Principles of Communication free essay sample

PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION Communication is a two-way process of giving and receiving information through any number of channels. Whether one is speaking informally to a colleague, addressing a conference or meeting, writing a newsletter article or formal report, the following basic principles apply: * Know your audience. * Know your purpose. * Know your topic. * Anticipate objections. * Present a rounded picture. * Achieve credibility with your audience. * Follow through on what you say. * Communicate a little at a time. * Present information in several ways. * Develop a practical, useful way to get feedback. Use multiple communication techniques. Read More: www4. uwm. edu/cuts/bench/commun. htm Analysis: PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION When communication takes place, we must consider the different communication principles in order to establish a good relationship with the audience, especially when you’re delivering speeches in a conference. Every forms of communication, whether does have an intention. Therefore, persuading your audience/listener or the receiver of the message is your primary goal when communicating. We will write a custom essay sample on Principles of Communication or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE. Order to start a good speech, the speaker must consider this first principle. In all panel discussions or in a conference, the speaker must know how to handle his/her listeners; it’s up to him how he’ll do it. Let’s take this situation as an example: A team of a certain NGO is conducting a seminar on how to do use condoms in Tondo, Manila. Group of plain housewives attended the seminar. Some of them have poor education, while others are much luckier than those who have not. Before the team started the lecture, they conducted a survey to everyone who attended the seminar. That’s their way of knowing their audiences. KNOW YOUR PURPOSE. What’s the purpose of the speaker in communicating? Primarily because he has a goal to be understood, a goal to share information to the audiences and to get something from those information he/she shared. For example: A pastor is having a biblical study together with the prisoners. He knows his audience, of course, but his purpose? Of course he knows it too. He is doing this because he’s a servant of God. He was meant for this mission. That was his purpose. KNOW YOUR TOPIC. The speaker must not be haphazard to the information he’ll share with his/her audience. It must be reliable. For example: A professor in biology is teaching in a class of nursing students. His topic is about the human anatomy. Before he teaches all the information to the class, he must first research all the necessary facts available. ANTICIPATE OBJECTIONS. Communication is complex. When listening to or reading someone elses message, we often filter whats being said through a screen of our own opinions. One of the major barriers to communication is our own ideas and opinions. For example: A speaker has finished his speech for the RH Bill advocacy. The audience was silent, but he can see the reaction through their faces that their minds were bursting with ideas. So he finally asks a question to them. â€Å"I am looking forward to all the objections and ideas available. After that question someone raises a hand and speak that breaks everyone’s silence. The speaker begins to answer the audience’s objection with a grin. PRESENT A ROUNDED PICTURE. Persuading the audiences/listeners when communicating is one of the most difficult yet challenging tasks to do. Plain words sometimes aren’t just enough because the audiences have different interests, so to be able to make persuasion of the audiences more effective, there must be a picture that will be presented by the speaker. Example situation: A professor is beginning to find out that one by one his students are getting bored to his subject. He did all his best to persuade them by using interesting words but it seems like it doesn’t make sense. So he think of a better idea, at the next meeting of their class the following week, he’ll bring rounded pictures to illustrate more to his students all the ideas he wants for his students to be understand. ACHIEVE CREDIBILITY WITH YOUR AUDIENCE. Aside from the goal of achieving the attention of the audience, the speaker must also achieve credibility. It’s important to the speaker. If he doesn’t achieve his credibility, his audience would no longer be interested to the things he’s saying. And that’s gauche. Example situation: A speaker who’ll be delivering a speech about the campaign in maintaining a green nation is about to deliver his speech. He finally stands in front of his audience, he dressed formally, he knows about his audience, he knows his purpose, his topic, even planned to anticipate objections and present a rounded picture about his advocacy. He smiles confidently, that’s his way of achieving the credibility with his audience. FOLLOW THROUGH ON WHAT YOU SAY. Information that is shared especially when in front of the audience must be consistent. Any topics that are unnecessary must not be included in delivering a speech. Example situation: A guest speaker from a prominent political clan on Pampanga was invited on a conference attended by the law students in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines was at the middle of delivering his speech that was related to politics, of course. The speaker must attain consistency in his speech. Any unimportant statements will eliminate the interest of the audience. COMMUNICATE A LITTLE AT A TIME. It is important to maintain a relationship with the audience, it’s a must. Example situation: A speaker is reading his speech but manages to look at his audience so that he would know whether his audience is getting something from him or not. PRESENT INFORMATION IN SEVERAL WAYS. Don’t make the ideas redundant. Example situation: The speaker uses different information from other references so that the audiences would be able to get something from other sources, not just depending on the available ones. DEVELOP A PRACTICAL, USEFUL WAY TO GET FEEDBACK. It’s always a pleasure for the speaker to know if his audience got something from the ideas he shared. The speaker must use this principle to be able to know that the audience learned from him. Example situation: The speaker uses cards given to the audience that’s indicating some ideas so the audience will share also what they learn to their fellows. USE MULTIPLE COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES. It is the most essential principle needed to be used by the speaker. Communication techniques are the usage of technological devices, I think. Example: a speaker uses LCD Projector in discussing an issue. MISCONCEPTIONS OF COMMUNICATION Before considering definitions of communication, we should consider the misconceptions that those definitions will have to address. 1. Communication is Information Transfer The first myth is that communication is simply the transfer of information, just like a computer. This is part of what Theodore Roszak in 1986 called  The Cult of Information, where we assume that human beings behave just like computers as data processing machines. The fact is, we’re not machines. Our communicative behavior is much more complex. Part of that omplexity is the fact that we do not respond equally to the each message, even to the same message sent at different times in a different context. If we assume, therefore, that once we have sent a message, it will obviously be correctly received, we set ourselves up for communication failures. Communication is not about giving information. It is about exerting influence. Far from being guided by logic, it is guided by psycho-logic, to coin a phrase. The goal of communication is not simply telling, but acting, changing another person’s behavior through what we say to them. Example for this is that a teacher is teaching to his students. He’s giving information, but it doesn’t end there. He uses influence, that’s the teacher’s motivation to his students. 2. Communication failures can be solved by restoring the connection Mortensen: â€Å"The notion of gaps and breakdowns automatically portrays communicative activity as a directional and linear sequence of events-much like electronic impulses traveling from beginning to end in a telephone system or digital computer. Once this linear, one-way analogy is accepted, it is almost impossible not to think of communicative difficulties as a result of some malfunctioning that occurs along the line. To correct a breakdown, one is tempted to search for the part or element that needs repair, much as a telephone repairman looks for a break in circuits along a row of telephone lines (Smith, 1970). Even worse, communication tends to be defined in all-or-nothing terms: Either the system works or it does not; the signals arrive at their destination, or they are blocked somewhere along the line. † The general concept of the communication gaps are compared to electronic pulses of a telephone system or a digital computer by Mortensen. If we assume that communication is simply the transfer of information, then all we need to do to solve it if repair the open circuit, plug back into to the network, tune the signal. Example for this is when two people are chit-chatting through the phone and then one person on the line loses the connection. That was meant on this misconception of communication. 3. Communication is either on or off Again, if communication is information transfer, when it fails, it must fail completely. No signals can sneak through a broken network connection. However, human communication can’t be turned off so easily. Some messages, perhaps unintentional, still exert some influence. In a sense we can never have a communication failure—some message is communicated even if it is not the one the speaker intended. Mortensen: â€Å"Running through the previous quotations about communication breakdown is an implicit and mistaken notion that â€Å"no† communication occurred. Supposedly, whenever people fail to arrive at an identical point of view, we can merely assume that they have-almost by definition-â€Å"failed to communicate. † . . . . Communication does not necessarily stop simply because people stop talking or listening. In this misconception of communication, it is stated here that when people transferring information fails to do it, communication completely fails. The truth behind this misconception is that, even if people stop talking, it doesn’t all ends there. They can communicate verbally or non-verbally to be able to share information. They can exert influence in this. Example for this one is: two students were told by their professors to keep their mouth shut and then the professor moved them in separate places. The professor thinks that the he finally ended the noisy interaction between those students. But, actually it’s not. The two students kept on blinking each other’s eye. 4. Communication is passive If communication is information transfer, it doesn’t take much active effort. We have come to regard communication as passive. We simply send our messages and let them take their course, never bothering to reinforce them or check to see if they were received. When we begin to see communication as exerting influence, we can see it is hardly a passive matter. We have to actively attend to the messages we send. We have to be conscious of the unintentional messages we give out that may betray our unguarded intent. We begin to manage our communication strategically, making sure we make the most of the messages we send. We must overcome what  George Orwell called â€Å"the half-conscious belief that language is a natural growth and not an instrument which we shape for our own purposes. †Ã‚   The belief that communication is static, is a totally misconception. But as the example’s definition stated it depends specifically if its info transfer, it doesn’t take active effort. Example for this is: when the students doesn’t ate their lunch even if it’s 12 yet they had a continuous class, their professor kept on sharing information but they kept silent. . Communication success is defined in legal terms Two and a half millennia ago,  Plato described three different kinds of communicators as three different kinds of lovers. The evil lover is concerned only about  himself  and abuses the audience to get what he wants. The neutral lover is like our legal-minded communicator; he gives the bare facts with no care for the ultimate outcome. The best communicator, Plato argues, is like the noble lover who, overcome with a divine madness, does all he can to get his message across for the sake of the audience. Giving the facts is not enough. We have to change the way people work and think. This misconception comes out of the litigious world we live in. We may assume that once we have formally communicated, we have met our legal obligations to get a message across and therefore have no further obligation to communicate. If our purpose in communicating is only to meet some legal standard, this assumption would be correct. But if our purpose is to change someone’s behavior, this assumption falls far short of effective communication. for example: the speaker is responsible for making communication his priority. 6. If human communication is like machine communication, humans must be like machines. Roszak has pointed out that one problem of assuming that machines â€Å"think† like humans is that it leads us to think that humans â€Å"think† like machines. One of the major liabilities of the data processing model of thought is the way in which it coarsens subtle distinctions in the anatomy of the mind. The model may do this legitimately in order to simplify for analytical purposes; all scientific models do that. But there is always the danger—and many computer scientists have run afoul of it—that the model will become reified and be taken seriously. When that happens on the part of experts who should know better, it can actually falsify what we know (or should know) about the way our own minds work. There we discover the riskiest ideas of all. Yet they may also be the richest and most fruitful. For there we find what might be called the master ideas—the great moral, religious, and metaphysical teachings which are the foundations of culture. Most of the ideas that occupy our thinking from moment to moment are not master ideas; they are more modest generalizations. But from this point forward I will be emphasizing master ideas because they are always there in some form at the foundation of the mind, molding our thoughts below the level of awareness. I want to focus upon them because they bear a peculiarly revealing relationship to information, which is our main subject of discussion. Master ideas are based on no information whatever. I will be using them, therefore, to emphasize the radical difference between ideas and data which the cult of information has done so much to obscure. * Let us take one of the master ideas of our society as an example: â€Å"All men are created equal. The power of this familiar idea will not be lost on any of us. From it, generations of legal and philosophical controversy have  arisen,  political movements and revolutions have taken their course. It is an idea that has shaped our culture in ways that touch each of us intimately; it is part, perhaps the most important part, of our personal identity. To see communication as data transfer can lead to the assumptions that humans should be treated as machines to solve human communication problems. Read More: www. shkaminski. com/Classes/ /Definitions%20of%20Communication. htm Submitted by: Kathleen v. maranan Bcr 2-2

Integration Of Nursing Informatics Skills And Competencies Coursework

Integration Of Nursing Informatics Skills And Competencies Coursework Integration Of Nursing Informatics Skills And Competencies – Coursework Example Integration of nursing informatics skills and competencies due: Mastrian & McGonigle (2015) define nursing informatics as the mixture of nursing science, computer science, and information science and computer science and in some cases cognitive science. They also outline the components of a model of the building blocks of nursing informatics as follows: Knowledge acquisition, knowledge dissemination, knowledge generation and knowledge processing. These are the basic activities that are undertaken by a nurse on a daily basis either consciously or subconsciously (Mastrian & McGonigle, 2015). My practice is an information based profession. On a normal day, I monitor the condition and vital signs of my patients, perform procedures such as the operation of a haemodialysis machine and assess the effectiveness of the procedures, explain procedures to my patients, evaluate the effectiveness of the procedures and clean up the patients’ immediate environment. All these activities confor m to the four building blocks of nursing informatics as presented by Mastrian and McGonigle (2015). The Nursing informatics tools I use on a daily basis include knowledge acquisition, knowledge dissemination, knowledge generation and knowledge processing (American Association of Colleges of Nursing QSEN Consortium, 2012).1. Knowledge acquisition: My immediate sources of information as I attend to patients include the diagnosis procedures that I undertake by monitoring the vital signs of the patient for example blood pressure, body temperature, rate of heartbeat and the amount of oxygen in the blood. Moreover, I have knowledge from the formal education acquired in school and the internet, as well as the available hospital records and database concerning the patient in question and any other previous cases. Thus, I am able to tap into any of this information sources either consciously or subconsciously.2. Knowledge dissemination: This happens when i share out the information I have ac quired in the knowledge acquisition process with fellow nurses and other medical practitioners either in a formal setting for example forums or an informal setting such as social media. In the process, I am able to receive feedback which helps confirm the accuracy of the acquired information and any corrections and further research I need to make concerning the acquired information.3. Knowledge generation: This process mainly entails research. In the process of knowledge acquisition and dissemination, I often come across a phenomenon that requires further research. In undertaking the research, I may come across knowledge that is useful in the profession and shares it out with the other medical practitioners in both formal and informal settings.4. Knowledge processing: This process may occur subconsciously in my mind during the knowledge acquisition process, the knowledge dissemination process and the knowledge generation process. During this process, I reason out and make conclusion s based on the information at hand and previous experiences. This process could be undertaken consciously whereby the information acquired over time and stored in the database is analysed, and useful information is acquired that will ascertain better decision-making in the future practices. This process leads to the development of philosophies that guide future practitioners. All in all, the various aspects of nursing informatics happen concurrently and involve the use of nursing science, computer science and to acquire, communicate, manage and process information. This has helped improve the way teaching of nursing sciences is undertaken and better decision making for nurses when providing healthcare service due to the availability of viable information (Johnson et al., 2012). ReferencesAmerican Association of Colleges of Nursing QSEN Consortium (September 24, 2012).Graduate - Level QSEN Competencies Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes. nche.edu. Retrieved, 2014, October 28 from aacn .nche.edu/faculty/qsen/competencies.Johnson, J. E., Veneziano, T., Malast, T., Mastro, K., Moran, A., Mulligan, L., & Smith, A.L. (2012). Nursings future: Whats the message? Nursing Management, 43(7), 36–41. doi:10.1097/01.NUMA.0000415493.20578.f2 McGonigle, D. & Mastrian, K. (2015). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge(3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

The Invention of Velcro

The Invention of Velcro Its hard to imagine what we would do without Velcro, the versatile hook-and-loop fastener used in so many aspects of modern life- from disposable diapers to the aerospace industry. Yet the ingenious invention came about almost by accident. Velcro was the creation of Swiss engineer Georges de Mestral, who had been inspired by a walk in the woods with his dog in 1941. Upon their return home, de Mestral noticed that burrs (from the burdock plant) had attached themselves to his pants and to his dogs fur. De Mestral, an amateur inventor and a curious man by nature, examined the burrs under a microscope. What he saw intrigued him. De Mestral would spend the next 14 years attempting to duplicate what he saw under that microscope before introducing Velcro to the world in 1955. Examining the Burr Most of us have had the experience of burrs clinging to our clothing (or our pets), and considered it a mere annoyance, never wondering why it actually happens. Mother Nature, however, never does anything without a specific reason. Burrs have long served the purpose of ensuring the survival of various plant species. When a burr (a form of a seed pod) attaches itself to an animals fur, it is carried by the animal to another location where it eventually falls off and grows into a new plant. De Mestral was more concerned with the how than the why. How did so small an object exert such a stronghold? Under the microscope, de Mestral could see that the tips of the burr, which appeared to the naked eye as stiff and straight, actually contained tiny hooks that can attach themselves to fibers in clothing, similar to a hook-and-eye fastener. De Mestral knew that if he could somehow recreate the simple hook system of the burr, he would be able to produce an incredibly strong fastener, one with many practical uses. Finding the Right Stuff De Mestrals first challenge was finding a fabric he could use to create a strong bonding system. Enlisting the help of a weaver in Lyon, France (an important textile center), de Mestral first tried using cotton. The weaver produced a prototype with one cotton strip containing thousands of hooks and the other strip made up of thousands of loops. De Mestral found, however, that the cotton was too soft- it could not stand up to repeated openings and closures. For several years, de Mestral continued his research, looking for the best material for his product, as well as the optimal size of loops and hooks. After repeated testing, de Mestral eventually learned that synthetics worked best, and settled on heat-treated nylon, a strong and durable substance. In order to mass-produce his new product, de Mestral also needed to design a special type of loom that could weave the fibers in just the right size, shape, and density- this took him several more years. By 1955, de Mestral had completed his improved version of the product. Each square inch of material contained 300 hooks, a density that had proven strong enough to stay fastened, yet was easy enough to pull apart when needed. Velcro Gets a Name and a Patent De Mestral christened his new product Velcro, from the French words velours (velvet) and crochet (hook). (The name Velcro refers only to the trademarked brand created by de Mestral). In 1955, de Mestral received a patent for Velcro from the Swiss government. He took out a loan to begin mass-producing Velcro, opening plants in Europe and eventually expanding into Canada and the United States. His Velcro USA plant opened in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1957 and is still there today. Velcro Takes Off De Mestral had originally intended Velcro to be used for clothing as a zipper-less zipper, but that idea was not initially successful. During a 1959 New York City fashion show that highlighted clothing with Velcro, critics deemed it ugly and cheap-looking. Velcro thus became associated more with athletic wear and equipment than with haute couture. In the early 1960s, Velcro received a huge boost in popularity when NASA began using the product to keep objects from floating around under zero-gravity conditions. NASA later added Velcro to astronauts space suits and helmets, finding it more convenient than the snaps and zippers that were previously used. In 1968, Velcro replaced shoelaces for the first time when athletic shoe manufacturer Puma introduced the worlds first sneakers fastened with Velcro. Since then, Velcro fasteners have revolutionized footwear for children. Even the very young are able to independently fasten their own Velcro shoes well before they learn how to tie their laces. How We Use Velcro Today Today, Velcro is in use seemingly everywhere, from the healthcare setting (blood pressure cuffs, orthopedic devices, and surgeons gowns) to clothing and footwear, sporting and camping equipment, toys and recreation, airline seat cushions, and more. Most impressively, Velcro was used in the first human artificial heart transplantation to hold together parts of the device. Velcro is also used by the military but has recently undergone some modifications. Because Velcro can be too noisy in a combat setting, and because it has a tendency to become less effective in dust-prone areas (such as Afghanistan), it has been temporarily removed from military uniforms. In 1984, on his late-night television show, comedian David Letterman, wearing a Velcro suit, had himself catapulted onto a Velcro wall. His successful experiment launched a new trend: Velcro-wall jumping. De Mestrals Legacy Over the years, Velcro has evolved from a novelty item into a near-necessity in the developed world. De Mestral very likely never dreamed of how popular his product would become, nor the countless ways it could be used. The process de Mestral used to develop Velcro- examining an aspect of nature and using its properties for practical applications- has come to be known as biomimicry. Thanks to Velcros phenomenal success, de Mestral became a very wealthy man. After his patent expired in 1978, many other companies began producing hook-and-loop fasteners, but none are allowed to call their product Velcro, a trademarked name. Most of us, however- just as we call tissues Kleenex- refer to all hook-and-loop fasteners as Velcro. Georges de Mestral died in 1990 at the age of 82. He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1999.

Managing Change Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing Change Report - Essay Example However, it has been a recognized fact that in an organizational context it is quite easier to determine and plan about initiating any change process than to execute it. This is because it is simpler to change systems as well as processes rather than to change the notion and the perception of people towards any impending change. It is recognized fact that people in an organization i.e. employees are the key players and drivers in order to achieve desired success from initiating any change process. There in lies the need for proper communication of change among the employees with the aim to improve and to tackle any behavioral problem that can occur (Neogroup, 2007). The report intends to recognize and to develop a comprehensive strategy that can be implemented in an organizational perspective to efficiently communicate a significant shift in the company direction. The change that is to be initiated will encompass alterations of senior managerial level and incorporation of additional workforce. In the organizational scenario, in case of change management process a significant problem which generally takes place is regarding proper communication of change. An organization’s higher management primarily desires to initiate a change process in order to bring in certain positive alterations in the organizational fortune. These change requiring situations often include alterations in senior management and induction of additional staff in the organizational workforce. If these situations are not handled properly then it can lead to unpleasant work environment, resentment among the employees and low employee morale among others. These factors can in turn create an inverse reaction within the organizational context and any positive desired outcome can become void (Government Office For the South West, 2007). Communication can be â€Å"defined as the exchange of an information, thought and emotion between individuals of groups, in other words, communication plays a

Gender,love Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Gender,love - Essay Example She believes that one day they will meet and celebrate together as a family. Odysseus enjoys a luxurious life with Calypso (Mitchell, Adrian & Homer 43). However, he admits that his wife cannot be compared to Calypso that is why he plans for a homecoming. Although he encounters different challenges in his homecoming, he is focused to arrive at his home. He is confident in all his undertakings and the thirsts for glory. The focus he has in attaining his goal clearly portrays the meaning of love. Additionally, the place of women in relation to gender is clearly portrayed in Odyssey. Telemachus after his father’s departure takes over his father’s estate and protects his mother. Although he is young, he is given a task to undertake simply because he is a man. Additionally, after his father’s departure, different suitors come in to take the position of Odysseus (Russel& Peter 63). His wife is not allowed to lead and express her opinion. Instead, the people prefer the young man, although he is not old enough to take up the leadership position. Consequently,when Odysseus disappears, she gets pressure from suitors who want her to remarry. However, Penelope does not lose faith in her husband. Despite all the requests she gets from the suitors she upholds her position. Her reactions portray that she loved her husband. She spends nights weeping in her bed. However, as a result, of the pressure from the public, she responds to the suitors by giving them a challenge. Her unyielding love for Odysseus makes her believe that they will soon be back together (Kolker& Robert 45). She says that she will remarry after certain conditions are fulfilled. Subsequently, Penelope gives a challenge which she knows that her husband is the only person who can win it. She does this to appease the members of the community. However, she knows what she wants in life, and her decision is final in the matter. Although members of the society thing that they

internal communication system

internal communication system Does a successful internal communication system result in a motivated Workforce? 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Internal communications: It is a generic expression for all communication (formal and informal) that an organization undertakes with its close stockholders — i.e. those people with whom it has a relationship that requires support, principally direct/indirect employees and members. The main purpose of formal internal communications is to inform employees or members of the direction and performance of the organization (and team) to which they belong. The profession of internal communications builds on fundamental principles of other disciplines like human resources (HR), marketing, project management and media planning. As a result it often gets adopted in organizations under different labels: employee communications, employee engagement, internal marketing, company communications, staff communication, etc. Responsibility can also reside within different functions: marketing, corporate communications, transformation, HR, CEO office, etc. In common with other communication professions, there are different areas of specialism within internal communications: channel management, speech-writing, change communications, HR communications, project communications, event management, social media, intranets, etc 1.2 Motivation work force: A motivated workforce is one which individuals and teams generally strive hard and successfully to achieve the goals set t them. They perform at a high level and make significant effort to help you to achieve your business strategy. A committed work force is one in which individuals identify with the purpose, goals and values of the organization, wish to remain with it and are prepared to put themselves out on its behalf. Motivation is about staff focusing their effort on achieving specific targets. That is, what staffs do? It also is about getting your staff to behave in the right way. That is, how they do things. Key indicators include: †¢ Communication †¢ Management leadership †¢ Performance Management and Recognition †¢ Work Management You can motivate people with: †¢ varied and interesting work perhaps giving the opportunity to travel †¢ high-quality training and development e.g. encouragement to study for professional qualifications †¢ an open door culture in which managers are approachable †¢ respect for a good work-life balance e.g. offering the opportunity for flexible working †¢ fairness at work, including promoting equality and diversity †¢ proactive and regular communication †¢ regular appraisal and positive feedback restating business objectives and recognizing your staffs contribution †¢ requests for feedback, either in person or via staff surveys, on how employees feel about their roles, the support they get, and improvements to the business †¢ the chance to socialize with colleagues at organized events †¢ recognition and reward for ideas or competitive intelligence Commitment is concerned with the loyalty of staff t to the organization and feeling good about it can be increased through creating and maintaining a positive working experience. Key indicators include: †¢ Job Satisfaction †¢ Employee involvement †¢ Training and development †¢ Working environment †¢ Co-operation †¢ Working relationship To be effective employee opinion surveys should be conducted on a regular basis. This could be six-monthly or annually. They do involve extra effort on behalf of the staff in term of taking time to complete the survey. 2.0 Research As little as a few decades ago, managers believed that the behind the scenes dealings of their companies were of no concern to employees. Thus, information that may have motivated employees or inspired their job interest was not available to them as they were merely considered another cog in the organizational wheel. Since that time, management science has formed a basis for analyzing management style and its influence on communication and motivation. Most organizations, be they public or private understand the importance of strategic communication with customers and stakeholders. Hence we have marketing and communication specialists to produce communication plans for external use. In the private sector that means more income; in the public sector it means better public relations, and better use of government services through client information. Many organizations also understand the importance of developing strategic plans to guide longer term decision-making. The thinking is that without knowing where we want to be (and how we are going to get there), we cant coordinate organizational resources so that we get to where we want to go. Frequently, communication methodologies for communicating with customers and the public are included in strategic planning. However, few organizations address internal communication in the same way. Determining what should be communicated to staff, when it should be communicated, and how it should be communicated is often left up to the decisions of individuals made when there seems to be a need. In other words internal communication strategies are developed, reactively, when there is a crisis or major event that clearly requires addressing communication issues. Where communication is planned out, it is often around upheavals like major corporate or organization change, layoffs and downsizing, and technological change. However, once the initiating focus has been eliminated communication tends to go back to an unorganized incoherent process. 2.1 Principle of Internal Communication Some basic principles to keep in mind when creating your strategic internal communication plan are: ï‚ § Develop a long-term focus ï‚ § Identify clear values for your organization ï‚ § Define the specific goals for your internal communication strategy ï‚ § Use comprehensive, pervasive methods ï‚ § Be consistent in your messages 2.1.1 Openness: All information should be communicated in an open and honest fashion. While the positive aspects of any news or decision should always be clearly communicated. Message senders should not be afraid to admit that they have changed their mind or have been mistaken. As a result, senders should be prepared to receive contradictory or critical views and should be ready to engage in debate with staff. In the light of freedom of information Act, all information should be open to access by any members of staff. 2.1.2 Relevance: Information should be clearly relevant to the audience they are delivered to. Each message should answer the question that many staff has what in it for me? The needs of the audience should be put in all communications activity and information should be tailored to ensure that it is relevant to different audiences. If the recipient is expected to act on the information they have received this should be made clear to them. 2.1.3 Simplicity: Simple, Straightforward language should be used in all written and verbal communication. The use of jargon and management speak should be avoid. Messages should be carefully thought out and constructed so that the point of clear. Any actions you expect staff to take as a result should be clear. Messages should not be overly long or complicated and all communication should be consistently of a high quality. 2.1.4 Clarity: All communication should be clear in its aims. Message senders need to tell their audience in direct terms the status of the information they are communicating. Here just four examples. 2.1.4.1 A policy decision: A decision taken by one of the universitys three committees which applied to the whole university and must be considered by all staff. 2.1.4.2 A Mandatory Decision: either taken by the university, or imposed by an outside authority. 2.1.4.3 Consultation: Information which is in the discussion stage and is open to consultation by staff. If this is the case, the message sender needs to be clear as to where feedback can be sent. 2.1.4.4 Work in progress: Where is it necessary to keep staff updated about a major projector policy which is still in development. 2.1.5 Planned and timely: Information should be prioritized and planned so as to avoid information overload, duplication of messages or long periods of non-communication. Communication with staff should not be an afterthought or an add-on but should be at the heart of all planning within university. This will ensure that information is given to staff when they need it- not when decision makers happen to think about it, or in the worst case scenario, when staff learns of major decision via the regional or national media. To this end, all major committees or decision making groups should develop an explicit communications strategy which outlines how information will be fed to staff via existing channels of communication. 2.1.6 Two- way communication: A one way conversation is very boring wherever possible, communication should be two way. All communication should be ensure that there are as many opportunities for listening and asking questions as there are sending messages out. These opportunities should be opened for all staff. Where these opportunities are offered the message owner should ensure that good quality and rapid answers can be given to the questions and issued rose. In this way communication will be positively encouraged and staff will feel that they can influence the development of relevant strategies, policies and procedures at a university and local level. 3.0 The advantages of Internal Communication We know that some of the most successful companies and corporations create a workforce that understands the mission, goals, values and procedures of the organization. The intent of creating such cultures is not to dominate or control employees, but to aim them at a set of common goals on which they can act every day. This brings coherence to the workplace, and allows better coordinated action. By clearing up ambiguity in whats, hows, and whys, the common culture permits employees to act with empowerment. When we have staff that understands the basic values and purposes of an organization, we give them the opportunity to make decisions that fall within those parameters. That means, for example, that more decisions can be made at the line level, reducing micro-managing. When your organization is communicating effectively with its internal stakeholders, whether they are employees, management or volunteers, it develops a cohesive culture where everyone is focused on the same goals and ha s the same objectives. By working within a cohesive culture, your stakeholders can work more efficiently together and collaborate more effective. Clearly, if we are to create such a common culture, we need to harness all of our organizations communication resources to achieve the purpose. Before we talk about that, lets look at some other advantages to having a coherent, shared organizational culture. †¢ Permits employees to make more decisions online since they have the tools and knowledge needed to make the right decisions. †¢ Encourages a sense of identification, on the part of staff, with the goals, mission and procedures of the organization, which can result in a sense of making a difference. This can have direct impact on effort and efficiency. †¢ Has the potential for reducing day-to-day conflict. Much conflict is generated by conflicting ideas on what is important to the organization often an indicator that the people involved do not share a common vision or understanding. †¢ Helps staff feel a part of the organization. When we look at organizations that use their common culture as a strategic advantage, what we find is that they create that culture through the use of very strategic, coordinated communication strategies. They use multiple methods, consistently. Their training supports their cultural goals, as does their written communication (e.g. newsletters, billboards, slogans, etc). Their management communicates consistently with common messages in a number of forums (e.g. performance management, department or sub-organization meetings, award and recognition programs, etc). And perhaps most importantly, management behavior is consistent with the messages echoed via other communication methodologies. 4.0 Internal communication strategy There are two sides of strategy in internal communications. In the first instance there is organizations strategy — what it hopes to achieve and how it plans to go about achieving it. That strategy will be supported and, to some extent, delivered through effective internal communications. In this context internal communication can help on several different levels: †¢ Tell: simply informing people of the direction, non-negotiable †¢ Sell: anticipating some form of backlash, requiring some persuasion †¢ Consult: seeking specific areas of input to the decision-making process †¢ Involve: seeking varying degrees of involvement and co-creation Secondly, and more importantly, internal communications needs a strategy of its own. It should be positioned more than a simple plan of tactical interventions in support of business activities. The strategy should consider the following: †¢ Market: What does the organization know about its audiences needs? How should its audiences be segmented? †¢ Message: What is it the organizations message is trying to achieve? In what tone should it be conveyed? †¢ Media: Which channels work best for the different audience segments? How will it maximize reach and cut-through? Are there clear editorial guidelines for each? †¢ Measurement: Are there clearly defined success criteria? What are the leading and lagging measures? As well as informing all of the other three Ms, it should be used to demonstrate value and measures of performance (rate of return, message penetration, hit rates, quality of feedback, etc) The strategy will inform the best way to organize effective communications 5.0 Conclusion The development of a strategic internal communication strategy and its implementation can provide a number of benefits to organizations. To achieve those benefits we need a coordinated, comprehensive, long term communication approach. Effective communications require the active commitment and endorsement of senior managers. It is not enough simply to develop a vision statement or formulate in general terms the values by which the company lives. Behavior is what counts. Managers must be seen to behave in a manner that is consistent with the ethos they are promoting. Communication applied to development initiatives is still too often limited to activities aimed at informing the stockholders or the general public following the typical and dated top-down approach. Government counterparts and project managers are often not used or ready to democratize the decision making process, but are more interested in accelerating it. However, the budget, time and effort devoted to communication will almost certainly be worthwhile. Tele business relying on a mix of adequate telecommunications infrastructure, a quality workforce with reasonable wage levels and corresponding linguistic skills, such requisites are today available in other countries, particularly in the developing world. The workforce skills have to be permanently upgraded so as to satisfy the requirements of new applications. The internal communication techniques can inform and encourage policymakers to base their decisions on a clear understanding of beneficiaries perspectives from the beginning of a development initiative. Such communication not only needs to be carefully planned and implemented but must also be properly integrated with emergency management activities and operations therefore effective internal communication is therefore a key responsibility of public health professionals and information officers, especially during emergency. 6.0 References Effective media communication during public health emergencies (Google book) By Randall N. Hyer, Vincent T. Covello pg 4 published 2007 Information and communication technologies and rural development (Google book) By Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development pg 76 published July 2001 The role of communication in large infrastructure: the Bumbuna Hydroelectric (Google book) By Leonardo Mazzei, Gianmarco Scuppa, World Bank pg 39 published June 2006 Strategic Communication for Privatization, Public-Private Partnerships and Private Participation in Infrastructure Projects (Google book) By Daniele Calabrese World Bank published March 2008 pg 39 http://www.uneed2.com/assets/Summary_Guide_to_Employee_Opinion_Surveys.pdf dtd. 7/10/09 http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/medialibrary/internal-comms/ic-principles.pdf dtd. 10/10/09. http://performance-appraisals.org/Bacalsappraisalarticles/articles/comstrat.htm dtd 7/10/09 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_communications#Internal_communication_strategy dtd 7/10/09 http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Communication-Organisation/165925 dated 14/10/09.

Clinical Governance Improving the Continuing Education of Nurses

Clinical Governance Improving the Continuing Education of Nurses – Myth or Reality? Nurse Management MSc Practice Development Nursing Practice Route Faculty of Community Studies, Law and Education The Manchester Metropolitan University Jean Rogers Tutor: Mary Shaw Submission Date: 8th August 2005 Word Count: Nursing has changed radically over the last two decades and is continuing to do so. Some would say for the better others for the worse (Rushford and Ireland 1997).The purpose of this assignment is to offer a critical analysis of clinical governance as it applies to nursing and the effect it has had on nurses’ on going continuing educational needs. By the term critical analysis I do not mean that I shall attempt to discredit clinical governance, or claim that it is harmful to patients or staff. Instead, I will attempt to discern its nature in a rigorous way and examine how it has led to a change in the way professionals and patients in health care are conceptualised and how this has had an effect on the on going continuing education of nurses.The introduction of clinical governance has resulted in change not only in nursing practice but also in the subjectivity of nurses and their educational needs. Staff do appear to be embracing the notion of clinical governance, however there appears to be very few changes apparent at the level of patient care (Brown and Crawford 2001). The major changes appear to involve their attitudes, and how they conceptualise themselves and their work. In addition, the introduction of clinical governance appears to involve encouraging a new kind of consciousness on the part of patients, amongst whom a greater degree of responsibility is demanded.In reviewing the literature on clinical governance in nursing it appears that there have not been many critics. Indeed, searching the main electronic databases which cover topics which relate to nursing the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), Psycinfo and Me dline and numerous books has not revealed material which adopts a critical stance towards clinical governance and evidence based practice which are currently ‘buzz words’ in the nursing profession and the broader network of health care provision in the United Kingdom (UK) as a whole.There has been some criticism in relation to nursing research This omission is surprising as Brown and Crawford (2001) maintain the efforts of commercial organisations to change their culture and urge this change on their workforce is similar to those changes being encouraged in the health care system and have been subject to considerable debate and critical analysis (Du Gay, 1997, Casey, 1999).Yet overwhelmingly the nursing literature has concentrated on how the process of clinical governance can be facilitated rather than anything else (Lilley, 1999; McSherry and Haddock, 1999). In order to critically analyse these concepts it is judicious to define clinical governance. Clinical governance has been promoted as a way of managing the organisation, resourcing and delivery of health care in the UK for several years now and it is a process which has grown in strength and popularity during that time.The standard definition of clinical governance which is promoted in the literature is from the paper a first class service (Department of Health (DH), 1998) is that it is a Framework through which National Health Service (NHS) organisations are accountable for continuously improving the quality of their services, and safeguarding high standards of care, by creating an environment in which excellence in clinical care will flourish. (Page )In addition to this, the precise pathways under which this was to be achieved were elaborated in an earlier document The New NHS: Modern and Dependable (DH, 1997) which outlined three major strands in the strategy. First, there was to be a set of clear national standards, delivered through national service frameworks (DH, 1999) and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). Second, the local delivery of quality services was to be undertaken via the mechanism of clinical governance and a statutory duty of quality and this was to be supported by lifelong learning programmes and professional self-regulation.Thirdly, the services themselves were to be monitored via the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) and the NHS Performance Framework (Lilley, 1999). However, very often these bodies and mechanisms of control are rather remote from everyday life in the ward and, staff and patients are made increasingly reliant on their own powers of self control in order to live up to these political and managerial imperatives (Holmes, 2001).It is the second strand that this assignment will be concentrating on. Conclusion Whatever nursing’s response to clinical governance, it is vital that nurses are aware of the kinds of changes which it will involve for their consciousness and subjectivity as practitioners in order to ensure they retain their professional independence in the light of these new policies.