Communication is the lifeline of an organization. The communication that takes place between a manager and his employees is crucial for the effective functioning of the company as it thrives on information. Communication is essential for effectively conveying information and may be done verbally or in writing. The method of communication adopted to convey the information must be easily understood by the recipient else the communication goes wasted and may negatively impact the business. Leaders must learn to adapt and communicate with the group they are dealing with. Managers unable to effectively communicate with their team end up creating an environment of uncertainty and indecisiveness in the workplace (Blizard, 2012). Adopting the appropriate means of communication is crucial in ensuring that the message is understood as well as acted upon. To facilitate an effective means of communication, it has to meet certain characteristics. They are clarity, reliability, and honesty of the message sent, accurate plan of purpose, to be aware of the prime function of the message, choice of proper medium to communicate, facilitating feedback, and correct timing ("CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION - communication skill", 2017).
Google is an unconventional organization that believes in rewarding out-of-the-box thinking as well as risk-taking ability. They also try to incorporate that spirit in their internal and external communications. Google follows the annual tradition of its founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, 2004, of penning letters to its employees regarding the organization’s progress and its priorities for the year (Helft, 2017). Last year this tradition was passed on to Google's new CEO Sundar Pichai, who penned down his letter to the employees and stakeholders.
The annual letter written by Google CEO to its employees is a great medium, as it ensures a sense of personalization and makes the recipient feel special. The letter will be received with great enthusiasm and well-grasped by the employees. The letter begins with a brief introduction from the Google co-founder Page lavishing praises for the new Google CEO’s performance. In his message, Pichai spells out the six core focus areas for Google across product lines some of which are in line with technology and product areas while others embody priorities that cut across product lines. He reveals the new mission of the company which is making information and knowledge available to everyone (Pichai, 2016). All the information included in the letters works as a great boost and motivation for Google’s employees and stockholders. They will be proud of the organization’s achievements and their confidence will be further strengthened. The direct letters sent to the stakeholders are a great medium to let people know the vital information related to the organization. People can give their undivided attention while reading the message, as compared to when information is imparted in huge conferences, amid commotion and distraction. Pichai also stresses those areas in which Google has made its long-term investment and focus. The message sent by the CEO has clarity, is reliable because the CEO itself writes and sent the letter, and also has honesty as is evident from the mood and essence of the words. He has clearly stated his purpose well, which is to keep the stakeholders well-informed about the vision and progress of the organization. The letter clearly articulates the plan of the organization to realize its vision shortly, as is evident from the course of actions mentioned in the letter, which Google strives to achieve. The medium chosen by Sundar Pichai is one-way traffic. The CEO letter is well received by the employees and the stakeholders. However, there is very little scope for feedback. It is highly unlikely that the employees will be sending feedback or responses to the letter. Though the stakeholders can write back to the CEO, it is unlikely that it will be received by him directly. There are middlemen like the front desk and secretary who will be going through the same, and might also forward to some other department if need be.
Leaders must be aware that the employees look up to them as role models and tend to emulate them in the manner they conduct themselves and communicate (Pauley and Pauley, 2009). Managers have the liberty to choose from a variety of communication methods to communicate with their team members. The communication could be in the form of a directive, with clear purpose or instruction; or participative, asking for suggestions, comments, or feedback from the team. A demand without a plausible justification could be perceived as unfair and inconsiderate. Managers have the discretion of whether or not to be participative. Nevertheless, they should be open to suggestions, accept constructive feedback as well, and be flexible enough to adapt and change their thinking. (Dasgupta, Suar & Singh, 2012)
To conclude, the medium chosen by Sundar Pichai to communicate with the stakeholders of the company is an effective means to the extent that it ensures the receipt and grasping of the message conveyed. However, the medium is not a great option for receiving feedback, as it is more of a top-to-bottom communication, and for the response, the message will be gone through a host of middlemen, Still, it is not confirmed if the response sent by a junior level employee will be conveyed till the CEO. An effective communication channel should be in the form of a directive, with clear purpose or instruction; or participative, asking for suggestions, comments, or feedback from the team.
References
Blizard, J. (2012). The importance of effective communication. AORN Journal, 95(3), 319-320.
CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION - communication skill. (2017). Sites.google.com. Retrieved 13 June 2017, from
Dasgupta, S., Suar, D., & Singh, S. (2012). Impact of managerial communication styles on employees’ attitudes and behaviors. Employee Relations, 35(2), 173-1999
Helft, M. (2017). In Annual Letter, Sundar Pichai Says Computing, And Google, Will Be Driven By Artificial Intelligence. Forbes. Retrieved 13 June 2017,
Pauley, J., & Pauley, J. (2009). Communication: The key to effective leadership (1st ed.). Milwaukee, Wisconsin: ASQ Quality Press.
Pichai, S. (2016). This year’s Founders' Letter. Google. Retrieved 13 June 2017, from https://blog.google/topics/inside-google/this-years-founders-letter/
