Communication is a very essential tool in all kinds of business to facilitate passage of information between managers and employees. The learning team charter is significant in group work not only in business organizations but also in learning institutions and it therefore emphasizes on the importance of effective communication during team work. In order to facilitate effective group communication, the employment of communication technologies is essential.
One of the common forms of technology used is the use of internet which is a global communication method employing the use of computers and network connections to provide access to information to all users.
The internet cannot only be used to provide information, but also provide a channel of communication through social networks and other various systems of communicating through the internet. Internet communication in group work is advantageous in that the members of the group can perform different tasks at once (Locker and Kienzler 2008, p. 125).
For instance, one can be searching for certain information from the internet and at the same time using it to communicate to other group members through the use of direct chat messaging service.
In addition, accessing information from the internet is much easier and faster than other systems such as books from the library. However, one must be sure to collect information from reliable sources since most of the information available from the internet may not be reliable and as a result the team may fail to support their work due to lack of valid references.
Similarly, internet information may lack proper organization which may lead to unproductive research on the part of the team members. Another disadvantage associated with internet use is the possibilities of encountering technical difficulties which may lead to loss of the web pages being used. Unavailability of archive records is also a major setback because the internet contains more of the recent information.
The second technology that could be used in group work to promote effective communication is the use of telephones. With the increasing advancements in technology, telephones have seen their remarkable development over the years. The introduction of cell phones has been received greatly all over the globe due to its portability properties.
This makes cell phones much more convenient in communicating since everyone is able to carry a cell phone whenever and wherever. Additionally, cell phones have such properties as emails, messaging services and voice mails among others. These features put group members in a better position to communicate with each other at all times in order to make their work much more effective (McCann 2005, p. 50). Some cellular phones also 2have the feature of ringing together more than two people in a phone conversation.
However, cell phones have disadvantages as well. They are known to be a very common cause of distraction especially when one is in an important meeting or during the group work itself. Besides work related matters, cell phones are among the leading causes of road accidents as drivers make or receive calls while driving hence losing attentiveness on the road. Similarly, continued use of cell phones may result to health complications such as tumors in the brain and the neck region due to the effect of the radiations releases when in use.
Team work is not only important in completing work in time, but also gives team members the chance to learn from others hence increasing knowledge. Commitment and effective communication are important tools in making group work a success.
Reference List
Locker, K. and Kienzler, D. (2008). Business and administrative communication. (8th edition). New York, NY: McGraw
McCann, M. (2005). Encouraging team communication. Embroidery monogram business. 12(5). 50