Effective communication among all project team members is essential for a project’s success. (Van Erp, 2011) This week a multimedia presentation did demonstrate three different types of communication that can be used by project managers. The example involved two people Jane and Mark. Jane needed a report from Mark to complete her report. Samples were given to illustrate her attempts to communicate with Mark to receive his portion of the work to be included in an overall report(http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/EDUC/6145/03/mm/aoc/index.html) The immediate request was informative but not alarming to the reader. After viewing the three samples, I understand the significance of each. The three methods include an email, a telephone call, and a video cast. The letter appeared to be the clearest form of communication which is usually expected in a formal work setting. A phone call can be professional but often is considered as a casual mode of communication. A video cast is probably the most personal form and maybe not the most cost effective for a single communication. In each multimedia example a specific purpose and message was given and a friendly personal tone apparent while staying professional. The summary was short and her appeal respectfully presented.
As I read the letter, I began with a certain amount of caution. Somehow the words in text flagged me immediately that there could be a problem, especially with the use of certain words. (e .t but) I don’t think there was a remarkable difference between the examples but think the video was more personal and in the end distracted with a smile that minimized the urgency and seriousness of the matter. I personally believe that a written statement is one way to” minimize extraneous stimuli”. (Mayer, 2010) Sometimes when I am listening, I can also become distracted by body language, or fashion that may have very little to do with the message . I can be caught off guard by language mechanics, organization or spelling errors and again the message has lost the point of impact. I don’t believe that one approach is better than another. Again the audience or the reader is taken into consideration and some may respond immediately to a phone call and just file a letter.
A video cast may be more entertaining and complicated to coordinate with a script but appeal to visuals learners. Several factors contribute to my medium of choice. Which message is easy to retrieve? Which message may get lost in a shuffle? Which message may have complications downloading? Both sides, the author and the recipient, have to be considered. Using all three examples multiplies the chances that Mark will read and respond. Seven key points are worth remembering when trying to communicate.
A series of suggestions are given for communication in a web article ”How to Communicate With People: Seven Keys to Effective Communication”. First and foremost is to stay and remain confident in communicating, stay interested, use open ended questioning rather than yes, and no, listen twice speak once, begin and end with knowledge, take risks, start small, be social. (Dorchak, 2007) The most logical key is to start small and remain confident which is evident in these examples. What I have learned with these examples is the message is important but the way the message is delivered is crucial. The components of effective communication require different approaches including verbal, nonverbal, and listening. The receiving end also has to be open to the message and the affect in which it is delivered will determine whether a quick response is given. A connotative response will respond to the message after interpreting the positive affect design or the manner in which it is given. After observing the positive affect of the project manager in voice, tone, and body language the other team members will also use a positive affect with each other.
Dorchak, D. (2007) How to Communicate With People: 7 Keys to Effective Communication Life Script
http://www.lifescript.com/Soul/Self/Growth/How_To_Communicate_With_People_Seven_Keys
Mayer, R. E. (Ed).(2005). Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning. New York: Cambridge University Press.
VanErp,N.(2011) Project Management-6145-3 Resources Walden University,
Minneapolis,MN
The Art of Effective Communication
http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/EDUC/6145/03/mm/aoc/index.html
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Blog Beginning 2-Maureen Gorman
Depths of Learning
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Project Post Mortem
Project Post Mortem-Project Management 6145
The idea of a project named “Post Mortem” is part of learning to accept and grow into an effective team leader or a team player using a past challenging project. Sometimes those projects require taking a risk. That’s exactly what I did by accepting a job with a team chosen to host an engagement party. I found it’s never too late to learn from a failed attempt. With this article “The Project Management Minimalist: Just Enough PM to Rock Your Projects!” I found answers to fixing a process that resulted in many confused stakeholders. Fortunately enough, the members where accepting of Murphy’s Law and close friends of the project manager. It helps to have a group that allows “newbies” to attempt new prospects. In the following post, I have changed names and left out specific details but the following course of events is very real indeed!
At one point in my life I was asked to help a roommate who contracted with an acquaintance to host an engagement party. Although I was not the project manager, I learned quite a bit about project management from the perspective of a dishwasher. Since Rena was an experienced banquet server, she had no experience with party planning. She had a very outgoing personality and took a step out in faith to accept a contract for a major event. This event did have a catering company but used Rena and friends as a service agent.
The agreed amount was about 800.00 per event- which was extremely modest for the nature of work. Rena spent many hours planning, shopping, and gathering resources for the start of her business. She bought napkins, glassware, and managed the drinks for the events. Everything was prepared for in bits and pieces, and on the day of the engagement party, she only had a few servers show up. They had never waited on banquet tables and a work and scope plan was not defined. Rena trained the server’s minutes before the event. Many more people were needed for preparation, seeing the expectations were for a fine dining event. Although the materials were carefully and tastefully selected in collaboration with the soon to be bride, and the facility was first rate as well as convenient, the task analysis was not planned. All the workers were dependent on Rena and one of her coworkers. It appears the resources were in place, but really, not ready for the event. An Armenian church provided most of the essential tableware and the kitchen tools but did not provide the staff. We were the staff and had to assume the operations of an unfamiliar kitchen. The kitchen was well equipped with a very efficient dish washing system, but there was no floor plan for the servers to place or remove plates. It appears the preparation of the facility was a positive factor. The place settings, the tablecloths, the flowers, the entertainment were all in place just as the couple had planned. The weakness of course was the undefined job expectations and job definitions. The staff looked good but required much direction beyond the first course of salad distribution.
As a result of not identifying tasks, the three roommates(including me) worked up to about 2:00am in the morning, which is several hours after the expected closing time of 11:00 pm. The project was not a complete failure but did fail to deliver a celebration meal in a timely, organized fashion and left a few of the workers with the brunt of the heavy labor. Assigning staff members to oversee and delegate routine work tasks could have relieved the end of the evening struggles. Hell’s kitchen became a reality for us and could have been prevented with stronger planning and identification of work roles. That day we had the concrete tools and resources but we lack the “Nuts and Bolts” of service performance. Starting first with the team is essential. If ever asked to coordinate a service team again I would use these following recommendations given by Michael Greer in “The Project Management Minimalist: Just Enough PM to Rock Your Projects!” (Laureate, 2010)
Step 1: Define the project concept, then get support and approval.
Step 2: Get your team together and start the project.
Step 3: Figure out exactly what the finished work products will be.
Step 4: Figure out what you need to do to complete the work products. (Identify tasks and phases.)
Step 5: Estimate time, effort, and resources.
Step 6: Build a schedule.
Step 7: Estimate the costs.
Step 8: Keep the project moving.
Step 9: Handle scope changes
Step 10: Close out phases, close out the project.
These suggestions along with the coaching tools and encouragement given by Michael Greer are especially helpful for anyone thinking about taking on a major project. The simple statement to “Celebrate the Chaos Within” (Laureate International, 2010) gives me a fresh perspective to the confusion that comes with challenges. Those challenges often make way to great success stories. Rather than becoming discouraged, I often look to this comment “turn scars into stars”. My attitude is: what will make a difference is embracing reality with one wise lesson in Project Management.
Greer, M. (2010). The Project Management Minimalist: Just Enough PM to Rock Your Projects! Specifically created for Laureate International Universities
The idea of a project named “Post Mortem” is part of learning to accept and grow into an effective team leader or a team player using a past challenging project. Sometimes those projects require taking a risk. That’s exactly what I did by accepting a job with a team chosen to host an engagement party. I found it’s never too late to learn from a failed attempt. With this article “The Project Management Minimalist: Just Enough PM to Rock Your Projects!” I found answers to fixing a process that resulted in many confused stakeholders. Fortunately enough, the members where accepting of Murphy’s Law and close friends of the project manager. It helps to have a group that allows “newbies” to attempt new prospects. In the following post, I have changed names and left out specific details but the following course of events is very real indeed!
At one point in my life I was asked to help a roommate who contracted with an acquaintance to host an engagement party. Although I was not the project manager, I learned quite a bit about project management from the perspective of a dishwasher. Since Rena was an experienced banquet server, she had no experience with party planning. She had a very outgoing personality and took a step out in faith to accept a contract for a major event. This event did have a catering company but used Rena and friends as a service agent.
The agreed amount was about 800.00 per event- which was extremely modest for the nature of work. Rena spent many hours planning, shopping, and gathering resources for the start of her business. She bought napkins, glassware, and managed the drinks for the events. Everything was prepared for in bits and pieces, and on the day of the engagement party, she only had a few servers show up. They had never waited on banquet tables and a work and scope plan was not defined. Rena trained the server’s minutes before the event. Many more people were needed for preparation, seeing the expectations were for a fine dining event. Although the materials were carefully and tastefully selected in collaboration with the soon to be bride, and the facility was first rate as well as convenient, the task analysis was not planned. All the workers were dependent on Rena and one of her coworkers. It appears the resources were in place, but really, not ready for the event. An Armenian church provided most of the essential tableware and the kitchen tools but did not provide the staff. We were the staff and had to assume the operations of an unfamiliar kitchen. The kitchen was well equipped with a very efficient dish washing system, but there was no floor plan for the servers to place or remove plates. It appears the preparation of the facility was a positive factor. The place settings, the tablecloths, the flowers, the entertainment were all in place just as the couple had planned. The weakness of course was the undefined job expectations and job definitions. The staff looked good but required much direction beyond the first course of salad distribution.
As a result of not identifying tasks, the three roommates(including me) worked up to about 2:00am in the morning, which is several hours after the expected closing time of 11:00 pm. The project was not a complete failure but did fail to deliver a celebration meal in a timely, organized fashion and left a few of the workers with the brunt of the heavy labor. Assigning staff members to oversee and delegate routine work tasks could have relieved the end of the evening struggles. Hell’s kitchen became a reality for us and could have been prevented with stronger planning and identification of work roles. That day we had the concrete tools and resources but we lack the “Nuts and Bolts” of service performance. Starting first with the team is essential. If ever asked to coordinate a service team again I would use these following recommendations given by Michael Greer in “The Project Management Minimalist: Just Enough PM to Rock Your Projects!” (Laureate, 2010)
Step 1: Define the project concept, then get support and approval.
Step 2: Get your team together and start the project.
Step 3: Figure out exactly what the finished work products will be.
Step 4: Figure out what you need to do to complete the work products. (Identify tasks and phases.)
Step 5: Estimate time, effort, and resources.
Step 6: Build a schedule.
Step 7: Estimate the costs.
Step 8: Keep the project moving.
Step 9: Handle scope changes
Step 10: Close out phases, close out the project.
These suggestions along with the coaching tools and encouragement given by Michael Greer are especially helpful for anyone thinking about taking on a major project. The simple statement to “Celebrate the Chaos Within” (Laureate International, 2010) gives me a fresh perspective to the confusion that comes with challenges. Those challenges often make way to great success stories. Rather than becoming discouraged, I often look to this comment “turn scars into stars”. My attitude is: what will make a difference is embracing reality with one wise lesson in Project Management.
Greer, M. (2010). The Project Management Minimalist: Just Enough PM to Rock Your Projects! Specifically created for Laureate International Universities
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