Communication—what to say and when to say it - Membership Committee

Barbara Jane Alcock

AORN is a strong and viable organization that is faced with the same challenges as any other business (eg, the need to get timely and correct information to members/stockholders). Staff members at AORN Headquarters use many methods and media to provide information about the Association to members. One responsibility chapter leaders have is to ensure important information and messages from AORN Headquarters, as well as chapter business, are communicated to the grassroots members in a timely and efficient manner.

The ability to get the right message to the right people at the right time can present a challenge, especially in today's environment of information overload. In this article, the AORN Membership Committee provides some methods to help chapter leaders provide timely communication with the greatest impact for chapter members and the Association.

THE FIVE Ws OF COMMUNICATION

Communication skills are necessary in any sphere of human interaction. According to one author, the benefits of effective communication are too numerous to list because they enhance all aspects of life, from the personal to the professional. (1) The ability to communicate is the sole activity that all people share.

When developing information to be disseminated, one of the first rules for effective communication is to address who, what, when, where, and why. These words often are referred to as the five Ws, and they are used, along with the word how, to elicit information. It is essential to have a clear idea of who the audience is. Why will readers seek the information being sent? Where and when will they be seeing it, and what will they want to get out of it? The quality of communication from your nursing colleagues depends heavily on the effectiveness of the questions they are asked. Questions enhance the communication process and help you gather and disseminate the appropriate information.

As you interact with chapter members, questions that need to be asked and answered include the following examples.

* What are our areas of concern, and what can we do to help solve these issues?

* How can this be done as a team?

* Who will be accountable?

* Why are we still doing it this way?

Effective communicators must be willing to challenge old ideas and seek creative ways to accomplish goals. As chapter leaders begin to ask questions of members (eg, Where does the work of the chapter occur? How can members best meet goals?) effective communication will be key to establishing the right focus for accomplishing the work necessary to achieve the chapter's goals.

GENERATIONAL CHALLENGES

Generational differences exist among nurses, and this can affect the way a chapter relates to its members and how information is relayed and perceived. Many of your institutions are faced with difficulties in recruiting and retaining nurses, as is AORN. For local chapters to continue to survive and thrive in the future, they must do two things. First, chapters need to begin to value the multigenerational mix within the nursing population; second, they need to redefine what it means to be an active member at the grassroots level.

Nurses from the Silent Generation (ie, those born during the Great Depression and World War II) and the Baby Boom generation (ie, those born between 1945 and 1965) founded AORN. In many chapters, older nurses' values, beliefs, and definitions of what a grassroots chapter looks like still hold true today; however, chapters need to embrace the values of all generations to sustain and grow their membership. Integrating nurses from Generation X, who were born between 1966 and 1977, and Generation Y, who were born between 1978 and 1984, into AORN paves the way for our survival as an organization.

Unfortunately, members of the later generations often are stereotyped as being lazy and uninterested in group participation. On the contrary, members of both Generation X and Y value teamwork and building skill sets that will enhance their careers. (2) It is important for chapter leaders and committee members to communicate that AORN supports their needs as perioperative nurses. Just saying "you really need to become a member of AORN" is not enough. Members of Generation X and Y need personal accounts of how AORN has been supportive and a worthwhile investment of time.

Chapters also have to be sensitive to the values of members of these generations. Attending a traditional number of yearly meetings may be seen as interfering with valuable personal time. To gain attention and support from all perioperative nurses, chapters may need to investigate alternative venues and methods for member participation. For example, because members of Generation X and Y prefer short-term goals, they could be a chapter's best committee members. The continued success of AORN depends on the ability to recognize and value the future generations of perioperative nurses.

COMMUNICATION BARRIERS

People without a great deal of experience often fall prey to common communication barriers that can prevent their message from reaching its target. Chapter leaders should ask themselves how effectively they are communicating information to members and others who need it. Do they recognize barriers to effective communication? Sometimes the message the reader perceives is very different from the one intended. There are many roadblocks or barriers to effective communication, including the following common examples.

* Extra wordiness can obscure or confuse the clarity and quality of the message being delivered.

* Lack of feedback will result if you do not establish a way to verify the message was received as intended.

* The method or media chosen for the message may be ineffective if it does not correlate with the feedback requirements. Complex messages should be written as a directive, instruction, or report and transmitted in both oral and written forms.

* Careless word choice or improper usage can create miscommunication. Using proofreaders and other review methods can help reduce these kinds of communication errors.

* Both time and space may serve as barriers to effective communication. For example, if a message is issued too early (eg, before it is perceived as necessary) or too late, it may not be considered credible by the reader. The space barrier can be overcome by using shorter messages (eg, memoranda), but a shorter message may not provide enough information.

* If what is written is not what the receiver understands, it can cause the message to be misinterpreted.

* Lack of empathy can create a barrier between the sender and receiver. It is difficult to communicate emotion with written communication. To better communicate, you must view the message though the eyes of others in the communication link and provide emotional cues as necessary.

* Technical language can be difficult to understand. The language of the content should be provided at an appropriate level for the audience. Include glossaries or legends as helpful tools. (3)

In today's workplaces, numerous problems arise from the inability of people to penetrate communication barriers. Establish open and honest dialog with the people you are communicating with to reduce barriers to effective communication. Request and accept feedback, and always investigate new ways to get your message out with the right intent at the right time.

COMMUNICATING WITH HUMOR

One of the best ways to capture an audience's attention is to use humor so the intended recipient of the message actually will hear or read the message being sent. The primary communication method among members of the Membership Committee is correspondence. Unfortunately, letters and memos have fallen prey to the uncontrollable growth of the information age. Individuals are overwhelmed by computer-generated communications, and everyone is bombarded with letters and memos in e-mail or paper formats. With so much written communication competing for your reader's attention, the extra edge a humorous touch can provide is helpful in getting your letter or memo noticed and read.

Good communicators make communication fun. They touch their listeners' hearts, brains, and funny bones. (4) We are taught that adults are supposed to be serious, but recent research on the importance of playfulness and humor shows that children with top scores in intelligence and social skills in grades four through eight had the best sense of humor. Do not leave your sense of humor behind, and be open to exploring new methods of innovation and creativity. (5)

Humor is one of the most frequently used social lubricants. It helps build quality relationships and can strengthen group bonds as team members work together toward a common goal. (6) The Membership Committee works as a team, although we rarely see each other. Any way we can increase team spirit is important.

You do not need to be a great comic writer to give written or spoken communication a humorous edge. Here is an example in a letter from one physician to another. "On examination, Christopher looked like a million dollars (1980 dollars)." The addition of "1980 dollars" made the letter stand out in a stack of routine correspondence. (7)

Humor is easy to slip into any correspondence that contains a list. You can intersperse funny or offbeat items throughout the list to keep readers alert. This technique is illustrated in a memo listing product features.

   Our new minicomputer-based manufacturing management information system will
   decrease inventory levels, increase inventory accuracy, improve on-time
   delivery rates and reduce personnel costs. It will not do your dishes. (8)

Another good example is a memo from a vice president and general manager of a computer firm, which reads,

   Other Items: we will have a managers' kickoff meeting in July. New product
   release training will be one stop per region in July. New sales reps
   training will be in July prior to release training. Action required: July
   is crowded--prepare a proposal to fit all this in (extending July to 65
   days is not an option).

The line about extending July is not hilarious, but it does not have to be. It is effective when viewed in context. (9)

Examples of short, to-the-point humor are all around us. Attach a funny, relevant cartoon to your correspondence, or browse Reader's Digest for some great quips and quotes. E-mail list serves are a good source of snappy one-liners. Insert one in every other paragraph to keep things lively and interesting. Remember, however, that it is a good practice to always give the author or source credit for the work.

TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE E-MAIL

The Internet has revolutionized methods and the speed by which information can be provided to members. This technology leads to a more efficient information flow. Variations in communicated information can be reduced or eliminated by the use of a central site, which easily can broadcast a uniform message to a wide audience. E-mail has become a constant in our lives. You can make information available proactively and deliver reactive messages that address specific events as they develop. One advantage of e-mail is the ability to send information rapidly, but this also can be a liability because e-mail can be sent so easily that messages often contain incomplete thoughts or grammar and spelling errors. In addition, they may be completely misinterpreted by the receiver.

According to one author, the following rules should be used when preparing and sending e-mail messages.

* Think before you write. Information can be sent faster than at any other time in history, but this does not mean all messages should be sent. Stop and review to make certain you are sending a message that is both clear and useful.

* You can be held responsible for what you put in writing. It is surprising how quickly and where e-mail messages may be forwarded and who will see them.

* Keep the message concise. Remember that the screen only shows approximately one-half of a hard copy page. Save longer messages and formal reports for regular mail. In addition, be careful to not abbreviate messages to the point that they lose the original intent.

* Confirm that messages delivered to employment e-mail addresses are allowed by company policy. E-mail is not necessarily confidential, and only public information should be sent using this medium.

* Do not send spare to your readers (ie, do not send unnecessary or frivolous messages). Readers soon will quit opening messages from abusers.

* Do not type in all caps because it will appear as if you are yelling in the written message. Remember, if you emphasize everything, you have emphasized nothing. Use proper grammar to make the message easier to read.

* Use the subject line to get the reader's attention. Use catchy hooks to gain his or her interest.

* Take the time to proofread and use the spelling and grammar tools available in most e-mail software. Even simple typographical errors will make you look sloppy and damage your professional creditability. (10)

CONCLUSION

The success of the Association will depend on how well individuals understand one another. You must understand one another to attain the cooperation essential for accomplishment and progress in perioperative nursing. This understanding will occur more rapidly and to a fuller extent if you ask the right questions and consider the age of those with whom you are attempting to connect. Some common communication barriers easily can derail the tree message you are trying to send. Train yourself to recognize these barriers and provide clear, concise information to those with whom you are trying to communicate.

Humor is an essential element to gain and maintain the interest in the message you are trying to send. Practice using humor as a communication tool, and your message will have a greater chance of being heard.

E-mail has taken on a major role in how personal and business messages are delivered. Be careful that the message you want to send is the one being received. By incorporating all the communication tools discussed, e-mail can be very effective in delivering the right message to the right person at the right time.

In addition, remember that the most powerful communication is not what you say, but rather what you do. Committed people can do almost anything if they have the right tools and understand the reason for what they are doing. Challenges are now before you, so you need to connect and communicate.

BARBARA JANE ALCOCK
RN, BSN, CNOR
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE CHAIR

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE MEMBERS
ELIZABETH BERTER
RN, BSN, CNOR

JUDY HAWKINS
RN, CNOR

PATRICIA MADSEN
RN, BSN, CNOR

MARION McCALL
RN, BBA, CNOR, CIC

NOTES

(1.) "How can Scientology[R] principles help me with learning effective communication skills?" Church of Scientology International, http://www.acceptedtraining.org (accessed 24 Sept 2002).

(2.) C R Curran, "The mission, the message, and the `me generation,'" Nursing Economics 19 no 3 (2001) 93-99.

(3.) "Writing skills: How to communicate information quickly and effectively," Mind Tools Bookstore, http://www.mindtools.com/wrtskill.html (accessed 24 Sept 2002).

(4.) T L Paulson, Making Humor Work: Take Your Job Seriously and Yourself Lightly (Menlo Park, Calif: Crisp Publications, Inc, 1989) 19, 53, 57, 108, 155.

(5.) Ibid.

(6.) L J Peter, B Dana, The Laughter Prescription (New York: Ballentine Books, 1982).

(7.) M L Kushner, The Light Touch: How to Use Humor for Business Success (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1990).

(8.) Ibid.

(9.) Ibid.

(10.) E Dowling, "10 Tips for Effective Email," Mind Tools Bookstore, http://www.mindtools.com/email.html (accessed 24 Sept 2002).

RESOURCES

Fritz, R. The Inside Advantage Workbook (Naperville, Ill: Organization Development Consultants) 50-58.

Rivers, D. The Seven Challenges: A Workbook and Reader about Communicating More Cooperatively, second ed (Santa Barbara, Calif: Dennis Rivers, August 2001). Also available at http://www.coopcomm.org/sev enchallenges.pdf (accessed 24 Sept 2002).

Santos, S R; Cox, K. "Workplace adjustment and intergenerational differences between matures, boomers, and xers," Nursing Economics 18 (January/February 2000) 7-13.

Weston, M. "Coaching generations in the workplace," Nursing Administration Quarterly 25 no 2 (2001) 11-21.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Association of Operating Room Nurses, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group