Communicating in the Workplace

Communicating In the Workplace

Communicating in the Workplace

Adrian Tillman

BCOM/275 - Business Comm.

May 22, 2012

Everett Hayes

Misunderstandings in Communication

(1)

There was a time at work when two individuals almost lost their jobs because of miscommunication. A guy by the name of Phil had to work a particular morning but knew he was going to spend a lot of time at this party he had told a couple of us about. Well he had it planned out that another co-worker Paul, who was reliable and up to this point would come in for just about anybody. .He did not know Paul had planned to go fishing that morning. Phillip called Paul and left him a message on his answering service. Mind you I said answering service because Paul was an older guy who rarely used a cellphone. Well Paul did not get the message. Phil left the message but Paul did not hear it. Now the job is down an employee and had to scramble to fill Phil's position. Paul did not get in trouble because Phil did not let him know what he wanted to do. If he would have told him ahead, then it probably would not have been a problem.

Sender: Phil

Receiver: Paul

What channel was used to send message: An answering service was used instead of direct communication.

How could it been avoided: It could have been avoided if Phil would have asked Paul personally to cover for him, instead of assuming he would get the message and cover for him.

(2)

In a class some months back, a classmate and I had to complete a team assignment. We had agreed to meet on a Tuesday because the assignment was due that Thursday. Early that Tuesday she text me to let me know she was not going to make it that day. On this particular day my wife had my phone. My wife did not realize that I had already left to go meet my classmate, so it was impossible to get in touch with me. I'm at the school starting on the project, waiting on my classmate but she had already text me to let me know she was not coming. I am getting frustrated with no help from my classmate when