I found this miscommunication cartoon very interesting. It shows how a message going to different segments in a company can be interpreted differently by different people. It demonstrates that ambiguity of words can convey different meanings to people with different personalities.

Following are the useful tips to follow when communicating with a large group of people in several job segments:

• Giving the facts and the plan will benefit the detail-oriented personalities.
• Giving opinion will benefit all types of personalities.
• Asking questions will benefit confident problem solver personalities.

http://www.advisausa.com/2010/10/personality-counts-tips-to-avoid-miscommunication/

CARS - Evaluation of Research Sources

CREDIBILITY

·         Author’s credentials for the written topic (Education and experience in the related topic field)

·         Author’s affiliation with a reputed organization and contact information for the organization

·         Author’s position and contact information for the author

·         Check the reliability of information

ACCURACY

·         Clear audience and purpose

·         Is the information complete and up to date?

·         Check for grammar and spelling errors

·         Check if the information is persuasive or biased

REASONABLENESS

·         Is the tone reasonable and fair?

·         Is the information thoughtful, valid and realistic?

·         Is there a conflict of interest?

SUPPORT

·         Is the claimed information supported by list of sources?

·         Is there a bibliography or documentation?

http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm

http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/english/allwrite3/seyler/ssite/seyler/se03/cars.mhtml

Different Types of Social Media

Social media is a form of mass media which can be used for interactive, informational, educational, and promotional purposes. Here are the following types of social media:

• Blogging-This can include any topics or any experiences about virtually any topic. Blogs are created by users and feedbacks are welcome from all users but it is most effective if people with knowledge about the subject contribute.
• Emailing and chatting- allows almost anybody to communicate through this medium. It is instantaneous and does not require in depth knowledge.
• Television channels and newspapers and they also provide websites where latest news and updates can be viewed and also viewers to post their opinions.
• Photo and video sharing- These can be uploaded to websites and viewed by close ones. “Tags” can also be added to videos which refine the search when searching from a search engine
• Gaming-all types of new and old games can be accessed and can be played individually or against other people in a different geographic location.
• Shopping-Almost any type of shopping can be done over the internet. Examples are Amazon, ebay etc.
• Distance education- It is increasing everyday because it is convenient and saves time because no classes have to be attended except for the final exam. It also allows classes to be taken from across the border or from universities located far away from home or located in other countries. 
• Social networking- Facebook is very popular across the world allows easy communication between friends, family across the world, and sharing of pictures and video etc.
• Music and Radio- can be listened to live on the internet. Artists have websites to promote their products and it is social because users can share and discuss their particular interests.

http://www.instantshift.com/2011/10/20/the-history-of-social-media/

Miscommunication in the Workplace

Many aspects of the workplace environment give rise to miscommunication such as long hours, the hierarchy structure where disagreement between you and the superior can make this even worse. Most people take miscommunication to the next level but at its initial stages questions should be asked between the people who are communicating so it can be solved and the intended message can be communicated through asking questions. Miscommunication big or small has a negative impact on the effectiveness, efficiency, and reputation of the company and its workers.

Causes:

• Assumptions- We make a lot of assumptions but ask fewer questions. Questions must be asked in order to understand what is being communicated.
• Office romances- Public displays of affection can make other employees uncomfortable and accusations of favoritism may start to circle.
• Non-cooperation-Less or no communication between management and employees lead to a negative workplace environment where the employee may feel their ideas are not valuable to the organization.
• Finger pointing or criticism-Employees are inclined to blame others for their mistakes because they may feel that their job maybe at risk, so its easy to pass on the blame.
• Peril of favouritism- Very common belief that higher authorities favour particular employees.

Solutions:

• Communication is the key- Every problem is due to lack of communication, so spending more time on asking questions can minimize miscommunication.
• Perfect medium- The appropriate medium of communication must be chosen to perfectly communicate the message where it is understood by all recipients, along with the actual intended message.
• Stick to the point- Stick to the topic and include only essential information to the topic.
• Acquire feedback-Once the message is sent then make sure you ask for feedback to make sure the message was received and understood.
• Be genuine- Honesty is the best way to go because people can distinguish from real and fake people based on their tone.

http://www.speedupcareer.com/articles/miscommunication-in-the-workplace.html

What Causes Stage Fright and Fear of Public Speaking?

This article suggests that the fear of public speaking is triggered by two factors, one is that we expect to be perfect and second is fear of judgement or embarrassing moments. The fear is a high intensity emotion or surge of energy that is trying to flow through the body when we are about to present. The body needs to two things to make a presentation without fear, one is the energy which we have plenty of but the second is the ability to express the energy, which we ultimately lack. When the energy can flow through and out of the body, then the tension and anxiety can be turned into passionate expression. An extension of this article also suggests 3 biological reasons behind the fear of public speaking which are dry mouth, short term memory loss, and sweaty palms.

http://www.self-expression.com/speaking-freely/what-causes-stage-fright-and-fear-of-public-speaking/

Writing Effective E-Mail: Top 10 Tips - By: Dennis G. Jerz and Jessica Bauer, on March 8th, 2011

Most forms of communication nowadays is instant but lack proper form of writing and this can lead to misinterpretation which could result in strained relationships between sender and receiver.

This article lists 10 ways to write effective emails which will result in the proper communication of the intended message. The following are the 10 tips:

1.      Write a meaningful subject line- If it’s too vague or empty then the receiver may not even open it.

2.      Keep the message focused- Email may contain more than one message and this can cause a problem because once the reader reads the first message, they will automatically assume that the rest of the email is a continuance of the same message. If you have more than one message then separate it or keep one message per one email.

3.      Avoid attachments- It is beneficial to copy and paste the contents into the email instead of attachment because most often people forget that something was attached or may lack the programs required to open the email.

4.      Identify yourself clearly- your first and last name is more than enough.

5.      Be kind. Don’t flame- A person may be writing in anger but you have to weigh your words carefully because this one email may cause you to lose your job or friend forever.

6.      Proofread- Make message look professional.

7.      Don’t assume privacy- Don’t send anything that you wouldn’t want your name attached to.

8.      Distinguish between formal and informal situations- If you’re writing to a friend its ok to put in smiley faces and abbreviations but not when sending an email to a professional person.

9.      Respond promptly- Respond ASAP, even if you write “sorry, I’m busy right now”, this will not make the receiver wait for a long time.

10.  Show respect and restraint- Email is not private so be careful when sending it to large groups of people.

http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/e-text/email/


By: Varinder Gill