail, and face-to-face. Communication between: email is what someone writes, voicemail is what someone says, and face-to-face is how someone acts when standing in same area. According to Dr. Stolovich, we see “communication is clear, concise, and focused” (Laureate Education, Inc., n.d.). Sometimes, with using different types of communications, Dr. Stolovich’s message can be lost. After watching this video, we see how communication can be different within different approaches.

Email

            In this, an email was sent to Mark from Jane. The email was very “clear, concise, and focused” (Laureate Education, Inc., n.d.). Jane had a point to make, and after reading the email, Mark would know what she was asking for. Jane needed a report that had been missing. Jane was working on a project, and she needed the data from Mark. Jane is worried about missing her own project deadline and needs Mark’s report before she can finish her project. Jane was very polite in her email to Mark.

Voicemail

            In this voicemail, Jane leaves a message for Mark, about his report being missing. With Jane leaving this voicemail, it seems like her voice portrays this to be more urgent than the email was. She is very nice about needing the missing report and she does not blame Mark for the missing report. She just asks if he could give her the report or the data from the report so she does not miss her own deadline on her own project.

Face-to-Face

            In the face-to-face meeting with Jane, she seems more at easy and more relaxed about not having the data she needs from the missing report to finish her report on time. Jane seems more compassionate about Mark being busy and she does not blame him for the report missing, as it seems she did in the voicemail. Jane has strong "tonality and body language" as she is talking face-to-face to Mark (Laureate Education, Inc., n.d.). In the voicemail, Jane makes it seem like this report is urgent, but in this she seems more relaxed and understanding that he has been busy all day.

            "Communication is sharing the right message with the right people in a timely manner" (Portny et al., 2008, p. 357). Communication needs to be done effectively and efficiently for any type of message to be passed along. Personally, I like more face-to-face communication. It helps me remember tasks I need to complete or to better understand what is being asked. I also enjoy emails because they help remind me on the things I have to do, and you do not get the sense if someone is upset or angry with you.  Voicemail is very hard to decipher from because depending on the persons tone (that left the voicemail), you may not know how important something is by the tone. Some people are naturally relaxed even if stressed, and some people sound stressed even when they are not. I personally do not like leaving voicemails because the way people hear what you say could change everything that you stated in your message. It is very important to always communicate with your team members. All team members need to be on the same page when it comes to projects.

            I learned through these three examples: email, voicemail, and face-to-face that you need to be careful the way you are communicating your messages. If you are writing a message via email, you should always "begin with a clear purpose, state the situation, and include possible solutions" (Laureate Education, Inc., n.d.) When leaving voicemails, never let the person know you are upset or angry with them. Try not to have too much tone in your voice. I feel like angry voicemails are not going to get a good response as someone who is nicer. Finally, with face-to-face, make sure your body language does not suggest you feel differently than what or how you are saying something. I would much rather have a face-to-face conversation with someone who is nice as opposed to someone yelling in my face. In the end, it comes down to what type of communication is better for each individual to get his or her overall message to someone else. If you are better at writing, then email. If you are better at speaking then maybe voicemail or face-to-face. We all have to remember, "communication is not just a word", it is the way we share our thoughts and ideas with other individuals (Laureate Education, Inc., n.d.).

            Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (n.d.). Introduction to scholarly writing: Purpose, audience, and evidence [DVD].Communicating with Stakeholders. Baltimore, MD: Author

            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.