Table of Contents
List of Illustrations……………………………………………..………………………………………….2
Team Adirondack Mission Statement…………………………………………………………………..3
Executive Summary………………………………………………………………………………………5
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………..…8
Organizational Strengths……………………………………………………………………………….11
Directionality…………………………………………………………………………………….11
Relationship Quality……………………………………………………………………………14
Superior-Subordinate Relationship…………………………………………………………...17
Opportunities for Improvement………………………………...………………………………………19
Relationship Quality………………………………………...………………………………….20
Directionality…………………………………………………………………………………….22
Superior-Subordinate Relationship…………………………………………………….……..25
Recommendations………………………………………………………………………………………28
Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………………32
Works Cited……………………………………………………………………………………………...34
Appendix A: Interview Questions……………………………………………………………………...36
Appendix B: Survey Questions………………………………………………..………………….……39
List of Illustrations
Figure One- Efficiency of Operation…………………………………………………………………..12
Figure Two- Leaders Receptive to Criticism…………………………………………………………13
Figure Three- Concern for Members………………………………………………………………….15
Figure Four- Casual / Personal Communication…………………………………………………….16
Figure Five- Initiating Accurate Upward Communication…………………………………………...18
Figure Six- Identifying With BCM……………………………………………………………………...21
Figure Seven- BCM Grapevine………………………………………………………………………..24
Figure Eight- Recognizing and Rewarding Outstanding Performance……………………………26
Mission Statement:
Our mission as Team Adirondack is to improve the communication habits within our client’s organization. We are focused on forging strong connections both inside and outside the work environment. We want to make a difference with our work and help our client Make the Connection within their organization.
Executive Summary
Purpose
This report is designed to explain the communication strengths and opportunities for improvement that Team Adirondack found when conducting observations, interviews, and surveys with members of Baptists Collegiate Ministries. Based on the strengths and opportunities for improvements that team Adirondack has found, we have listed several recommendations that we believe will benefit BCM over the years.
Organizational Strengths
Baptist Collegiate Ministries ( BCM) has many areas of strengths that have been observed through interviews, and surveys. These areas include the directionality or flow of communication within the organization, the overall quality of relationships being formed and maintained, and the distinct bonds and communication lines between leadership and traditional members. Throughout observations and interviews members participated in or expressed their ability to easily communicate with other members of BCM on a regular basis emphasizing a strength regarding communication directionality. Surveys also indicated this with a majority of participants responding that they are satisfied or very satisfied with the current communication patterns within the organization. Team Adirondack also noticed strengths in regards to the quality of relationships being formed and the general cohesiveness of the organization as a whole. Majority of survey participants reported being very satisfied with the organization and believe the organization cares for their individual well-being. Members also expressed their satisfaction with Council stating they did a very good job communicating with the organization as a whole and in an interview one member highlighted this stating that leadership (Council) is the best it has been in recent years.
Opportunities for Improvement
Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) has a few areas within their organization that can be improved to run their association more effectively this has been observed through interviews, and surveys. The first opportunity for improvement can be found in the relations qualities within BCM. During observations from the Thursday night Connections meeting, Team Adirondack observed many sub-groups within the organization. During observations and interviews, Team Adirondack noticed some lack of communication between Council and the Church when trying to plan an event. An important part of any organization, big or small, is the communication that takes place within it. Another important part is leadership. During the interviews, members reported that there was a lack of leadership within the organization. This shows another issue with the communication style with the BCM superiors. By taking some steps to change these communication patterns, the organization would be enhanced and a stronger communication network would be created within the whole organization.
Recommendations
Team Adirondack’s recommendations for Baptist Collegiate Ministries, based upon the findings of their strengths and opportunities for improvements, and that they first set a specific communication goal (i.e., dissolving subgroups) and creating a monthly in-reach workshop to address this issue. At the in-reach work shop there would be more specific activities to fuse the different sub groups together and help break down barriers.
Introduction
Purpose
Through the detailed research done during the fall of 2012, Baptist Collegiate Ministries of Longwood University and Hampden-Sydney College diligently worked to help Team Adirondack understand the inner workings of their organizations. The purpose of this audit is to improve BCM and their communications practices within the organization. The purpose is to ensure that BCM will find this audit useful and apply it to their organization, so they can fulfill their goals and support all members of the organization.
Authorization
Authorization was given by Cheri Wise to Team Adirondack so that our audit may be conducted throughout the semester. The contract for permission to conduct the audit was signed by the Advisor and Minister of the organization. Team Adirondack ensures that all of the information within the audit will remain confidential, and will not be shared without permission from BCM.
Scope
This audit was primarily focused on the relationships within the Baptist Colligate Ministries. Through observations Team Adirondack decided that focusing on the organization’s quality of relationships, the directionality of the communication and the superior-subordinate relationships were the most crucial to improving the communication within BCM. It was very important to the team that the research founded in the audit report would be relevant and useful to the organization.
Research Methods
Throughout the audit, Team Adirondack collected numerous types of data through observation, surveys, and interviews with the organizational members of BCM. All members of the organization had an opportunity to respond to our survey. We observed the meetings of both the council members and the weekly organization-wide Connections meetings on Thursdays. The interviews conducted throughout the audit were conducted with a smaller sample of the organization, but overall we were able to gather information from all of the groups of the members including council, new members, old members.
Observations
During the weeks of September 30,2012 through October 4, 2012 of performing the audit, members of Team Adirondack observed the weekly meeting that the Council members of BCM have and the regular Thursday night Connections meeting. Team Adirondack observed the meetings and documented the events and communications that took place, as well as information about the meetings themselves. With these observations Team Adirondack was able to see all of the members of BCM in their weekly interactions to better assess the true effectiveness of their communication practices.
Interviews
Six interviews were conducted with members from many different areas throughout the organization. A Council member was interviewed, a freshmen member, a long standing member, a member from Hampden- Sydney College, a member who is also a sister of Sigma Phi Lambda, and a leader of the organization. All of the participants were chosen based upon their specific involvement within the organization and on detailed criteria laid out by Team Adirondack. Unlike the survey, the interview guides had the same questions for the council members, minister, and other members of the organization. The interviews focused on three different areas of communication: superior and subordinate relationships, information directionality, and relationship quality. The questions pertained to how these three components are intertwined and used in the organization's communication as a whole. (See Appendix A)
Surveys
Surveys were filled out in order to understand patterns and trends of communication within the members and the leaders of BCM. The survey was completed by a total of 62 respondents (6.5% - Council Members, 3.2% - Group Leaders, 66.1% - Active Members and 25.8% Non-active members). Survey participants were asked about the quality of their organizations communication, the effectiveness of the directional communication they were receiving and the relationships they were building within the organization. ( See Appendix B)
Limitations
Like any research, there are limitations to the work. The little amount of observations that the team was able to see may not have been a complete look at the workings of the organization as a unified group. The survey was long, and some participants skipped all the questions. The majority of the members that answered the survey were freshmen. While, the group values their input it may have skewed the survey results. Finally, the audit may not identify all opportunities for improvement
Organizational Strength: Directionality
Directionality: How effectively council members communicate to other members of the organization.
According to Downs and Adrian (2004), “It is common to analyze communication in terms of the direction in which it flows. The most common types are downward, upward, and horizontal”. A downward flow of communication is when a message flows from those who hold high positions within the organization to those who are lower. For example, if a Council member told a general member, the time and place of an event; this would be downward communication. Upward communication would be when a message flows from a subordinate to those who hold high positions within the organization. For example, it would be general members giving information to those in Council or members who hold leadership positions. Finally, horizontal communication would be people on the same level of the organization communication with one another. An example of this would be all the general members in the organization sharing information about an upcoming event. Due to the fact that hierarchy is an inherent part of any organizations these researchers find that it is particularly important to study. Without proper knowledge of communication directionality the organizations ability to function would decrease.
Observations
During observations within the organization, the organization demonstrated horizontal communication by Council members and was particularly successful. During the council meeting, the members addressed any issues brought up positively. Though each member has a different position, some ranking higher than others, the Council members treated each other with mutual respect. During discussion all Council members participated, and were courteous to one another. At the weekly Thursday night meetings, Council members appeared to indicate very successful downward communication with non-Council members. During the meetings the information was given in a concise and easily understood way and all members had the opportunity to ask questions if needed.
Interviews
· “Currently the … leadership is finally open with her (Cheri), telling her when things are going wrong.”
· “Communication from top management is stronger than it has been in previous years.”
One pattern found while analyzing the interviews that were conducted was that Council did a very good job with communication as a whole, these quotes are examples of opinions of communication from the members interviewed. These quotes effectively describe the upward and downward communication within the organization.
Downward Communication Survey Questions
Question 37: The organizations overall efficiency of operation.
On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being dissatisfied and 5 being very satisfied the average score was 4.36%.
· 91% of members feel that the efficiency of operation in the organization is great or very great. (See Figure 1)
Figure 1: Efficiency of Operation
Question 26: Extent to which my leaders are receptive to evaluations, suggestions and criticisms.
On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being little and 5 being great the average score was 4.35%.
· Overall, members are very satisfied with the staffs receptiveness to evaluations, suggestions, and criticisms
· 49% of members feel very satisfied or satisfied with the staffs receptiveness to evaluations, suggestions, and criticisms
(See Figure 2)
Figure 2: Leaders Receptive to Criticism
The major results we found within this construct are that Council has superior upward, downward, and horizontal communication. According to Ishii, a communication studies researcher, having media richness is a key to having effective directional communication. Within the organization, Council uses mainly face-to-face communication to provide information to organizational members. Through this rich media they effectively communication with members, within themselves, and with the organization’s minister successfully.
Organizational Strength: Relationship Quality
Relationship Quality: How members and leaders feel about the relationships they have forged within the organization.
Paul Levy, an expert in the field of industrial organizational psychology, has studied and researched the importance of organizational commitment in the job setting. This organizational commitment can be understood as how well a person is in touch with their particular organization and how involved they are. Organizational commitment is a very important attitude in the workplace and Levy went as far as to borrow three important concepts of organizational commitment from researchers John Meyer and Natalie Allen (1997). The first and most frequently studied component is affective commitment. This component derives from a deep connection and recognition of an organizations true values and overall goals, readiness to put forth work for the organization itself, and a large passion to stay in continuance with the organization. “A recent model of the knowledge management process has suggested that the psychological contract between the employee and the organization plays an important role through the employee level of organizational commitment, which effects their willingness to share knowledge” (Levy, 2010). This shows the importance of effect commitment, in that, if members within the organization do not have strong relationships with each other, they are less likely to divulge important information or be content within the organization.
Observations
In our observations within this organization, we observed that members, Council specifically, were confident enough in their relationship with Cheri to voice their opinion, positive or negative, in regards to the organization.
· “Communication Strengths- leaders are good on being one on one, personable, meeting everyone building a relationship”
· “Goes back to the biggest strength of welcoming the freshmen whose numbers are continuing to increase.”
Both of these quotes illustrate these members within the organization value strong relationships with one another and with new members. This strength is shown specifically through the growing number of freshman attending this organization on a weekly basis.
Question 33: BCM’s concern for its member’s welfare.
On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being little and 5 being great the average score was 4.31%.
· Overall members feel that the organization cares about their welfare.
· 83% of members feel that the organization cares about their welfare.
(See figure 3)
Figure 3: Concern for Members
Question 21: Extent to which casual/personal communication is active and accurate
On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being dissatisfied and 5 being very satisfied the average score was 4.30%.
· Overall the organization stated that casual and personal conversation is active and accurate.
· 83% of members are satisfied or very satisfied that the casual and personal communication is active and accurate.