Communications in Management - Assignment Example

ASSIGNMENT Student’s name Code & Course Professor’s Name University City Date Question 11.2.1 In one of my recent phone conversations, I was trying to organize and online video call with one of my friends from South Africa. I managed to reach him through her through the phone and we planned on the video call which we intended to have at 9 p.m. the same day. In the conversation, the message delivery worked out since the recipient, my friend was able to get the intended message for the call, which was to wait for my video call. However, the video call failed since we both forgot about our environments and time zone differences. I could not find her on video call and I later realized that she had waited for my call in vain. Question 11.3.1 Agenda Discussion of the last market campaign Reading the reports and results of the campaign Discussing the report and results Analysis of successes and failures Way forward To produce this information, detailed documentation is required regarding the marketing records for the time period. The marketing department needs to conduct a detailed analysis of the records and results available and use the analysis to present the findings in this discussion. Question 11.4.1 I would like to propose a toast to the most hardworking person; whose dedication amidst all challenges made this project a success; Our Team Leader, Mr. Johnson. Salute! Question 11.5.1 Press interviews are useful for businesses and organizations in a number of ways. Most importantly, the benefits of the interviews relate with the public access to the interviews which allow delivery or dissemination of particular information regarding business operations and products. Press interviews serve businesses or organizations in the following two ways: Increase publicity of businesses or organizations by providing avenues for the businesses information to be accessed by the public through the interviews. In an interview about a new innovation in market, the public watching or accessing the interview learn about the new innovation and its relevance. Secondly, some press interviews allow publics to question businesses, the ideas and products giving platforms for the innovators and entrepreneurs to explain and justify their products to the market thus convincing consumers. Question 11.5.2 Media access and advantages are useful to businesses today in gaining market advantages through publicity. The Krypto Restaurant targets to introduce a chain of restaurants in Rio Di Janeiro Brazil, operating using the Tepanyakki sytle of service where the customer’s table is the kitchen. Strategically, the company has thoroughly studied the food behaviour of the Brazilians and is guaranteed of a ready market. The company therefore intends to establish good and beneficial relations with the local media. As a strategy, the restaurants aim at allowing the local media to conduct press interviews with the restaurants management and also offer for period of time free deliveries of food to different local media companies. This will attract the media’s attention towards the company and use the advantages presented to win over the local market. Question 11.5.3 Interviewees have a tendency of getting nervous in some, though not all situations. However, some interviewees have very high confidence amidst a number of questions that may be suggestive or emotionally provocative. One such person is Donald Trump, who is seen as excessively confident and articulate in a CNN press interview. There is good turn taking with both the interviewer and the interviewee waiting for their turns to speak and listening to the other. In case of interruptions, they are done using polite remarks. I think Donald does very well in this interview that it is difficult to raise any suggestions for improvements. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FepVvO5T6UU Question 11.5.4 An interview’s purpose it to generate views and opinions of the interviewee. Regardless of the reasons, an interview that doesn’t reach its completion fails to achieve the goals (Griffin & McClish, 2011). One such interview was when Dean Richards in WGN New interviewed Vin Diesel, a renowned celebrity actor. Having touched on a sensitive topic regarding the death of Paul Walker, Diesel’s long time friend and co-actor, Diesel gets emotional and walks away from the interview. As such, the interview does not progress and the objectives of the interview fail. However, one communication is made; regarding the high emotional implications of Walker’s death on Vin Diesel and the larger Fast and Furious fraternity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leFnmCtKSW8 Question 11.6.1 An introduction of a Guest Speaker by Mathew Kass is one speaker introduction that I consider effective. Kass gives a brief history of the speaker relating, detailing the speaker’s achievements and views in relation to the subject the speaker is yet to address. Notably, the introduction entails details relevant to the audience as regarding the speaker’s background. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frt6Dt_3hMs While this second speech is significantly good and with levels of humour and ice breaking content, introducing a speaker who has risen above disability fails to substantially relate his disability or challenges with the related successes of the victim. While the presenter is eloquent in the introduction and mentions various significant details, failure to create this relation makes the speech ineffective. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-d2Fed8oWI Question 11.6.2 I believe in self motivation and aggressiveness as a key to opening doors to various opportunities in life. In my life, I have discovered that hardwork, consistency and persistence are keys to achieving success in everything that one does. My family is middle class and my access to various resources was limited by I believe in living within one’s means. For career satisfaction, I consider that it is important to venture into a career of one’s interest rather than having forced interests. I am an effective communicator and eloquent in speech, which are gifts I would like to use for my career success. Question 11.7.1 When Lupita Nyong’o a Kenyan actress was receiving the Oscar Award as the best supporting character for her role in the movie ‘12 Years a Slave’ she delivered a speech which I consider effective. Not only was the speech emotional, but it recognized the roles of other people who contributed to her success in the film. In addition, coming from Kenya, a third world country, she remembered to use the chance to encourage everyone who ever dreams of success, that their dreams are valid. With great confidence, articulation and powerful residual message, the speech was well received globally. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73fz_uK-vhs Question 11.7.2 Merrit Wever’ acceptance speech for the Emmy Award was ineffective. Being her first time to receive an award, she was tensed up and lacked confidence to effectively deliver her speech. Despite having it written down on paper, Wever could only afford to say a ‘thank you’ and shyly rushed out of stage leaving the audience bursting out in laughter and clapping which could not be clearly categorized as a mock or congratulations. Her lack of confidence and inability to speak make me consider this a failed speech of ineffective speech. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45Jb_GwvyBA Question 11.9.1 Description Recently, there was a trending message in Facebook and Twitter that requested for prayers for Kenya, a country in Africa that had suffered massive terror attacks from a Somalia-based Militia group known as Al Shabaab. The message was trending in the wake of May 2nd when the terrorist group decided to attack a university college where they brutally killed more than 100 students. Discussion The message was not only appealing to emotions but also relevant to the students’ population in the world since the victims of this attack were young ambitions university students. As such, I passed on the message to other students in order to spread the message and help in not only praying but show international concern and cohesion. Question 11.9.2 The relevance of a speech or a topic to my interests greatly implicates on my attention. As such, a topic I am interested in would be guaranteed all my attention. Strategic use of attention seeking words or statements for example, ‘note this very important point…’ or ‘remember this…’ tend to capture my attention. Use of visual aids such as slides, wall charts, diagrams or objects attract my attention and help sustain it for a longer time span. My level of involvement in a presentation also affects my attention. A speaker who engages the audience for example through questions is more likely to have my full attention. Use of ice breakers and considerable levels of humour attract my attention as they liven up the presentations. Question 12.1.1 Delivering negative news is not only disheartening to the recipients of the news but also to the deliverers of the news. In most cases, it is difficult to convey such news and requires various levels of strategic planning of buffers that delay the conveying of the negative news until the recipient is considered ready to receive and absorb the news. This is the indirect approach of delivering negative news. Indirect approach is mostly used in cases where the news has potential to cause significant negative emotional reactions or cause undesirable effects and discouragements to the recipients (Engleberg & Wynn, 2014). For cancer patients for example, breaking the news to the patients and the families that the situation is no longer controllable and would result to death within a certain period of time, has proven challenging to most doctors. The memories of seeing families break down in agony upon delivery of such news is always disheartening. As such, doctors strategically design buffers that give assurance before slowly getting to the bad news. Question 12.1.2 Our business sales have recorded a decline for the past two consecutive quarters. This has had considerably negative implications on our operational positions with regards to the income generated. The company really appreciates the input of each and every member of the Sales Team in their effort to ensure that sales are made. Considering our efforts over a long period of time, it is possible to project that this trying moment will pass and that each of us will put enough effort to ensure that our sales improve. In case, there is such improvements on sales, then out positions will improve and the company would be able to negotiate better payment packages for each of us; which we hope would be soon. However, with the current circumstances, the company is forced to reduce our hours and base pay by 20% to cater for this drop. It is only our efforts that will determine the length of this consequence. Initially, we considered laying off those who are underperforming in this team but on second thought, we considered giving a second chance for each one of us to prove their abilities and return the company to its usual profitability position. That way, each of us will stand to gain. Kindly, bear with the inconvenience and work harder to reverse the situation. Question 12.2.1 Accessing books in the school library was always a challenge. The resources are usually limited and with a high number of students competition is high. In my case, I usually ended up picking the required book but on returning it to the shelf; I would take it to a totally different section where no one looking for it would expect to find it there. I would take a communication management book for example and put it among books of science. This is against the school library regulations and would result to one being banned from accessing library facilities of incur heavy financial penalties. Unfortunately, the school’s librarian had been monitoring my behavior and presented me one day with a one week ban from using the library. This was a personal penalty which I accepted rather than risk facing the administration procedures that would be harsh. It was just about exam time at the time and so I felt so much inconvenienced with the punishment then. However, looking back I realize that the punishment imposed on me was gentle. Later on, I recall, several students with similar behavior received permanent bans from using library facilities. The correction enhanced my library discipline and I learnt to share resources and plan early. Question 12.3.1 The Colorado Non Profit Association Crisis Communication Plan stipulates 8 main policies geared towards controlling or averting potential crises for the organization. However, the plan lacks meeting place or location elements of a Crisis Communication Plan. http://www.coloradononprofits.org/wp-content/uploads/crisiscomm.pdf Question 12.3.2 Not knowing what to do in a crisis situation causes lots of confusion and panic and most a times hinders or interferes with operations. Crises may result to uncertainties and fears. In situations where crises are predicted, strategic planning to avert or control the crises should be put in place earlier. In employment cases for example, where failure to accomplish responsibilities may be leading to a crises, the workers could be warned in advance or encouraged to improve performance. Most importantly organizations need to have crisis communication plans to control handling of crises. Question 13.1.1 Sitting down at his study table, he decides to pick his laptop and do his school assignment. From the look of his face, the work is stressful or rather difficult. He looks confused and undecided on the approach to use in doing the work. He decides to browse the net for any information available regarding his topic of study. ‘How can Communication Management be this challenging’ he asks himself and then he bites his lips and gets to work again. This time, he seems more composed. He begins typing and the ideas seem just to flow. How could he have known how easy it would be, if he had not tried? Question 13.1.2 Self-talk has been a strategic method that most people have used to encourage themselves on in most cases or to make rather difficult situations look manageable (Robles, 2012). While in other cases, the use of self talk is deliberate, other times it happens involuntarily. In other cases too, the self talk may be verbalized while others it is internal. My most memorable self-talk experience was in my first participation in a charity run. This was a charity run organized to help raise funds for the aged populations in homes for the aged. While I hadn’t actively ran for long distances before, I was determined to make it in this run without stopping or walking. Therefore, I found myself at every interval of my exhaustion encouraging myself to keep running. At this point ‘I can do this’ kept going through my mind, that I only noticed the impact when I reached the finish line. Question 13.2.1 The dimensions of self help us understand who we are. Using the dimensions described our actions, characters, beliefs and other factors are contributing to our definition of who we are. In a sense, these are the details we put in our academic or professional resumes. In this case, I consider my characteristics as the main dimensions contributing to my resumes, both academic and professional. Through the characteristics, I try to make presentable resumes that are attractive based on my behavioural characteristics. Question 13.2.2 According to Luft and Ingram’s Dimension of Self I would consider myself dynamic. My self is not static and with the capabilities of changing depending on variable situations. The freedom to change, reflect, plan, anticipate and predict five us the chance to learn and adapt to our environments. Question 13.3.1 Personal needs mostly vary with situations. As such, these situational variations influence how the personal needs are expressed (Engleberg & Wynn, 2014). Similarly, personal needs vary from individual to individual based on the individual needs and requirements. In a school organized student’s camp, for example, I would expect good quality accommodation and food which would be different in a case where friends have organized for a camp. In the latter situation, considering various financial constraints, my personal needs in relation to accommodation and food would be confined to our affordability. The same trend happens to other people based on their situations. Personal needs are not standard but variable. In a university research in Idaho University, most students agreed to their ability to adjust their personal needs depending on situations at hand. Question 13.4.1 Personal Self Professional Self 1 Social Industrious 2 Funny Innovative 3 Cautious Aggressive 4 Active Ethical 5 Hardworking Reliable 13.4.2 Mutual Trust My best friend, Denver, is a person with whom we share mutual trust. We have been friends for over five years now. Through this period of time we have learnt each other’s strengths and weaknesses and learnt to accept them. Most importantly, trust had developed between us such that we can count on each other at any time and confide in each other too. It all started when I realized that he could help in times of need without expecting back and I could do the same. Slowly, we relied on each other in times of need and shared our successes and challenges. Basically, both of us played a part in building this mutual trust and have still played a role in maintaining it to date. Question 13.4.3 Self-disclosure entails discussions to reveal more about one self, or in business about and entity (Griffin & McClish, 2011). It is more revealing when the discussion is based on the present while less revealing if the discussion is founded on the past. The cores aim of self-disclosure it to improve understanding. In business, self-disclosures are key in explaining about products to consumers and modes of business operations. As such, the consumers have a greater understanding of products and operations hence attracting consumer preferences. It also helps eliminate doubts and considerably present competitive advantages to businesses by delivering required information to the masses about various entities. Reference List Engleberg, I. N., & Wynn, D. R. (2014). Think communication. Pearson Higher Ed. Griffin, E. A., & McClish, G. A. (2011). A first look at communication theory. Boston: McGraw-Hill. Robles, M. M. (2012). Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in today’s workplace. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(4), 453-465. Read More