Fourth Lecture: TEAM

Together

Each

Achieves

More

In any organization, there has to be a shared vision. The question can be asked, can there be an organization of one? And the simple answer is, no, there cannot. And so, organizations may adopt the philosophy of Ubuntu which means, “I am because we are.” My reply to that is, “there is no we without me.” So, individual is no less important than the organisation. As much as interpersonal communication skills are valued, one must firs develop intrapersonal communication skills…can there be one without the other?

One reason that intrapersonal communication should be practiced is to uncover core values at the individual level. Knowing what your core values are influences or probably determines your vision which sets you on a mission to achieve your goals and set your objective/s.

For example: One of my core values is FREEDOM. And though all you can see is a meek little Indian girl bumming around UWI with her knapsack on her back-inside me is a vision. My vision is to inspire change in society by demonstrating that it is only I our minds that we are not bound by convention; that in reality we are all free, if we choose to be; otherwise, continue living in mental slavery. Thus, my mission is to approach my academic career in the most unconventional of ways. I will prove my intelligence not by modelling but, by shaking every instance of instability then offer a solution. My goals are: Graduate with honours, use the principles of my studies in the business of sustainable food production. My objective is to impart all that I’ve learnt unto a younger generation.

Understanding this concept at the individual level paves the way for effortless understanding of how this works at the organizational level.

Now an organization communicates internally and externally. For internal communication there are several stages:

1.       Forming – at this stage, organisational communication is at a low intimacy level
2.       Storming – here there is high intensity in communication
3.       Norming- at this stage is when reality manifest or where the group emerges as a formed organisation
4.       Performing-the organisation now becomes an industry
5.       Disbanding – all good things must eventually come to an end

      External communication is more focused on:
1.       Market intelligence
2.       Collaboration
3.       Re-engineering
4.       Enlightened Self Interest

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There was a class exercise; we played a game called Atoms. The aim of the gain is to be the last man standing. So we all stood up as a class of twenty. Whatever number is called, we find ourselves groups equaling that number. The first number was ten, the second five and after that people started dropping out. Now, at the first mention of the game I thought again, “I must win.” Well, it turns out that I was the atom up for grabs. Others grabbed me in an effort to stay in the game, which made it effortless for me to also remain. At the end, another girl and I were left standing. So we won atoms.   

We also did another exercise where we had to build a self sustaining straw tower. The group was divided in two. Of course the group that I was in did not win but I learned some valuable lessons.

Lessons: From the game of atoms- It’s all about self preservation, both at the individual and organizational level and for one to preserve themselves, there has to be constant re-evaluation of relationships and there has to be common ground or shared vision. There was even more emphasis placed on shared vision and common grounds in building the straw tower. Most wanted to scale the heights but only few of us tried to engineer a solid base. For an organisation to be able to survive, it must be built on solid grounds – core values, visions, mission, goals and objectives-as simple as they may sound are the foundations upon wich organizations, industries, and economies are/ought to be built. Another lesson from straw tower-say what needs to be said to get done what needs to be done. 

Third Tutorial: What is Organizational Communication?

Organizational Communication is interdisciplinary; it stands at the crossroad of behavioural psychology, is a sub-field of management studies and overlaps with some aspects of public relations.

Organizational Communication a sub-field of Management Studies—coincidence that I chose this class because I DID NOT KNOW THAT!

*     *     *

There was a class activity where we traded M&Ms with the aim of gaining the most of one colour. The first thing I thought was, “competition…I must win this!” I started out with two orange M&Ms, one green, one red, one blue…not sure if I had a brown. I traded a red for a green then an orange for a brown. I had opened myself up to a few possibilities then realised that no one wanted browns and I quickly capitalised on it. It reached the point where someone had a brown and the colour I had to trade was wanted by the person I solicited but I convinced them to trade by explaining that I wanted the brown and the colour they got from me would be needed by someone out there (of course I didn't care whether or not anyone needed it or if they could be traded or not; I wanted the brown and that was my objective). Eventually I had all browns in my bag when McDaniel asked if we were finished. I proudly said “yes!” He asked what we thought it meant to be finished and my reply, “that I had completed the task.” And what was the task? To get “AS MANY  of the same colour M&Ms not just the number that came in our bags, this meant we had to work with other people. I found another girl with three browns and I helped her to trade out all of her other colours with the same skills I used to trade out mine but it didn't stop there. There were other browns hanging around which was of no use to the others but we had nothing in which to give for it…after much persuasion, we/I managed to get brown M&Ms for nothing. It felt like quite an achievement…so much so that I didn't feel the need to persuade her to empty all her browns in my bag (which I’m pretty sure I could have done).

Lesson: Charisma goes a far way for a leader and if you must lead, you must be versed in the art of manipulation; but to guard against being carried away, one must have an objective –to what end am I doing this? Personally, the end must follow the principle of utility – the greater good for the greater number of people.

Third Lecture: The Communication Process

I understand why it would be difficult not to do well in this course, even more so—to fail this course because, we are required to blog about every class. This requires reflection and recollection after the class and during class, one is attentive, just looking for points to blog about. I must say, very strategic plan by McDaniel. I suppose this is an actualization of one of the basic communication principles—meeting people where they are.

Cognitive Dissonance – you know how it is in Jamaica, the idea that most people have of UWI is: crem de la crem—bright, competitive, iconic lecturers…you look around and wonder, “is that era over OR, maybe it’s just that the grass just seems greener from the other side?”

Well guess what, UWI is just one of the computers in the office of the organization called Jamaica. An essential part of organizations is communication and if there is inefficiency in the communication process then there’s no way the organization may prosper. Let’s examine our organization and the communication process. There are the Directors/government, supervisors/law enforcers and other members of staff/civilians. There is a simple process to follow in order for there to be communication.

1^st An encoded message is sent

2^nd Message travels through a channel where noise may me encountered

3^rd The message is received, decoded &

4^th The receiver sends feedback (communication cannot take place without feedback)

But how do we communicate in Jamaica? Government talk to government mostly (lateral/horizontal), they send instructions to the enforcers (downward communication); the enforcers practice limited lateral communication and you would think there aught to be some amount of diagonal communication, where government would communicate with members of other work groups like scientists, business people etcetera; and finally, ordinary civilians are informed (allot of times by hearsay). Now, how many time does government or enforcers receive feedback from civilians? What was the last time Jamaica had a referendum, national demonstration…how often is the voice of the people heard at the head? Are we communicating?

Second Lecture

Second lecture and he's not here again. He did tell us that he had some urgent matters at hand and said whenever he's not available he would send a substitute-fair enough.

So...the substitute lecturer comes and announces there will be a guest lecturer also.

Does it get ant better???

So the lecture (by the guest lecturer--who was very young--and I do have a thing with age because see...with age comes wisdom so if he's young...really, how much could he possibly know???) was quite-look at my picture...yes it was. Whoever said youth was fun?! It's quite boring and confusing-it can hardly express its self but...everything happens for a reason right? So here I am on Blogger.com working for my 20% - or however much I end up with. Oh, let me mention why "guest lecturer" was appointed. He is founder of the Jamaica Blog Awards which I just checked out-see what I mean about competition-look at my picture. So the lecture was basically about blogging-how to set up a blog, add widgets (which I'm still trying to figure out because it wasn't mentioned how), how business in Jamaica have not taken advantage of blogging and NGOs seem to be afraid of blogging and social media networks.

*     *     *

Getting back to substitute lecturer. She was mature and the topic: Business Communication 
Now we're talking! And who is a business communicator? A person who manages communications in an organisation. Hmm...sounds like one of my employees, but you know...to be the best manager you need to know the ins and outs of every area in your organisation AND communication IS integral in the running of any successful organisation. Is it not?

Wait........What's all this talk about communication? Communication process, communication, communication...OMG...the course's title is ORGANISATIONAL COMMUNICATION....why did I have the idea that I was in a course called Business Communication?????
 ¡Ay, caramba! 

First Tutorial

For the first time I greeted the lecturer after walking in late. Why? I'm tally out of my element here.

What am I doing here?????? Communication???? Well--McDaniel seems like very cool person--that spells confidence, expertise-not easy. It's not the challenge that concerns me but the competitors. 

The memorable theme in this class was leadership and the message - DON'T SHY AWAY FROM IT! Me...shy? Yes and no. Leadership...BORN WITH IT! Why not in class?? Because I'm giving others a chance to shine as well. 

From what I'm seeing, this class will pose some challenges, the biggest of which is group work. Why? According to the Myer Briggs test, invented by the greatest psychologist of all time-Carl Jung, I fall into the INFP category of personality types and that's why; I find working in groups quite challenging. 

So everything in this world happens for a reason I believe. To function in this world, one must be able to cooperate, to practise interdependence because it is the nature of humans; we are naturally social beings, as Locke would say. And this is where life has taken me-or where I have chosen to be in life-working in a group for my own benefit-and possibly theirs. This I will use to keep me optimistic about this class.

Other possible challenges I see are: getting a client (what kind of client?), making group presentations, so many assignments. My lord - what did I sign up for? The free elective from hell!!!!

Day One of Organizational Communication

Waited mmmm....maybe an hour....or more, until someone came to say our Lecturer would not be making it. Disappointed...yes, a bit...I like new things.

People in the classroom...they all look so normal, a little too normal that they seemed abnormal

I can see this is going to be nothing like philosophy.