The Right Communication Method Matters
Loading...When we think about different ways we can communicate with others, we achieve the best results by considering the message itself and how to deliver it while providing the receiver with clarity and understanding. Considering which stakeholders will need to hear each message is important for building trust and engagement within the organization.
Will an email, individual or team meeting, phone call, newsletter, employee forum, communication board, social media post, focus group, or another method of communication be the most appropriate? Align the purpose of the message with the right audience to select the best way to communicate.
Read the scenarios below to see which communication methods leaders chose and decide if they aligned to the message and stakeholder group.
CHOOSING A COMMUNICATION METHOD SCENARIOS:
Tom Smith Financial Services – Company Policy Change
Recently CEO Tom Smith, of Tom Smith Financial Services decided his company policies needed reviewing. Based on feedback from his customers, Tom will no longer allow employees to wear jeans in the office. Tom decided the best way to let his employees know is to post about the policy change on the company Facebook page.
- What were Tom’s results?
- Only some of Tom Smith Financial Services employees received the update via the company Facebook page. Many employees don’t follow the company on Facebook and the employees that do are confused if the policy change is real. The employees have questions and a need for better understanding. Most still show up to work wearing jeans despite the CEO being under the impression that he initiated a policy change.
- What communication method would be more appropriate?
- Tom Smith should host a mandatory Employee Forum for all of his employees to announce the dress code policy change. This ensures each employee is aware of the new update and provides a better environment to explain the reason for the change and to gather feedback from employees.
Watersports TV – Bump in the Road
Allison is a member of the advertising team within the marketing department at Watersports TV. She has been designing advertisements for their upcoming wakeboarding series. She runs into an issue making the templates work and decides to send an email to the entire marketing department exclaiming “911 can anyone help me?”
- Did an email get Allison the help she needed?
- No, Allison’s email to the entire marketing department resulted in many emails flooding Allison’s inbox. Some of her coworkers were bothered to be emailed about the advertising team’s template problem. Others had no clue how to help, causing a string of unnecessary emails and no solutions to Allison’s problem.
- What communication method would be more appropriate?
- Allison should have requested a team meeting with the advertising team to find a solution to the template issue she was experiencing. An email could be used to notify the team of the meeting. A team meeting is the method of communication most often recommended for problem-solving. Remember to respect everyone’s time, only include who needs to be there, not an entire department.
Bayside Burgers – Community Engagement
A local restaurant, Bayside Burgers is a tourist hot spot six months out of the year. The manager, Michelle, wants to come up with new specials and menu items that will make Bayside Burgers a local favorite for the other six months. To see what the local community wants Michelle decides to have an individual meeting with every employee and to ask their opinion.
- Is Michelle collecting the right information?
- Some of Michelle’s employees had unique ideas Michelle may implement, however she is spending a lot of time in meetings with individual employees and isn’t getting valuable feedback. The ideas from employees she has implemented aren’t working to generate loyal local business.
- What communication method would be more appropriate?
- Michelle needs to host a focus group for current local customers and community members. The audience Bayside Burgers is looking to attract will be able to best communicate what their wants are. By hosting a focus group to ask the community directly, Michelle will gather valuable information and build trust with the customers she’s looking to generate loyalty from.
