Communication Modalities

This week, our Project Management Class was tasked with reviewing a number of resources along with a multimedia program.  In the multimedia program, we viewed three different modalities that covered the same message via email, voicemail, and a face-to-face interaction.  We were instructed to reflect upon each communication and our reaction to each, with consideration of the information shared in our resources.  Through this exercise, I came to realize my own communication preferences while also recognizing the limitations, such as the lack of other communication like body language, posed by modern interactions.

In Communicating with Stakeholders, Dr. Stolovich explains that instructional designers and project managers must approach situations with diplomacy.  He went on to say that communication is about much more than words and that you should focus the communication and type with the stakeholder’s preferred mode. 

In Practitioner Voices, Vince Budrovich shared a scenario in which he tailored his communications with the CIO based on that stakeholder’s preference and style.  This individual preferred face-to-face interactions and Budrovich provided communication in this modality.  Since project managers must document communications, he followed up the meetings with a concise email. 

Email

In the email communication presented in the multimedia program, the message was formulated through words without other verbal or visual cues.  Reminding a colleague how his or her projects affect your own is a sensitive topic.  According to our video learning this week, most communication is verbal and physical.  When an individual does not observe this communication, his or her imagination may fill in the blanks with an unintended message. 

When I reviewed the email, I did not interpret a negative tone but every individual interprets differently.  One strength of email is that it does document communication in a way that is not possible through verbal or face-to-face interactions.  Another benefit to email is that an individual may read it multiple times to reevaluate the intent of the message.

Voicemail

As I reviewed the voicemail in this week’s multimedia program, I actually had more of a reaction to this one than the others.  Although email is thought to be the form of communication that is most often misinterpreted, I tend to dismiss any impression of tone as merely a lack of verbal and visual cues and an attempt to communicate quickly. The voicemail conveyed the same verbiage as was written in the email, however I heard more of a stress on how the project of one individual will delay another’s.  The tone in a voicemail cannot be unheard and also is easily misinterpreted. 

This particular message was not especially cordial and of the three messages, this one would stress me the most.  A phone call is more formal than email, which would lead me to believe the situation was escalating.  These interpretations are my own, not based on this week’s resources.  Our resources would suggest that a phone call would be a more effective in this scenario, but also suggest that every individual is different and modalities should be based on the individual ().  I do not enjoy talking on the phone, but do enjoy face-to-face interactions and email frequently.  So, a phone message about something that could be confrontational would be the wrong way to communicate with me. 

Face-to-face

Of the three communications, the face-to-face example was the most clear.  The person’s tone and body language expressed her personal stress over her deadline and valued the recipient’s project as an important part of her own project.  The words between all three messages were the same, but this one was more personal. 

Although I am an introvert and like the response time provided by email, this specific interaction would do two important things.  First, it would help me to understand the other person’s timeline and perspective without offending me.  Second, it would appeal to my sense of teamwork and would encourage me to provide the individual with the needed information in a timely manner.  Not only does it provide me with a strong sense of where the other person is coming from, it also provides that person with a full picture response at the same time. 

Since time is an issue, a face-to-face interaction would be the most effective way of communication in this scenario.  For documentation, a follow-up email would provide a trail.  However, it does leave the individual feeling undermined since he or she will know that the email is for documentation.  If following up with an email, it should be a thank-you email.  That would serve the same purpose without setting off red flags that you are keeping notes of information that is requested or documenting interactions. 

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References

Ertmer, P.,A. & Quinn, J. (2007).  I.D. casebook: case studies on instructional design.  Pearson

Education.  Prentice-Hall, NJ.

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. John Wiley

& Sons, NJ.