Clear & Effective Communication in Project Management

 


Clear & Effective Communication

with Stakeholders

Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash

  

"Clear is Kind. Unclear is unkind." ~Brené Brown

     When it comes to project management and communication, I am reminded of the quote by Brené Brown, "Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind". In a 2021 survey conducted by Project.co, Project Managers report 67% of their communications with stakeholders are through email, followed by phone calls (8%), and face-to-face meetings (5%). 

Is This Clear and Effective Communication? 

     This week, I was asked to review the following communication. It arrived via email, voicemail, and in a face-to-face conversation. This is sample email taken from the multimedia program, "The Art of Effective Communication".

Hi Mark, 
I know you have been busy and possibly in that all-day meeting today, but I really need an ETA on the missing report. Because your report contains data I need to finish my report, I might miss my own deadline if I don't get your report soon. Please let me know when you think you can get your report sent over to me, or even if you can send the data I need in a separate email. 
I really appreciate your help. 
Jane 

    In my opinion, the email, voicemail, and face-to-face presentation of this message did not vary between the forms of communication. It coveys a feeling of low level aggravation and desperation. Jane cannot complete her work until she receives the data from Mark and Jane would like that data ASAP.  The lack of Mark's data could potentially set the project behind schedule or prevent an effective meeting with the project team. 

    Jane states in her communication,
"Because your report contains data I need to finish my report, I might miss my own deadline if I don't get your report soon."

This demonstrates Jane's aggravation and how she will face the consequences of Mark not sending his data to her in a timely manner. 

   Jane's email best communicates the meaning and intent of the message. If her report is late due to Mark's untimely response, the email serves as a record of Jane's attempt to get the data in a timely manner. 

    However, there are ways communication and processes can be improved. Let's take a look at them now... 

 

How to Prevent Slow Response Time in the Project Team Deadlines

         Whether your team is located in the same office, working from home, or around the world, a RACI Chart will help with communication. 

RACI breaks down the communication and project delegation within a project. 

    • Responsible: Who is completing the task?
    • Accountable: Who is making the decisions and taking action?
    • Consulted: Who do I communicate with regarding decision-making, processes, and tasks?
    • Informed: Who is updated on the decisions and actions during the project?

    The team should also set time frames for when emails, voicemails, and face-to-face conversations need to have a response. In my current team, the required response time is within 24 hours of the initial communication. If the individual receiving the communication will not be available for more than 24 hours then the communications are routed to another member of the team to ensure the sender receives the response within the 24-hour time frame. 

    If such a system were in place, Jane would know she could expect the data to arrive in her email within 24 hours and plan her report completing accordingly. 

Writing Effective Emails

Mindtools presents some effective email writing tips:

  • Don't overcommunicate by email.
  • Make good use of subject lines.
  • Keep messages clear and brief.
  • Be polite.
  • Check your tone.
  • Proofread.

If you want to dig deeper into writing effective emails, you can find the Mindtools article here: Writing Effective Emails

Clear and Effective Communication in Project Management

    In Jane's case, the team can improve its processes by using a shared drive such as a Google Drive, Microsoft Teams, or other readily available file-sharing systems. The team should also implement the RACI Chart to clearly define each team member's responsibilities. 

    If a file-sharing system and RACI chart are in place, and effective email tips are in place, Jane could improve her communication and her email may look something like this... 

Hi Mark, 


I know you have been busy and possibly in that all-day meeting today, but I want to thank you for updating your report in the file-sharing system. Because your report is readily available, I am able to finish my report on time. It is great to be part of such an effective team.  
I really appreciate your help. 

Jane 



Comments

  1. Amanda ValenteMarch 25, 2022 at 2:55 PM

    Dear Leanne,
    First, I am loving your blog. I enjoy the aesthetics of it and how you segment each area. Nicely done. According to Costello (2012), many projects seem to flounder or projects get stuck, and it's not for lack of effort, but rather unclear expectations and roles. That is where the RACI chart would be very useful. Perhaps the genesis of this email is a result of two team members that do not really know their roles.

    Next, I like how you included information about how to write an effective email. I truly feel nervous for this younger generation with emails. I teach fifth grade and we are teaching them how to compose a proper email. They tend to put all of their content in the subject line. Sounds crazy, right? Email etiquette is something that will need to start being taught in schools, so that the next generation knows how to appropriately write and respond to emails. Stolovitch (in Walden University, LLC, n.d.a.) shared that creating structure around the communication is a must. This includes indicating appropriate time for response, tonality, and modality (Stolovitch in Walden University, LLC, n.d.a.).

    According to Fitzpatrick (2019), there are three major things to look at with communication: communication preferences; brief line the managers first so they know how to handle employee inquiries, and limit the number of communication channels. I think these are three additional tenets of communication on a project that requires many “hands in the pot.” Do you agree?

    Thanks
    Amanda Valente

    References
    Costello, T. (2012). RACI—Getting Projects “Unstuck.” IT Professional, IT Prof, 14(2), 64–63. https://doi.org/10.1109/MITP.2012.41
    FitzPatrick, L. (2019). How to write an effective all-staff email. People Management, 46.
    Walden University, LLC. (Executive Producer). (n.d.). Project management concerns: Communication strategies and organizational culture [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

    ReplyDelete
  2. CaldwellMarch 27, 2022 at 5:14 PM

    Leanne,
    Your blog was a really good read.

    I agree using a RACI chart to aid in making clear delivery about responsibilities and communication during the lifecycle of a project. More importantly you included that teams need to establish time for communicating and response time. I concur especially in the essence of the example you provided where the individual has an urgent need.

    As you stated using file sharing system could cut down on waiting on someone to send documents. Once they finish their part it is readily assessable to all team members. Ever better is if the Project Manager is apart of the system. They could also monitor the development of the different parts of the document and guide the progress. What happens when file sharing system is embedded in practice but Jane is still having to wait on Mark's part, how should they go about handling the situation then?

    ReplyDelete

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