Mind Skills for Managers, Research Paper Example

Introduction: The Impact of Electronic Media

In the ever-expanding world of business relations and communications, the impact of electronic media has undoubtedly been immense, due to the fact that communicating through electronic means via the World Wide Web and electronic email has made the world a much smaller place and has like never before brought together diverse business individuals and managers with shared professional interests in relation to operating a business enterprise and obtaining important business information and data.

Some of the positive aspects related to communication business-related information and data via electronic media includes 1), it allows the user, in this case a business manager, to combine various media elements like sound and video into a message which results in more meaningful communications between the sender and the receiver; 2), it allows one to become interactive by bringing together the sender and the receiver via a two-way communication link; 3), it allows “geographically distributed groups to communicate simultaneously through text, sound and video,” such as through a video conference; 4), it acts as an internal communications tool that enhances team work from a distance, such as involving various team members located in different countries; and 5), electronic media, especially the Internet, allows the user to “transmit and receive large amounts of information quickly to and from individuals and workgroups” on a global scale (Why Use Electronic Communications? 2014). Thus, for the business manager, utilizing electronic media opens up an entirely new world by allowing one to effectively communicate with other individuals and organizations without having to be concerned with geographical and spatial limitations.

Selecting Effective Communication Tools

In regards to selecting the most effective communication tool for a business manager’s employees, it appears that the best choice is on-site seminars that can be held during the work week or during special occasions, such as when a company plans to introduce a new product, service, or strategic business plan related to marketing. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), seminars are often the “communications tool of choice” for managers because of several important factors. First of all, seminars are targeted events that “provide immediate feedback to the communicator,” in this instance, the manager of a company. Seminars also provide the members of the audience, being company employees, the opportunity to reply to the information offered by the manager, such as in the form of questions and concerns related to new company policies. Obviously, every employee that attends a seminar can come away from it with new insights that will help them to perform more adequately on the job. Also, a seminar often provides details that cannot be expressed in other ways, thus making them one of the best forms of communication in a business environment (Using Communication Tools Effectively, 2014).

In relation to internal leadership, being supervisors and other company employees responsible for employee morale, the most effective approach is through the utilization of spokespersons that represent the ideals and business principles of the manager. These individuals are sometimes referred to as figureheads or those who hold nominal power but are assigned by the manager as his/her company representatives. As noted by WIPO, these types of internal leaders “can be particularly effective in communicating issues” that some employees may find difficult to understand. Some of the factors that make spokespersons effective communication tools includes 1), their ability to appeal to a target audience, due to being seen as one of their own or as a fellow employee without high-ranking company authority; 2), their credibility as a company leader who possesses relevant experience and expertise in relation to a specific company goal or change in company direction; and 3), their ability to express themselves through excellent communication skills, such as being able to explain a new company priority in a way that is understandable and without complex business-related jargon. But perhaps most importantly, an effective spokesperson as a communication leadership tool can provide a clear connection to the issues at hand which hopefully will inspire employees to more fully participate in the affairs of their employer as symbolized by the company manager (Using Communication Tools Effectively, 2014).

As to external stakeholders or individuals like customers and the representatives of outside affiliated companies and organizations, the most effective communication tool in this instance is the power of the printed word via publications created and designed exclusively for stakeholders, such as annual reports or brochures. Some of the factors that make the printed word an excellent choice for managers includes 1), the ability to reach a large audience with more “targeted, technical and detailed information” that can be used by the stakeholder in relation to understanding new company policies and the needs of company managers; and 2), printed publications with charts, graphs, and images, provide visual stimulation and act as excellent educational tools which stakeholders can refer to as needed and at their own convenience (Using Communication Tools Effectively, 2014).

Communication Skills for Managers

In my opinion, backed up by Samuel A. Malone in Mind Skills for Managers, communication and the skills that accompany it is basically an art composed of the ability to share ideas, information, and instruction. The most important of these abilities is to be able to think clearly which leads to communicating clearly to others specific messages, directions, and instructions (1997, p. 170). Thus, in today’s diverse work environment in which business managers work with people from various cultural and ethnical backgrounds, the most pivotal communication skills are as follows.

First of all, a manager must be able to speak effectively in order to “articulate their message in a way that the listener,” such as employees and external stakeholders, can understand; the manager must also be able to deliver the message “in a manner that is consistent with the message itself,” such as when speaking to employees on a serious issue related to their jobs and performance. In this way, a well-versed manager can control the reactions of the listener by choosing appropriate words and phrases. It also helps if the manager knows his/her audience and what they expect when delivering positive or negative news (McKay, 2014).

Secondly, a manager must be an active listener as opposed to an active deliverer. This can be accomplished by actively practicing “eye contact, nods, gestures and brief comments” as cues to the listener or in other words, as a means toward showing that the deliverer understands the concerns of the listener. Much like speaking effectively, the manager must carefully choose his/her verbal responses which will help to avoid confusion and misunderstanding on the part of the listener. This is especially important when the manager is speaking to a large group of employees or a group of company stakeholders (McKay, 2014).

Third, the manager must be able when it is required to ask open-ended questions which generally cannot be answered by simply saying yes or no. These types of questions as contrasted with close-ended questions are meant to stimulate responses in listeners based on their own personal knowledge, experience, and emotions via subjectivity as opposed to objectivity. As McKay sees it, open-ended questions which usually begin with “why” or “how,” are more often than not statements of relevancy designed to register a response in the listener and can “help all involved in the conversation to further investigate and clarify” the specific message given by the deliverer (2014).

Fourth, business managers must be adept at utilizing electronic media, such as telephones, email, and in some instances, written correspondence created through computer-based software like Microsoft Word or Office. Overall, the manager, in order to be an effective communicator, must be able to “choose the communication method best suited for the message,” such as relaying changes in company policy through a written memo. However, due to the widespread use of electronic media which often bypasses the need to write effectively, some managers find it difficult to write and compose effective “hard copy.” Of course, the best way to overcome this is through constant practice. Thus, as McKay points out, “learning to be eloquent with all forms of communication methods,” especially related to speaking effectively, being an active listener, asking open-ended questions, and using electronic media, makes the manager a well-rounded business professional and a great communicator (2014).

Communication Tools for Managers

Over the last five years, it is obvious that the most significant communication tool that has emerged for business managers is the World Wide Web or the Internet. This electronic tool has literally changed the face of the world of business on a global scale by allowing organizations to become interconnected via email, instant messaging, and video conferences. Although the Internet has been around for almost thirty years, within the last decade, it has evolved significantly and is now generally accepted as the most important communication tool or method. As Nicole Papa reminds us, the Internet currently allows managers to not only communicate with company employees, stakeholders, and other parties but also to “increase productivity, employee satisfaction, and effect changes” in the organizational structure of a given business entity (2014).

The Internet has also created the ability to maximize a number of communication techniques and methods that were utilized by managers long before the emergence of computer-based technologies. The first of these are surveys which serve “the dual purpose of collecting usable data from employees and customers” simultaneously via the Internet. Although surveys are mostly associated with determining the needs and desire of customers and consumers, they can also be used as a communication tool to “explore and grade certain areas of an organization’s effectiveness” related to fulfilling customer demands and dealing with outside organizations (Papa, 2014).

In relation to company employees, surveys can be sent directly to their homes through the Internet and can include questions on company leadership, efficiency, planning, and job satisfaction. Thus, for the business manager, surveys are excellent communication tools that help to demonstrate a company’s commitment to its goals and missions and its employees.

Another communication tool which has undergone considerable change because of the Internet are focus groups which can be utilized as “a feedback agent” that allows managers to “express a particular goal or core value” and company employees to “express their ideas, thoughts and concerns” associated with their jobs or a particular project that requires input in the form of ideas, suggestions, and recommendations. With the aid of the Internet, focus groups can link up together which allows for the instant exchange of “various perspectives and opinions about a specific area” related to company targets and how to increase the efficiency of a given company methodology (Papa, 2014).

Lastly, as opposed to the old-fashioned one-on-one meeting of two individuals confined to a physical space like in an office, the Internet allows business managers to communicate with an employee at a distance, such as when the employee is located across town or in another country. Certainly, this type of communication tool saves valuable for not only the manager but also for the company itself.

Conclusion

In essence, for all professional business managers, communication tools and skills are essential for personal and company success and can make the difference between being seen as a leader or a follower. As technology executive Gilbert Amelio once stated, managers as leaders “must be able to share knowledge and ideas” in order to “transmit a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to others” and motivate employees to perform to their utmost best (Rugina, 2010). Also, and perhaps most importantly, effective and efficient communication, whether through verbal, non-verbal, or written means or the Internet, often determines success and failure. Thus, communication tools and skills helps to “ensure the efficient operation of all levels of an organization” (Rugina, 2010), ranging from productivity to employee satisfaction which when taken as a whole determines whether a company survives or fails in an ever-increasing world of competition.

References

Malone, S.A. (1997). Mind skills for managers. UK: Gower Publishing Ltd.

McKay, M. (2014). Effective business communication skills. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/effective-business-communication-skills-2865.html

Papa, N. (2014). Communication management tools. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/list_6695858_communication-management-tools.html

Rugina, S. (2010). Business perspective: The importance of business communication skills. Retrieved from http://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/index.php?i=14353&a=7599

Using communication tools effectively. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/tools/guides/tools

Why use electronic communications? (2014). Retrieved from http://knowledgeway.org/living/communications/homepage.html