Explore the functions of communication in the strategic and program planning processes for a health care organization. Consider the topics discussed thus far and clearly integrate at least five key concepts related to an effective and efficient strategic plan for organizational communication dissemination. Identify three challenges with organization-wide strategic plan communication dissemination and recommend communication strategies to ameliorate these challenges. Your paper must be three to five double-spaced pages (excluding title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Utilize a minimum of two scholarly sources that were published within the last five years. One source must be obtained from the Ashford University Library. All sources must be documented in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Extra pointers on the week 4 essay:
Assignment directions: Explore the functions of communication in the strategic and program planning processes for a health care organization. Consider the topics discussed thus far and clearly integrate at least five key concepts related to an effective and efficient strategic plan for organizational communication dissemination. Identify three challenges with organization-wide strategic plan communication dissemination and recommend communication strategies to ameliorate these challenges. Your paper must be three to five double-spaced pages (excluding title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Utilize a minimum of two scholarly sources that were published within the last five years. One source must be obtained from the Ashford University Library. All sources must be documented in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Clarification points:
Focus of the paper is on maximizing one part of Strategic Plan Implementation – communicating the plan to the stakeholders of the organization (particularly the employees).
The 7 functions of communication are based on the Shannon-Weaver model of communication commonly used in all types of healthcare organizations:
Sender – who
Message (verbal, non-verbal, or combination of both) – what
Receiver – who
Perception – how the message is perceived/received
Decoding – what context the message is decoded (understood)
Feedback – tell me what you heard me say?
Environment – organizational context (e.g., distractions, level of communication support, etc.).
Any one of the above elements has the potential to limit the effectiveness and efficiency of communication. Moreover, communication barriers are typically classified in two categories:
Environmental – competition for time and attention; noise; medium (e.g., verbal face-to-face, auditory phone, email written, text, etc.); legal requirements/limits (HIPAA); etc.
Personal – bias, education level, primary learning style, beliefs/values, frame of reference/experience, etc.
Most importantly, communication always has room for improvement and should be carefully and consistently monitored for two components:
What message is intended?
What message is received?
When there is disparity between the two monitoring components, improvement plans are needed.
Here is guide to help student organize and write their written assignment
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
Effective communication plays a critical role in the success of a healthcare organization’s strategic and program planning processes. In this essay, we will explore the functions of communication in organizational communication dissemination, identify key concepts related to effective and efficient strategic planning for organizational communication dissemination, and recommend communication strategies to ameliorate challenges associated with organization-wide strategic plan communication dissemination.
Answer:
The functions of communication in strategic and program planning processes for a healthcare organization are numerous. Five key concepts related to effective and efficient strategic planning for organizational communication dissemination include clarity, consistency, relevance, inclusivity, and adaptability. Clarity refers to the messaging being straightforward, understandable, and transparent. Consistency implies a repetition of ideas to ensure organizational alignment. Relevance entails effective segmentation of the information to suit the target audience’s needs. Inclusivity means involving all stakeholders in the communication process to prevent misinformation and disengagement. Lastly, adaptability refers to being open to feedback and flexible enough to modify the communication plan to meet the organization’s needs.
Three challenges that could potentially affect organization-wide strategic plan communication dissemination include communication barriers, distractions, and biases. The communication barriers could arise from either environmental or personal factors. For instance, distractions may negatively affect how the message is received while biases can distort the message in the decoding stage. Distractions can be minimized through eliminating unnecessary background noise, while biases can be overcome through conscious efforts to be objective and avoiding assumptions.
Communication strategies that can ameliorate these challenges include the use of different communication channels, simplification of complex information, and the establishment of a feedback mechanism. By using multiple channels such as emails, webinars, social media, or face-to-face communication, the likelihood of reaching all stakeholders increases, and their preferences are considered. Simplifying complex information into digestible bits, using graphics, and storytelling creates interest and makes the message attractive. Lastly, establishing a feedback mechanism allows for easy detection and correction of any mismatch between the intended message and the perceived message, and allows for modification where necessary.
In conclusion, effective communication is an essential ingredient in the success of strategic and program planning processes for healthcare organizations. Leaders in these organizations should consider clarity, consistency, relevance, inclusivity, and adaptability in their communication strategies. Challenges such as communication barriers, distractions, and biases can derail the communication process, but targeted communication strategies such as using different channels, simplifying complex information, and establishing feedback mechanisms can help overcome them.
