Page 123 - Communication in Organizations Basic Skills and Conversation Models

Communication in organizations 112

consequences? It is the intention that the participants at the meeting get a better insight
into the problems of the topic. The answers to these questions indicate the structure of the
discussion about the topic:

At Dinner Ltd the topic ‘absence due to illness’ should also be discussed
from all angles at a meeting with the managers, so that a clear picture
develops of absence due to illness within the organization, and the
participants can form an opinion about the problem. Charlotte’s tables are
a good aid to this. A next stage, or possibly a next meeting, can be
dedicated to thinking of, or commenting on, proposals for the
improvement of the absentee registration or changes in the personnel
policy.

The chairperson can further the smooth progress of a discussion by asking the presenter
of a proposal for an explanation. This person gives a summary and the chairperson next
suggests a procedure for discussion of the proposal. Then it is the turn of the participants.
They can give their reactions. It is wise to introduce some limitations here too: for
example, by first letting questions be put to the presenter and only in a subsequent stage
allowing the proposal to be criticized. One can also think of other procedures, for
example, first letting each participant react separately, and only starting the discussion
after this.
Sometimes there is full support for the proposal, sometimes participants suggest
amendments, and it may also happen that the proposal is completely rejected. The
chairperson and the person who made the proposal should be capable of handling the
comments in a constructive manner. The participants should also be capable of delivering
comments in a constructive way (the necessary skills are ‘giving criticism’ and ‘reacting
to criticism’, pp. 26–30).

Shortly before the next meeting Freddy Fortune sends a letter to the
department heads that includes a number of recommendations for the
decrease of absence due to illness. It is the intention that this will be
discussed at the next meeting. The recommendations are:
• all absence due to illness must be registered per person per day
• sickness must be reported to the head of the department, not to reception as before
• after two days the department head has to enquire with the patient how it is going
• with sicknesses of a long duration, the head of department should regularly visit the sick
employee
• with every non-physical cause, it should be investigated if the task or the working
atmosphere has anything to do with the absence due to illness.

At the meeting Freddy suggests his proposals and the other participants
comment on them and give suggestions or recommendations.

When a problem has become clear and the proposals on how to approach it have been
discussed, a decision will have to be made as to whether or not the proposals will be