Oral and Written Communications - Essay Example

Running Head: W4 Topic: W4 Lecturer: Presentation Compare and contrast the pros and cons of the oral communications and the written communications in various situations. Why does a leader need both methods for effective communications?  Both oral and written communications have pros and cons, and they can be used in unison to enhance leadership communication. The advantage that is common in the two methods of communication is that they can be applied in a flexible manner depending on the situation. Both are kept in the human memory and can be used to exchange ideas. They are significant in the decision making process. Improvements can be made in case a mistake arises, which allows effective control of work processes. In other words, they are flexible enough to permit changes that can enhance understanding in various situations. Oral communication has an advantage of receiving feedback immediately. It is the most appropriate method of communication for effective discussions. The feedback takes a longer period of time to be received in written communication (Keyton & Shockley-Zalabak, 2009). In oral communication, information is obtained first hand from the speaker and therefore there is no possibility of distortion of facts. Moreover, the points that are not clear can be explained by the speaker especially due to the fact that communication is shared between him/her and the audience. Gestures and facial expressions can be used to enhance the clarity of information. However, there are several weaknesses in oral communication. In contrast to written communication, the speaker and the audience must be present for communication to be achieved. The advantage of written communication is that messages can be conveyed in the absence of the audience to be read later. It also enhances remembrance since the information can be referred from time to time, which may not be possible for information communicated orally. There is usually a coherent flow of ideas while writing, some of which might be forgotten in oral communication. On the other hand, written communication allows the delivery of substantial information, which may be difficult through oral communication. However, unlike oral communication, literacy is paramount for effective communication; hence it might not be applicable for the illiterate people. Communication through notices in the workplace allows all workers an opportunity to view information posted on a common place. This is more effective than oral communication whereby some employees may not receive clear information especially if they were absent at the time of the announcement (Shockley-Zalabak, 2005). Leadership communication is significant for the accomplishment of the goals of leadership. Oral and written communications allow eloquence in expressing the ideas of the leader to his followers. They help the leader to effectively persuade his/her subordinates to adopt new ideas for the success of the organization. Such leaders are able to interact with the employees to understand their problems and help them to identify viable solutions. A leader who effectively communicates the needs of his followers to people who matter for the purpose of creating attention and soliciting assistance generates confidence amongst the subordinates especially with the realization that their needs have been given consideration. A leader who effectively communicates with the employees within an organization generates loyalty and enthusiasm in the workplace, which are aspects that are significant for the accomplishment of organizational goals (Hannum et al. 2007). Generally, oral and written communications have to be used together depending on the prevailing situation. 2- What are the differences when communicating with positive findings vs. negative findings?  Communication is an important aspect in our day to day lives based on the fact that it entails passing information from one person who can be termed as the source, to another person, that is, the receiver so as to assist them with the knowledge and the skills of handling important issues in life. However, the efficiency of the process depends highly on the tone of the speaker, since he holds the sole responsibility of encoding the information to be communicated to the receivers, for them to decode. When delivering these messages, one may decide to either communicate with positive findings or else negative findings. These are two different types of communication, which can be defined on the basis of the phrases used in the construction of sentences. For example, in positive communication, information is communicated using expressions that provide the listener with alternatives rather than statements which are demoralizing and which does not offer encouragement. Positive communication mostly concentrates with passing information which stresses positive actions as well as the positive consequences which can be expected after making certain decisions. Positive communication uses phrases such as and not limited to; some of the options open are..., it is suggested that, as well as the ‘if’ statements which specify a condition in the ‘if’ part and a solution in the else part (Miller, 2008). On the other hand, communicating with negative findings takes a different perspective, whereby there are no alternatives given as those in positive communication. In fact, this mode of communication can be noted as having a tone of blame rather than one which offers alternatives and solutions. In most of the areas where this style of communication is applied, words and phrases such as cannot, unable, would not etc are commonly used to tell the listener of the impossibilities or what the transmitter is not capable of achieving. It is also possible to find words and phrases that may insinuate carelessness on the part of the listener such that the statements made will have a reprimanding tone, which may make the receiver of the message uncomfortable. Some of these phrases implying negative communication include and not limited to; you ought to, you overlooked, failed to include, etc. It is important to note that positive communication is more efficient in delivering the desired information and as such, people should put a lot of effort to learn how to transmit and convert information on negative findings into a more positive and polite language especially where oral communication is concerned (Shockley-Zalabak, 2005). 3. What quantitative and qualitative approaches might be used to analyze the problems identified in below? In your opinion, what is your best quantitative and qualitative approach? What is your rationale?  Qualitative methods are significant when data concerning the aspects to be analyzed are not available. For example, the new Indonesian subsidiary IT system has not yet been determined. In this situation, the jury of execution opinion can be applied. It is a qualitative approach that applies the opinions of a group of managers from the highest rank in the organization to analyze the situation. They apply their experience and come up with a decision through combining statistical models. The sales force composite is also an applicable method that involves the knowledgeable sales people in the organization analyzing the needs of consumers. The Delphi method involves selection of a group of experts who participate in the decision making process. Each of the members in the selected panel provides an approximation of the outcome. All the opinions are then discussed until the panel of experts reaches an agreement. Consumer market survey is also a significant qualitative method that allows the consumers to provide information concerning their purchasing decisions and the possibility of a change in the purchasing behavior (Creswell, 2003). On the other hand, quantitative methods apply standardized procedures, mathematical values, large samples as well as data analysis using statistical methods and programs. Variations regarding the items under investigation are analyzed. The time series model is one of the quantitative methods whereby the analysis is based on values of past events with the assumption that there will be continuity as regards the factors that affect the past, the current and the future sales in the organization. The casual model on the other hand is a quantitative approach that applies regression analysis. It involves analysis of the relationship between dependent and independent variables (Denzin & Lincoln, 2000). Consumer market survey and the regression analysis are the qualitative and quantitative methods respectively, which can be used to analyze the situation in this situation. The consumer survey will be significant in providing information regarding the consumer buying behavior. It will be possible to improve the organization’s information system regarding the customers. The possibility of success in the overseas market will also be known from the consumer market survey. The regression analysis will be significant in analyzing the relationship between the dependent variables such as demand and supply as well as independent variables such as price, and promotion (Gamble, 2000). References Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2000). Handbook of qualitative research ( 2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Gamble, R. H. (2000). “A credit managers guide to systems integration”. Business Credit, Vol. 102(1), p 36.  Hannum, K. M., Martineau, J. W., & Reinelt, C. (2007). The handbook of leadership development evaluation. San Francisco: Wiley.  Keyton, J. & Shockley-Zalabak, P. S. (2009). Case Studies for Organizational Communication: Understanding Communication Processes, Oxford University Press Miller, K. (2008). Organizational Communication: Approaches and Processes, Wadsworth Publishing Shockley-Zalabak, P. S. (2005). Fundamentals of Organizational Communication, Allyn & Bacon Read More