“God has never promised a road of success without crossing the streets of failure, only a safe arrival”
Life is full of frustrations. From the minor irritations of losing something to the major problem of continued failure towards a desired goal. Since many of the things we truly want require a degree of frustration, being able to manage frustration is required in order to allow us to remain happy and positive even in trying circumstances.
This entry required us to interview an IS professional of what are the two most frequent experiences that caused their frustrations. Thus we visited the AMS Group of Companies located at F. Torres St., Davao City. It was Mr. Gemrald R. Glibara, the M.I.S Department Head of AMS Group of Companies who entertained us.
They said that experiences are the best way of learning. And most of us agree to the statement. True, what we experienced will help us direct our undertakings. But sometimes, our experience will lead us to frustrations. Anyway, let me put here a definition of frustrations from a site: http://www.psychologistanywhereanytime.com/
Frustration is an emotion that occurs in situations where a person is blocked from reaching a desired outcome. In general, whenever we reach one of our goals, we feel pleased and whenever we are prevented from reaching our goals, we may succumb to frustration and feel irritable, annoyed and angry. Typically, the more important the goal, the greater the frustration and resultant anger or loss of confidence.
Frustration is not necessarily bad since it can be a useful indicator of the problems in a person's life and, as a result, it can act as a motivator to change. However, when it results in anger, irritability, stress, resentment, depression, or a spiral downward where we have a feeling of resignation or giving up, frustration can be destructive.
In the case of the interviewee, the two most frequently experienced causes of frustrations while working on an IS Plan is the lack of support/resistance to changes and communication gap. But primarily, the dissatisfaction and contrast in time plan to the time completion (Lederer and Sethi) and lack of support time concerns so as the communication and user’s fulfillment and acceptance.
Resistant to changes/Lack of Support
The interviewee plays a multi-role in their company. Aside from being the Head in his office, he is working as the Developer and Project Manager of the MIS department. He is working on the automation of manual systems of the HR Department of the company and developing the enterprise systems for the company. He said that in any organization, it should be practical to note that we cannot expect that everything in the work will go smoothly like in adapting to changes which is one of the frustrations of an IT professional. Since technology will evolve every now and then, changes will always take place and many cannot go along to adapt these changes especially that the users themselves will resist the changes. It is a fact that we cannot please everyone.
But there are reasons that some/many individuals resist to adapt changes, may it be technological or organizational change.
Nature and Causes to Resistant to Change
The list of reasons why individuals might be resistance to especially to organizational change has grown. However, there are several that are quite common and prevalent, which help provide a solid basis to understanding the concept. Most probably, employees may resist change because of something new they wanted to learn and acquire. De Jag er (2001) argues that “Most people are reluctant to leave the familiar behind. We are all suspicious about the unfamiliar; we are naturally concerned about how we will get from the old to the new, especially if it involves learning something new and risking failure” (p. 24).
Furthermore, Folger and Skarlicki (1995) investigated resistance to change as a response to the treatment employees receive in the change process. Specifically, they focus on the resentment-based resistance-reactions by disgruntled employees regarding the perceived unfairness of the change. They claim that “resent-based resistance behaviors, which can range from subtle acts of non-cooperation to industrial sabotage, are often seen by the perpetrators as subjectively justifiable-a way to “get even” for perceived mistreatment and a way for employees to exercise their power to restore perceived injustice” (p. 36).
There is a Positive Resistance
Most of the time, managers often perceive resistance negatively and employees who resist are viewed as disobedient and obstacles the organization must overcome in order to achieve the new goals. However in certain instances, employee resistance may play a positive and useful role in organizational change. Insightful and well-intended debate, criticism, or disagreement do not necessarily equate to negative resistance, but rather may be intended to produce better understanding as well as additional options and solutions. de Jager (2001) claims, "the idea that anyone who questions the need for change has an attitude problem is simply wrong, not only because it discounts past achievements, but also because it makes us vulnerable to indiscriminate and ill-advised change' (p. 25).
Piderit (2000) points out that what some managers may perceive as disrespectful or unfounded resistance to change might be motivated by an individual's ethical principles or by their desire to protect what they feel is the best interests of the organization. Employee resistance may force management to rethink or reevaluate a proposed change initiative. It also can act as a as a gateway or filter, which can help organizations select from all possible changes the one that is most appropriate to the current situation. According to de Jager (2001), "resistance is simply a very effective, very powerful, very useful survival mechanism' ' (p. 26).
Folger & Skarlicki (1999) claim "that not all interventions are appropriate as implemented -the organization might be changing the wrong thing or doing it wrong. Just as conflict can sometimes be used constructively for change, legitimate resistance might bring about additional organizational change" (p. 37).
Another Reasons Why there is a resistant to changes especially in the employees:
1. Creatures of habit
The usual things we did seems more comfortable. And changing the way people will operate or think is asking them to move outside their comfort zone. "We've always done it this way, so why do we need to change?" becomes the rallying cry for people who have difficulty changing their routines. In some cases, employees may ignore or deny the change simply because it requires them to experience something beyond their normal method of operation.
2. Fear of personal impact
Viewing change from a personal standpoint, some employees may respond by asking how the change will benefit them directly. Will it make their job easier? Will they have to work harder? Will the change put their job security in jeopardy? Will the change force them to work with different people or learn a new job?
3. Fear of the unknown
Employees may resist change simply because it is something unfamiliar. Not knowing much about the specifics of the change, they may imagine a worst case scenario, which can be very scary. They let fear of the unknown become their rationale for not giving the change a chance. These employees may acknowledge that a problem exists and agree that a change might improve it. However, they worry that the proposed change might actually make things worse! Their fear causes them to place roadblocks in the movement toward change.
4. Fear that the new way may not be better
If things have been going well, some employees may resist change because they fear that the change will not result in improvement. Focusing only on their part of the operation, they fail to realize that change is needed in order for the organization to stay competitive. They may resist forward movement because they are satisfied with the way things are going. Their current status is quite sufficient, and they wish to maintain business as usual.
5. . Unwillingness to learn
Some employees, hesitant to try new routines, express an unwillingness to learn anything new. They may say, "I already know all that I need to know." Like resistant employees who have already made up their minds that the change won't be productive, employees reluctant to learn something new impede the organization's growth and adaptation to change. They also hinder their own personal growth and development.
6. Closed mind
Some employees seem to have the attitude, "Please don't confuse me with any facts or supporting documentation about this change--I've already made up my mind!" Employees with this attitude approach the change process with their minds firmly made up, muttering, "No way!" during discussions and explanations of the future.
7. Concern about support system
Employees operating within predictable routines know their support system will back them up during challenging times. Changing the organizational structures may shake their confidence in their support system. They may worry about working for a new supervisor, with new employees or on unfamiliar projects because they fear that if they try and fail, there will be no one there to support them.
8. Loss of control
Familiar routines help employees develop a sense of control over their work environment. They feel they know what works and what doesn't, and this makes them confident about their contribution to the organization. Being asked to change the way they operate may make employees feel powerless and confused.
9. No obvious need
Some employees may see a change only from the perspective of the impact it has on them and their particular jobs. Not seeing the big picture, they may fail to recognize the positive impact of the change on the organization as a whole. Thus they may find the change disruptive and totally unnecessary. Their attitude may be, "If things have been working well all this time, why do we need to change?" or, in other words, “If it ain’t broke, why fix it?”
10. Fear of failure
Fear maybe the root of resistance to change. During this period, some employees may feel the need to cling to the past because it was a more secure, predictable time. If what they did in the past worked well for them, they may resist changing their behavior out of fear that they will not achieve as much in the future.
These are all initial responses you may experience when you announce an organizational change to employees. Once you understand why some employees resist change and realize that their reactions are perfectly normal, you will be better able to change their attitudes and turn their resistance into cooperation.
Conclusion
Employee resistance to change is a complex issue facing management in the complex and ever-evolving organization of today. The process of change is ubiquitous, and employee resistance has been identified as a critically important contributor to the failure of many well-intend and well-conceived efforts to initiate change within the organization.
In many cases, vast amounts of resources are expended by organizations to adjust employees to a new way of achieving desired goals. The natural propensity for individuals to "defend the status quo" presents a set of challenges that management must overcome in order to bring about desired change. Management must also seriously take into account and consider the myriad of problems that may result if they are not responsive to issues of resistance in the workplace.
In order to facilitate a smooth transition fi7om the old to the new, organizations must be competent in effective change management. The process of change management consists of getting of those involved and affected to accept the introduced changes as well as manage any resistance to them.
This investigation stresses that change usually involves an individual's psyche, so there are no concrete textbook answers and solutions to the problem. Since each individual is different, their perceptions and reasons for resisting are also different. As a result, researchers and scholars can theorize on how to lessen or remove employee resistance to change, but in the final analysis the only way to do so effectively is to understand the unique circumstances within each individual that is causing their particular resistance.
Communication Gap
The fast and efficient exchange of information is undeniably a competitive advantage in business. And in a fluctuating economic environment, it’s paramount. Unfortunately, in the rush to adapt to market needs, many organizations sacrifice effective communication. As priorities shift, executives may impart only the immediate goals and fail to share the rationale and strategies behind them. They may be so focused on results; they neglect to praise and reward their staff. Most of all, managers may forget that communication is a two-way exchange – one part dialogue, one part listening.
What Is Communication?
Communication is defined as a process by which we assign and convey meaning in an attempt to create shared understanding. This process requires a vast repertoire of skills in intrapersonal and interpersonal processing, listening, observing, speaking, questioning, analyzing, and evaluating. Use of these processes is developmental and transfers to all areas of life: home, school, community, work, and beyond. It is through communication that collaboration and cooperation occur.
Communication is the exchange of thoughts or information, feelings, or gestures between two persons; one would act as the sender of the message while the other would be the receiver. In effect, communication happens both ways to achieve therapeutic communication. The key is to listen. Active listening is use in Transactional Analysis; it is when you truly comprehend the message of the sender, not just words but the meaning itself. When communication is then become ineffective? That is when we have communication gaps. What causes these gaps? Technically, it's due to cultural differences where in there's a diversity of language, ethnicity and race. However, the details in the channels of communication such as the sounds, physical actions or gestures, and the entire physical environment when the message was delivered could also be a barrier. A failure would mean that there is a breakdown in communication.
What Does Communication Gap?
Communication gap is a state that occurs when what is being said is not been communicated to the addressee properly and completely. There can be many causes of communication gap depending on where it exists. Actually Communication gap is the biggest hurdle in achieving the organizational goal and does not help at all in achievement of organizational goal. Communication gap in an organization means that the goals and objectives that are set by the top management are either not communicated to the employees of the organization at all levels or if communicated they are not been understood properly by the employees This can be because of improper communication channels, unrealistic goals, inappropriate language etc.
Workplace communication gap between line managers and employees is widening. The challenge is to ensure that their contributions aren't buried under unexpected differences.
The interviewee shares his experience regarding the communication gap between himself and the office he is working to automate transactions. It was during the time when they gathered the requirements, both the office specified the functionalities to cater on the system that the interviewee will developed, after all necessaries have been agreed and passed the documentations they came up to the development of the system. As he deployed the system, all specified functionalities were made and it is functional. As time goes by, there were functionalities that the office wanted to add which supposed to be addressed during the requirements gathering, in this case it is now difficult for the IS professional to do some revisions and debugging when the system was actually delivered already. He also said, he is not used to make some closure and agreements in every documentation when asked if he was able to do it, for the systems are just in-source, and he is the one making the system so every time that certain office will request some functionalities to be added in the system, it will be cater and its part of the maintenance. To him, making some agreements and closure is only applicable to those who engaged in business process outsourcing.
Powerful Ways to Solve Communication Problems at Work
Someone once said that "communication is the lifeblood of an organization" - and it truly is. An organization that is experiencing a breakdown in communication will not live for very long because many problems will crop up and eventually cause the organization to die a natural death.
If communication problems do exist in your organization, make a quick response to resolve it. The life of your organization is at stake.
12 possible signs that your organization is facing communication problems:
1) You find it hard to get some people to cooperate.
2) Some people are being left out of the communication
loop.
3) Replies to messages are being delayed or completely
ignored.
4) Groups in the organization are failing to reach their goals.
5) Mistakes are cropping up more and more often.
6) People are resorting more to criticism and placing the blame on other people.
7) Morale of teams is going down.
8) Productivity is dull or at zero level.
9) You receive many complaints.
10) Moments of conflict result in expressions of anger.
11) There is significant employee turnover.
12) Business is going to your competitors instead of
to you.
If you find that there are some or many (if not all) of these warning signs present in your organization, it is advisable for you to take steps to address such problems before they kill your organization.
How does one correct or resolve such problems?
There are different steps to take to counter the prevalence of communication problems in organizations.
1) First, listen to the people involved or who have caused the communication problem in the first place. Doing so allows you to uncover the depth, nature and roots of the communication problem for that particular group of people.
2) If the problems are quite vast and have deeply-rooted causes, you may want to secure the help of a neutral negotiator. This third party may be able to get inside the problem more thoroughly than an insider because when communication problems crop up, the group involved may choose to clam up or point fingers rather than admit to their role in creating the problem.
3) To maintain confidentiality, it is possible to use a
tool such as a survey. People who might be scared to tell the truth because of reprisals would then have another safer option compared to coming out of the crowd.
4) After you have uncovered the problem and its roots, you may choose to initiate group counseling or training. The point of this is to address the problem of the group, rather than focusing on just one person. Finger-pointing is avoided. The saying "united we stand, divided we fall" should become the motto of the group.
5) It is important for the leader to have great communication skills so that communication problems can be resolved. Communication skills are required to diagnose communication problems, and naturally, provide the necessary solutions. Leaders who lack adequate communication skills might benefit from more training in communication.
6) Do your research - perhaps the communication problem you are experiencing now has occurred before in the history of the organization. And perhaps someone knows the solution that could work now. So look inwards into the heart of the organization, ask around, and you may find the way to properly address your organization's communication problems.
Remember, if your organization is already suffering communication problems; don't wait for these symptoms to get worse. Good communication is necessary for an organization to function properly and stay viable amidst the influx of a multitude of challenges from the environment. Act immediately on communication problems and stem the bleeding of your organization.
Success depends on how well we communicate. There must be the anticipation to actively listen and the concentration to portray the idea intended.
Sources/References:
http://ivythesis.typepad.com/term_paper_topics/2009/04/communication-gap.html http://www.blurtit.com/q945114.html
http://www.k12.wa.us/curriculumInstruct/communications/default.aspx
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do?contentType=Article&contentId=874378 http://ezinearticles.com/?6-Powerful-Ways-to-Solve-Communication-Problems-at-Work&id=652778
Life is full of frustrations. From the minor irritations of losing something to the major problem of continued failure towards a desired goal. Since many of the things we truly want require a degree of frustration, being able to manage frustration is required in order to allow us to remain happy and positive even in trying circumstances.
This entry required us to interview an IS professional of what are the two most frequent experiences that caused their frustrations. Thus we visited the AMS Group of Companies located at F. Torres St., Davao City. It was Mr. Gemrald R. Glibara, the M.I.S Department Head of AMS Group of Companies who entertained us.
They said that experiences are the best way of learning. And most of us agree to the statement. True, what we experienced will help us direct our undertakings. But sometimes, our experience will lead us to frustrations. Anyway, let me put here a definition of frustrations from a site: http://www.psychologistanywhereanytime.com/
Frustration is an emotion that occurs in situations where a person is blocked from reaching a desired outcome. In general, whenever we reach one of our goals, we feel pleased and whenever we are prevented from reaching our goals, we may succumb to frustration and feel irritable, annoyed and angry. Typically, the more important the goal, the greater the frustration and resultant anger or loss of confidence.
Frustration is not necessarily bad since it can be a useful indicator of the problems in a person's life and, as a result, it can act as a motivator to change. However, when it results in anger, irritability, stress, resentment, depression, or a spiral downward where we have a feeling of resignation or giving up, frustration can be destructive.
In the case of the interviewee, the two most frequently experienced causes of frustrations while working on an IS Plan is the lack of support/resistance to changes and communication gap. But primarily, the dissatisfaction and contrast in time plan to the time completion (Lederer and Sethi) and lack of support time concerns so as the communication and user’s fulfillment and acceptance.
Resistant to changes/Lack of Support
The interviewee plays a multi-role in their company. Aside from being the Head in his office, he is working as the Developer and Project Manager of the MIS department. He is working on the automation of manual systems of the HR Department of the company and developing the enterprise systems for the company. He said that in any organization, it should be practical to note that we cannot expect that everything in the work will go smoothly like in adapting to changes which is one of the frustrations of an IT professional. Since technology will evolve every now and then, changes will always take place and many cannot go along to adapt these changes especially that the users themselves will resist the changes. It is a fact that we cannot please everyone.
But there are reasons that some/many individuals resist to adapt changes, may it be technological or organizational change.
Nature and Causes to Resistant to Change
The list of reasons why individuals might be resistance to especially to organizational change has grown. However, there are several that are quite common and prevalent, which help provide a solid basis to understanding the concept. Most probably, employees may resist change because of something new they wanted to learn and acquire. De Jag er (2001) argues that “Most people are reluctant to leave the familiar behind. We are all suspicious about the unfamiliar; we are naturally concerned about how we will get from the old to the new, especially if it involves learning something new and risking failure” (p. 24).
Furthermore, Folger and Skarlicki (1995) investigated resistance to change as a response to the treatment employees receive in the change process. Specifically, they focus on the resentment-based resistance-reactions by disgruntled employees regarding the perceived unfairness of the change. They claim that “resent-based resistance behaviors, which can range from subtle acts of non-cooperation to industrial sabotage, are often seen by the perpetrators as subjectively justifiable-a way to “get even” for perceived mistreatment and a way for employees to exercise their power to restore perceived injustice” (p. 36).
There is a Positive Resistance
Most of the time, managers often perceive resistance negatively and employees who resist are viewed as disobedient and obstacles the organization must overcome in order to achieve the new goals. However in certain instances, employee resistance may play a positive and useful role in organizational change. Insightful and well-intended debate, criticism, or disagreement do not necessarily equate to negative resistance, but rather may be intended to produce better understanding as well as additional options and solutions. de Jager (2001) claims, "the idea that anyone who questions the need for change has an attitude problem is simply wrong, not only because it discounts past achievements, but also because it makes us vulnerable to indiscriminate and ill-advised change' (p. 25).
Piderit (2000) points out that what some managers may perceive as disrespectful or unfounded resistance to change might be motivated by an individual's ethical principles or by their desire to protect what they feel is the best interests of the organization. Employee resistance may force management to rethink or reevaluate a proposed change initiative. It also can act as a as a gateway or filter, which can help organizations select from all possible changes the one that is most appropriate to the current situation. According to de Jager (2001), "resistance is simply a very effective, very powerful, very useful survival mechanism' ' (p. 26).
Folger & Skarlicki (1999) claim "that not all interventions are appropriate as implemented -the organization might be changing the wrong thing or doing it wrong. Just as conflict can sometimes be used constructively for change, legitimate resistance might bring about additional organizational change" (p. 37).
Another Reasons Why there is a resistant to changes especially in the employees:
1. Creatures of habit
The usual things we did seems more comfortable. And changing the way people will operate or think is asking them to move outside their comfort zone. "We've always done it this way, so why do we need to change?" becomes the rallying cry for people who have difficulty changing their routines. In some cases, employees may ignore or deny the change simply because it requires them to experience something beyond their normal method of operation.
2. Fear of personal impact
Viewing change from a personal standpoint, some employees may respond by asking how the change will benefit them directly. Will it make their job easier? Will they have to work harder? Will the change put their job security in jeopardy? Will the change force them to work with different people or learn a new job?
3. Fear of the unknown
Employees may resist change simply because it is something unfamiliar. Not knowing much about the specifics of the change, they may imagine a worst case scenario, which can be very scary. They let fear of the unknown become their rationale for not giving the change a chance. These employees may acknowledge that a problem exists and agree that a change might improve it. However, they worry that the proposed change might actually make things worse! Their fear causes them to place roadblocks in the movement toward change.
4. Fear that the new way may not be better
If things have been going well, some employees may resist change because they fear that the change will not result in improvement. Focusing only on their part of the operation, they fail to realize that change is needed in order for the organization to stay competitive. They may resist forward movement because they are satisfied with the way things are going. Their current status is quite sufficient, and they wish to maintain business as usual.
5. . Unwillingness to learn
Some employees, hesitant to try new routines, express an unwillingness to learn anything new. They may say, "I already know all that I need to know." Like resistant employees who have already made up their minds that the change won't be productive, employees reluctant to learn something new impede the organization's growth and adaptation to change. They also hinder their own personal growth and development.
6. Closed mind
Some employees seem to have the attitude, "Please don't confuse me with any facts or supporting documentation about this change--I've already made up my mind!" Employees with this attitude approach the change process with their minds firmly made up, muttering, "No way!" during discussions and explanations of the future.
7. Concern about support system
Employees operating within predictable routines know their support system will back them up during challenging times. Changing the organizational structures may shake their confidence in their support system. They may worry about working for a new supervisor, with new employees or on unfamiliar projects because they fear that if they try and fail, there will be no one there to support them.
8. Loss of control
Familiar routines help employees develop a sense of control over their work environment. They feel they know what works and what doesn't, and this makes them confident about their contribution to the organization. Being asked to change the way they operate may make employees feel powerless and confused.
9. No obvious need
Some employees may see a change only from the perspective of the impact it has on them and their particular jobs. Not seeing the big picture, they may fail to recognize the positive impact of the change on the organization as a whole. Thus they may find the change disruptive and totally unnecessary. Their attitude may be, "If things have been working well all this time, why do we need to change?" or, in other words, “If it ain’t broke, why fix it?”
10. Fear of failure
Fear maybe the root of resistance to change. During this period, some employees may feel the need to cling to the past because it was a more secure, predictable time. If what they did in the past worked well for them, they may resist changing their behavior out of fear that they will not achieve as much in the future.
These are all initial responses you may experience when you announce an organizational change to employees. Once you understand why some employees resist change and realize that their reactions are perfectly normal, you will be better able to change their attitudes and turn their resistance into cooperation.
Conclusion
Employee resistance to change is a complex issue facing management in the complex and ever-evolving organization of today. The process of change is ubiquitous, and employee resistance has been identified as a critically important contributor to the failure of many well-intend and well-conceived efforts to initiate change within the organization.
In many cases, vast amounts of resources are expended by organizations to adjust employees to a new way of achieving desired goals. The natural propensity for individuals to "defend the status quo" presents a set of challenges that management must overcome in order to bring about desired change. Management must also seriously take into account and consider the myriad of problems that may result if they are not responsive to issues of resistance in the workplace.
In order to facilitate a smooth transition fi7om the old to the new, organizations must be competent in effective change management. The process of change management consists of getting of those involved and affected to accept the introduced changes as well as manage any resistance to them.
This investigation stresses that change usually involves an individual's psyche, so there are no concrete textbook answers and solutions to the problem. Since each individual is different, their perceptions and reasons for resisting are also different. As a result, researchers and scholars can theorize on how to lessen or remove employee resistance to change, but in the final analysis the only way to do so effectively is to understand the unique circumstances within each individual that is causing their particular resistance.
Communication Gap
The fast and efficient exchange of information is undeniably a competitive advantage in business. And in a fluctuating economic environment, it’s paramount. Unfortunately, in the rush to adapt to market needs, many organizations sacrifice effective communication. As priorities shift, executives may impart only the immediate goals and fail to share the rationale and strategies behind them. They may be so focused on results; they neglect to praise and reward their staff. Most of all, managers may forget that communication is a two-way exchange – one part dialogue, one part listening.
What Is Communication?
Communication is defined as a process by which we assign and convey meaning in an attempt to create shared understanding. This process requires a vast repertoire of skills in intrapersonal and interpersonal processing, listening, observing, speaking, questioning, analyzing, and evaluating. Use of these processes is developmental and transfers to all areas of life: home, school, community, work, and beyond. It is through communication that collaboration and cooperation occur.
Communication is the exchange of thoughts or information, feelings, or gestures between two persons; one would act as the sender of the message while the other would be the receiver. In effect, communication happens both ways to achieve therapeutic communication. The key is to listen. Active listening is use in Transactional Analysis; it is when you truly comprehend the message of the sender, not just words but the meaning itself. When communication is then become ineffective? That is when we have communication gaps. What causes these gaps? Technically, it's due to cultural differences where in there's a diversity of language, ethnicity and race. However, the details in the channels of communication such as the sounds, physical actions or gestures, and the entire physical environment when the message was delivered could also be a barrier. A failure would mean that there is a breakdown in communication.
What Does Communication Gap?
Communication gap is a state that occurs when what is being said is not been communicated to the addressee properly and completely. There can be many causes of communication gap depending on where it exists. Actually Communication gap is the biggest hurdle in achieving the organizational goal and does not help at all in achievement of organizational goal. Communication gap in an organization means that the goals and objectives that are set by the top management are either not communicated to the employees of the organization at all levels or if communicated they are not been understood properly by the employees This can be because of improper communication channels, unrealistic goals, inappropriate language etc.
Workplace communication gap between line managers and employees is widening. The challenge is to ensure that their contributions aren't buried under unexpected differences.
The interviewee shares his experience regarding the communication gap between himself and the office he is working to automate transactions. It was during the time when they gathered the requirements, both the office specified the functionalities to cater on the system that the interviewee will developed, after all necessaries have been agreed and passed the documentations they came up to the development of the system. As he deployed the system, all specified functionalities were made and it is functional. As time goes by, there were functionalities that the office wanted to add which supposed to be addressed during the requirements gathering, in this case it is now difficult for the IS professional to do some revisions and debugging when the system was actually delivered already. He also said, he is not used to make some closure and agreements in every documentation when asked if he was able to do it, for the systems are just in-source, and he is the one making the system so every time that certain office will request some functionalities to be added in the system, it will be cater and its part of the maintenance. To him, making some agreements and closure is only applicable to those who engaged in business process outsourcing.
Powerful Ways to Solve Communication Problems at Work
Someone once said that "communication is the lifeblood of an organization" - and it truly is. An organization that is experiencing a breakdown in communication will not live for very long because many problems will crop up and eventually cause the organization to die a natural death.
If communication problems do exist in your organization, make a quick response to resolve it. The life of your organization is at stake.
12 possible signs that your organization is facing communication problems:
1) You find it hard to get some people to cooperate.
2) Some people are being left out of the communication
loop.
3) Replies to messages are being delayed or completely
ignored.
4) Groups in the organization are failing to reach their goals.
5) Mistakes are cropping up more and more often.
6) People are resorting more to criticism and placing the blame on other people.
7) Morale of teams is going down.
8) Productivity is dull or at zero level.
9) You receive many complaints.
10) Moments of conflict result in expressions of anger.
11) There is significant employee turnover.
12) Business is going to your competitors instead of
to you.
If you find that there are some or many (if not all) of these warning signs present in your organization, it is advisable for you to take steps to address such problems before they kill your organization.
How does one correct or resolve such problems?
There are different steps to take to counter the prevalence of communication problems in organizations.
1) First, listen to the people involved or who have caused the communication problem in the first place. Doing so allows you to uncover the depth, nature and roots of the communication problem for that particular group of people.
2) If the problems are quite vast and have deeply-rooted causes, you may want to secure the help of a neutral negotiator. This third party may be able to get inside the problem more thoroughly than an insider because when communication problems crop up, the group involved may choose to clam up or point fingers rather than admit to their role in creating the problem.
3) To maintain confidentiality, it is possible to use a
tool such as a survey. People who might be scared to tell the truth because of reprisals would then have another safer option compared to coming out of the crowd.
4) After you have uncovered the problem and its roots, you may choose to initiate group counseling or training. The point of this is to address the problem of the group, rather than focusing on just one person. Finger-pointing is avoided. The saying "united we stand, divided we fall" should become the motto of the group.
5) It is important for the leader to have great communication skills so that communication problems can be resolved. Communication skills are required to diagnose communication problems, and naturally, provide the necessary solutions. Leaders who lack adequate communication skills might benefit from more training in communication.
6) Do your research - perhaps the communication problem you are experiencing now has occurred before in the history of the organization. And perhaps someone knows the solution that could work now. So look inwards into the heart of the organization, ask around, and you may find the way to properly address your organization's communication problems.
Remember, if your organization is already suffering communication problems; don't wait for these symptoms to get worse. Good communication is necessary for an organization to function properly and stay viable amidst the influx of a multitude of challenges from the environment. Act immediately on communication problems and stem the bleeding of your organization.
Success depends on how well we communicate. There must be the anticipation to actively listen and the concentration to portray the idea intended.
Sources/References:
http://ivythesis.typepad.com/term_paper_topics/2009/04/communication-gap.html http://www.blurtit.com/q945114.html
http://www.k12.wa.us/curriculumInstruct/communications/default.aspx
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do?contentType=Article&contentId=874378 http://ezinearticles.com/?6-Powerful-Ways-to-Solve-Communication-Problems-at-Work&id=652778
0 comments:
Post a Comment