Communicating Effectively

The three different modalities used to communicate with a project team member in our resources deliver the same basic message but as the level of interpersonal communication, so does the effectiveness of the message. The e-mail came across to me as somewhat sincere, although it leaves a lot to the readers imagination. No facial expressions or tone of voice somewhat diminish the importance of the communication. As discussed in our video resource, Communicating With Stakeholders, this method of communication is typically best used as a follow up from a formal meeting to confirm what was discussed and to clear up any misinterpreted expectations or responsibilities.

The voicemail helped to better communicate the urgency of the matter because the voice tone and word emphasis was part of the message. It also helps to convey that the sender understands that the receiver is also very busy, where as the e-mail was unable to show this understanding. It could have been typed with a feeling of sarcasm, which could have very well been why that selection of communication was chosen to hide any frustration felt by the sender. The face to face modality shows all in my opinion and in this case would be the only way to communicate effectively and engage the receiver. The ability to see facial expressions and hear voice tone is much more sincere. With this method of communication it is very difficult to hide any internal feelings the sender has such as frustration or sarcasm. As the interpersonal communication increased the message was much more clear in my opinion.

“The key to successful project management is effective communication - sharing the right messages with the right people in a timely manner.” (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shaffer, & Sutton, 2008, p. 357). In some situations the “right person” may be difficult to work with or completely uninvested in a project. It is important to engage these individuals. Stating the purpose of the communication, including any possible solutions (if needed) and possibly requiring a sign off gets team members on the same page and brings accountability to individuals. Ambiguity in communication only causes problems and should be avoided at all costs. There is too high of a risk that an individual who is responsible for a particular task will assume that someone else will take care of it because they believe that they should not be responsible for that task. Furthermore, the addition of voice tone and facial expressions can completely change how a message is interpreted. It is critical to select a proper method of communication for the right situation.

The resources this week introduced strategies to implement when dealing with a diverse group of project team members. Stakeholders in a project may be a bit arrogant if they are required to work with individuals they do not respect. A good approach is to place them in working situations with individuals they do respect and communicate with those individuals to obtain feedback about project progress, outcomes, and expectations. Also setting standards for communication in a project adds clarity and understanding of team members. Setting expectations for variables such as frequency, format, language, time frames, responsibility, and methods of communications clearly define how communication is to be handled in individual situations.

References

Laurate Education, Initials. (Producer). (2011). Communicating with Stakeholders. [Web]. Retrieved from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn? CourseID=4894953&Survey=1&47=6469849&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

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.

The project that I chose to focus on involves the design and implementation of a production machine in an automotive plant that produced wheel covers. To briefly explain, the goal of this project was to increase production rates and cut down on costs. Unfortunately, this was also a time when automotive production was economically struggling and finding consistency in regards to employees and organizational structure was difficult. This was not an ideal environment to begin a project, individuals were assigned additional responsibilities when a team member left or there was a change in management. I was also basically thrown into the project with little background information. Last I heard the machine was still in shrink wrap tucked away in a corner of the factory.

The major contributor to the failure of this project was the lack of organization and planning. At no point in time were responsibilities defined and there was never one individual who was identified as the project manager, a high employee turnover rate added to this. Because of these factors the concrete needs that the installation of this machine was intended to fill were being lost and the scope was completely unclear to project participants. “Understanding the situation and thought processes that led to a project helps ensure that the project addresses the true needs for which the project is intended.” (Portny, Mantel, Meredith, Shaffer, & Sutton, 2008, p. 30) Another contributor was the client. The automotive world is famous for demanding a great deal of results based on strict guidelines and high expectations. As the project progressed the realization was made that it is going to cost more than expected and schedules were not being met. There was definitely not an involved enough needs and resource analysis done.

Reflecting back there were processes involved in project management that were overlooked throughout this particular project. There seemed to be shortcomings in organization, leadership, and communication. Conveying background, scope, and responsibilities is important in any project. Utilizing a system to monitor performance should have been used to verify that the right work is being done on time. This can also help to minimize on duplicated work. Instituting regular performance meetings with project stakeholders and participants aids in keeping within the scope of the project and that the results being produced are what is expected by clients and major contributors to any project.

References

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.