Communicating Effectively

Communicating effectively can minimize the opportunity for confusion or misinterpretation of your message. In the midst of project tasks and looming deadlines, your approach, when communicating to and with your team, can affect the success of the project. According to Portny, et al, the chances for misunderstanding and hurt feelings, project managers should do the following:

• Confirm in writing the important information that was shared in informal discussions

• Avoid having an informal discussion with only some of the people who are involved in the topic being addressed.

This week, my Project Management class was given a communication scenario involving an email correspondence, voicemail message, and face to face interaction between Jane and Mark. Jane and Mark are both working on sections of a project, and Jane requires information that Mark is gathering to complete her report. In reflection of the scenario, the following questions will be addressed:

1. How did your interpretation of the message change from one modality to the next?

2. What factors influenced how you perceived the message?

3. Which form of communication best conveyed the true meaning and intent of the message?

4. What are the implications of what you learned from this exercise for communication effectively with members of a project team?

Emails can, in some instances, have an air of informality, and that is the impression this email gave me. In addition, the tone of an email can be misinterpreted by the receiver. Jane’s correspondence noted her regret to bother Mark, but it was passive in her request for the data/report she needed to complete her work before her deadline. The voicemail had more of a tone of urgency and formality. It is less likely to be ignored, overlooked, or forgotten, as emails sometimes are. The face to face modality was more direct and interpersonal. Mark could not avoid the necessity of Jane’s need for his report. Though, some parts of the interaction seemed as passive as the email, with Jane seeming more concerned with interrupting Mark than on the pressing deadline she was facing.

My perception of each modality was affected by the tone of each communication. The email was too informal, the voicemail was direct, clear, and concise, and lastly the non verbal cues Jane was giving in the face to face, deterred me from seeing the importance of her need. In my opinion the message and true meaning was conveyed best in the voicemail message.

The ability to communicate well, both orally and in writing, is a critical skill for project managers (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, & Sutton, pg 357). What I took note of most is, your communication with project team members is critical for success. Effective communication will reduce obstacles, confusion, and “rework”. If you are unable to express important data, key phases of the project, or project details and deadlines to your team, there is no possible way for a project to potential succeed or succeed without glitches. When aspects of the process lag or fall behind, laying blame or responsibility to certain individuals can be a blurred task, especially when the success of the project is ultimately the responsibility of the Project Manager. Jane would surely miss her deadline if her communication of her need was left in the context of her email and potentially her face to face interaction.



Reference:

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.