Alps Telecom
Introduction
Communication is considered as one of the most important processes and aspects of any organization. It is considered as one of the basic functions of the management in any organization, and it is hard to emphasize its importance. Communication can be defined as the process of transmitting information, ideas, thoughts, opinions as well as plans between different aspects of an organization. Thus, it is important to consider that it is not possible to have human relations without communication. On the other hand, it is important to add, that good and efficient communication is not only required for good human relations but also good for overall business success (Articlebase 2007). Furthermore, communication also lays the keystone to every organization for the process of upbringing and grooming the environment of that particular organization (King 2007).
Greenbaum & White stated that “communication problems in the organization are not unlike the progressive development of headache. If the initial bodily cues are ignored or not monitored, the full throb will hit. The result is much more time and effort lost in trying to connect the unbearable condition than would have been needed to prevent the situation in the first place” (cited in Downs & Adrian 2004, p. 1).
In the current, dynamic and changing environment, communication becomes a vital aspect in the process of learning and creating the different disciplines. This is because of the fact that it can help the organization to focus on achieving the goals and objectives of the organization. It can also help to focus on both investigation and intervention. In addition, the corporate communication helps to offer an umbrella for different types of forms and formats such as public relations, public affairs as well as stockholder communication. As a result, effective communication can be seen in the employees’ collaboration, interaction as well as engagement with each other in order to help them understand the vitality as well as significance of the said engagement (cited in Camarata 1998).
Situation Analysis
According to my initial job profile, I have to report to both the Managing Director of the CEE region and the CFO at the Corporate Headquarters. I was not able to meet the CFO during our initial meeting because he was on holiday, that’s why I was not properly informed about the different agendas and areas of my work. In addition, my meeting with the Managing Director and other Department Head was suspended because of conflicting schedule. As a result of the suspended orientation week, information, processes as well as systems that must be given to me by each and every department head, were not properly explained.
However, due to my sense of professionalism, I still continue to do my job. Thus because of the said effort, I had been able to manage my works and position by gathering information and data from other colleagues. However, what I have gathered were not enough or limited, because of time pressure, but my managerial ability helped me to work it all out.
After some time, the CFO was very happy with the result of my effort. On the other hand, after tree months of effort, the Managing Directors called me up for a meeting and told me that I am not doing my full responsibility in his Corporate Headquarter.
Problem Analysis
In analyzing the said case, it can be said that the problems focuses on the issue of communication and leadership. It had affected the relationship and understanding between the Managing Director, CFO and me. It can be said that the problems that have occurred can be blamed for the absence of both the CFO and the Managing Director. This is because of the fact that I was not properly informed regarding my roles and responsibilities. In addition, I was not able to have in-depth information about the systems as well as process because my colleagues are not willing to participate in the orientation week. Thus, in the said case, both the Managing Director and CFO had not been able to handle their responsibility as the manager or the leader. It is important to consider that effective communication of information and decision is considered as a vital element in management-employee relations. The manager cannot get the work done from the employees except, they are communicated successfully of what he wants to be done. It is also important in order to let the employee to know what result to be expected. Just like in the case, most of the management problems arise due to the lack of effective communication. More often than not, misunderstanding and misrepresentation can be minimized with the proper communication system (Articlebase 2007). Aside from that, the entire organization failed to focus on the importance of a quality orientation. This is because of the fact that it can help employee to feel more part of the organization; learn more about the organizational lingo and culture; as well as understand the basic workplace principles of the workplace (SESCO Management Consultants of Bristol 2006). Aside from that, it can also help the employees to know more about the background and internal information about the company. For that matter, it can be said that the upper management, particularly the CFO and the Managing Director taken for granted the said important process.
To add fuel to the fire, although the CFO had already returned from his holiday, he still failed to communicate with me because there are plenty of works to be done because of his vacation. As a result, I have used the little information I have gathered from my colleague in the department of Managing Director, as a result, the CFO thinks that I am not doing any good for his department, because I am focusing on the part of the Corporate Headquarters.
Communication and Leadership Issues
The entire problem in the current case was the result of poor leadership or management and communication. First is that the Managing Director, Department Heads as well as the CFO failed to communicate with me in order to support with different information, data and knowledge that must be known in order to do my responsibilities and roles in the company. The upper management had failed to do perform their roles as coach, setter of standards, performance appraisal, teacher, motivator and other. Aside from that, communicating is one of their vital roles that are being done by sharing the vision and goals, together with the objectives of the organization to the employees (Belker & Topchik 2005, pp. 28 – 29). The process of coaching and mentoring is a critical process because of the fact that I am not that familiar with the company.
Another problem is the lack of communication between the CFO and the Managing Director. This is important because of the fact that my roles and responsibilities are connected to the said two managers, thus it will be important for both of them to communicate regarding my overall responsibilities in both the region and headquarters. All and all, it can be said that the lack of time and effort of all the entities that are involved in the process are another factor that had affected the entire situation.
Business Solution: Feedback
Based on the said situation, pertaining on the problems about communication and leadership, the most suitable solution that can be done is the process of giving feedback. Feedback is considered as an important subprocess of communication that refers to the behavioral responses to the messages (Downs & Adrian 2004, p. 5). It is considered as crucial, bidirectional measure used in the process of communication. Feedback has three important parts: the first confirms reception of a message, the second confirms understanding, and the third confirms the action. Horton (1995) stated that “If the manager does not see action, the manager cannot confirm either reception of understanding. If a message was received and understood, feedback is positive even if a message receiver rejects the message. If the message was not received or understood, feedback is negative. Regarding the negative feedback, the manager sends the message again. It is like a radio operator on a crippled ship broadcasting SOS signals until someone acknowledges their receipt. A manager is always safer assuming that a message was not received until there is proof that it was (p. 253).”
Thus, in the current situation, feedback will be given to the Managing Director, CFO and Department Heads from Marketing, IT and Business Development Departments. Feedback will be provided in both written and oral form. The written form will help for formality, while the oral can help to explain each side of the story. This will help to have a continuous flow of communication.
The Managing Director
The Managing Director supplemented me with some basic information during our first meeting. However, he did not guide me throughout my work because the supposed to be orientation was suspended and never took place. The said situation leaves me with insufficient knowledge regarding the details of my position in the company.
The CFO
The CFO appreciated my work regarding the company, primarily at the Corporate Headquarters. The said aspects give me a sense of motivation in order to continue my work. However, just like the Managing Director, he had not been able to supply me with all the important information that I must know in order to do my job such as my working details, objectives as well as goals of the entire Corporate Headquarters and the entire organization.
Departmental Head: Marketing, IT and Business Development
The departmental head of Marketing, IT and Business Development have failed to communicate with me regarding the different processes, systems and aspects that are connected with the relationship between the departments and how it can affect the entire performance of the organization. This is because of the fact that they were not present during the orientation week.
Action Plan
Statement of Objectives/Goals: To improve the communication process and relationship between the different departments of the organization, at the same time, improve the relationship of each and every managers or heads in order to improve the overall performance of the organization.
Action
Activity
When
Who
1. Conference with the Managing Director and CFO.
a. tackle about the connection between the two managers;
b. development of detailed lists of tasks to be done in the two parts of the organization;
c. development of the different goals that must be done and achieved in a given period of time;
d. Providing Feedback.
Week 1
Finance Director
Managing Director
CFO
2. Conference with all the Departmental Heads
a. tackle about the different important aspects, processes and system of the company;
b. introducing the different responsibilities and roles of each and every department and how they are connected;
c. Providing Feedback.
Week 2
Finance Director
Marketing Department Head
Information Technology Department Head
Business and Development Department Head
3. Developing Standard of Communication
1. Selecting and developing different types of communication methods that can be used by the company with accordance to the current business rules, behaviors and cultures;
Week 3
Finance Director
Managing Director
CFO
Finance Director
Marketing Department Head
Information Technology Department Head
Business and Development Department Head
4. Application of Standard of Communication
Informing the entire organization regarding the decision about the standard of communication and implementing it in the entire communication processes.
Week 4
Finance Director
Managing Director
CFO
Finance Director
Marketing Department Head
Information Technology Department Head
Business and Development Department Head
Agenda
Formal Agenda
Managing Director and the CFO
Date: January 19, 2009 Time: 1:00 pm
Location: Alps Telecom Conference Room
Activities:
Formal Agenda
Department Heads
Marketing Department, IT Department and Business and Development
Date: January 26, 2009 Time: 1:00 pm Location: Alps Telecom Conference Room
Activities:
Meeting Minutes
Standard of Communication
Alps Telecom
January 19, 2009
1:00 pm, Alps Telecom Conference Room
Head of the Company:
Present: Managing Director, CFO
Head of the Departments:
Present: Marketing Department Head, IT Department Head, Business and Development Department Head
Other Present:
Finance Director
Proceedings:
Meeting called to order by the Finance Director
Finance
The Finance Director explains the problems regarding his first days in the company, and how communication and leadership are related to it. He recommended the significance of communication to any organization and project, as well as how proper orientation can affect the performance and motivation of an employee. In the end, he recommended different communication and leadership strategies that can be applied by the company.
The Managing Director
The Managing Director agreed with the Finance Director, however, he strongly stick to his position regarding the reevaluation needs for the Finance Director, because he did not focus on his roles in the CEE region. This is because both of the aspects of the company are important to maintain competitive advantage. However, he admitted the mistakes of the upper management regarding their action towards the orientation process.
CFO at the Corporate Headquarters
The CFO repeated his admiration and satisfaction towards the performance and professionalism of the Finance Director, even though there is no formal and full introduction of the different information between them. He strongly believes that the suggestion of the Finance Director can help to improve the performance of the entire company.
Marketing Department Head
The Marketing Department Head suggested a standard that will help to improve the entire communication process of the company. He agreed that direct and indirect communication must be implemented in order to prevent any misunderstanding.
IT Department Head
The IT Department Head focuses on the different technological factors that must be applied in the entire communication process of the company, primarily the application of the Internet or e-mail.
Business and Development Department Head
The Business and Development Department Head focuses on the problems regarding their conflicting schedule. That’s why he focuses on having a regular meeting in order to know what is going on in each department and aspect of the organization.
Meeting Assessment
Overall, the present members in the meeting have developed their standard of communication that must be applied in the Alps Telecom in order to ensure good internal communication and relationship that will reflect on the overall performance of the company.
Meeting Adjourned at:
3:00 pm
References:
Articlebase 2007, Importance of Communication in an Organization, viewed 19 January 2009, <http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/importance-of-communication-in-an-organization-97064.html>
Belker, L & Topchik, G 2005, The First-Time Manager, AMACOM Div American Management Association
Camarata, M 1998, ‘The Role of Communication in Creating and Maintaining a Learning Organization: Preconditions, Indicators, and Disciplines,’ The Journal of Business Communication, vol. 35, no. 4
Downs, C & Adrian, A 2004, Assessing Organizational Communication: Strategic Communication Audits, Guilford Press
Horton, J 1995, Integrating Corporate Communications: The Cost-Effective Use of Message and Medium, Greenwood Publishing Group
King, W 2007, Importance of Communication in Organization, Ezine @rticles, viewed 19 January 2009, <http://ezinearticles.com/?Importance-Of-Com munication-In-Organization&id=563763>
SESCO Management Consultants 2006, The Importance of Good Employee Orientation, AAHSA, viewed 19 January 2009, <http://www.aahsa.org/Wo rkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=3524>
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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