Managing Communication

Now more than ever, businesses rely on information control, whether running the infrastructure’s hardware or directing facts and figures to the right personnel at the right time. Managers must direct information and control messages in a variety of settings using a wide assortment of tools. Well-managed communication enables staff to stay connected and keeps a company operating effectively in the marketplace.

Communication on our organization is challenging! There are so many individuals we must communicate with from the very beginning through to implementation and evaluation and they all want to be communicated with differently! Additionally, our communications vary depending on the role we have on the project, the stage of the project that we are in, and with whom we are communicating. Regardless of your role on the project you must learn to communicate effectively to be successful.

While there are many paths we can take in discussing communications on projects, this paper will discuss best practices for engaging stakeholders early on and continuing to communicate and engage stakeholders and others throughout the project lifecycle. Additionally, given that many of our projects these days have a virtual component and likely we are working with individuals from across the globe our communications are becoming even more complex and challenging. The use of technology enables for more effective communications in such situations along with an understanding of cultural differences and their impact on how we process communications received.

Communications Systems

People use laptops, net books and smart phones to send and receive voice, text, and video anytime, anywhere. Executives charged with managing communications must keep up with communications technology, not to buy the latest iteration, but to ensure staff can focus on interacting and pooling resources to get work done. Managers must determine which combination works easily and transparently, with enough flexibility to adapt to changes or growth in the corporation. For example, email serves to quickly convey bits of information and act as an electronic paper trial, but neither can handle overly complex messages nor replace the rapid exchange of meaning accomplished through face-to-face interaction accomplished with video conferencing or even by telephone.

One-to-one Communications

Managers frequently impart information on an individual basis, from formal interviews to hallway chats. To connect person to person, managers must receive messages as clearly as they send them. When sharing ideas, managers cannot only state the desired action, but offer expected results or benefits to motivate the employee into executing the task. Managers must listen intently, noting voice tone and body language to pick up the entire signal. Managers also can draw out information with open-ended, neutral questions that force staff beyond nodding yes or saying no without making them feel defensive, by asking “what makes you feel that way?” or “how did you reach that conclusion?”

Small Group Discussions

Managers can facilitate productive meetings by achieving objectives in a minimal amount of minimizing time. The manager acting as moderator can prepare participants for a meeting by distributing an agenda with the objective clearly delineated. She also can assign tasks, such as potential solutions to problems or project progress reports, to ensure participants contribute during the meeting. While in the meeting, she can foster a safe atmosphere by clearly presenting ideas, focusing on the objective rather than on individuals, encouraging participants to open up and offer honest opinions, and ensuring everyone understands the ideas presented to the group.

Presentation

Whether training employees, delivering a sales pitch, or presenting results to stakeholders, managers control the presented message by carefully crafting the address. He prepares the message by asking the time-honored reporter’s questions of who the audience is, what they need to hear, how best to deliver the address, when and where the address takes place, and why they need the information in the presentation. The he over-prepares, developing a firm grasp not only of individual facts but of the overall context and how it impacts the audience. This allows him to focus on connecting with the audience, rather than worrying about forgetting specific lines. When using visual aids, such as a PowerPoint presentation, he can streamline the notes or bullet points by thinking about phrases or news headlines rather than sentences, then enforcing what’s on the screen with spoken statements.

Written Communication

From staff emails to major ad campaigns, managers’ messages fall flat if no one notices them. As people become more bombarded with information, they will filter out a greater percentage to focus on what they feel is most relevant to them. Managers must understand what motivates their audiences in order to persuade people to move in the direction leaders want them to go, whether starting a new initiative or purchasing a new product. They can craft effective messages if they follow the acronym AIDA: Attract attention by building a word picture; hold their Interest in the subject by adding relevant information; appeal to their Desire by getting beyond facts or attributes to the underlying benefits that will fulfill wants or needs; and clearly describe the Action to take, including how, where and when the action should take place.