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Case
1.2: The "Communication President"
Purpose:
The purpose of this case study is to develop a deeper understanding
of how the communication process operates in an organizational context.
Situation:
A grocery store chain recently appointed a new president. You are
the communication specialist in the organization, which has 18 departments
and 350 employees. The second day on the job, the president called
you into her office, where a picture of T.S. Eliot was prominently
displayed among a disarray of papers and files. She warmly greeted
you and said that she wanted to "kick around a few ideas".
She told you that she wants to be known as the "Communication
President". She wants you to devise a "talking proclamation--
- - kind of like the Ten Commandments, my Magna Carta" for
the employees that demonstrates her commitment to effective communication.
She relayed the following:
Here's my idea. I want everyone to feel free to discuss anything
with me or anyone else. I would like to foster an open climate
here. I'd like to draft a statement of my communication principles.
For instance, we could say something like: "Effective communication
is the basis for an effective organization." No, I like this
better: "I believe effective communication is the basis for
an effective organization." You get the idea? Then we could
list some principles like:
- We believe in an open-door policy.
- Communication should always be frank.
- It's important to keep all employees apprised of relevant
information.
- Address everyone by his or her first name.
- Make sure you thoroughly understand someone before criticizing
his/her ideas.
- Always listen first, talk second.
- Even if you think you understand someone, check to make sure.
- Be sensitive to others.
- Be open to new ideas.
That should give you a feel for what I'm trying to do. Since
you are the communication expert, you can revise these ideas and
get back to me with a specific proposal.
Objectives:
- Specify the precise proposal you would make to the President.
- Specify the approach you would use in presenting the proposal.
- Provide the rationale for the approach and proposal.
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