NUR 412 – Nursing Leadership and Management

Module 5: ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION

Introduction

Organizational communication is defined as the sending and receiving of

messages among interrelated individuals within a particular environment or setting to
achieve individual and common goals. Organizational communication is highly
contextual and culturally dependent. Individuals in organizations transmit messages
through face-to face, written, and mediated channels.

Organizational communication helps us to 1) accomplish tasks relating to specific

roles and responsibilities of sales, services, and production; 2) acclimate to changes
through individual and organizational creativity and adaptation; 3) complete tasks
through the maintenance of policy, procedures, or regulations that support daily and
continuous operations; 4) develop relationships where “human messages are directed
at people within the organization-their attitudes, morale, satisfaction, and fulfillment”
(Goldhaber 20); and 5) coordinate, plan, and control the operations of the organization
through management (Katz & Kahn; Redding; Thayer). Organizational communication is
how organizations represent, present, and constitute their organizational climate and
culture—the attitudes, values and goals that characterize the organization and its
members.

Learning Outcome

At the end of this module, the students will be able to ensure a working
relationship with the clients and / or support systems based on trust, respect and shared
decision-making using appropriate communication/ interpersonal techniques and
strategies

Nursing Leadership and Management 48

Learning Content

Lesson 1: Business Writing and Reporting Skills

1. Memo writing
Short for “memorandum,” a memo is a type of document used to
communicate with others in the same organization. Memos (or memoranda)
are typically used for fairly short messages of one page or less, but informal
reports of several pages may also employ memo format.

How to write a good memo?

1. Make it a s short as possible- the memo should not be lengthy because it will be
tiresome to read. Most people would want to go through it with the shortest time
possible but acquire all the information. You need to summarize as much as you
can. The shorter your memo will be, the more the readers because most people
are prone to be ignorant to lengthy notices.
2. Use simple English- you should not use complex language while writing your
memo because the readers may end up missing up important points and your
memorandum will not have served its purpose. Avoid too much use of
vocabularies in your work.
3. Use a captivating heading- the heading of your memo should attract readers- you
should be very selective in the words that you use for your heading because that
is the first impression that your readers would come across. Others would just
read the heading and leave, so it is your responsibility to make them curious to
read the rest of the document. There are different ways that you can use to
captivate the readers:

a. Use bolding on emphasize- you should use bold letters in the action that expect
your readers to take so that it can attract their attention and they will have gotten
the message.
b. Use a different color for the heading- you can decide to use a different color for
your heading so that it can attract readers from a distance.

4. Avoid simple grammar and spelling errors- you should be very cautious in memo
writing because a simple spelling mistake may confuse the intended information
that you needed to pass and that would be chaos especially if it is a critical
matter that affects an organization. You should go through your memo after
writing to ensure that everything reads as required.

Nursing Leadership and Management 49

 Common Memo Writing Situations

Memos are used in a variety of workplace communication situations, from

documentation of procedures and policies to simple announcements. Below are
some common types of memos:

• Policies (changes and new)

• Instructions
• Procedures
• Announcements
• Trip reports

A memorandum writing format

• Memos are distinguished by a header that includes DATE, TO, FROM, and
SUBJECT lines. Other lines, such as CC or BCC, may be added as needed. An
RE (“Reference”) line may be used instead of SUBJECT, but this use is
becoming rarer as “RE” is often mistaken as “Reply” because of its use in email.

• DATE: List the date on which the memo is distributed.

• TO: List the names of the recipients of the memo. If there are several recipients,
it’s acceptable to use a group name, such as “All Employees” or “Personnel
Committee Members.”
• FROM: List the name and job title of the writer(s).
• SUBJECT: Think of the SUBJECT line as the title for the memo. Make it specific
so that readers can immediately identify the topic.

These headings may be double- or single-spaced, and the SUBJECT line is often
in all capital letters. Furthermore, the order of the items can vary. Many
organizations have their own style preferences on these issues. If not, the order
listed above, double-spaced, is the most common.

The text of memos typically uses block format, with single-spaced lines, an extra
space between paragraphs, and no indentions for new paragraphs. However, if
a report using memo format stretches to a few pages in length, double spacing
may be used to improve its readability.

Nursing Leadership and Management 50

 The body

The second part of the memo format is the body. You should keep your memo as
short as possible by avoiding more stories in the body paragraphs. Below are
some of the tips on how to come up with the best body for your memo:

• Consider your readers- your readers, in this case, are the audience that you are
writing to. You should use the right tone depending on what you are writing on.
You should be able to note the needs of your audience because for instance if
you are requesting something from your staff as the manager, you have to use
polite language so that your staff can consider your request. You should ask
yourself any question that your readers are likely to come up with after reading
your memo and address them accordingly. You should also use a language that
will suit the class of people you are addressing.
• Go directly to the point- after deciding on what you are going to write on, you
should avoid the salutations available in other letter writing formats. The thesis
for your memo should be your major issue.
• Give a small background of the problem- after addressing the change that you
need you should proceed and give reasons for the implementation of that policy
or rule. Explain to your audience the sole reason that led to coming up with that
decision or what motivate you to that step. You can also mention the merits and
the demerits of the change.
• Support your issue- after mentioning what you wanted of the readers, you can go
on and give illustrations just to be clear on what you mean or improve their
understanding. There are several ways in which you can support your points.
• Use of lists- you can use a list to indicate what you need to be done if there are
several points.
• Use of short subheadings- you can use a short subheading just to clarify to your
reader on the points you are addressing.
• Give the actions that you need the readers to do- after explaining what you need
you should state the role of the readers in the implementation of your policies.
You can also give the conditions that should apply to your reader. You can, for
example, give a deadline to whatever you need to be done.
• End your memo with a summary. You need to summarize your points and state
the cause of action needed by your readers. Try and be positive as much as you
can while closing your memo.
• The last thing is signing- you can decide to sign at the end of the memo just to
make it official. Signing of the memo makes it official.

Nursing Leadership and Management 51

 Example of Memo

MEMORANDUM

To: All students taking IT course at the university.

From: The department chair.

Date: July 7, 2018.

Subject: Submission of your final project.

It has come to our notice that some of you have not submitted their final year projects
which is very crucial at this moment because it determines whether you will graduate or
not. In the previous years, we have had the same incidents and students usually come
back to me crying when they find out that their name is not on the graduation list.

The project will account for forty percent of your final grade and that is why it should be
taken seriously. On that note the department has given out a deadline of 3rd august
2018, if you do not have submitted your project by then, you will have to wait 1
academic year to graduate. You are all advised to submit your project before the due
date as we do not want you to suffer when it comes to graduation. Thanks in advance.

Yours sincerely,

Sign…….

Department chair

2. Minutes of meeting

Minutes are a written record of a board, company, or organizational meeting.

Meeting minutes are considered a legal document, so when writing them,
strive for clarity and consistency of tone.

Because minutes are a permanent record of the meeting, be sure to

proofread them well before sending. It is a good idea to run them by a
supervisor or seasoned attendee to make sure statements and information
are accurately captured.

Nursing Leadership and Management 52

 How To Write Minutes of Meeting Effectively (with Examples)

1. Develop an Agenda
Work with the Chairperson or Board President to develop a detailed agenda.
The agenda will serve as your outline for the meeting minutes. Keep the
minutes’ headings consistent with the agenda topics for continuity.

2. Follow a Template From Former Minutes Taken

If you are new to a Board or organization and are writing minutes for the first
time, ask to see the past meeting minutes so that you can maintain the same
format.

Generally, the organization name or the name of the group that is meeting
goes at the top: “Meeting of the Board of Directors of XYZ,” with the date on
the next line. After the date, include both the time the meeting came to order
and the time the meeting ended. For example:

3. Record Attendance

On most boards, the Board Secretary is the person responsible for taking the
meeting minutes. In organizational meetings, the minutes taker may be a
project coordinator or assistant to a manager or CEO. She or he should arrive
a few minutes before the meeting begins and pass around an attendance
sheet with all members’ names and contact information.

All attendees’ names should be listed directly below the meeting name and
date, under a subheading that says “Present.” List first and last names of all
attendees, along with title or affiliation, separated by a comma or semi-colon.
For example:

Present: John Doe, President; Jane Smith, Vice President; Jack Williams,
Secretary

4. Naming Convention

Generally, the first time someone speaks in the meeting will include his or her
name and often the title.

For example, “President of the XYZ Board, Roger McGowan, called the
meeting to order.” The next time Roger McGowan speaks, though, you can
simply refer to him as “Roger.” If there are two Rogers in the meeting, use an
initial for their last names to separate the two: “Roger M. called for a vote.
Roger T. abstained.”

Nursing Leadership and Management 53

 5. What (and What Not) to Include

For each agenda item, you ultimately want to summarize only the relevant
points of the discussion along with any decisions made. After the meeting,
cull through your notes, making sure to edit out any circular or repetitive
arguments, and only leave in the relevant points made.

6. Maintain a Neutral Tone

Minutes are a legal document. They are used to establish an organization’s

historical record of activity. It is essential to maintain an even, professional
tone. Never put inflammatory language in the minutes, even if the language of
the meeting becomes heated.

7. Record Votes

The primary purpose of minutes is to record any votes a board or organization

takes. Solid record-keeping requires mentioning which participant makes a
motion, what the motion states verbatim, and which participant seconds the
motion.

For example, “Vice President Cindy Jacobsen made a motion to dedicate 50

percent, or $50,000, of the proceeds from the ZZZ Foundation gift to the CCC
scholarship fund. President Roger McGowan seconded the motion.”

8. Pare Down Notes Post-Meeting

Following the meeting, read through your notes while all the discussions
remain fresh in your mind and make any needed revisions. Then, pare the
meeting minutes down to their essentials, providing a brief account of the
discussion that summarizes arguments made for and against a decision.

Additionally, if any presentations are part of the meeting, do not include

information from the Powerpoint in the minutes. However, you will want to
record the key points from the post-presentation discussion.

9. Proofread with Care

Make sure that you spelled all names correctly, inserted the correct date of
the meeting, and that your minutes read clearly.

Spell out acronyms the first time they’re used. Remember that the notes may
be reviewed by others for whom the acronyms are unfamiliar. Stay consistent

Nursing Leadership and Management 54

 in headings, punctuation, and formatting. The minutes should be polished and
professional.

10. Distribute Broadly

Once approved, email minutes to the full board — not just the attendees —
for review. Your minutes will help keep those who were absent apprised of
important actions and decisions.

At the start of the next meeting, call for the approval of the minutes. Note any
revisions. Try to work out the agreed-upon changes in the meeting so that
you don’t spend a huge amount of time on revisions.

Ask for a motion to approve the minutes with the agreed-upon changes. Once
an attendee offers a motion, ask for another person in the meeting to
“second” the motion. They say, “All approved.” Always ask if there is anyone
who does not approve. Assuming not, then say: “The minutes from our last
meeting are approved once the agreed-upon changes have been made.”

11. File Meticulously

Since minutes are a legal document, take care when filing them. Make sure
the file name of the document is consistent with the file names of previously
filed minutes.

Lesson 2: Preparing and Conducting A Meeting

What is a Meeting?
A meeting is the coming together of people who share common aims and objectives,
and who through the use of verbal and written communication contribute to the
achievement of objectives.
The Purpose of Meetings

Meetings are an important organisational tool as they can be used to:

• Develop ideas
• Plan
• Solve problems
• Make decisions
• Create and develop understanding
• Encourage enthusiasm and initiative
• Provide a sense of direction
• Create a common purpose

Nursing Leadership and Management 55

Planning and Preparation for a Meeting
The prime importance for the success of any meeting is the attitude and leadership of
the Chairperson. In a meeting, the Chairperson is the leader and, as such, has to
perform the same function as the leader of any working group.

Lesson 3: Customer Engagement Management

Provides the means to drive the increase in customer value. To increase and improve
customer engagement product adoption and customer retention are important.
Gainsight’s customer success platform offers valuable insights based on customer data
to reduce churn, manage retention, and improve customer satisfaction ratings.

Customer Engagement Management increases conversions, customer success,

retention and satisfaction. This in turn improves company’s reputation, their
referenceability, revenue and capability to drive referrals from customers.

Nursing Leadership and Management 56