What makes a group distinct? (Ch 4)

When I moved to California and the Bay Area I was fascinated by the Bay Area people. I was able to distinguish how people are different here than anywhere else. I thought that people dressed with more casual and comfortable clothes and that was also reflected in the way in their thinking. People seems to be less judgmental than what I was used to. Most people I first met were very friendly and welcoming. Nothing seemed to be a big deal and every situation could be worked out. I also noticed that people seemed to be open and curious towards other cultures and therefore more accepting. A lot of people cared about the environment and just being healthy. The outdoor activities were and still are very popular. So, I agree with the authors, dress codes, hobbies, world views are all elements that define a culture.

Taking Communication for Granted (Ch 4)

I have always been working for high tech companies. So, it is difficult for me to detach myself enough to analyze the environment in which I am working. However, when I invite a friend to visit me at work I always manage to get a glimpse of my environment though their eyes. Their comments and the things they notice are very interesting to me and clearly reveal what I have been taking for granted. For example, a few months ago, one of my friend who is a lawyer visited my office and what surprise to see all the electronics I had in my office such as a large monitor, a couple of laptops and a printer and the lack of books. I realize then that these objects are considered “normal” objects in a high tech environment in law firm offices.

Other thoughts about the research project (#2)

I have witnessed, like most people working, many organizational changes in my career. Some examples of changes are layoffs, management changes and the cancellation of projects I had been managing. Many times, the way my management communicated to me about these changes made me feel very uncomfortable, surprised and disappointed. Most of the time, these major changes were communicated over short emails or 5-minute conversation. Either way, I rarely had the opportunity to bring up questions or concerns. In addition, as soon as the change was communicated, my managers would consider the topic taboo. So it was clear that I should not bring it up anymore. I'd like to do more research on this topic and learn about the best way to communicate negative changes or bad news. I am sure I will be faced with this situation in my career and I'd like to handle it the best possible way.

Thoughts about the research project (#1)

One topic that stands out more than others is "intercultural communication" and "globalization". Since I moved to the Bay Area in 1994, I have been exposed to multiple cultures, first at school and then at work. One time during class, I remember my Finance professor listing the different countries represented in the classroom and finding out that there were 39 countries represented among 43 students. That moment was an eye opening moment for me and I realized what the word "global" really meant. Today, the trend continues and I work with people from many different countries and many different cultures. I'd like to better understand how my communication style impacts various culture and how I should adapt or change the way I communicate when addressing people from various culture. 

Data Gathering (Ch 15)

As the authors discussed, there are several ways people can gather data. I would like to add one thing, specifically in the case of surveys or interviews. In order to get valid, accurate and complete data, the person taking the survey or being interviewed must be willing to share information. In my career I have noticed, too often I'm afraid, that data gathering is a way for upper management to say "we care about what you think" but in reality they don't. Most of the times, I never heard anything about the surveys, the actions taken or lesson that were learned. It was as if the survey never happened. So slowly these exercises became worthless and as a consequences the employees less willing to provide accurate and complete data when going through a survey or being interviewed. 

Key messages and world views (Ch 15)

The authors asked the question of how many messages that shaped my worldview can I isolate or remember. These last few years, the media has been sending repetitive messages about the environment, informing people about global warming, future gas shortage, endangered species and so on. These messages have changed the way I view the world and the way I live. I recycle as much as I can and I use public transportation as often as possible. I turn off lights, changed all the bulbs in my house and walk more to the grocery stores. One message that does stand out is the message from the movie "an inconvenience truth" by Al Gore. The move gave specific recommendations on what to do to minimize our impact on the environment. The movie also open my eyes on the gravity of the issue.

Inconsistent messages (Ch 15)

The authors emphasize how important it is to not focus on one single message when trying to understand organization communication. It is true that we all get exposed to multiple messages and it is almost up to us to figure out what the real message is. I noticed however that the higher the number of messages the more inconsistent the messages are. Inconsistent messages make it more difficult for the recipient to "decode" and understand that is really being communicated. For example, I receive many messages from my direct manager and more often than not his messages are not consistent or aligned with the messages I receive from his management. As the recipient of both messages, it is not easy to figure out what I should really do. One specific situations occurred not long ago when my direct manager wanted me to focus on a specific projects and gave me a deadline and his management sent a memo asking us (me included) to work on project that would allow a specific team to be "more scalable". In other words, my direct manager wanted me to be reactive and his management wanted me to be proactive. When I asked for clarification, I received a very vague answer.