Communication is the key determinant of organizational success or failure in any organization. It is the medium by which messages and the information is passed to an individual or group to another. It is the medium by which messages are transferred from the source to the destination to enhance and facilitate decision making and also to enhance correction by critics. However, in the recent past, communication has taken various media and channels of communication which are both formal and informal. In this essay, I will focus on Twitter, which is one of the most used social media for passing information. The say focuses on the appropriateness of the use of Twitter as a means of communication and for giving formal and informal information. The essay also will look at the impacts of using these backchannel communication method in relying on information and messages.
Leaders like any other human being have the freedom of speech, and they can communicate in whichever manner they may deem necessary. They are free to use formal and non-formal methods of communication to express themselves. However, communication should be held with maximum care since it forms one of the major metrics of measuring the leadership skills in a person. Leaders can use Twitter or other communication channel to pass information and messages which they are accountable for. They can also use Twitter in answering the publics on concerns which are of importance and which are necessary. More so, they can use Twitter to keep the public and the citizens they represent up-to-date.
Though there is freedom of expression, communication should be held with due diligence and respect. With this Twittering during someone's speech is not a good behavior. Communication requires that one listens and understands before making haste comment or critic the message given. More so, Twittering on other topics shows disrespect to the one giving the speech and also shows a high level of ignorance. It is, therefore, important that one pays attention to what is being said in a speech rather than twittering. In some other cases, egoism is manifested as the leaders communicate through Twitter where they may brag about having access to first-hand information. Egoism also seems during events where leaders seem tweet of events like a game or their achievements during a meeting in Congress and Senate and also during the speeches given by other leaders. They seem to communicate that what is being said does not concern then or that they already know.
As a minimalist channel of communication, Twitter has enabled expanded the capacity to get access to information which is necessary for decision making. Secondly, Twitter has enhanced access to crucial information by the general public and hence taking part in the national governance. Lastly, Twitter has led to the high speed of information acquisition. All these factors hence lead to better decision making and easier communication in the world.
On the other hand, using Twitter has various disadvantages. Firstly, private and confidential information is being passed out through Twitter, which can impact negatively to the governing of a country. Secondly, the minimalist channel is not able to give the depth of information which may then lead to misunderstanding of the message. Thirdly, Twitter also interferes with the formality of the information and the messages to be communicated.
Additionally, though Twitter may not replace the mode of communication completely, it replaces it to some degree. Importantly to note also is that Twitter replaces the formality with which the message is communicated. In some cases, leaders are forced to go correcting the already miscommunicated information rather than communicating the message itself in a formal way. Twitter, in this case, replaces some of the modes of communication which were quite formal considering the capacity of information communicated through other channels. On duplication, Twitter has led to high level of duplication of other modes of communication. Usually, events and ideas are already trending in twitter which is later on communicated through other modes.
Considering Hill's Model for team leadership, leaders can use Twitter at class three stages where we have relational and environmental aspects. This is because in environmental stage and aspect, the leader will require networking, advocating, negotiating support, buffering, assessing and sharing information which can only be done effectively through the social media. In relational, there is need to build commitment while also creating collaboration with the team. This, therefore, warrants the leader to use the twitter but still use it wisely.
References
ICT-EurAsia (Conference), In Khalil, I., In Neuhold, E. J., In Tjoa, A. M., In Da, X. L., In You, I., & International Conference on Research and Practical Issues of Enterprise Information Systems. (2015). Information' and communication technology': Third IFIP TC 5/8 International Conference', ICT-EurAsia 2015, and 9th IFIP WG 8.9 Working' Conference', CONFENIS 2015, held as part of WCCs 2015, Daejeon, Korea, October 4-7, 2015, Proceedings
In Graham, M., In Dutton, W. H., & Castells, M. (2014). Society and the Internet: How Networks of information and communication are changing our lives.
Turkle, S. (2011). Alone together': Why we expect more from technology and less from each other;. S.I.: ReadHowYouWant.
