This document discusses effective communication skills for a media manager at a learning resource and technology center. It describes various communication vehicles for communicating with employees, such as personal communication, memos, reports, staff meetings, and informal activities. For communicating with patrons, it recommends publications, displays, presentations, and electronic communications. It also outlines in-service activities like tours, open houses, and workshops to promote services to patrons.

1. Effective Communication Skills
at LRTC Setting
Dr. Abdelrahman Elhaj
Fall 2013
Dep. of: Teaching & Learning Technologies
abdoelhaj@squ.edu.om

2. Objectives:
• Describe the best methods for communicating with
employees and patrons.
• List and describe four communication vehicles to
communicate with employees.
• List and describe four communication vehicles used to
communicate with patrons.
• Describe three types of in-service activities that can be used
effectively by a media manager.
• Describe the before, during, and after activities for conducting
effective meetings.

3. Effective communicating
• Successful managers must be specialists in many types of
communication – public-relations.
• Staff members perform better when they know that they are integral
to the service program.
• If patrons are to use the program services, they must know what is
available and how to obtain the services.
• Financial support is likely to be greater when administrators know
what services the program provides and their value to the institution.

4. Communication lessons
(from American Best-Run Companies)
• Petes and Robert (1982).
• The excellent companies in the United State have “a vast network of
informal, open communication.” (technology keeping in touch).
▫ refers to an extraordinary amount of communication throughout the
institution.

5. Communication lessons
(from American Best-Run Companies) cont.
• Five attributes of communication systems :
1. communication systems are informal (everyone is free to discuss any problem)
2. Communication intensity extraordinary (people are not afraid
to talk because
they talk together all the time)
3. Communication is given support (related departments are located physically
closed to each other to encourage informal communication)
4. Forcing devices are created
(to expect managers to use a minimum time
experimenting with new technologies)
5. Intense, informal communication systems act as a control system
(project
that do not work are quickly identified before millions of dollars are expended).

6. • Good communication is thoughtful communication.
• Hearing what people are really saying is critical to being able to provide
thoughtful answers.
FILTERS
Communication filters

7. Communication within the media service organization
(communicating with employees)
• Personal communication
▫ The manager does the following:
 He sets One Minute Goals.
 He gives One Minute Praising.
 He gives One Minute Reprimands.
 He asks brief, important questions, speaks the truth, laughs, and
enjoys.
▫ A smart media manager will employ personal communication
daily or whenever possible.

8. Communication within the media service organization
cont.
• Memos or Memorandums
▫ A memo is a sort written statements. It should be used to provide
information only.
▫ A memorandum is a stronger document. It states what or how
something is to be done.
▫ They should be short and limited to one page.

9. Communication within the media service organization
cont.
• Reports
▫ Reports are written or oral summaries of activities. Written report is used
to present very detailed information (e.g., project status/ budget).
• Staff meetings
▫ Staff meetings are a good way of keeping employees informed,
maintaining high morale, and keeping communication open.
 Establish and schedule a minimum of one meeting per month for the staff.
 Prepared and distribute a short agenda before the meeting.
 Allow time for discussion.
 Make refreshment available

10. Communication within the media service organization
cont.
• Informal Activities
▫ Use many informal opportunities for communicating with others.
 Break times,
 Lunch in the lounge,
 External activities like picnics, social organizations

11. Communicating with Patrons
• The media manager must communicate with patrons and potential
patrons. (the manager could be: visualiser, writer, speaker, and advertiser)
▫ Identify the media services programs that are available.
▫ Determine who the potential patrons are and where they are.
• What communication vehicles are available to the manager to
present his/her messages to those patrons?
▫ Short memos, reports, and informal activities.
▫ Publications (newsletters, brochures, and catalogs).
▫ Displays and media presentations can be used for promotional purpose.
▫ Electronic communications (e.g., voice mail, e-mail, a web site, and Internet
discussion groups)

12. What communication vehicles are available to the manager to present
his/her messages to those patrons?
Cont.
• Evaluation
▫ Periodic evaluation of communication is important. It gives the manager
adequate feedback from his patrons.
• In-service activities
▫ Tours of the media center, open house, workshops, and staff meetings.
• Open house
▫ It provides patrons with an opportunity to see the media facilities and
learn what services are available.
• Workshops
▫ Workshops are effective for presenting, demonstrating, and providing an
opportunity for participants to learn and practice media application and
presentation skills.

13. What communication vehicles are available to the manager to present
his/her messages to those patrons?
Cont.
• Faculty/trainer development
• Meetings
• Conducting meetings
▫ Before the meeting
▫ During the meeting
▫ After the meeting