I have always been a strong advocate for face-2-face communication as being the most effective form of sharing information and getting your idea across. After reviewing the three formats (email, voicemail and face-2-face) of communication for the same information it only reinforced my views on communication.
With a face-2-face transfer you not only hear what is being requested but you get a visual of what is being asked. The individual that is asking has the opportunity to add body language and voice inflection to emphasize the importance of the request. Face-2-face communication allows for:
1. The intended audience to ask questions to clarify the content, meaning, and implication of the request
2. Enable project managers to verify that their audiences received and interpreted their message in the way intended
3. Enable project managers to pick up nonverbal signals that suggest an audience’s reaction to the message
4. Support interactive discussion and brainstorming about the message (Potny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer, 2007, p. 358)
To reinforce what was asked face-2-face, I do believe a written follow up or even a short meeting, is important. It stresses the importance of your request and expectations.
With an email correspondence the tendency is to read the subject line and if it not a topic that needs to be addressed at that moment we tend to not read it and put it off for later. This particular email was pretty straight forward but it had not strength behind the message. It seemed as though the Jane was not emphasizing how important timing really was to her.
The same goes for voicemails. Jane failed to give Mark a specific deadline. In doing so she devalues the importance of Mark completing the report in a timely fashion. If you see who the voicemail is coming from and we are preoccupied we also tend to put the voicemail off for a later time. All too often forgetting to go back to the email or voicemail.
“Project managers are responsible for a variety of communication activities during the life of a project. Whatever form communications take, however, project managers should plan and prepare so their messages are received and correctly interpreted by project audiences.” (Potny, Mantel, Meredith, Shafer, Sutton, & Kramer, 2007, p. 367)
Reference
Potny, S. E., Mantel, S. j., Meredith, J. R., Shafer, S. M., Sutton, M. M., & Kramer, B. E. (2007). Project Management planning, scheduling, and controlling projects. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
