Communication

Communication

Plan, Deliver, Evaluate

Communication
The facility organization requires the support of numerous stakeholders and has an
obligation to keep those stakeholders informed.
informed.

The process includes collecting feedback from stakeholders, identifying the appropriate
audience, planning the appropriate communication, selecting the appropriate delivery
method and frequency of the communication and evaluating the effectiveness of the
communication plan.
plan.

Definition(s) or context:
context

-Planning
Planning:
Planning: The process of creating a communications strategy with the goal to influence
the opinions, actions and decisions of the intended audience (stakeholders).

-Delivery
Delivery:
Delivery: The process of selecting the appropriate delivery method and sending
messages such that they are received by/available to the intended audience within the
appropriate timeframe to be acted upon as applicable.

- Evaluation:
Evaluation: The process of evaluating the effectiveness of the communication plan.

FM’s Role in Communication

> Facility Managers have to communicate effectively with

many different audiences - staff,
staff, contractors, occupants,
other department heads, peers, upper management,
boards of directors,
directors, government officials, and community
leaders.
leaders.

> They have to understand how to use different types of

Media (print,
(print, electronic, social media, voice, telephone,
telephone,
signage,
signage, etc.)
etc.) to best achieve their purpose, and reach the
intended audience.
audience.
 Overview of Communication Competency

Communication Fundamentals
 The Nature of Communication

Communication Defined :

> Communication is the two-

two-way process of creating and
sending messages and receiving feedback with the goal to
influence the opinions,
opinions, actions and decisions of the intended
audience.

> The process includes selecting the appropriate media to best

reach the intended audience at the right time.

Basic Communication Process

Communication takes place when a message, information or understanding is sent by one

person and received by one or more persons. The sender transmits a message that is passed
on to the receiver. The receiver, in return, has the opportunity to give feedback. If the
message wasn't received as intended, the sender should revise the message accordingly and
repeat the communication process.
process.
Forms of Communication

> Communication may be generally classified as Formal and Informal.

Informal.

Formal Communication

> Officially sanctioned.

> Planned and carried out according to organizational structure and the official chain of
command.
command.

> Highly documented, Amendments and changes are Restricted.

> Informative and factual.

> Designed and intended to convey an official message that should be adhered to.

> Typical examples of formal communication include mission and vision statements,
goals and objectives, organizational brand, policies and procedures, organizational or
departmental meetings, staff meetings, e- e-mails, publications and newsletters, public
relations information, official notices, signage and training materials and events.

Informal Communication

> Not officially sanctioned, and does not follow any official chain of command.

> A majority of communication in an organization is informal, so the importance

should not be underestimated.
underestimated.

> A wealth of information is spread through informal communication media such

as personal conversations, telephone conversations and voice messages
messages,, e-
e-
mails,
mails, text messages, social media and impromptu meetings.

> Such informal communication helps to create and sustain open

communication in an organization.
organization.

> Often times,

times, informal communication plays a vital role in tandem with formal
communication.
communication.
The Grapevine
Grapevine

> Common type of Informal communication in organizations.

organizations.

> Informal person-

person-to-
to-person method of transmitting information,
information, gossip and
rumors from person to person.

> Unsanctioned information networks of friends or acquaintances.

> Arises from social interactions.

> Unstructured and beyond any official management control.

Communication Channels
> Refer to the direction and flow of communications.
> May be categorized as upward, downward or lateral (horizontal).
 Barriers to Communication

Barriers to Communication

> A common problem in communication is the difference between what

the Sender says, and what the Receiver hears, interprets and understands.

> Barriers to communication prevent the Effective exchange of information.

> Barriers may be tangible and intangible factors that compromise the ability
of a person to pay attention to what he or she is hearing or reading.
reading.

> Barriers may also be rooted in attitudes, values, and relationship with the
Sender.

> Barriers to effective communication can and often do occur.

Common Communication barriers a FM must deal with :
• Interruptions or distractions
• Environment challenges
• Frame of reference
• Value judgments
• Source credibility/status
• Languages and dialects
• Resistance to change
• Inappropriate communication medium
• Generational diversity
• Cultural Differences
• Absence of feedback
• Timing

Effective and Efficient Communication

Effective and Efficient Communication

At a basic level, Effective communication requires:

• Knowing the intended audience.

audience.

• Being clear as to the purpose of the message.

message.

• Relating the message in ways easily accepted &

understood by the intended audience.
audience.

• Using the appropriate and multiple media.

• Soliciting feedback to confirm that the purpose was achieved.

The Six - "Cs" of Effective Communication

Effective and Efficient Communication

• Effective communication means that an intended communication

makes its point, is heard, understood and acted upon by those you
are communicating with (no matter the time or expense involved).

• Efficient communication implies an optimized cost in terms of

Resources (time, money, and effort) expended.

• Efficient communication is generally succinct and expends

minimal resources.

• Effective communication may not be Efficient, and vice versa.

versa.

Non-
Non-verbal Communication
Non-
Non-Verbal Communication
> The Non-
Non-verbal aspects of communication often indicate what someone
is really feeling, thinking, or meaning.
> Non-
Non-verbals can also affect the impressions we make on others.

How Information Is Conveyed

Common Non-
Non-verbal Cues and Signals
Non-
Non-Verbal Communication

> FM needs to be aware of Nonverbal communication.

communication.

> Nonverbal communication says a lot about whether or not you care,
if you're being truthful, and how well you're listening.

> When your Nonverbal signals match up with the words you're
saying, they increase understanding, trust, clarity, and rapport.

> When they don't, they can undermine contrary verbal or written
messages and potentially generate tension, mistrust, and confusion.

Active Listening
Active Listening

 Active listening is a structured form of listening and

responding that focuses attention on the speaker.
speaker.

 The listener actively absorbs the information from the

speaker, showing interest in what the speaker says, and
providing feedback to the speaker so he or she knows the
message was received.
received.

Active Listening Practices

Benefits of Active Listening

• Creates a climate of cooperation and trust.

• Increases the flow of information.

• Reduces misunderstandings.

• Increases the ability to influence, persuade, and negotiate.

• Builds rapport and credibility.

Barriers to Active Listening

• Presuming

• Rushing

• Selective listening

• Faking

• Day dreaming

• Geographic distance

• Mobile devices
 Questioning

Questioning
• A facility manager relies heavily on information and knowledge to fulfill his
or her professional responsibilities.
responsibilities.

• Asking the right questions of the right people at the right time is an
important part of effective communication and information exchange.
exchange.

• The skill of questioning also contributes to learning.

learning.

To help ensure response accuracy, completeness, relevance and timeliness :

• Think about what you need to learn.

• Plan your questions beforehand if feasible.
• Try to ask mostly open questions.
• Be objective.
• Give the person you are questioning sufficient time to respond.
• Actively listen.
 Questioning Formats

Cross Cultural Communication

Cross-
Cross-cultural Communication

• Cross-
Cross-cultural communication is based on knowledge of many
factors, such as the other culture's values, perceptions,
manners, social structure, and decision-
decision-making practices, and
an understanding of how members of the culture communicate
verbally, nonverbally, in person, in writing, and in various
business and social contexts.

Management Orientation
The Management Orientation of an organization impacts organizational
communication practices - what information is communicated, how it is
communicated, and who does the communicating.
communicating.
• Ethnocentric : An ethnocentric orientation equates to an organization that is
headquarters-
headquarters-driven.
driven. Subsidiaries have limited autonomy.
autonomy. Given this orientation,
communications must comply with overall organizational objectives and policies.
policies.
• Polycentric : In a polycentric orientation, the acknowledgement is made that every
country is different.
different. Each subsidiary is recognized as a distinct national entity and
given some autonomy.
autonomy. Communications migrate toward country-
country-specific.
specific.
• Regiocentric : As the name implies, regional strategies, structure and autonomy are
endorsed.
endorsed. Because subtle country differences within a region are not always
obvious, people intimately familiar with the region of operation need to be involved
in communications.
communications. Nationals of the region in which operations actually take place
are given more autonomy (than in a polycentric orientation) in communications.
communications

• Geocentric : The geocentric orientation champions the unique contributions of all

global operations.
operations. There is recognition that communication practices will differ,
but there is no bias for either home or host-
host-country preferences in communications.
communications.
 Cultural Diversity

 Culture may be defined as a shared system of values, beliefs

and attitudes.

 Culture shapes our own actions and affects the way we

perceive the actions of others.

 In cross-
cross-cultural communication, you must shed assumptions,
prejudices and stereotypes and recognize that a person's own
behaviors and reactions are a function of his or her culture.

Some fundamental patterns of Cultural Diversity that may lead to

communication difficulties include:
include:

• Different communication styles.

• Different communication protocols.

• Different attitudes toward conflict.

• Different attitudes toward disclosure.

• Different time orientation.

• Different perception of silence.

• Different perception of humor.

• Different norms about "small talk.”

Strategies for FM Cross Cultural Communication :
 Globalization has completely reshaped the flow of information, goods, and services.
 But being cross-
cross-culturally aware is of paramount importance in helping a facility
manager to minimize misunderstandings or breakdowns in communication.

Electronic Communication
Issues shaping Facility Management Communication

 Organizations have experienced innumerable paradigm shifts and

changes revolutionizing operations in recent years.

 Two prominent forces having significant influence on facility

management communication:

• The exponential growth of Electronic communication options

• The growth of workplace Communication privacy concerns

Advantages and Disadvantages of Electronic FM Communication

 Forms of Technology-
Technology-Mediated Communication

Forms of Technology-
Technology-Mediated Communication (Continued)
 Forms of Technology-
Technology-Mediated Communication (Continued)

Workplace Communication Privacy

• Many employees believe they have a right to privacy for their

individual workstations, computer files, e-mail, telephone
conversations, and so forth.
forth.

• But employers often have the legitimate right to monitor such activity
and to inspect and review all related records and costs.
costs.

• Workplace privacy is likely to remain a communication issue as

communication technologies become even more sophisticated and
make it easier to electronically monitor employee performance and
communication.
communication.

• A facility manager should work to ensure that all staff and service
providers recognize prudent behavior and conduct themselves
appropriately.
appropriately.
Business Communications That Achieve Results

Business Writing Essentials

Studies show that after two weeks people generally remember :

• 10 percent of what they read.

• 20 percent of what they hear.
• 30 percent of what they see.
• 50 percent of what they hear and see.
• 70 percent of what they say.
• 90 percent of what they say and do.
Business Writing Essentials

Effective Writing Principles

Business Writing : Content principles

• Have a clear purpose.

• Be audience-
audience-focused.

• Include a key message.

• Stay on the message.

• Vary sentence length.

• Use plain words.

• Choose the right word.

• Use the active voice.

• Revise copy.
 Content Organization and format principles

Like solving a complicated puzzle, there's a great sense of satisfaction when your words
come together and you have a business communication piece that resonates.

E-mails, Memos, and Letters

E-mail Etiquettes
Memos

A Memo (short for Memorandum) is a common form of communication to

people within your organization.
organization.

A Memo can range in length from a short paragraph to several pages.

pages. A memo
may be sent to a single recipient or several people.
people.

Memos are often sent via e-mail, but they may also be printed and
communicated via paper.
paper.

When writing Memos, consider :

• Purpose
• Format
• Execution

Letters

 Unlike a memo, a Letter is a communication typically sent to

stakeholders outside your organization.

 Some matters simply require a bit more formality and precision and
must be printed on organizational letterhead.
Sections of a Business Letter

Tips for a Business Letter

 Business Plans

Business Plans and Reports

Business plans

 A plan states what we want to happen.

 Plans are characterized by goals.

 A plan is made and then it is methodically implemented in stages with

appropriate resources, all the while maintaining the aim.

 Most plans are confidential.

 Plans may be visual and graphical representations such as blueprints,

floor plans, outputs from software and so forth.

 Plans may be financial in scope, including one-

one-, three-
three-, five-
five- and 10-
10-year
budget plans, a 20-
20-year life cycle costing plan (capital action plan) or a
five-
five-year world class maintenance plan to move an organization from
reactive to predictive.
Elements of plans

• Make a clear statement of purpose.

• Provide supporting facts.

• State clear recommendations.

• Identify risks and alternatives.

• Specify action steps.

Reports
Reports
 Where a Plan is forward-
forward-looking, a Report often reflects on the past.

 Reports describe, or report, what has happened so far.

Typical Elements of Reports

Presentations
Presentations

Understanding Audience Learning style

Learning styles describe the ways individuals learn, and how they process ideas.

There are three distinct Learning styles:

• Visual - People who learn best by relying on their sense of sight [SEE].
• Auditory - People who learn best by relying on their sense of hearing [HEAR].
• Kinesthetic (tactile)
(tactile) - People who learn best through hands-
hands-on approach [DO].

Learning Styles
Developing an Effective Presentation

Organizing Presentations
 Tips for Presentation Slides

• Choose a font style that is legible.

• Make titles and subtitles clear.
• Limit the title of a visual to one line.
• Limit subtitles to two lines.
• Keep text slides clean; shorter is always better.
• Use graphics to support key messages.
• Make slide backgrounds subtle, and keep them consistent.
• Be careful with animation.

Meetings
 Meetings
 Meetings are a vital part of communication. People come together,
share knowledge and information, pool resources, make collective
decisions or work toward common objectives.
 A good meeting leaves participants feeling energized with a sense of
satisfaction and accomplishment.
 Meeting purpose and objectives: the yes/no Decision

Meeting preparation
Effective meeting preparation involves thoughtful consideration of :

• Attendees.

• Format, time and location.

• The Agenda.

• Roles and responsibilities

Number of Meeting Attendees

Format, time and location are an Important consideration for successful meetings.
The Agenda

Productive meetings require structure and planning. Once you know the
meeting attendees, format, time and location, you should create an Agenda.

An Agenda serves several important purposes. It :

• Informs participants of the meeting subject and objectives in advance.

• Helps ensure that the meeting sticks to relevant topics.

• Keeps the meeting running on target and on time.

Factors to Consider for a Meeting Agenda

 Common Meeting Roles and Responsibilities

Meeting Implementation
Meeting Ending: the Action Plan
• What needs to be done as a result of the meeting
• Who is responsible for each task
• When tasks must be completed

When developing Action items, consider:

• Resources needed.
• Who must provide input.
• Who must provide authorization or permission.

Meeting follow-
follow-Up: The Summary
 Virtual Meetings

Virtual meetings
Virtual meetings can be used to communicate in a variety of scenarios, such as:

• A team or organization spread across multiple locations and different time

zones.
• Employees working from home.
• Service providers, customers and others in different locations.

The variety of virtual meeting formats - audio conferences (teleconferences),

videoconferences, and Web conferences - have removed the need for people to
meet face to face.

• Teleconferences (using telephone sets).

• Video conferences.

• Web conferences.
 Virtual Meeting Best Practices

Special Global Meeting considerations

 Running a global meeting presents unique challenges. Different levels of

language proficiency are typically a factor. So are time zones.
 Keeping the lines of communication flowing freely during a meeting
across international time zones requires that participants-
participants-no matter
where they are located-
located-believe they are part of the same virtual team.

 Technology-
Technology-enabled communication tools help, but there are other
practices that can make global meetings effective.

Cross-
Cross-cultural meeting effectiveness can also be enhanced by:

• Distributing an Agenda ahead of time to allow participants to read

and become familiar with meeting objectives and topics.

• Asking that each meeting participant be on the phone separately.

 Negotiation, Influence & Persuasion

Negotiation, Influence and Persuasion

 The ideal environment for Negotiation is one that is conducive to open
discussion.
discussion. Both parties should be able to see each other.
other. A face-
face-to-
to-face
meeting is best, although technology may be employed to facilitate the
discussion.
discussion
 Active listening should be practiced so that each party can develop an
understanding of the other‘s viewpoint.
viewpoint.
 Influence may be generally described as a mechanism through which
people change behavior and attitudes.
attitudes.
 Persuasion is the process of making a rationale case and presenting your
ideas in a manner that appeals to others, captivates their attention, sways
their opinions and convinces them to align with your perspective.
perspective.
 Through persuasion,
persuasion, you change or reinforce others' attitudes, opinions
and behaviors.
 The core elements of persuasion are credibility, understanding the
audience and communicating effectively.
 Positive outcomes are readily attainable through effective Negotiation, and
use of Influence and Persuasion.
Persuasion.
 Stakeholder Expectations and Facility
Management Communication Plans

Stakeholder Expectations
In order to effectively manage stakeholder expectations, a facility manager must :

• Identify all the FM stakeholders.

• Understand what those stakeholders expect from FM.
• Communicate messages that appropriately address stakeholder perceptions
and expectations.

Stakeholder feedback helps a Facility Manager to understand :

• Who needs the information?

• What kind of information is needed?
• How much information is required and at what level of detail?
• How should the information be formatted and presented?
• How quickly must the information be distributed?
Communication Plan Development

An Effective Communication plan:

plan:

• Addresses which stakeholders to target.

• Defines the purpose of the communication with each group of stakeholders.
• Identifies primary and supporting media that will be used to deliver the
messages.
• Specifies the timing and frequency of the communication.
• Identifies who is responsible for ensuring that messages are created and
distributed according to the plan.
• Indicates how the plan's effectiveness will be judged.

Stakeholder Expectations and FM Communication Plan

• Just as communication plans vary, so do the media applications.

• A communication plan serves as a guiding map for all internal and external
communication.

• Stakeholder expectations and other situation specifics will determine the

communication issues that need to be addressed and what methods of
communication to use.
 Situation Appropriate Media

Situation-
Situation-Appropriate Media

Situation-
Situation-appropriate media help to ensure that the media selected :

• Are best suited for how permanent the message is and if people need to
be able to access or refer to it periodically.

• Support the level of detail in the message.

• Support the design of the message (text, graphics, color, symbols and the
need to link to supporting documents).

• Support the need for privacy and confidentiality.

 Media Advantages & Disadvantages

Media Advantages & Disadvantages (Continued)

 Copyright Principles

Copyright Principles

 Copyright law has a dual role.

 It provides exclusive rights to the owner of an original work and

protects the work for a limited period of time.

 Copyright was also established to promote creativity and learning.

 Copyright law tries to maintain a balance between the rights of

copyright owners for adequate payment for the use of their works and
the rights of society as a whole to have access to ideas and information.

 Copyright is a form of protection provided by laws and regulations that

prevents others from printing or otherwise duplicating, distributing or
vending copies of original literary, artistic and other creative
expressions.
U.S. Copyright provisions

In the U.S., the Copyright Act of 1976 governs the rules and regulations for
copyright.

Essentially, the owner of a Copyright has exclusive rights to:

• Reproduce the copyrighted work.

• Distribute the copyrighted work.
• Create derivative works or creations based on the original.
• Display the copyrighted work publicly.
• Perform the copyrighted work publicly.
• Publicly perform sound recordings by means of a digital audio
transmission.

Copyright Infringement
 Except for certain compulsory licenses granted under the Copyright
Act, it is a violation of the act to photocopy, distribute, customize,
publicly perform or display a copyright owner's original work without
permission.

Fair use
 Fair use is the provision of the U.S. Copyright Act that allows the use
of copyrighted work in certain circumstances.
Whether a use is fair depends upon following main factors:

• Purpose (commercial or noncommercial)

• Nature (critique or parody versus business flyer)
• Percentage of the copyrighted work that is used
• Amount (one or two copies versus 100)
• Effect on potential market value of the copyrighted work
Public Domain

 Work in the Public Domain means that no one can invoke the
Copyright Act to prevent another from copying, distributing or
otherwise using the work.

International Copyright
 There is no such thing as an “International Copyright" that will
automatically protect an author's writings throughout the world.

 Protection against unauthorized use in a particular country depends

on the National laws of that country or territory.

Review of Communication Competency

Review of Communication Competency