Scenario
Most people have come to believe that communication is just as important as breathing. Communication forms the foundation upon which human relationships are built whether it is at home, school, work or any other place people are bound to meet. In any organization, communication is vital especially due to the fact that people have to work as a team. No organizational work can proceed without having some form of communication between people. The effectiveness of a team in its duty towards the meeting the organizational goals and objectives depends on the development of trust t between the members. The team members should be ready to share vital information including their feelings. Poor communication lines in an organization result from different factors such as conflicts (Kilner, & Sheppard, 2010). For tasks to become effectively and efficiently done in an organization, it is the duty of the management and responsible parties to ensure that an efficient and effective communication line.
It is on a Monday morning at the 72 and Sunny advertising agency Los Angeles, whereby Mark, the Digital Account Executive for Samsung and Victor, the head content designer in Mark's team are up in arms. Mark is heard shouting at Victor, "Where is the new Samsung advertisement portfolio that they had requested two weeks ago, it is already past the deadline set by the company, yet there is nothing to offer," Victor does not seem to care what Mark, his team leader is asking him about. He continues s to look at his computer and nods his head, and from his facial expression, anger is written all over it. Mark continues to shout at Victor in relation to the new advertisement feature Samsung Electronics had requested in relation to their new smartphone, the Samsung S8 that is to be released into the market in three months' time. Just as Mark is shouting to a silence Victor, he receives a call from his superior and is summoned into the office. Mark walks towards the Director's office and closes the door behind him. Victor turns and says to Winnie, his assistant, "On Monday last week, can you remember that I had asked Mark what the contents in the new feature were and he said he would email them to me?' Winnie says to Victor, "I can recall it; you even sent him an email and a text message when he left for home after work."
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Mark heads back to his desk and is talking angrily to himself. He bangs his desk and tells Victor "that was the boss asking about the new Samsung advertisement of which, he has just received a call from Samsung's head of marketing that is due, and it is to be presented before the board in the afternoon." Victor gets up from his chair and walks towards Mark." Can you open your email and check the last message I sent you." Mark open his email, and from his inbox, he finds that Victor had requested the new information to be featured in the advertisement and from his sent folder, he finds out that indeed he did not send Victor the new data. Mark is still furious at Victor and asks w him why he did not ask him about the information and chose to keep quiet for a whole week of which Victor goes to his seat and continues to concentrate on his laptop.
Theory Summary
According to the past definitions and beliefs of people, they have labeled the communication process as being quite easy. However, this is not the case for in this century, having communication skills is important if the communication process is to become successful (Taylor, 2006). Concerning the communication theory, it based on three variables that can be used in showing how indeed the definition of communication varies and it is not just as simple as it has been said to become. These variations include the level of observation, intentionality, and level of judgment. Through the communication theory, it uses different contexts in trying to define what communication is instead of just using a single word as most people have done. The cognitive context depends on how the human thoughts influence how they communicate. The individual differences context brings forward how the social and individual differences influence the communication process. The interpersonal context is based on the existing relationship between two people and how it affects communication. The intercultural context depends on the type of communication people have when they are from two different cultures. Other notable contexts include the persuasive context, group context, organizational context and the mass communication context.
Most theories have their strengths and weaknesses. As such most people tend to evaluate a theory in terms of whether it is good or bad. On the other hand, using the communication theory, it bases its ideas on the usefulness that can be attained from a theory not just for personal use but professional growth and development. The communication theory is based on the following assumptions related to theory evaluation, accuracy, practicality, succinctness, consistency, and the acuity (Wedgwood, 2007).
The primary goal of the communication theory is to ensure that individuals are communication competent allowing them to become better communicators (Dainton, & Zelley, 2005). According to research, an individual qualifies to become a better communicator when they successfully achieve a balance between appropriateness and effectiveness (Blodheim, 2007). Through effectiveness, it will determine whether the individual will successfully achieve their intended goals from the entire communication process. Through appropriateness, the person would ensure that they use the proper channels so that they can get their aims. If deceit has been employed in the communication process and the goals have been achieved, the communication process lacks appropriateness (Dainton, & Zelley, 2005).
Application of Theory
In relation to the communications theory, it should be practical in nature (Dainton, & Zelley, 2005). By this, it indicates that the theory can be used in case a person wants to address real world problems. The indeed communication theory can help an individual make better communication decision. From the scenario given above, there was indeed poor communication between Mark and Victor in relation to the new features that were needed for developing the advertisement. Mark promised to give Victor the new information of which he did not, and Victor did not ask him again but chose to keep quiet for a whole week. From the different perspective contained in the communication theory, Mark and Victor can apply them in resolving and coming up with a better line of communication.
The breakdown in communication between Mark and Victor can clearly be broken down into simple sections on how it occurred using the communication theory. Following the breakdown, the theory can offer a succinct means through which the breakdown in communication can become resolved at ease (Dainton, & Zelley, 2005). According to the communications theory, a breakdown in communication between two people is as result of the complex communication process whereby people lack the communication skills. The scenario brings forward the consistency of the theory for it continues to maintain the fact that it is important for people to have communication skills for them to communicate with other. The breakdown in communication brought about massive negative impacts on the organization. According to the theory, it should be acuity in nature so that it can provide an answer to just how communication breakdown can affect an organization in the long run (Dainton, & Zelley, 2005).
In relation to the cognitive context, it implies that the mental state of an individual determines how they will communicate (Dainton & Zelley, 2005). In the case of Victor and Mark, their mental states at the time were marred by anger thus the communication between the two was ineffective. It would be seen from Mark's shouting, and the anger filled the face of Victor who chose to remain silent. There was an individual difference between the two as seen from Victor choosing to remain silent for a whole week and not follow the crucial new information that was to be added into the advertisement. Basing on the inter-relationship variable, the two characters, Mark and Victor seem to have a sour relationship. This is because Mark does not bother to send Victor the new information and Victor does not follow up on the information in return.
The communication is also an indication of their relationship whereby they use email and text message instead of mouth to mouth talk. The mediated variable depends on how technology influences the communication patterns. In the case of Victor and Mark, they used email and text message to communicate with which might affect how their mouth to mouth communication can become (Dainton, & Zelley, 2005). According to the communications theory, the outcomes of a communication process are effectiveness and appropriateness. From the interaction between the two, they did not achieve any of the outcomes, for Mark, his interaction with Victor did not result in any goals for no work was done. On the other hand, his communication was effectiveness basing on the nature that Victor gave him the reason as to why he did not complete the work. In relation to appropriateness; Victor sacrificed effectiveness for appropriateness for he chose not to do the work and kept quiet so as not to bring about a conflict between him and Mark.
It is evident that communication is important in the day-to-day lives of a person regardless of the setting it is occurring. However, communication is more than just passing a piece of information or message from one party to the other (Dainton, & Zelley, 2005). People must ensure that they develop effective communication skills if the communication process is to bring efficient and appropriate outcomes.
References
Blondheim, M. (2007). “The Significance of Communication” According to Harold Adams Innis. In Watson R. & Blondheim M. (Eds.). The Toronto School of Communication Theory: Interpretations, Extensions, Applications (pp. 53-81). University of Toronto Press. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3138/9781442689442.7.
Dainton, M., & Zelley, E. D. (2005). Applying communication theory for professional life: A practical introduction . Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE.
Kilner, E., & Sheppard, L. A. (2010). The role of teamwork and communication in the emergency department: a systematic review. International emergency nursing , 18 (3), 127-137.
Taylor, J. (2006). Communication Skills. In A Survival Guide for Project Managers (pp. 19-44). AMACOM Division of American Management Association International . Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1d2dq47.5.
Wedgwood, D. (2007). Shared Assumptions: Semantic Minimalism and Relevance Theory. Journal of Linguistics, 43 (3), 647-681.
