i). Do you think the 8 attributes of supportive communications could work in your environment?
Supportive communication is crucial for achieving a healthy relationship between managers and junior staff in a work environment. With application of the following supportive communication attributes n effective working environment can be achieved in an organization.
- Supportive communication is problem oriented, not personal oriented.
Problem oriented communication would work well in a work environment where the department heads can direct their focus on the behavior of the faculty members as well as their productivity. Person oriented communication focuses on things that may appear difficult to control and likely to send some inadequate message
- Supportive communication is based on congruence, not incongruence
Congruence occurs when what is communicated is in match with the feelings and thoughts of an individual. Incongruence may occur when a department head is upset with the actions of a faculty member but does not express the feeling. Department heads should express what they feel about a situation to avoid their relation with a faculty member becoming distrusting once the faculty member suspects something is not right.
- Supportive communication is descriptive, not evaluative
The manager should always avoid discussing who among the junior staff is wrong or who is right and suggest an alternative to the problems offering room for other alternatives.
- Supportive communication validates rather than invalidates individuals
Validating communication is imperative in helping people feel valued, recognized, understood as well as accepted. Validating communication emphasizes joint problem solving other than projecting a superior position.
- Supportive communication is specific and not global
A specific communication happens to be the most effective as it is regarded the most motivating. Specific communication is useful as opposed to non- specific which is not useful.
- Supportive communication is conjunctive, not disjunctive
The head of the organization when using conjunctive communication, he will confirm the worth of the junior staff in the work place as well as enhancing teamwork and joint problem solving.
- Supportive communication is owned, not disowned.
First-words communication should be used in an organization which is owned and not third-person communication which is disowned.
- Supportive communication requires listening, not one-way message delivery.
The manager of the organization should be listening to his juniors ideas and be open minded to impellent the ones that can be useful.
(ii).What can you do to show IT is delivering value to the business?
To show that IT is delivering value to the business one should be able to show the value added and how IT has enabled a business to achieve higher revenue, lower its operating costs and improve the level of customer satisfaction. There are a number of approaches that may be used measure value for instance: Applied information economics which allows a business to measure its uncertain outcomes and balance scorecard allows business strategies and financial performances to link directly among many others.
(iii). How would you use the business model canvas to align IT to the business?
(a). Strategic Planning or development- business model canvasprovide foundation and directions for the conversations.
(b). Strategic Planning per Business Unit- this would be used in case of a large organization as it gives an overview of what the units of the business are all doing working as language of communication across all the units of business.
(c). Understanding competition allows one to clearly understand their competitors business allowing the business to design a better business model.