Case scenario
ArtFashion is a well-developed company that is focused on designing and decorating interiors, as well as producing unique accessories for completing the style of a room. Because of successful promotion, the company has several subsidiaries developed in several cities that are located within easy reach from each other. Therefore, the chief manager decided that a vertical model of management and information exchange is sufficient for handling the company effectively.
However, lack of communication between designers from various locations prevents them from introducing collaboration projects and reaching a consensus while creating a design for interiors. Phone calls and e-mailing were not enough for managers to cope with communicational challenges.
Mr. Smith, the chief manager, decides to introduce a new model of communicating clients and divide the departments into independent and autonomy divisions so that a client could work with each department independently. On the one hand, such a division is beneficial for the manager because it contributes to better information exchange. On the other hand, lack of collaborative and cooperative work increases the probability of losing previous clients.
Solution 1: Evaluating the richness of the communication medium
The chief manager of ArtFashion should have considered the richness of communication medium because it significantly influences the quality of information exchange between subordinate managers taking control of the subsidiaries. Specifically, the main task of communication is deliver the main idea and message of a specific product of service. In this respect, two solutions can be proposed.
The first task of the chief manager is to organize weekly face-to-face meetings with all managers to solve problems and discuss challenges they face every day. In such a way, it will be possible for a manager to understand a range of concerns experienced by department managers. Second task is to re-arrange the hierarchical structure of reporting and introduce a horizontal model of information flow.
Solution 2: Understanding the importance of true reasoning and intuition
The presence of true reasoning and intuition is pivotal in establishing a meaningful pattern in decision-making and problem solving. In this respect, psychological and behavioral factors should be taken into deeper consideration as soon as communication deficiency is introduced. The role of a manager, therefore, lies in understanding patterns of communication that that the subordinates use to solve problems.
In particular, there should be a clear distinction between reasoning (explicit) thinking and associative (implicit) thinking. The chief manager should enhance the reasoning policies and encourage their subsidiaries act in accordance with the established rules. At the same time, enough space should be given to implicit thinking to allow the department manager to understand alternative ways of problem solving.
Solution 3: Applying major characteristics of sense-making
A good manager should constantly rely on previous experience in order to prevent the occurrence of past problem and encourage the methods that were previously effective. What is more important, there is also a necessity to refer to experience of other managers and apply those as theoretical models for promoting business.
In this respect, the theory of sense making can contribute to roles distribution among the company. The manager should make the department manager work out effective strategies of cooperation under the current circumstances of distant communication. The weekly discussions will allow managers to share experiences and apply those experiences in practice to solve the problem of miscommunication.