Week 1

The purpose of this communication journal, or blog is in partial fulfillment for the requirements of BSM 304, Effective Organizational Communications. This journal will consist of weekly posts relevant not only to the material covered in this class, but also serve as a reference and tool for me to understand and improve my own personal and professional communications. The context is provided through the instruction and course materials, however my content will also be informed by information from primary research, public sources, alternate perspectives gained from discussions with classmates, professional experiences and personal observations.

Effective communication skills are increasingly becoming an essential component to both individual and organizational success. Having established the importance of effective communications, I was challenged with following question: What components of the interactive communication process do you feel are most important?

The process toward my response included a review of the required textbook, and additional materials provided for this class and assignment, as well a review and reflection upon my own past work efforts and deliverables.

The components of communication skills include “creative insight, sensitivity, vision, shared meaning, and integrity.” (O’Hair, Friedrich, Dixon, 2011, p.20). The authors maintain these are essential elements for a diverse, globalized business environment.

I agree that each of these elements are essential ingredients to effective organizational communication.

I believe integrity, or trust must be present in order to creatively communicate a vision whose meaning and result is shared and understood by everyone.

Upon reflection, I felt a critical element was missing from the previous list, and added the importance of culture as crucial to an interactive communication process.

Peter Drucker is credited with the quote “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” My interpretation of this quote is that despite our best intentions, efforts, and actions, without an understanding of the underlying culture (and an effective, nuanced application and use of cultural dynamics), communication strategies and tactics, will simply not be effective. Examples of this dynamic are evident throughout history, as well as current business, economic, regional struggles, religious and secular political events worldwide.

Considering each of these factors; creative insight, sensitivity, vision, shared meaning, integrity and the importance of culture, I do not believe there is a single most important element. Rather, I believe each are important and must coexist for effective communications.

References:

O'Hair, D., Friedrich, G. W., & Dixon, L. D. (2011). Strategic communication in business and the professions (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Seymour, P, (2015) Retrieved from online class discussion Web site: https://courses.cityu.edu/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&forum_id=_1025193_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_142810_1&course_id=_110496_1&message_id=_7058629_1  

http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/culture_eats_strategy_for_breakfast/