Lessons Learned: Communication and Trust

1. Lessons Learned: Communication and Trust Opportunities and Challenges for Collaboration

2. Dr. Judee Burgoonjudee@u.arizona.eduProfessor of Communication & Family Studies Director of Human Communication Research, CMIDr. Suzanne Weisbandweisband@bpa.arizona.eduProfessor of Management Information Systems Funded by U. S. Army Research Institute Research and Advanced Concepts Office

3. Human Communication • These scientists study how people interact with each other • Credibility • Competency • Social Influence • Small Group Communication • Organizational Communication • Trust (Focus…for this exercise)

4. Starting assumptions • Trust is a necessary (but not sufficient) condition for effective collaboration. • Trust is especially difficult to achieve when organizational cultures and missions differ. example: UN more lateral, aims to maintain civilian character; U.S. military more hierarchical with clear chain of command and control example: different notions of transitioning and respective roles during transitioning

5. Starting assumptions • Trust cannot be mandated. • Trust-building takes time. • Trust develops out of actions and interactions. • Mistakes are inevitable. • “Communication IS more difficult than rocket science.” --Dr. PeterLikins, former rocket scientist, JPL • Recommendations to be presented are toward building “best practices.”

6. Philosophy • Uncertainty reduction essential regarding • Mission and objectives, to set stage for interactions • Organizational templates, to identify unrecognized differences in SOP, terminology, etc. • Key personnel, to establish trust, size up credibility, and overcome deeply entrenched stereotypes

7. Planning • Preplanning for getting acquainted • make a high priority • don’t assume information sent = information received example: much briefing material for RIMPAC 2000 not seen or recalled by key players • assign one person oversight and planning duties for meetings and communication • build in redundancy within and across contacts

8. Planning • create easily distributed guidelines example: definitions of acronyms example: military pocket guide on Helping Refugees • create retrievable bios of key personnel • prioritize information distribution • timing--determine what to share early vs. later • highlighting--what is most essential example: much briefing material for RIMPAC 2000 not seen or recalled by key players

9. Scheduling and Coordination • create merged templates (e.g., transition matrix) • recognize/identify different time orientations example: very different orientations toward timeliness, length and frequency of meetings, use of structured versus informal contacts to resolve problems • negotiate number, regularity, length of meetings example: fewer meetings preferred so people can get work done but risk coordination and communication problems

10. Communication:First Meeting • Medium--don’t assume face-to-face is ideal • Anticipate first impressions desired & given off • Identify expectations example: who is actually responsible for running meetings? example: will meetings be observed and archived for later retrieval and if so, how, and by whom? • Avoid negative expectancy violations

11. Communication:Ongoing • Interpersonal requirements: • avoid embarrassment/save face for self and unit • be respected • be validated and appreciated for one’s work example: nice effort throughout to recognize where “attaboys” should be given. was there follow-through? • maintain unified organizational front example: respondents asking whether to give political or real answer to questions

12. Communication:Ongoing • Amount: More communication …quality communication • Channels: • Need universal communication standard and gear for communication across distances example: cell phones vs. radios--which are to be used, which permit needed privacy • Decide when to use technology, including Groupware • Access: make phone numbers available

13. Communication:Ongoing • Language • need to create common culture • includes but goes beyond common vocabulary example: acronyms that create communication barriers, reinforce group differences example: emergence of common terms such as “actual actual actual” create understanding and solidarity example: UN prefers language that avoids implying hierarchy and emphasizes interfacing, committees

14. Communication:Ongoing • Recognize that nonverbal behavior may be viewed as relational messages example: ignoring people or walking away during a conversation may be viewed as disrespect example: size and centrality of tents taken as indication of degree of authority or importance • Distinguish between relational messages and poor social skills

15. Communication:Ongoing • Periodically reassess frequency and format of ongoing meetings and communication • Request input from various members during meetings example: UN explicitly requested input from various representatives whose goals might have been in conflict • Track lessons learned example: some people new to GroupSystems saw real merit in identifying and recording lessons learned

16. Communication:Ongoing • Be flexible • Go the extra mile to resolve conflicts example: many military personnel showed great tact and diplomacy in dealing with delicate and potentially offensive situations • Interject humor

17. Drinks?