We’re Back, With a Focus on Communication
Posted on April 1, 2009
Filed Under Communication principles | 2 Comments
We’re back, with a little sharper focus than before. On the beat, we’ll be talking about communication – communication that occurs in groups, organizations and society at large. It may, or may not, just happen – good communication usually doesn’t occur that way – but we’ll be looking for examples of situations that were either improved or weakened by communication that worked, or not. Don’t know how readily we’ll find them, but feel free to contribute as our readers and partners in this interest.
We’ll also be looking at risk and crisis communication, as examples or needs arise.
We’ll start with a definition – this is the Web, so Wikipedia is our source for the term “organizational communication”: “Broadly speaking, people working together to achieve individual or collective goals.”
Well, people in groups should be working together, but don’t always. We all know that. What’s not as readily apparent is the awareness factor within a group: do its members realize they’re not communicating well? Do they care? They might not have a clue how they’re coming across, or what they’re missing out on. This is a sad reality, but one that can be improved by leadership. focus and awareness.
Wikipedia adds that communication “can be defined as the transfer of meanings between persons and groups.” For that to happen, leaders and members of groups need to have worthy aims in mind and recognize what might block them from being achieved. They need to value the all-important skills of framing, listening and receiving feedback.
You can easily have a half-dozen people in the same office working at cross-purposes if they’re not mutually aware what they’re aiming for, why it’s valuable, and what the blockages may be. In short, group communication is an express, explicit, shared skill, not one that necessarily comes naturally.
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Hi Doug! I enjoyed this blog. It came to my mind just last night-here’s a personal experience, which I think really speaks to the lack of communication we often experience and the resulting damage. I recently joined a local non-profit group, all members are volunteers. Starting my own business last year has given me some free time, and I felt I wanted to do something productive with that time. Immediately upon joining I advised the group I wanted to be a true active member. I believe it was my first meeting after being approved as a member that I volunteered for a particular position that the group had stated several times they really needed someone to step-up. I was told, “sure you can do it”. After being strung along for three months, they were waiting for the board to approve the supplies required, I showed up to the meeting last night only to see in the previous meetings minutes that someone else had been designated for that job. Here is where communication would have helped-I had had several communications with the club president inquiring on the status and expressing my “excitement” to offer my services. Yet at no time did anyone from the club, including the president, ever contact me to let me know someone else had been chosen. I am an adult, and as such do not need to be coddled, but I strongly believe that a little communication would have gone a long way, instead of having to read it in the minutes. Maybe I’m feeling slighted because back on Feb. 5th I volunteered my services for another position which the club stated had been open for some time and they, again, were in desparate need for someone, anyone, to step-up. I volunteered through a group e-mail messsage, and also directly in a conversation with the president. And yet, at every meeting, they continuously state how bad they need to have this position filled. Naturally, I am beginning to feel much like the only kid in class with her hand raised while the teacher asks, “anyone, anyone?” Unfortunately, because of my perception, I will think twice about volunteering with this group in the future.
Inattentiveness is part of what causes communications problems like the one Kim describes. Folks need to listen, to grasp what’s occurring, and to be attentive to its – in this case quite favorable – implications. Instead, they’ve lost a willing worker.