Effective Communication is a Two-Way Street he ability to communicate in the time of crisis can improve the outcome of a tragic event. Two-way communication is a critical tool to emergency management, making the emergency process more effective and efficiently in connecting with stakeholders, retrieving, and sending important information, and reducing response times. Emergency managers need to develop strong communication skills to be efficient in providing the best service to their communities, stakeholders, and responders. To be an effective communicator it is important to focus on our audience. Information should be relayed to your audience in clear and effective ways. It is important that emergency managers points are made clear and the target audience understands the messages being sent. To be an effective communicator, you need to be a strong listener. Listening is a base for effective communication. Active listening is a hard skill set to accomplish. Active listening includes empathically listening to beliefs, thoughts, and feelings. It is important for emergency managers to actively listen to stakeholders, citizens, organizations, and agencies when dealing with all aspects when it comes to emergency preparedness and response. Individuals may have …show more content…
Effective communication effective during a crisis or emergency must be accurate, timely, and clearly stated to all parties involved including the stakeholders, citizens, responders, and the media. “During an emergency, it is especially challenging and important to communicate accurate information clearly to the target audience. Disaster victims generally look for someone who can communicate valuable guidance, provide leadership, and lead them in problem-solving. When you successfully fill that role, you act to reassure victims that their government and private organizations are working toward community recovery.” (FEMA,
Waugh, William L, and Gregory Streib. "Collaboration and Leadership for Effective Emergency Management." Public Administration Review, 66.6 (2006): 131-140.
The National response plan outlines four key actions the disaster coordinator should take. They are gaining and maintaining situational awareness, activate and deploy key resources and capabilities, coordinating response actions and demobilizing. Throughout the response it is essential that responders have access to critical information. During the initial response effort the situation is will change rapidly. Situational awareness starts at the incident site. For this reason it is essential that decision makers have access to the right information at the right time. By establishing an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) all key responders are brought ...
A good communication skill is needed by the NM in dealing with the organization and it is very vital especially in managing change. Communications plays as a critical factors of both management and leadership. It can contribute to stress, feeling of alienation and lack of recognition or it can help in facilitate positive working relationship.
Perry, R. W., & Lindell, M. K. (2007). Disaster Response. In W. L. Waugh, & K. Tiernery, Emergency Management: Principles and Practice for Local Government (pp. 162-163). Washington D.C.: International City/County Management Association.
Information is perhaps one of the most crucial elements in regards to disaster preparedness. Resultantly, it is vital that individuals understand what information is relevant to the local area and how to obtain information in the event of a disaster or emergency. Furthermore, it is essential that individuals stay informed prior to, during, and after a disaster. Described below are some of the key elements to consider in regards to being and staying informed:
Threats from catastrophic natural and manmade disasters during the 21st century have unfortunately become a reoccurring reality among communities in the United States. Managing the various stages of any disaster requires responding entities to become familiar with each other’s roles and capabilities to facilitate successful interfacing and cooperation. Physical and web based emergency operations centers (WebEOCs), emergency response entities, and private and non-profit organizations are essential providers of operational emergency management information, all-hazardous intelligence, and other subject matter expertise. To ensure effective coordination takes place, emergency management leaders at all levels
Communication is essential in education, training and everyday life. It's a means by which a thought is transferred from one person to another. Effective communication occurs when the intended meaning of the source and the perceived meaning of the receiver are virtually the same, Schemerhorn (2005).
Ulmer, RR, Sellnow, TL & Seeger, MW 2007, Effective crisis communication, Thousand Oakes: Sage Publications.
Effective communication will be demonstrated by identifying good responses and poor responses, listening and responding, asking questions, bringing up difficult issues, addressing and disarming anger, and the effective combination of skills.
Effective communication in its various forms is the substratum of crisis management. Internal and external communication is essential during times of crisis if a successful outcome is to prevail. In a crisis, people’s lives are often at risk, these are lives that can be lost or protected; however, their fate lies in the hands of information. A breakdown in communication during times of crisis will interfere in dispensing pertinent and time sensitive information to the target audience, thus placing them at a gross disadvantage in protecting their health. During a crisis, it can be extremely costly to falter in delivering accurate, detailed, and informative information.
The most effective crisis communicators are those who provide prompt, frank, and full. information to the media in the?eye of the storm? (Semio, 2004). The X-Files. Silence not only angers the media, but also compounds the problem.
Successful Communication is the conveying and understanding of a message from one person to another. For communication to be effective, the meaning must be easily understood. An individual 's communicative success relies on factors that include speaking, reading, listening, and reasoning skills. Forms of communication include verbal and non-verbal, as well as, one way and two ways.
Effective communication skills enable people at all levels of the community to work together to achieve the community’s goals and move it forward on the path of success and development.
Communication is one of the most important factors in our lives. It dictates the relationships formed with the individuals in personal and professional lives. Effective communication provides a foundation for trust and respect to grow. It also helps better understand a person and the context of the conversation. Individuals often believe that their communication skills are much better than what they actually are. Communication appears effortless; however, much of what two people discuss gets misunderstood, thus leading to conflicts and distress. To communicate effectively, one must understand the emotion behind the information being said. Knowing how to communicate effectively can improve relationships one has at home, work and in social affairs. Understanding communication skills such as; listening, non-verbal communication and managing stress can help better the relationships one has with others.