Effective Project communication

-Effective Project
communication: The importance of Effective Communication on Project Management!!!! Effective Project
Communication on Project Management, provide examples of how and why effective communication affects project management. Use specific examples and real-life examples. Use in-text citation (please cite in APA format correctly).

ANSWER

Effective Project Communication

Communication is the cornerstone for every effective and functional relationship. It is a form of ice breaker that people use to navigate new territories and break the tension between two parties. Communication acts like lubrication of bearings, and the lack of lubrication results in adhesive wear. The same concept applies in communication, as the lack of it results in poor management of any project. According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), the lack of proper communication or communication channels has resulted in numerous management projects either stalling or completely staling (Rajhans, 2018). PMI highlights that poor communications contribute to one-third of every failing project, thereby emphasizing its importance and significance in project management and every aspect that relies on it. Poor communication results in either the delay or failure to complete the project, lost scales, lost morale due to the group not working in unity, missed performance goals, and other important aspects of the project. Communication helps enhance teamwork, as every project management entails different moving parts working in unison to meet an objective. In addition, PMI asserts that a project manager should spend almost 90% of their time communicating with the stakeholder involved (Rajhans, 2018). This essay thereby analyses the importance and significance of effective communication in project management.

Relaying and Receiving Information

For any project under implementation, a project manager and relevant stakeholders need to remain in constant communication. This can be in the form of relaying information from the manager to the stakeholders, who act as the recipients of the information and thus apply it to the project where necessary (Rajhans, 2018). Projects are made possible by the team members, as they are responsible for doing most of the work. Thereby, before commencing any project, it is important for the stakeholders to be informed about their role and responsibilities and the overall objective of the project. The project manager is expected to maintain constant communication by ensuring the stakeholders involved are aware of the visions statement of the project. On the other hand, stakeholders expect to be informed of the progress of the project in terms of the milestones or deliverables achieved during the process. The manager is responsible for keeping the management team and the stakeholders of the progress of the project in terms of the risks encountered or expected time constraints and the needs of the customer.

Discussing Problems

Almost every project is expected to experience problems during its execution process. Problems lead to either the delay or resulting termination of the projects. However, a well-communicated problem between project managers and the stakeholders is less likely to result in termination, and thus the need for these forms of communication is highly emphasized (Anantatmula & Rad, 2018). It is the responsibility of the project manager to predict any problems that may arise within the project. However, in case an unforeseeable problem occurs, the project manager should effectively communicate with the stakeholders by informing them of the risks posed and try to brainstorm some of the ways that the team can work together to eliminate the threat. The manager is also expected to communicate with the upper management and the client by combining the views of the stakeholders and thus concluding the way forward.

Change in Situation

During the project development stages, the manager is expected to prepare a communication plan in case of an emergency or problem encountered along the way. The communication plan entails the methods of communication, the frequency of communication in terms of the meetings conducted, and the appropriate channels of communication depending on the superiority of the stakeholders (Anantatmula & Rad, 2018). Communication plan is important as, according to the Project Management Institute, 57% of employees or stakeholders commonly complain due to lack of involvement in the project’s communication process (Anantatmula & Rad, 2018). In addition, 69% of manages are not comfortable communicating with their employees in general. Some of the excuses given by such managers narrow down to ego-centric issues and the lack of aspect and realization of the importance of stakeholders in meeting the objectives of the project. Thus, PMI advises that an effective communication plan should be prioritized in the developing stages to avoid instances of no communication in case a problem arises during the execution stages of the project.

Open Communication Channels

In essence, communication is only effective if the stakeholders involved are free to express their concerns, views, and ideas (Lauren, 2018). However, a strict project manager not engaging in open communication channels is likely to lose favor with their stakeholders. For instance, stakeholders work effectively if they can communicate with the managers directly, as their views can be aligned with those of the managers. Open communication channels also ensure that every stakeholder is aware of their roles and responsibilities and understand how their contribution is significant to the overall objective of the project (Marthandan et al., 2018). With open communication channels, the language gap in terms of the company’s strategy and the project scope of the members are aligned to suit the overall expectations of the project.

Conclusion

Communication ensures that every moving part of project management works in unison to attain the overall objective. It is important for every stakeholder, especially the manager, to ensure that communication is given priority during the planning and execution process of the project. Effective communication with the members results in effective completion of the project, and effective communication with the stakeholders will result in more projects for the manager and the team.

References

Anantatmula, V. S., & Rad, P. F. (2018). Role of organizational project management maturity factors on project success. Engineering Management Journal, 30(3), 165-178.

Lauren, B. (2018). Communicating project management: A participatory rhetoric for development teams. Routledge.

Marthandan, G., Shanmugam, M., & Karuppiah, S. D. (2018). An explanatory investigation on the role of communication antecedents in project management. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology, 96(20), 7904-7916.

Rajhans, K. (2018). Effective communication management: A key to stakeholder relationship management in project-based organizations. IUP Journal of Soft Skills, 12(4), 47-66.