Free Essay

Effective Communications Paper

In:

Submitted By lordbradley
Words 1488
Pages 6
Effective communication
Bradley R. Lord
CJA/304: INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS
Instructor: Clark Nissan
September 18, 2013

Effective communication is essential in any workplace, especially within a criminal justice organization. In this paper, the author will discuss the process of verbal and nonverbal communication and the associated components of each, the differences between listening and hearing in communication, the formal and informal channels of communication in criminal justice organizations, and the strategies that may be implemented to overcome communication barriers therein. Communication is defined as “a process involving several steps, among two or more persons, for the primary purpose of exchanging information“(Wallace & Roberson, 2009, p. 15). This process can involve two of the following types of communication: verbal and nonverbal. Verbal communication includes transmitting information orally. This type of communication can involve the sharing of information or exchanging ideas between two people or a group. Speaking is just one aspect of verbal communication. Verbal communication does not solely involve the sender transmitting the message to the receiver. Verbal communication also involves listening from the receiver and giving feedback to the sender as a confirmation that the message was understood. In a criminal justice organization, oral communication skills are necessary when addressing members of the public, requesting officer assistance, advising suspects of their Miranda rights, and keeping the chain of command up to speed on current events. Law enforcement organizations require that officers be competent in verbal communication as it is an essential skillset needed when fulfilling official duties. Nonverbal communication includes written communication via reports, memorandums, notes from meetings, notes taken from accounts between officers and witnesses, victims, suspects, etc. Nonverbal can also include facial expressions. Face expressions and body language oftentimes are used to convey emotions when words are absent. The process of communication involves the transmission of an idea through a medium which then receives the message and acknowledges the idea, and in turn provides feedback to the message sender. The first step of transmitting and idea suggests the formation of one or several thoughts and the desire to express these ideas. The next step involves choosing a method of communicating that idea. This can be done through verbal or nonverbal communication. Despite what method is used, it is imperative to know who the audience is and decides what tone the message is to be delivered. The tone, especially with oral communication can make a world of a difference in how the receiver interprets the message. When the receiver receives the message, his interpretation may not be how the message was originally intended to be received. The understanding of the idea or message relies strongly on interpretation of the person receiving the message. The process is completed when the receiver provides feedback to the message sender by clarifying what he or she understood and agrees or disagrees with the message itself. These steps are part of the communication process; if one step fails the communication becomes ineffective. Hearing can include the capacity to hear the audio of the message being received and the words being enunciated, but it cannot ensure whether the message was indeed understood. Hearing is only one part of the communication process. The ability to comprehend by actually listening to what is being said, understanding the message by using the aids such as tone, facial expressions and body language completes this process. Active listening is important to effective communication. Channels of communication in a criminal justice organization help demonstrate how the information flows from one person or group to another. The flow of communication or channels can include formal or informal methods. Formal channels of communication include orders, directives and written memorandums that follow a chain of command. Communication in this scenario usually flows downward from the highest level of the totem pole, such as a police chief down to its subordinates. This type of channel of communication has both its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of using a formal channel promote uniformity within the department. All officers, despite their rank, receive the same information. The disadvantage of using formal channels is that it sometimes stops the free flow of communication. If this channel type of communication is used it does not leave much room for officers to exchange freely any information within their department. That is to say that patrol officers usually are not encouraged to communicate amongst their peers but rather just receive instruction from their superiors. This hinders the department because officers are not encouraged to help one another, communicate with each other and possibly provide or exchange crucial information that might help them execute their responsibilities. Informal channels of communication include “unofficial routes of communication within a law enforcement agency. These channels do not appear on any organizational chart, and they may not be officially sanctioned by the department.” (Wallace & Roberson, 2009). This type of communication usually allows a free flow of information within all those employed in criminal justice organization. The direction of communication usually does not go up or down the ladder of chain of command. It opens up and encourages communication between officers and the different departments that make up the law enforcement agency. It promotes the sharing of information amongst peers that may ultimately contribute to successfully completing their duty of serving and protecting the community together as a team. There are many barriers to effective communication. These barriers include emotional, physical and semantic barriers. Ineffective listening can also be construed as an important barrier as well. Emotional barriers can include an officer having low self-esteem. This officer in question perhaps feels the need to refrain from communicating anything because he lacks self-confidence and is afraid to be put down by his peers. Many agencies have confronted this type of barrier by providing peer support groups so that they can work together to break these feelings of insecurity and promote a sense of trust. Physical barriers can breakdown communication. Physical barriers can include the use of faulty equipment where messages cannot be transmitted from one to another because the radio transmitters are not working or the computers in the vehicles or in the office are down. Having readily available and working technological equipment can help with communication between officers. Other types of physical barriers are perhaps the distance between officers when they are communicating. Shortening the distance can help provide a feeling of camaraderie and trust. Semantics involve the selection of words you choose to aid you with your communication. Obviously if you choose the wrong word, the communication will not be as effective and the entire message can be misread. Ineffective listening can also play a role in hindering the communication process. If one is not engaged in the speaker because perhaps they do not find the speaker or his/her topic interesting enough, or perhaps you already have your biases or set opinions on what is being said and so you are listening with a closed mind, this can lend to ruining the communication between you and the sender. In order to overcome the above mentioned barriers, you must first understand what kind of barrier is preventing the flow of communication. Once pinpointing the type of barrier you can proceed to try and remove those barriers so that you can become an effective communicator. Emotional barriers can be dealt with by working on self-improvement such as going to counseling for depression or self-esteem issues can help. Law enforcement agencies can provide help with finding the right person to talk to or by providing a peer support group you can join to help deal with these types of emotional barriers. Physical barriers can be handled by ensuring that all equipment used within the department is adequately functioning and therefore the lines of communication can remain open. If the physical barrier involves distance between officers, then that distance needs to be shortened so that the communication between these officers allows for better exchange between them. Barriers that involve semantics can be improved upon by going to school or studying grammar, and word selection. The internet is a great way to explore tools that can help with improving your communication skills with words. Identifying what barriers are preventing someone from exchanging information and finding appropriate solutions to overcome these challenges will ensure a better and more effective way of communicating. In conclusion communication is a vital part of life. Without proper communication, the exchange of ideas and messages cannot be conveyed between people in either a personal or professional setting. Communication within a criminal justice organization is just as important. Learning how the process of communication works and identifying the barriers that breakdown communication is a handy tool when faced with problematic situations that demand such skillsets. Communication is crucial with the execution of law enforcement duties.

Reference: Wallace, H., & Roberson, C. (2009). Written and Interpersonal Communication: Method for Law Enforcement (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Effective Communication Paper

...Running Head: Effective Communication Paper Effective Communication Paper HCS/325 September 29, 2014 Dr. Shawn Matheson Effective Communication Paper Effective communication within an organization is essential when dealing with health care. Communication is a very important aspect in organizations. In order to become successful within an organization, one must be able to communicate internally and externally. Without effective communication, an organization can fail in so many ways. There are many ways an individual can fail in communicating with other staff members. Teamwork plays a major role in effective communication. In this paper I will discuss an organization model and different techniques used to help become successful (Buchbinder, 2012). Effective Teamwork Effective teamwork is very important in organizations. One great way to help with communication is working in teams with different ethnicities and nationality. A team must be able to work together effectively to achieve goals and purposes. In healthcare, teamwork is required to perform great quality care. Even physicians must practice teamwork, because they rely on their nurses to help deliver care. There is no physician known that can run a practice alone without the help of others. In teamwork, one must be able to lead, be committed, and understand the aspects of the job. By performing these methods, the team members can learn how to achieve higher level goals and deliver member satisfaction. There...

Words: 831 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Effective Communication Paper

...Effective Communication Techniques HCS/325 Health Care Management January 16, 2012 Effective Communication Techniques Effective Communication is the tool that should be used within a health care facility and is an important tool that can determine the success of any health care facility. Effective communication is important to the staff and to the patients as well. Patients depend on the look to staff to help them understand or answer their questions regarding their medical care. If there is no communication or if there is ineffective communication the facility will fail to meet the needs of the patient. This paper will review the techniques of effective and ineffective communication and the impact these techniques will present to any health care facility. There are many forms of communication in a health care organization that have been most effective for sharing information and ideas among employees. The first form of communication that is an effective is to have a daily meeting at the end of each workday. The meeting should be no shorter than five minutes and no longer than an hour. The purpose of the meeting is to let each employee talk and express his or her feelings or any problems that may have risen throughout the work day. Another form of communication that is an excellent technique to use is just a simple dry erase board that hangs in an office. The employees can use the board by writing down problems that they may encounter throughout their...

Words: 809 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Effective Communication Paper

...Effective Communication Paper Name HCS/325 Date Instructor Effective Communication Paper Communication is very important in every health organization to ensure the best possible care for the patients because ensures that patients receive the proper care and helps to keep costly mishaps from happening. Effective communication starts within the organization and works outward to other functions and is fundamentally based on shared knowledge. Knowledge is an extraordinary blend of judgment, insight, intuition, and inspiration created through on-going learning and reflection on practice (De Cagna, 2001). To understand how an organization shares knowledge, this paper will review what techniques are the most effective and ineffective, how these techniques are applied in a healthcare work environment, and how this process is impacted by technology. Most Effective Techniques for Sharing Knowledge Communication is one of the most important aspects in a healthcare organization and learning the most effective techniques for sharing knowledge will help ensure the success of the organization. One effective technique for sharing information and knowledge is for the healthcare organization to have an organization structure. The organization structure is the system of tasks, workflow, reporting relationships, and communication channels that link the diverse parts of an organization (Lombardi & Schermerhorn, 2007). An organization structure is important because it allows groups to...

Words: 894 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Effective Communication Paper

...Effective Communication Paper Effective Communication In the past, I worked as a medical assistant in the cardiology department for a clinic. I am no longer employed there, so I cannot explain what is, at this time, being done at my former job. I can explain what forms of communication we used and what was done when I was employed in the clinic for effective communication. In this paper I will discuss what techniques were used for effective communication, what techniques I found to be ineffective, how they were applied in the health care work place, and how technology impacts effective communication. Effective techniques for sharing information and ideas While working in the health care industry an individual will be faced with constant change in the way they communicate with others, be it a patient, doctor, or an individual across the world. While working in the health care field, I found that the most used forms of communicating with people were emails and phone calls. In addition, I also faxed documents and records. Out of all these forms of communication, I found the most effective way was by phone. I found it more personable and much easier to explain what was going on with a patient. There was a less of a chance for miscommunication because all questions, answers, and concerns could be addressed at one time. An additional way that helps in effective communication is the adaptation of the Electronic Medical Record in the medical field. Using the record makes it...

Words: 853 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Effective Communication Paper

...Effective Communication Paper HCS/325 December 12, 2011 Effective Communication Paper What is effective communication? Effective communication is a process of transferring information to an individual or group of individuals by means of verbal and non-verbal communication and listening skills. Communication is important because it allows information to be transferred from one person to another by his or her thoughts and opinions. The individual on the receiving end of the communication process must be able to grasp the information clearly from the sender. The reader will be informed of the most effective and ineffective ways for sharing information and ideas; techniques that can be applied or modified in a healthcare work environment; and ways in which technology impacts process as well. Coworkers can communicate effectively by sharing formulated thoughts or opinions; in addition, by sharing each other thoughts it can enhance motivation. Coworkers will be effective by communicating in a respectful and supportive manner when working as a team. A team can cause communication to become effective and ineffective due to the different cultural dissimilarities and the degree in which a person has a different thought process. “A team is a small group of people with complementary skills, who work together to achieve a shared purpose and hold themselves mutually accountable for its accomplishments” (Lombardi, Schermerhorn, & Kramer, 2007, p. 91). Team members initiate...

Words: 780 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Effective Communication Paper

...Effective Communication Paper Lakisha Wells HCS 325 March 31, 2012 Cecelia Sawyer Effective Communication Paper The way we communicate plays an important role in our lives. Communication is sending information to someone else in a way they will understand it fully. Communication has the authority to form and adjust beliefs, humanity and the lives of people. Considering on the role communication plays, it will be able to give a good or bad effect in a healthcare organization. The four main points that will be discussed in this paper are: examples of most effective and ineffective ways for sharing information, four different ways communication is used in healthcare, techniques that can be applied in a healthcare work environment and the way technology impacts communication. Confusion, frustration and low morale can lead to ineffective communication. Communication is used to notify, improve, share passions and teach (Ehow.com 2012). When communication is not clear, it becomes ineffective and it can offend, complicate and mislead the listeners. For example, in politics if a politician does not explain themselves clearly, they allow room for misinterpretation (Ehow.com 2012). On the other hand, admiration, education, liberation and understanding are the results of effective communication. Effective communication offers people information that is needed to help make people develop education and enlighten. One example of communication that is both effective and ineffective is...

Words: 875 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Effective Communication Paper

...Effective Communication Paper Companies will carry on having boundaries and have always had. People in today’s world, work and are experts in various jobs, for example RN, LPN’s, MA’s as well as Medical doctors for that reason boundaries exist between these types of functions. People have numerous different levels of influence as well as authority, so therefore limits are there between said subordinates as well as their bosses in medical care companies in addition to other companies. People who work inside a company do various job functions compared to, their clients, and their suppliers along with other outsiders do, for that reason here limits also exist too. There are people throughout the world work in various locations, under different circumstances, and at times in various time zones as well as cultures, for that reason creating additional limits. The main objective of all these limits is to segregate those processes, people and production in healthy as well as essential methods. These types of limits that are established keep things concentrated as well as clear, so for that reason without said limits several companies would be disorganized, those people who work in these kinds of companies without limits, would not know what to do or exactly where to go or even whom to report to. There would be nobody available to organize the sources as well as skills that the company needs to succeed and there would be no differentiation of jobs either, as well as any sense of direction...

Words: 2265 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Effective Communications Paper

...Effective Communication Paper HCS325 November 29, 2010 Mrs. Martin Kattan Effective Communication Paper Teams can effectively share ideas and information by communicating with each other and motivating each other individually. Teams can also effectively communicate with each member by respecting each other’s opinions and ideas as well as being supportive with the team and the team members. Communication within a team can be as ineffective the same as it can be effective because of the different diversities and differences each member may have. According to (Lombardi & Schermerhorn, 2007, p. 91), “A team is a small group of people with complementary skills, who work together to achieve a shared purpose and hold themselves mutually accountable for its accomplishments”. A team has the same purpose and goals to accomplish that can only be done by communicating with each other and listening to each other as well as following orders and rules. Respecting team member’s ideas and having a good behavior at all times can be an effective way to manage a team and take on whatever responsibilities come up as a team. Ineffective ways is when team members do not approve of different backgrounds and ideas of others and all team members cannot at all work together. “Managers need to lay goo ground in the areas of expected behavior, task responsibilities, and communication procedures”. (Lombardi & Schemerhorn, 2007, p. 91). Ineffective team communication needs a little help to...

Words: 667 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Effective Communication Paper

...Effective Communication Paper Elizabeth A. McCoy CJA 304 January 28, 2015 Glenn-Anthony Canonizado Effective Communication Paper Every person has their own way of communicating with others. Some may have effective communication skills other may have ineffective communication skills. The more effective you are when communicating, the faster and easier you can get the job done. This is also true, for personnel that work in the criminal justice system. The police officer wants to make sure that they effectively report all the correct information so the prosecutor can make an effective decision as to wanting to press charges again the defendant. If the officer leaves out an important piece of information or evidence, it could blow the case for the persecutor. What exactly is verbal communication, according to Live Strong states the following “ Verbal communication encompasses any form of communication involving words, spoken written or signed. The conversation we have with our coworkers at lunch, the morning news or the sports page we read in the morning- even the text message you send to your spouse telling him to pick up some milk is a form of verbal communication”(Live Strong 2014). Making sure that you have effective verbal communication skills in your everyday life is very important. You can make sure you are able to express whatever it is you want the listener to hear from you. Lieutenant Brian D. Fitch, PH.D, of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Departments...

Words: 1223 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Effective Communication Paper

...Effective Communication Paper HCS/325 December 14, 2015 Effective Communication Paper When we think of management roles, we typically think of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or executive director of an organization. But the truth is, there are numerous managerial roles that we often do not think about including supervisors and team leaders. Managerial roles differ among different health care settings and include lower, middle and upper-level management. A physician’s office may have a practice manager, director of medical records and a billing supervisor (Bunchbinder, 2012). A hospital will typically have a larger managerial team that includes clinical nurse manager, maintenance supervisor, and director or revenue management (Bunchbinder, 2012). Among these different managerial titles, there are also different functions of management. These specific functions are in place to coordinate efforts among the team members within the organization. In this paper, I will identify the functions of management and how they apply to others. I will introduce the roles of managers and leaders in the diversified health care industry and discuss the most significant aspect related to health care management that I want to gain by taking this course. Organization Model There are six universal management functions including planning, organizing, staffing, controlling, directing and decision -making. Each of these functions is an essential component to running not just a health care organization...

Words: 840 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Effective Communication Paper

...Effective Communication Paper “Within boundaryless organizations context, teamwork, and communication replace formal lines of authority” (Lombardi & Schermerhorn, 2007, p. 64). Effective communication is the most important aspects of any organization. Without effective communication an organization can be unsuccessful and fail. Some communication obstacles a caregiver could face on a daily basis are: working with Alzheimer’s patients and memory loss, make sure to speak clearly, slowly, and use the correct tone and volume, make sure you have the patients full attention, use effective nonverbal signals, use appropriate behavior and show the patient that you care and are listening, and communicate effectively with other in the organization and other sources that may have to be dealt with. (RNCentral, 2012). EFFECTIVE TEAMWORK One way to share information and ideas is by working in teams. “A team is a small group of people with complementary skills, who work together to achieve a shared purpose and who hold themselves mutually accountable for its accomplishment” (Lombardi & Schermerhorn, 2007, p. 76). “Teamwork is essential in the provision of healthcare. The division of labor among medical, nursing and allied health practitioners means that no single professional can deliver a complete episode of healthcare” (Leggat, 2007, p. 1). Through teamwork, people work together to accomplish the goals set forth by members of the team or organization. Teamwork requires leadership...

Words: 851 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Effective Communication Paper

...Effective Communication Estellena Bell HCS/325 October 10, 2011 Dr. Lisa Spencer Effective Communication Communicating effectively is important for any health care organization. Communication among staff is vital, without communication medical errors may occur and patients may be at risk. In fact, the Joint Commission cites communication failures as the root cause for medication errors, delays in treatment, and wrong-site surgeries. Lack of communication is also the second root cause of operative and post-operative events and fatal falls as cited by the Joint Commission from 1995 to 2004 (O’Daniel and Rosenstein, n.d.). Communication is important not only for the staff but also for the patients within a health care facility. Patients rely on the staff for quality medical care while in any medical facility. This paper will further elaborate on techniques most effective for sharing information and ideas, ineffective techniques, how these techniques are applied or modified in health care environment. In addition, elaborate on how technology can impact this process. The most effective technique for sharing important information is through a team collaboration approach and feedback. For example, I am a caregiver to a young adult female who relies on me for assisting her with eating, showering, and feeding. My client goes to an adult day health center daily so communicating with the workers at the program is important. Providing quality care for my client is important...

Words: 791 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Effective Communication Paper

...Effective Communication Paper In-effective communication is a major risk factor in health care organizations. Effective communication depends on limpidity: both the speaker and the listener should be in agreement about the message that was transmitted. But communication is influenced by a host of factors so the intended message is may not be understood. According Scalise (2006) six risk factors that can stifle effective communication are culture/ethnicity, socio-economics, literacy, gender, personality, and behavior (Scalise, 2006). Communication is a process in which two or more people, sharing information such as thoughts, and feelings, and ideas through means of oral, writing or body language, and non-verbal speaking. Effective communication extends the concept to require that transmitted content is received and understood by someone in the way it was intended (GW, 2011). It helps group members build trust and respect, allowing them concur all goals that have been set. The goals of effective communication include creating a common perception, changing behaviors and acquiring information (GW, 2011). Conflicts are a fact of life and occur at all levels of interaction whether it is at work, with friends, within families or between relationships in partnering businesses. Conflict occurs to in a way of testing the relationship which may weaken it or strengthen it. Conflict can cause resentment, hostility and perhaps the ending of the relationship. The flip side of conflict...

Words: 1156 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Effective Communication Paper

...Effective Communication Paper Steven Fowler Healthcare Management July 13, 2015 Sonia Lewis Healthcare organizations are complex and dynamic. The nature of organizations requires that managers provide leadership, as well as supervisions and coordination of employee’s. Organizations were beyond the capacity of any single individual. Management has been defined as the process, compromised of social and technical functions and activities. Occurring within organizations for the purpose of accomplishing predetermined objectives through humans and other resources (longest, Ravich, and Darr, 2000). Implicit in the definition is that managers work through and with other people, carrying out technical and interpersonal activities in order to achieve desired objectives of the organizations, whereas organization models refer to the frame work of organization which includes line of authority, communication, resources, allocations and duties. The model of the organization is driven by the goals of the business and also defines the way the business activities are carried out. (longest, Ravich, and Darr, 2000). There are several types of organization models like functional, hierarchical, matrix, and product based. The best organizational model that best describe the company that I am employed at is planning and communication. In planning this...

Words: 758 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Effective Communication Paper

...Teamwork is very essential in the health care field and getting them together with the right staff members is the key. Ideally teams in the health care field are very well motivated, aggressive, progressive, and respected. Teams have to always make sure that they maintain certain levels of their own accountability. In today’s society, the role of being an effective health care manager is a must. Start with having excellent communication skills and interpersonal skills as well because it is important to act with each patient on their level of needs. Being an effective manager helps in training others and communicating with patients this allows staff and patients to see how you can take charge and be a leader for your team. Personally, one of the most ineffective ways to share information would have to be across the phone. Having to do conference calls maybe easier but at the same time there could be distractions that any of the other teams cannot see. Having visual aids help so much in delivering a message that needs to be uniformity. They could also give feedback and that will help in determining the outcome for any resolutions. I am a visual person and I need print and a visual aid to sometimes help me understand things but that may not be the case for everyone. Stress is the number one cause for teams to fail and companies should have stress management forums to where staff members can participate in learning techniques to help cope with stress. Stress can be work...

Words: 696 - Pages: 3