Communication 1.3 Interferences (Part 1)
Every day we communicate with one or more individuals either verbally or by writing. Furthermore, we do this many times each day, seven days a week. We should be experts in the art of transmitting our ideas, our intentions, our desires. Why is it then that so many times our interlocutor did not understand or fully grasped the message we wihsed to vehiculate, either in its meaning, its impact or its emotions?
In fact what happened, at the moment we transmitted our message, some "interferences" showed up and impaired the comprehension. At the risk of looking like I am a bit paranoid, there is an astronomical sum of interferences that can happen at any given time, depending on the external circumstances at the moment we delivered our message. I will not try here to make an exhaustive list of the different interferences one may encounter but will instead shed some light on small details that may seem trivial at first sight but that represent the very core of the subject. In a previous article, I have already explained some current examples that we can encounter practically every time we communicate. However, I have not yet even brush the tip of that iceberg!
In order to facilitate a bit the present discussion, I will define "interference" as : Phenomenon occuring when two waves, energies meet each other, creating a perturbation, generally negative." For my part, we should talk more about obstacles or "traps" surrounding communication between two or more individuals that can reduce or diminish its efficiency. But, then again!
Let's take the following example:
Ego, who is vice-president of marketing and sales for a big company has just learnt that one of their majors customers had to close his account with the entreprise due to unforeseen financial difficulties. The news is a terrible blow and will cause great prejudice to the firm where Ego works. It is barely eight o'clock on a Monday morning and Pompous, the president, is not yet in the office. When he arrives, he is livid and under shock because his wife had a car accident with their brand new luxury sedan. His wife came out of the crash with minor injuries but the car is a total loss. Pompous walks rapidely to his office of which he slams the door but not before telling every one to leave him alone for an hour.
What will be the best commmunication strategy Ego can use in order to tansmit his message to Pompous? What are the interferences that are present and that will affect either one or the other mean used?
For my part, it is clear that a verbal communication is, at that time, out of the question. The timing, the emotional turmoil going through Pompous make it a really bad timing for a verbal confrontation. These two aspects represent very strong interferences when one desires to deliver a message. We must take them into consideration at all times.
The best immediate option would be to think about sending a written message. Here again, we have to ask which means is preferable? Should Ego text his boss? Should he send him a memo? Should he write an email?
Right off the bat, I reject texting. This is not the kind of news we should text and the difference between this and a verbal confrontation would be very small and have probably just about the same results.
The news, even if it is urgent is strictly on Pompous' professional level. Right there, it is clear that the means to use will be either the professional email of Pompous or a memo.
If Ego uses a memo, he will downsize the importance of the news because we always get all kinds of memos to which we give more or less attention. The business emailwould then be, in this case, the best and quickest way possible to deliver the message so that actions can be taken.
If Ego chooses the email option, is he going to write it at Pompous' personal address or at the one he uses for business?In each of the probabilities, different interferences are going to be present. Which option represent the lesser level of interfences and therefore will give more impact to the message?
But many traps are still awaiting Ego in the way he will word things to his president. Should he start with a title like : ATTENTION! URGENT! Or then again, should he write something like: "To be read with a clear and rested mind. Important.
Personally, I chose the second option and in the meantime, if I am in Ego's shoes, I summon immediately a meeting with my team and start right there working on an aggressive recruiting campaign.
It is easy to see some of the obstacles Ego will encounter in announcing the bad news. But in this first part, we have two main factors to keep in mind about interferences in efficient communication:
1. THE TIMING CHOSEN TO TRANSMIT YOUR MESSAGE
2. THE EMOTIONAL STATE/DISPOSITION (RECEPTIVITY) OF OUR INTERLOCUTOR
We will keep talking about some basic interferences in an upcoming article.
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Louis Carle
Director,
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