Delivering Bad News Successfully

         Communication is an important and never ending process. It is important to be aware of whom you will be communicating with and the necessary steps you will have to take to ensure you do not communicate in a way that might offend that person. Resolving conflicts with an individual will require a lot more patience and skills in order to be able to effectively communicate with them. Let’s take a look at an example of how delivering bad news can be accomplished effectively.

I am a department manager for a company that provides technology support services. One of my employees has been with the company for two years. This employee’s job performance is decreasing and I have been getting several complaints from other employees and customers. This employee has also been displaying confrontational behavior that has created a hostile work environment. I must now confront this employee and give them the ultimatum to change their behavior and work ethic or be dismissed from their position at the company.

There are several key things to remember when confronting someone to deliver bad news. One important thing to remember is to “be considerate when you deliver the news. Show that you are sympathetic. This will not only reflect professionalism, but also compassion” (eHow, 2012). I intend to approach this employee immediately. Delaying delivering the news will only make things worse. I plan to have a one-on-one meeting with the employee behind closed doors. I feel this will be more private and the employee will not have to worry about someone over hearing our conversation and being embarrassed or feeling like they are being ridiculed.

I would start off the meeting by discussing the positive contributions the employee has contributed to the company and how these positive effects have had an impact on the success of the company. I feel it is important to include positive things about the employee to show them they are worthy and that not all of their work or what they do is bad. It is also important to let them know that they shouldn’t take anything too personal and that honest feedback will help them improve in their weak areas and allow them to be able to grow and become more successful.

I will be honest with my employee and explain to them how their job performance and behavior is hurting the company. I would let them know they have to change their behavior and attitude or I will have to dismiss them from their position at the company. I anticipate this employee will become very hostile and defensive. No one wants to hear they are not up to par in accomplishing something and I am sure my employee is going to be very upset and hurt. I will listen to my employee’s perspective and hear what they have to say, but I will still stay firm to my ultimatum.

One important thing to remember about conflicts is that they should be resolved in a timely and effective manner. There are different ways a person can deal with handling conflict. I am going to deal with my employee and the issues that need to be resolved by using the collaborating approach. The collaborative approach allows each of us to be able to speak freely and listen to what each other has to say. It also allows us to understand each other’s point of view (studygs, 2012). I feel this approach will be the most beneficial and will help resolve the issues with my employee more effectively.

In conclusion, effectively managing conflict is a big part in communicating with others. In order to deliver bad news to someone it is important to be honest with them and to be considerate of their feelings. It is also important to ensure you are communicating with the individual in a way that they can understand and correctly interpret what you are trying to convey to them. This paper and other useful information about communicating effectively with others can be found on my blog at http://jodiehubbardcom480.blogspot.de/.

References

eHow. (2012). How to Deliver Bad News in a Business Setting. Retrieved on April 29, 2012, from http://www.ehow.com/how_2295524_deliver-bad-news-business-setting.html.

Studygs. (2012). Conflict Resolution. Retrieved on April 30, 2012, from http://www.studygs.net/conflres.htm.

Intercultural Communication

        Being in the military allows you the opportunity to work with many different individuals from numerous cultures. It also allows you the opportunity to be stationed in different countries. I am currently living in Germany. I have been here since May 2009 and will leave in May 2013.

        It was a huge adjustment when I first moved here. I didn’t know the language or customs so that made it awkward and difficult especially when looking for a house to rent. Most of the younger generations of Germans know English pretty well so communicating with them is a lot easier than older generations. Some older generations say they don’t know English, but do. However, they refuse to speak it.

       The majority of my neighbors are German and they speak either little or no German. Even though we don’t understand each other we still try to carry a conversation sometimes. Through the use of words we both kind of understand in each other’s language and symbols we are usually able to make out what the other is communicating.

      During the summer there is a type of plant that grows here and it is poisonous. If your skin comes into contact with it you will feel like your skin is on fire. We had heard of it before, but didn’t know what it looked like. One day my German neighbor was outside and started to try to tell us the stuff growing in our backyard was poisonous. Through his body language and gestures I was able to understand he was trying to tell us the plants growing were poisonous and to don’t let our children get near them.

     By communicating with each other even though we knew neither one of us knew the other’s language showed that we respected each other and took the time and initiative to still try to converse. The use of body language and gestures allows me to figure out what they are saying most of the time. There are times where I have no clue what they are saying, but we don’t let it interfere with us being polite and nice to each other. This follows some of the commandments listed in the article by Martin Hahn. Hahn’s tips to communicating effectively interculturally include being respectful and patient and persistent (2005). By using these tips it helps the communication process between my neighbor and I go smoothly and more effectively.

                                                 
References

Hahn, M. (2005). Ten Commandments of Intercultural Communication. Retrieved on April 26, 2012, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Ten-Commandments-of-Intercultural-Communication&id=120247.

Studying Communication

Communication is a never ending process and is constantly taking place. Good communication skills are a must have. People are willing to be more receptive towards you if you are able to communicate effectively and efficiently with them. There are many ways to improve how we communicate with one another. Classes such as this one can help improve an individual’s way of communicating with others. Let’s discuss some reasons why I feel communication is important.

My main motivation to study communication comes from the fact that I want to work in the media field. I know working in this type of atmosphere will require me to communicate with people all of the time. I think it is important to study communication and to learn about the different perspectives people have and to understand more on how people communicate with one another. I also believe it is important to learn about the correct ways to communicate with people from different backgrounds and how to avoid saying or doing something that might accidently offend them. Studying communication allows you to learn the skills to overcome barriers that prevent effective communication with others.

Understanding communication can be very beneficial. After studying communication I have been able to apply what I have learned to my professional and personal life. I have been able to communicate more effectively with the people I work with and it has made it easier to get what is required from them done. When communicating with others I try to remember to avoid the barriers that cause ineffective communication. I am more aware of others and how not everyone communicates in the same manner and I have been more tolerant of this fact and it has helped improve my communication with some people.

There are many definitions when it comes to the term communication. According to our text book, communication is “the transmission of information, ideas, emotions, skills, etc., by the use of symbols—words, pictures, figures, graphs, etc” (Trenholm, pg.3). After reviewing the different definitions in our text I found this one to be the one I most agreed with. I believe communication can be found in many forms. When people communicate with each other it can be verbally, written, or even by the use of gestures. These different ways of communicating can help make communication more effective. I am living in Germany and I don’t really know any German. I have come across several Germans who do not speak any English. When it comes to communicating with each other it can be very difficult. With the use of pictures and gestures these forms of communication have helped get the message across successfully even though we didn’t understand each other’s languages. This example here is the main reason I felt this definition was the right one to choose.

In conclusion, communication is an important part of life. Communication is constantly taking place and happens even when we don’t expect it to. It is important to study communication and to be able to understand how important effective communication is. The more knowledgeable you are about communication the better you will be at communicating with others effectively and efficiently.

References


Trenholm, S. (2011). Thinking Through Communication: An Introduction to the Study of Human    Communication (6th Edition). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.

The Influence of Communication

Communication plays an important role in everyday life. Communication is a never ending process and can be delivered in many different forms. Your communication skills tell a lot about your personality and how well you get along with others. Good communication skills are a must have. However, for those that has trouble communicating with others there are ways to improve your communication skills. Let’s take a look at a few examples to prove the importance of good communication skills in everyday situations.

The impact of technology on communication has become an important factor in communicating with others. If you walk inside any building on my base you will be able to find at least five computers in each building. Everyone has access to these computers and has their own email account set up. There is also an instant messaging chat service used to communicate with individuals located on the base and other bases. The increasing use of email and instant messaging services has decreased the amount of face-to-face conversations. People find it easier and less time consuming to send an email rather than having to get up and leave their office to track down the person they are trying to get in touch with. This is especially true if the person they are trying to contact works in another building.

I find the use of email to be very beneficial in most cases. One of our computers at work disconnected from the printer line and now has no printing capabilities. One of my co-workers was using this computer and had some documents that needed to be printed out to be signed and then needed to be faxed to another agency on base. Instead of my co-worker and I having to log off and switch computers with each other she was able to email me her documents and I was able to print them out for her from my computer. Once her documents were printed she was able to sign them and then we used the scanner connected to the computer I was on to scan her documents. I was then able to send her documents as an attachment and email them back to her and she was able to email them to the agency requesting them. The computers we have at work are slow and take forever for you to log on and off so this process helped us save a lot of time and we were able to accomplish this within a few minutes.

The use of instant messaging services is also useful when communicating with others. I mostly use my instant messaging service to ask someone a quick question instead of calling them or having to walk over to the building they are located in. This help saves time and I can continue working on what I am doing while I am waiting for them to respond to my question. I have noticed sometimes people can get distracted by little questions and I know if I don’t see the person face-to-face than it helps me cut down on unnecessary time standing around talking about things that are not work related. I’m less likely to get distracted if I stay behind my desk and wait for them to respond through the instant messenger because I can stay on task while I’m waiting for their response.

Outdoor Media

The last type of media technology we will discuss is the use of outdoor media. Outdoor media consists of using billboards and fliers to relay their messages to their audience. The audience for this type of media depends on what is being advertised. Most information that is being advertised consists of advertisements for businesses and different consumer products.

The location of your billboards and fliers is important and critical in order for your information to be successfully obtained by your audience. Big cities are a good location for outdoor media because there is a large amount of people living and working within the city. By posting billboards and fliers in areas where you know people will be allows your information to be viewed. Many people use public transportation in big cities so a lot of times outdoor media can be found near these areas. Outdoor media can also be found in locations of cities where people frequent most often.

Cities that attract a lot of tourists use a lot of outdoor media. Cities like Las Vegas are surrounded by many different types of outdoor media. There are billboards and fliers on just about every corner and street. People stand in the middle of the sidewalk and hand out fliers and businesslike cards to spread their information to their audience. You can even find billboards and advertisements located on the sides of taxis and other vehicles. In Las Vegas there are trucks that have lighted billboards in their beds and the driver goes around the city driving back and forth to draw attention to their billboard to try to spread their message to their audience.

 This use of outdoor media is considered one of the least effective types to use because your message will only be received if your audience sees your billboards and fliers. That means people have to be in the area where your things are being advertised and they must be placed in a way they can be easily viewed. Placement is the key to the success of this type of media technology.

Print Media

Print media is another popular type of media technology. Print media has been out for several years and was very popular before radio and television media took over. Print media consists of using magazines and newspapers to relay messages. “Print was first used mainly by the church to reinforce and spread religious ideology through the publication of religious literature” (encyclopedia, 2010). Today many people use this type of media as a source to obtain information. The type of information obtained consists of various topics and in some cases a whole magazine or newspaper might be dedicated to one particular topic. The messages delivered by this type of media include local and worldwide news, news going on in the sports world, and information about different current events.

The use of magazines and newspapers are declining with the increasing use of the internet and with everything going digital. Although this is true, “many tech-savvy people prefer to read an actual newspaper or magazine as opposed to reading it online” (Stefano, 2008).

Electronic versions of magazines and newspapers can be found on the internet. Books are also a good example of print media. Books can be categorized in several different ways. Some books are for pure enjoyment and entertainment while others are used as educational resources and describe events that took place in the past. Today many books are being provided in an electronic format as well.

The increasing use of electronic versions of print media can be viewed as a threat. There are currently many people who prefer the use of electronic versions over print because the electronic versions can be easily obtained and are usually cheaper or even free. I believe over time the use of electronic versions will cause print media to cease to some degree.

References

Encyclopedia. (2012). Print Media. Retrieved on April 20, 2012 from http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/print+media.

Stefano, T. (2008). Print Media vs. E-Media: The Battle Is On. Retrieved on April 19, 2012 from http://www.technewsworld.com/story/publishing/64244.html.

Internet Media

Another important type of media technology used is the internet. The internet is the fastest growing type of media technology used and is growing more and more every day. The internet serves several purposes. The internet is popular among everyone especially younger and middle aged audiences and is one of the quickest ways to find out information and to pass on information.

A person can use the internet to find out information about numerous different topics and is used quite often when doing research. You can also use the internet to check out the weather and local news in your area or to even find out what news is going on in other parts of the country and world. Many people use the internet to help plan their vacations as well. People can even do banking online and can shop and purchase items online and then have them delivered straight to their home without ever stepping into the actual store.

The internet connects people together through the use of social networking sites like Facebook and Skype. Facebook allows individuals to connect with old friends and make new friends. It is a good way for people to stay in touch especially if they live in different states or countries from their friends or relatives. Skype also connects people by allowing them to chat with each other and view each other on webcams. This is a very nice tool to have when you are separated from those you love and want to be able to see them live in real time.

Broadcast Media

         The first type of media technology we will discuss is known as broadcast media. “The term broadcast media is really a broad range term that is used to describe a number of media outlets” (mbcnet, 2012). Broadcast media consists of using the television and radio to relay their messages to their audiences. Televisions and radios are available to numerous amounts of people throughout the world so this allows information to be passed on to large amounts of people in a short amount of time.

The use of the radio “remains the most powerful, and yet the cheapest, mass medium for reaching large numbers of people in isolated areas” (FAO, 2012). The radio is a great way to pass on information as it is happening. When the radio was first designed it was used to broadcast world events and stories that took place nationwide (mbcnet, 2012). Today the radio is used to broadcast events that take place locally.

The radio is also a good source used to listen to music. There are several radio stations that play a variety of different music genres. People can also listen to football and baseball games being commentated as they are being played live through the radio.

The television is another popular medium used to broadcast messages to a large audience. Televisions can be found in almost every home and most homes have more than one television. The use of the television allows people to view the news being broadcasted to them. The news can be viewed from a local television station or can be news viewed from around the world. Television allows us to see the effects of the news through visual images.

            
References

FAO. (2012). Communication approaches. Retrieved on April 19, 2012 from http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/X2550E/X2550e04.htm.

Mbcnet. (2012). Communication Connection. Retrieved on April 20, 2012 from http://www.mbcnet.org/category/radio.

Media Technologies

          There are many different types of media technologies available. The four media technologies I chose to discuss are broadcast media, print media, internet media, and outdoor media. Broadcast media consists of using the television and radio to relay their messages to their audiences. These types of media are most often used and can send information out to large amounts of people in a short amount of time. The use of the radio “remains the most powerful, and yet the cheapest, mass medium for reaching large numbers of people in isolated areas” (FAO, 2012). A lot of older individuals rely more on broadcast media as their main source for obtaining information.

        Print media consists of using magazines and newspapers. Many people use this type of media as a source to obtain information. The use of magazines and newspapers are declining with the increasing use of the internet and everything going digital. Although this is true, “many tech-savvy people prefer to read an actual newspaper or magazine as opposed to reading it online” (Stefano, 2008).

        The internet media is one of the main ways to relay messages to your audience. The internet is popular among everyone especially younger and middle aged audiences and is one of the quickest ways to find out information and to pass on information. A person can use the internet to find out information about numerous different topics. You can use the internet to check out the weather and local news in your area or to even find out what news is going on in other parts of the country and world.

        The use of social networking sites allows individuals to keep in touch with each other and relay messages and information that way. I must say I am not too big of a fan about this. I seem to find out things that happen back home through Facebook before I hear it from my family. My father had a heart attack a couple of days ago and before my Mother could even get a hold of me or my siblings to let us know someone had already posted about it on Facebook and that was how I had found out. Although it is a quick way to send out information it should still be used tactfully and in the right manner.

        The last type of media technology I chose is the use of outdoor media. Outdoor media consists of using billboards and fliers to relay their messages to their audience. The audience for this type of media depends on what is being advertised and the location of your billboards and fliers is important. This is one of the least effective types to use because your message will only be received if your audience sees your billboards and fliers. That means people have to be in the area where your things are being advertised and they must be placed in a way they can be easily viewed.

References

FAO. (2012). Communication approaches. Retrieved on April 19, 2012 from http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/X2550E/X2550e04.htm.

Stefano, T. (2008). Print Media vs. E-Media: The Battle Is On. Retrieved on April 19, 2012 from http://www.technewsworld.com/story/publishing/64244.html.

Communication is the Key to Success

Communication takes place on a daily basis and in various forms. One way communication takes place is through the use of blogs. There are a few key elements to remember about blogs. The main thing to remember is that they must serve a purpose in order to captivate your reader and keep their attention. “The biggest challenge is to get your target audience to read your blog” (Nobles, 2011). You want your readers to continue to come back to your blog on a regular basis. If you cannot keep your audience interested in it then it will lead to the failure of your blog.

“Defining the key demographics of your readers based on what your specific “niche” is will help set the tone for your future pieces” (Macale, 2011). The type of audience your blog will attract will be based upon what your blog is about. Once you have an idea of who your target audience will be you should write in the proper tone to address them.

The design and content of your blog is very important and helps your blog stand out. These two factors are important because they will help impact the attention your readers give your blog. If the design is nice and easy to follow and understand it will attract more readers. The content is also important. You don’t want to have too much content to where it is distracting, but at the same time you don’t want to have too little content.

Blogs are a nice way to communicate with your audience. It is important to remember who your target audience will be and to design your blog to meet the needs of your audience. Your audience’s first impression of your blog will be very important and will be a deciding factor determining whether or not they will be following your blog.

References

Macale, S. (2011). These tips will help define your blog’s target audience. Retrieved on April 16, 2012 from http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2011/09/19/these-tips-will-help-define-your-blogs-target-audience/.

Nobles, R. (2011). BLOGS WITH A PURPOSE. Retrieved on April 16, 2012 from http://www.searchengineworkshops.com/articles/blogs-purpose.html.

           

           My blog can be found at http://jodiehubbardcom480.blogspot.de/. I have never created a blog before and I have never really been interested in blogs before. When I first read we were going to be creating a blog I was not too thrilled. I feared creating a blog would be a long process that would be very time consuming and confusing.

           I already had an account for Google so all I had to do was log in and I went to the Google Blogger site. I have never heard of Google Blogger until this discussion forum. I was under the impression it would take forever to create a blog, but I was wrong. Creating a basic blog took about 5 minutes and was very easy to create. I think for my first blog the basic stuff will do for now. Once I get a little more familiar with the blog I intend to play around with things and add more to my blog to make it more interesting and more of my own.

          I think it is important for people to know what a blog is and why it is used. Once you have an understanding of a blog then you can use the Google Blogger or other bloggers to help you create your own blog. I think starting out with the basic blog will be good for first timers and then you can go from there to build on your experience with creating blogs. There are plenty of sites with useful information you can check out to help guide you in creating a nice professional looking blog.