I am a full-time student in Germany. As part of my assignment, I have to give a presentation about this Harvard Business review article. So I summarized the article in my own words. However, in order to internalize these words inside my brain, I have to listen to it many times repeatedly. It is due in the upcoming three days. If any one is kind enough to audiorecord it. I will really appreciate it.
Summary:
In his Harvard Business article, “Seven Communication Mistakes Managers Make,” the author Stever Robbins, president of VentureCoach.com, a Cambridge, Mass. Entrepreneurial coaching service, discusses a panoply of solutions for these seven communication mistakes that managers make while dealing with a composition of team members.
1. Making Controversial Announcements Without Doing Groundwork First. Any controversial decision upon disclosing to a group of employees without taking their concerns into account beforehand will cause anxiety and uncertainty. To counteract these possible issues, do the homework first. Try to analyze the bigger picture how everyone is going to be affected individually. If some reorganization or changing goals are about to occur, talk to them one to one. To start an open communication channel with them. To show empathy with them.
2. Lying. Lying is one of those vices that it will often bite your ass than it will save. It is true that some well-intentioned partial truths are fine, however, credibility of a manager or an executive counts the most in front of their employees. Consequently, instead of downright lying it is better to train yourself to say statements such as “I am not free to comment” or “ I can’t answer that fully right now”.
3.Ignoring the realities of power. It will be a grave mistake if a manager is oblivious to the issues at hand as they are filtered through a chain of corporate hierarchy and each employee is making them less severe down the chain. It is better to ferret out a problem upfront. Welcome it. Appreciate it. In the same vein, make sure your main message is conveyed clearly without hanging your employees in the air. Avoid ambiguous language and bad jokes. More specifically, always end meetings by reviewing your reactions and next steps. As an example, “I value your analysis, Chris. The sales trend is disturbing. Let’s follow up on Wednesday.”
4. Underestimating Your Audience’s Intelligence. Don’t make assumptions regarding the intelligence quotient of your frontline employees. They are the ones who deal with clients and more probably be mindful of the problems down the chain. Instead of giving them direct orders or new designs to follow explain them why these new changes must be made. Chances are that they are already aware of such problems. Instead of ignoring them altogether, seek for their knowledge and skills in finding solutions.
5. Confusing Process with Outcome. It will be a huge mistake If a manager focuses on the process rather than on the outcome. In the end, results that what matter most to the organizations. You are rewarded based on meeting the objectives and goals of the organizations. It is of utmost importance for any manager to pay heed to the outcome rather than to the process.
6. Using Inappropriate Forms of Communication. Know your audience as the saying goes. If you know who your audience is that means you can adopt your communication channels accordingly. If your employees are good readers, then e-mail communication is the way to go. Contrariwise, if they are good listeners, then face to face communication is the way to go. If you do not know about your audience, your message will not get through. So, it is very important to do research or interact with your workers to find out which medium of communication they prefer, or they prefer a combination of both.
7. Ignoring Acts of Omission. It is better to be a good communicator rather than a silent observer. As a manager, communicate your goals and objectives with your frontline employees. Praise them. Trust them. Explain your rationales with them behind your decisions. Review your goals and objectives periodically and the following communication that’s needed to support those goals and objectives. Ask your employees, “What sort of message they are getting from me?”
Relevance for Business Administration Students: This text is primarily relevant for business administration students because in the long run they will be working in the management side of the organization and will be dealing with a panoply of employees with various cultural and professional backgrounds. It is very important for those who will work as a manager or as a product manager to be mindful of such communication mistakes right from the start go in order to be a successful manager.
Quality of the Writing: In general, writing is precise and to the point without involving run-of-the-mill sentences.
Style of Text: The writer rather uses a formal register with contractions and a sparingly use of idiomatic phrases and addressing the reader in the second person as if speaking to him or her rather than writing. He uses quotation marks to give his relevant comments more credence. Both stylistic tools serve to make the text more persuasive.
Language: The writer uses many phrasal verbs, idiomatic phrases and shows a good command of using vocabulary relevant to the text. Using idiomatic phrases such as to soften the blow and put a lid on rumors and to gloss over issues to name a few, totally reflects the mastery of the language by the author.
Text Structure: The text starts with giving a perfect hook to the topic at hand and leading the reader all the way to the end by discussing the communication problems that a manager usually makes and by offering solutions for avoiding those communication mistakes.
