Email
Jane understood that Mark was busy and this may be the reason for the delay in getting necessary information to her. However, she was clear in reiterating the significance of his work on her own. The words used seemed to create a sense of urgency. She was not threatening in her tone, but specific in the impact his actions would have on her responsibilities and abilities to perform her job. Her underlying message reiterated the importance of communication. Even if Mark was unable to get the information to her that day, she requested he communicate to her when she might receive what she needed. By getting the information or an expected time of arrival, would assist Jane in managing her time more effectively. Overall, there was a positive tone to the email without negating the sense of urgency. She ended by expressing her appreciation for his anticipated response to her request.
Voice Mail
In this message, Jane’s tone remained neutral. Her emphasis on how his work impacted her own suggested a sense of desperation rather than an accusation. Thus, when she expressed her appreciation at the end of the conversation, it was almost like she was implying that she was in a tough position and he was helping her because he wanted to rather than being required to.
Face-to-Face
In this message, Jane’s subtle, yet very pronounced non-verbal language altered the tone of the message. When she talked about how Mark’s non-performance impacted her own performance, she begin to move her fingers and hand toward him. So it essentially looked like she was pointing at him. It also increased the octave and emphasis she placed on the words “your” and “my”. The underlying message was that he is not doing what he needs to and it is jeopardizing her ability to complete her work. It ultimately created a heightened sense of accountability. Even though she smiled at the end, and used a ‘sing-song’ voice, it was very clear that she was not happy with Mark’s delay.
Reflection
In reflecting on the three messages, my perceptions changed as I experienced each. In the first message (email), I detected a sense of urgency. In the second (voicemail), I felt a sense of desperation and need on Jane’s part. On the last (face-to-face), I felt a sense of accountability and frustration. Initially, the absence of non-verbal cues helped me reach the conclusion that Jane simply wanted Mark to understand how urgent his performance was to her and possibly the entire project. Only going by the words used, she seemed to be sympathetic to his constraints but also wanted to be clear about her own. In the second message, her voice changed my opinion because she was almost whining. She really needed the information Mark had and it was if she was begging him to get it done. This changed dramatically in the last message, simply because of the non-verbal cues. Her hand and head movement coupled with her statements set an accusatory tone. I think the face-to-face example was the most realistic portrayal of how Jane felt. She was frustrated and worried that her own performance would be hindered by Marks’ lack of communication and task completion. Not only were her words were clear, the message of accountability was also very clear.
It is important that a project manager identify and utilize effective vehicles for communication. Not only can the method potentially impact time lines and work flow, it may also shape the way a message is received. According to Merrill, Merrill, and Covey (1994), the most important aspect of effective communication is for the communicator to seek to be understood. In other words, one’s ideas and opinions must be expressed in an effective way. As Dr. Stolovitch (n.d.) suggests, this involves the art of diplomacy. It is important for the PM to be able to create strategies that support clear, consistent, and concise communication. One’s ‘spirit and attitude’ must not only be aligned with the words used but also in line with the non-verbal language. The combination of these elements will send a message in the manner it is intended to be received. An additional consideration regards follow-up. In the example used, Jane used informal discussions to address the concern she had with Mark. A solid strategy would be to follow up this discussion in an email or formal meeting in which other stakeholders may be privy to the concern. This would ensure that everyone is aware of project status and the accountability piece is firmly re-established.
We know that communication is an essential skill an effective project manager must possess. Similar to the work of managing and ‘drilling down’ the various components of a project, communication is also a function that involves multiple layers that need to be identified, analyzed, and performed in order to ensure successful project completion.
Merrill, A. R., Merrill, R. R., & Covey, S. (1994). First things first. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Stolovitch, H. (n.d.). Communicating with stakeholders. {Video Program}.
Jane understood that Mark was busy and this may be the reason for the delay in getting necessary information to her. However, she was clear in reiterating the significance of his work on her own. The words used seemed to create a sense of urgency. She was not threatening in her tone, but specific in the impact his actions would have on her responsibilities and abilities to perform her job. Her underlying message reiterated the importance of communication. Even if Mark was unable to get the information to her that day, she requested he communicate to her when she might receive what she needed. By getting the information or an expected time of arrival, would assist Jane in managing her time more effectively. Overall, there was a positive tone to the email without negating the sense of urgency. She ended by expressing her appreciation for his anticipated response to her request.
Voice Mail
In this message, Jane’s tone remained neutral. Her emphasis on how his work impacted her own suggested a sense of desperation rather than an accusation. Thus, when she expressed her appreciation at the end of the conversation, it was almost like she was implying that she was in a tough position and he was helping her because he wanted to rather than being required to.
Face-to-Face
In this message, Jane’s subtle, yet very pronounced non-verbal language altered the tone of the message. When she talked about how Mark’s non-performance impacted her own performance, she begin to move her fingers and hand toward him. So it essentially looked like she was pointing at him. It also increased the octave and emphasis she placed on the words “your” and “my”. The underlying message was that he is not doing what he needs to and it is jeopardizing her ability to complete her work. It ultimately created a heightened sense of accountability. Even though she smiled at the end, and used a ‘sing-song’ voice, it was very clear that she was not happy with Mark’s delay.
Reflection
In reflecting on the three messages, my perceptions changed as I experienced each. In the first message (email), I detected a sense of urgency. In the second (voicemail), I felt a sense of desperation and need on Jane’s part. On the last (face-to-face), I felt a sense of accountability and frustration. Initially, the absence of non-verbal cues helped me reach the conclusion that Jane simply wanted Mark to understand how urgent his performance was to her and possibly the entire project. Only going by the words used, she seemed to be sympathetic to his constraints but also wanted to be clear about her own. In the second message, her voice changed my opinion because she was almost whining. She really needed the information Mark had and it was if she was begging him to get it done. This changed dramatically in the last message, simply because of the non-verbal cues. Her hand and head movement coupled with her statements set an accusatory tone. I think the face-to-face example was the most realistic portrayal of how Jane felt. She was frustrated and worried that her own performance would be hindered by Marks’ lack of communication and task completion. Not only were her words were clear, the message of accountability was also very clear.
It is important that a project manager identify and utilize effective vehicles for communication. Not only can the method potentially impact time lines and work flow, it may also shape the way a message is received. According to Merrill, Merrill, and Covey (1994), the most important aspect of effective communication is for the communicator to seek to be understood. In other words, one’s ideas and opinions must be expressed in an effective way. As Dr. Stolovitch (n.d.) suggests, this involves the art of diplomacy. It is important for the PM to be able to create strategies that support clear, consistent, and concise communication. One’s ‘spirit and attitude’ must not only be aligned with the words used but also in line with the non-verbal language. The combination of these elements will send a message in the manner it is intended to be received. An additional consideration regards follow-up. In the example used, Jane used informal discussions to address the concern she had with Mark. A solid strategy would be to follow up this discussion in an email or formal meeting in which other stakeholders may be privy to the concern. This would ensure that everyone is aware of project status and the accountability piece is firmly re-established.
We know that communication is an essential skill an effective project manager must possess. Similar to the work of managing and ‘drilling down’ the various components of a project, communication is also a function that involves multiple layers that need to be identified, analyzed, and performed in order to ensure successful project completion.
Merrill, A. R., Merrill, R. R., & Covey, S. (1994). First things first. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Stolovitch, H. (n.d.). Communicating with stakeholders. {Video Program}.