There is no one best communication medium on which managers should rely. In choosing a communication medium for any message, managers need to consider three factors. The first and most important is the level of information richness that is needed. The second factor is the time needed for communication. The third factor is the need for a paper or electronic trail or some kind of written documentation that a message was sent and received.

What medium should you use to send information? To be effective communicators, managers (and other members of an organization) need to select an appropriate communication medium for each message they send. In this exercise you will consider the various ways available to communicate with others and choose the correct medium for the type of communication.

Instructions: 

For each scenario, select the appropriate method for transmitting the communication from the List below

A Personally Addressed Written Communication

B Impersonal Written Communication

C Spoken Communication Electronically Transmitted

D Face – to – Face Comunication

1.Dana - Needs to explain the organization’s complex new process for submitting customer invoices to the head of the sales department.

2. Kendrick - Has received a complaint of sexual harassment and must talk to the manager who has been accused about the situation and potential consequences.

3. Amy - Needs immediate verification from her assistant that there are no new data that should be included in the presentation this afternoon.

4. Eric - Is frustrated by a week-long, back-and-forth series of emails trying to set up a day and time for a lunch meeting with an outside consultant.

5. Anna - Must alert all company employees about new company rules concerning the use of company email.

6. Monet - Needs to clarify with the project head the order of the tasks to be performed by the project group, which will have their first meeting in two weeks.

7. Samuel - Wants to submit the initial draft of a report for the team leader’s consideration and comments.

8. Jacqueline - Has an announcement for the entire organization concerning the assistant vice president of operations’ promotion to the position of vice president of operations.