Project Managers & Stakeholders: Channels of Communication

Communication is the key to every relationship start and to keeping it growing. The relationship between the Project Manager and the Stakeholder is not different. There will be a need for increasing trust between the two, and the best way to build trust is through communication. There are various ways of communication channels. Project Managers must be good communicators to succeed in the project plan. Communication will be the key to creating a good relationship with the Stakeholders.

The first and most common way of communication is the verbal communication channel. There are many ways verbal communication can happen. Some examples are in person, over the phone, through social media, through mobile technologies, and much more. Verbal communication can have advantages and disadvantages. Verbal communication is the most effective way to work through differences, and it is a fast way of communication, which is good for the business (Roeder, 2013). The only disadvantage the project manager may encounter is being in a spot where they do not know the answer; as a good project manager, it is easy to revert this situation with some conversation (Roeder, 2013).

The second most common communication channel is nonverbal communication. Facial expression, body language, and gestures are some of the different ways one can express themselves. Nonverbal communication can tell a lot about one person, and it is very effective when one knows when to use it. Although it can help a lot, some people can be misunderstood. It is crucial never to assume and be sure to understand how to approach the person in the conversation.

Written communication is the next communication channel. This is one of the most used types of communication between businesses: email, texts, whiteboards, and much more. Written communication is suitable for those who do not know how to express themselves. The disadvantage is that people can take longer to reply, and problems will not be solved (Berger et al., 2013). Also, people who do not know how to communicate properly can ruin a relationship between two companies.

Communication is a key for the majority of business-related activities. There are many communication channels that can help you communicate. One more way to communicate is through visual communication. Visual communication includes drawings, graphics, and much more. Some people find it easier to have some visualization. Visual communication is good when someone can not explain things verbally or in writing.

Communication channels are an excellent topic for a project manager to know. It is essential to be a good communicator, including learning at least the basics of the types of communication channels. Jonah Berger and Raghuram Iyengar say that “people have a natural tendency to self-enhance, but selecting the right thing to say requires time” (2013). Yes, it will take time to be a good communicator, but it will make the difference between a good and bad project manager.

References

Roeder, T. (2013). Managing Project Stakeholders. John Wiley & Sons

Berger, J. & Lyengar, R. (2013). Communication Channels and Word of Mouth: How the Medium Shapes the Message. Chicago Journals. Retrieved from https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.720.7878&rep=rep1&type=pdf