Attributes of Supportive Communication Using Business Example

The Mindful management is significant for enhancing the performance of employees through providing guidance for business practices (Levinthal & Rerup, 2006; Flaxman, P. E., Bond & Livheim, 2013). In this regard, the present essay deals with the different attributes of supportive communication and the empowerment plan for making the employees feel valued at the workplace. Apart from this, strategies to benefits of teamwork and its impact on employees is assessed along with the role of leaders for the teamwork promotion.

The congruent communication is supportive for communicator to express the thoughts and feeling to the listener in an effective manner (Carpenter Ford, 2013). This type of communication encourages the listener to understand the communicator’s requirement and follow the instruction given by communicator properly (Lim & Chung, 2011). For example, the sales representative of Maryse, by using the congruent communication express their feeling in the communication with customer because company’s products influence the customer directly. 

In the descriptive communication, the communicator communicates with the listener in formative manner. The speaker describes the problem in effective manner rather than evaluating problems (Van Eemeren&Grootendorst, 2016). In this regard, the Goodman Fielder, the food manufacturing company of New Zealand, describes all manufacturing process for enhancing the consumer awareness for the production process. Owing to this, by using descriptive communication with customers, the company provides all the information about product quality which helps for retaining the customer.

The problem-oriented communication focuses on solving the problem instead of focusing on the person who is accountable for the problem (Yasin & Rahman, 2011). For instance, the communication of Facebook is problem oriented because it identifies solution for a problem rather than discussing the problem of person. Similarly, Hyundai; the automobile company focuses on the problem for identifying the lacks in the technical aspect of production.

The respect in the communication is most important for enhancing the collaboration with the listener (Shenk &Fruzzetti, 2011). In this regard, the validating communication ensures the receptiveness in the communication and encourages the listener to feel respected and valued. For example, the inner wear clothing band of New Zealand,BendonLtd’s, customer care representative ensures that customers are communicated with respect and their problem is resolved in the short time span.

The specific communication consists to the point information in the communication rather the global statement of information (Kasper & Kellerman, 2014). On the other hand, the specific communication utilizes the valuable time of management by reducing the time in general discussion. For example, the management of Sofitel Queenstown hotel, communicates with their employees in specific manner for enhancing the understanding of employees for a particular problem. With the help of specific communication, the management easily defines their requirement to employees through which the employees effectively fulfill the management’s requirement. Apart from this, with help of specific information, the speaker prevents the chances of listener’s misguiding.

Ranking the Supportive Communication Attributes and Ways of Using in Office Setting

The initiation and end phase of communication are important for enhancing the interaction between the both communicating parties (Stylianouand Andreou, 2016). In this regard, in the conjunctive communication, the communication starts with related previous event. However, the disjunctive communication reduces the equal opportunity of speaking for involved parties. In this context, in the University of Auckland, the tutors communicate with the student in the conjunctive manner and explains the purpose of the communication. Therefore, the students recognize the basic motive of topic which is communicated. 

This type of communication includes the personal statement wherein, the speaker takes responsibility of communicating statement by using “I” word in the statement (Coombs& Holladay, 2011; Jones, 2011). For instance, the CEO of a company by using personal statement in the communication enhances the trust in the business clients. On the contrary, in the disowned communication, the absence of speaker’s responsibility in the communicating statement reduces the listener’s trust (Kasper & Kellerman, 2014). This type of communication is used by the Fletcher Construction company, wherein the CEO of company communicates with responsible statement and enhances the believes of the clients towards the company

In order to apply these attributes in an office, the importance order of these attributes are: 1-descriptive, 2-conjunctive, 3-congruent, 4-problem oriented, 5-specific, 6-validating, 7-supportive listing and 8-owned. As per the ranking, the management of an organization can use descriptive communication for communicating with the employees because by describing the all the aspect of communication, it becomes easy for an employee to proceed with the task. However, only description is not enough for completing a task, thus, the management can use conjunctive communication for relating the communication with previous activity. At this juncture, the congruent communication overcomes the emotional gap between the management and employees by expressing the feelings in the communication. However, only sensitive communication is not enough for identifying the solution for a particular problem. At this time, the problem-oriented communication is required. Without giving any specific reason of a problem to employees, the management cannot solve the problem in effective manner. At this juncture, the specific communication will helpful. Accordingly, other important communication approaches can be used so as to improve the productivity of the business by developing deep understand between parties. 

The Origin IT is a software company in New Zealand, manufactures software for other business companies. In the Origin IT, an employee working in marketing department feels insecure at the workplace and also has low self-reorganization. Thus, this situation forced him to feel powerless at his position. In this regard, the following plan has been prepared by the leader for the mentioned employee to improve his power and position at the workplace.

Empowerment Plan

The following objectives have been framed for empowering the employees working in Origin IT-

• To enhance the employee’s motivation in 15 days.
• To enhancethe involvement in the team work within 20 days.
• To improve the employees’skills in 30 days.
• To improve employees’ satisfaction.

There are many challenges which negatively influence the self-confidence in the employee. The selected employee has very low motivation at the workplace and possesses the conservative nature. Also, the major issue is that the provided the targets are not achieved on time through which he feels powerless at the workplace. However, his position is also not strong since the performance is not up to the mark.

By considering the challenges faced by employee, leader will focus on the open communication through which exact information behind not achieving the targets can be known. However, the good performance of workforce tends to boost their morale which leads to their promotion and accordingly they feel powerful. By keeping into mind this scenario, selected employee will be communicated openly and his issues will be understood by the leader. It would help him to get the emotional support as he would be provided support for managing his work.

For encouraging employees, the leader gives the example of the marketing manager of company and explains that how he grew at workplace. At the same time, his own example will be provided that how he got the position of leader. Yet, the marketing manager would be best example which would be explained through his struggle story and achievements. It would generate the positive feeling in the mind of employee.

For enhancing the motivation of employee, the leader timely appreciates the employee for his performance through rewards and recognition. At the same time, the training need will be assessed through the open communication and accordingly learning will be provided on the job. By using the approach of on-the-job learning sufferer would feel supported and motivated since he would be able to resolve the issues and meet the deadlines on the time. On the other hand, the leader will foster employee for self-analysis through the personal SWOT analysis. This analysis will helpful for identifying strengths and weakness of employee. On the basis of strength and weakness, the employee will focus on the strengths and opportunities through which chances of his success would be increased.        

For improving the performance of employee, the leader will provide highly advanced technical resources such as table for constant assistance. With the help of advance technical resources the employee will effectively communicate with the clients of organization and achieve their targets easily.

In order to enhance the self-confidence of the employee, the leader will set the targets for employee’s each task and will force him to complete the task in provided time period. Apart from this, the leader will ensure that the employee acquire the assistance from highly skilled employees. By working with skilled employees, the de-motivated employee identifies his shortcoming and puts their effort to overcome them. Thus, the employee will improve his working capabilities which will further enhance the confidence of the employees.

The leader of an organization plays important role in promoting the team work for enhancing the productivity of the business (Parker, 2011; Hannah, Walumbwa & Fry, 2011). However, it is the fact that if team work is promoted at the workplace then companies like Edge Water Hotel (EWH) is likely to get the quick success. This is because hotels generally suffer from work load as employees have to serve for long working hours where the teamwork can boost their morale as well as confidence to work well. By considering their importance of the team work, leaders provide incentive for collective success and break the difficult task among teams. This aspect proves to be effective for both employees and EWH as tasks get completed on time and employees also do not feel the burden.

EWH promotes the team work by applying different approach which can be understood with the help of Tuckman’s model that demonstrates the role of leader in empowering and energizing employees by developing teams (Kozlowski& Bell, 2013). For this purpose, management performs several tasks which begin with formation wherein employees remain less aware of the purpose of the team which make some of them anxious (Belbin, 2012). However, leaders at this stage support employees by setting the clear objectives and clear structure for the next stage as storming. At this juncture, the storming stage may bring conflicting situation where employees face burden of their work. Thus, the leader of EWH avoids conflicts in the team members by describing the role and responsibility in team members. By avoiding the conflict in team member, the leader establishes the healthy relationship among the team members which enhance the trust in the tam (Zhang, Cao & Tjosvold, 2011).

After building the trust of employees, EWH’s leader normalizes the behavior of team members with conflict. In this context, it is imperative for leader to ensure the continuity in the work of team for enhancing the productivity (Klein, Knight, Ziegert, Lim & Saltz, 2011). For this purpose, the leader normalizes the progress of team. However, it is the responsibility of leader to make sure that the performance of team is according to the objectives and addition or subtraction of team member does not affect the performance of team member (Barczak, Lassk & Mulki, 2010). In this regard, the management of EWH focuses on the development of team members by providing them specific training for their task through which discontinuity of any team member does not affect teamwork.

By the assistance of leader and keen support, the team achieves it goal effectively. At this juncture, the morale of employees is boosted with the help of celebrating the collective success wherein team is rewarded for its better performance (Bonner, Greenbaum & Mayer, 2016). This further create the positive attitude of team members and enable to work together so as to complete the work in less time and get their recognition. Thus, leaders play important role in the promotion of team work and which again influence the employees in the positive manner.

Conclusion

On the basis of above essay, it can be concluded that the mindful management is imperative for an organization to improve communication, motivation and teamwork of employees. This is made possible with the help of constant support of leaders and their approach to resolve the conflicts or other issues which arises in the teams. Apart from this, the leader can empower the employees of organization by motivating them employee through enhancing the active participation of employee in teamwork.

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