There may be multiple groups you speak to on a regular basis during your workday. You’ve probably always just produced a memo or email to communicate with a set group of people. That, or you’ve just scheduled a meeting and ran through a list of items. Now that a lot of group members (employees, members, alumni) may be located in different locales, different types of meetings (and the location of those meetings) may dictate other options than just the typical memo or departmental meeting.
1. Conversing with a group in writing. There are advantages to this most traditional way to communicate to a group. The first is that you can use precise wording and grammar, because you can edit a written communication. You can also include large amounts of detail, because your audience will be able to assimilate it, and you can enjoy the guarantee of having a permanent and accessible record of your communication to the group. Plus, writing is (relatively) easy, it’s been around for a long time, so people are used to it, and does not require as much of a time commitment as speaking (going to a location, preparing a speech, speaking from prepared notes, taking questions afterward, etc.).
2. Meeting with a group face to face in the same location. There are some advantages to face-to-face group meetings. You can control if and when the communication is received and each member of your audience hears the information at the same time. You can include nonverbal communication and choose the communication strategy you believe will best serve your message. You can build group identity and group relationships, however, face-to-face group meetings are less private and confidential, do not provide a permanent record, and cannot include as much detail as writing.
3. Meeting with a group in diverse locations. There are a couple of options: videoconferencing and teleconferencing. Each option has many advantages: savings on travel time and expense, affordable and easy to set up, and now, with the advances in technology, offer top-notch interactive perks. A videoconference or teleconference can be recorded for a permanent record, or can be transcribed for a text version. Either conferencing option includes interactive features such as web conferencing (even audio participants can view a PowerPoint presentation), Q&A mode, and more.
If you’re gearing up for a group meeting in 2009, why not figure out the best option for you (and don’t be surprised if it’s not the traditional writing one) and make it a goal this year to utilize this effectively.
