Communication Action Pla

Communication Action Plan

Communication refers to the activity that is focused on the relaying of information from one person to another through a medium (Bateson & Ruesch, 2008). The communication that takes place amongst human beings involves a level of both verbal and nonverbal expression. Verbal communication refers to the use of oral mechanisms or spoken words, while non-verbal communication refers to the transfer of information, notions, or messages through the utilization of signals, eye contact, facial expressions, tonal variations, gestures and body behavior. The main goal of communication is to create a mutual understanding between the sender and the recipient. For communication to be effective, the parties to the communication must be in a position to share a commonality in the communication. The effectiveness of the communication is greatly dependent on the ability of the receiver to understand the message and offer the appropriate feedback.

Communication is important for a number of reasons thus it forms a very important facet of the firms strategies. The majority of failures that happen in many firms today are as a result of the lack of communication or a breakdown in the communication channels of the firm. Communication is therefore of great importance in the firm. Communication enhances the motivation of the employee of the firm. Motivation is achieved through communication using a number of ways. The communication in the firm is used to inform the employees about the roles that they should undertake in the firm (Hill & Jones, 2012). In the event that the employees do not have a clear understanding of the jobs and requirements of the jobs, the communication can be use to clarify for them the tasks. The communication also aids in the improvement of the performance of the employees as they will be able to understand what is required for them. Motivation results as there is a great understanding about what every member of the organization is required to do.

Communication also plays an important role as a source of information for the making of informed decisions in the firm (Bateson & Ruesch, 2008). When messages are sent between the members of the organization for instance from the field employees to the senior managers and vice versa, there is a massive body of information that is generated. Therefore when there is an effective communication in a firm, the organization can be able to employ strategies and make decisions that would lead to the success of the venture.

Communication also plays a great role in the shaping of the attitudes of the employees and individuals who make up the organization. Communication’s main goal is to inform the recipients; thus when a person is informed, their attitudes will be better than the attitude of the people who are less informed (Hill & Jones, 2012). The attitude of the employees is very important for the success of a venture especially in the cases of the service sector such as hospital. Finally, communication also plays a great role in the control of the behavior of employees in the firm. The controlling function is one of the functions of management that are very critical for the success of the organization. The behavior that is portrayed by members of the organization are controlled by some given guidelines and principles that are communicated by the management of the firm. Communication allows for the employees to voice their work grievances in an orderly manner.

With a staff of over 100 employees, proper measures should be put in place to ensure that information is passed across the entire workforce. Multiple communication tools such as e-mails, online meetings, one on one communication and meetings should be used to ensure the message reaches the desired audience. Five basic steps should be followed to ensure effective communication. The first step is ensuring clarity and specificity. Regardless of whether a person is writing or speaking, he/she should go straight to the point (Wood, 2012). Needless details should be omitted to enhance understanding of the main point. Accuracy and precision should be ensured when issuing a directive or giving instructions. The second step is to remove fear and intimidation. An effective communication should be two-way and therefore both parties have to be actively involved. If the staff members fear that they can be ignored or victimized when they ask questions, the firm is unlikely to achieve a full potential.

The third step of effective communication is to avoid destructive criticism (Wood, 2012). Petty, passive and sniping masquerading in form of criticism should not be tolerated in the organization. All communication including the harshest feedback has to be delivered in a supportive and positive manner. The fourth step is to encourage questions and discussions. Participants should be free to ask any question with fear of victimization. Comments and questions should be encouraged as a way of removing communication barriers between various employees at different hierarchical levels or in different departments within the organization. The final step of effective communication is to cultivate a habit of continuous communication. There should be regular communication between members of staff to ensure proper coordination. An important message should never be put on halt to wait for the next meeting. Daily, weekly, formal and informal communications have to be made among staff members.









References
Bateson, G. & Ruesch, J. (2008), Communication: the social matrix of psychiatry, New Brunswick, U.S.A.: Transaction Publishers, Hill, C. W. L. & Jones, G. R. (2012), Strategic Management: An Integrated Approach, South-Western Publishers Wood, T. J. (2012), Interpersonal communication: everyday encounters, Boston, MA: Wadsworth