Communication is Key....

We were asked to view the same message three different ways: an email, a voicemail, and in person. Here are the thoughts I had after viewing each message:

Email: Message seemed pretty clear that Jane needed Mark’s report in order to complete her portion of the project by the deadline. Did not really seem like she was frustrated at this point, just sounded like a reminder to him even though she knows he is busy. She did state that she knew he had meetings all day, and that if he did not have the report done that if he could let her know when he would have it or if he could at least send the data if it was not done. Overall I thought it was a friendly reminder to Mark that Jane wasn’t trying to be pushy but really needed his information.

Voice mail:  The exact same message was conveyed about what Jane needed. The tone in her voice was light and friendly, there seemed to be no sign of anger or frustration. She was just stating the facts that she understands he is busy but she has her own deadline to meet and needs his information to do so. As I sat after hearing the message I did not feel she was being pushy or rude.

In Person: Jane walked over to Mark’s cubicle and again the content of the message was the same. There was no doubt this time that she was being friendly and understanding as you could see her relaxed posture, and also hear the tone in her voice. She just needed his information as soon as he could get it to her.

After viewing the exact same message three different ways it really shows you how different methods of communication can bring across the exact same message in different ways.  Although in the end it seems like I had the same understanding of what Jane was saying, after each example my confidence in what I was getting from Jane increased. I was pretty sure after reading the email she wasn’t mad, even more sure after hearing her voice, and positive after seeing her in person.  This is a great example to show us that even though technology is awesome, and it makes things easier, it is not always the best way to communicate. If your only communication to your teammates is through email you are leaving the door open to miscommunication about the underlying feelings behind a message. To you it may seem simple and straight forward because you are busy and just jotting down what you need to know from the person, but to them it could come off that you are mad at them or even that you don’t necessarily see them as a person, just as someone who needs to get something done for you. The best way to communicate important information is always going to be in person. That way they can read your body language and hear your voice and will know exactly what is being asked of them without having to try to figure out if you  are angry or not.  As a PM you can also read the facial expressions, tone, and body language of your team member to make sure they understand, or see if they are stressed and/or confused about the project. 

As we continue to read, communication is so important when it comes to the success of a project.  “The key to successful project management is effective communication- sharing the right messages with the right people in a timely manner.” (Portny et al, 2008, pg.357). Even though it is much faster to shoot someone an email, or leave them a voicemail (which is better than an email), the most effective way to communicate is going to be in person. This way you are also forming a better relationship with your team members which will only make a positive impact on your project. In the end it is going to be more beneficial to see that person face to face, even using technology this is an option today.

Resources

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.