2007 12 org comm final paper

8/10/2019 2007 12 Org Comm Final Paper

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Lori Avery

OCOM305 – Organizational Communication

December 10, 2007

Analyzing a Communication !"erience

#ro$ect #lanning an% Communication &or a Large 'olunteer #ro$ect

LifeSpan is a non-profit organization that provides support and services to children and

adults with developmental disabilities. Our 43 programs, which are located between Hawood

and !lamance counties, serve individuals from si"-wee#s of age through their senior ears who

struggle dail with things such as mental retardation, $own sndrome, autism, and cerebral

pals. LifeSpan programs focus on the areas of education %pre-school and school age&,

emploment %center based and communit&, and enrichment %residential, art, potter, sensor,

therapeutic horsebac# riding, and horticulture therap&.

'n m role as $evelopment !ssociate for LifeSpan, it is m responsibilit to engage the

communit with our organization in a variet of was, including spea#ing to communit

partners, organizing and managing fundraising events, soliciting for in-#ind donations to fulfill

wish lists, writing grants, and overseeing the volunteer program. Our wish lists at LifeSpan are

endless and include painting, landscaping, general maintenance, a need for mentors and reading

buddies, (ust to name a few. )ecause our needs are great and our facilities are large, we are able

to host man volunteer groups from various corporate and civic organizations across the count.

'n *anuar +, ' received a call from m contact at the olunteer /enter at 0he 1nited

2a of /entral /arolinas regarding a prospect from the healthcare communit that might be

interested in adopting LifeSpan for an entire wee#, bringing over 4 volunteers through a

pro(ect called /ommunit 'nvestment 2ee#. 'mmediatel, the opportunities and possibilities

rushed through m mind5 0hen realit set in and ' thought6what are we going to do with 4

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volunteers8 2here will the par#8 How will we feed them8 !nd a list of man other

9uestions:

't was soon disclosed that /arolinas Health/are Sstem %/HS& was the mster prospect

and ' was as#ed to submit a proposal - LifeSpan was not the onl agenc being considered. )

month;s end ' met with two representatives from /HS for an initial interview to discuss

LifeSpan, its mission, gave a tour and provided them with a more e"tensive wish list. 2e waited

with great angst to hear their response, while at the same time, arranging for man of their team

members to also visit our program and review the details

<inall, we received the official word in =arch that LifeSpan had been selected as /HS;s

agenc of choice. <rom that moment on, the staff at /HS, along with the team at LifeSpan,

began to embar# down a si"-month path that would include man meetings, countless emails,

and phone calls, reviewing plans and giving man more tours through the /lanton >oad facilit

6all while wor#ing simultaneousl with the /HS staff, our team of subcontractors, and their

team of e"perts. 2e created a partnership and /HS became e"tended members of the LifeSpan

famil while learning each other;s strengths and wea#nesses along the wa.

!fter man revisions to the pro(ect plan, the big da finall arrived. On !ugust +?, the

LifeSpan and /HS teams arrived at @A a.m.B tools and supplies were read to go, and the

volunteers arrived eager and read for the tas#s at hand. 0he final pro(ect list included tas#s

such as adding new landscaping at the front entrance, painting an outdoor mural, building a ramp

and gate to an e"isting outdoor porch area, and indoor painting.

!t the end of the four-da pro(ect wee# the /lanton >oad program was completel

transformed5 $uring those four das over +3 gallons of paint were used, 74 plants and

shrubs were planted, and more than , volunteer hours were logged for the pro(ects. 0he total

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in-#ind contribution to LifeSpan was more than C?, which included volunteer time, donated

supplies from vendors, and supplies purchased directl b /HS.

0his was the largest volunteer pro(ect in LifeSpan;s histor. 'n the beginning stages, '

was ver concerned about how all of the details and logistics were going to be maintained and

managed. However, we initiall set-up detailed communication and pro(ect action plans D we

followed those plans throughout the entire planning process which led to the success of the

pro(ect. 2e had a pie in the s# wish list, but alwas #ept a realistic approach to the overall

plan. arious means of communication methods were used including both large and small group

meetings, conference calls, countless e-mails regarding status updates and revisions to pro(ect

plans. 0here were appro"imatel 4 individuals involved in the overall planning process. 0hose

individuals included senior leadership team members, middle management, and frontline

wor#ers from LifeSpan and /HS, emploees from 0he 1nited 2a of /entral /arolinas, and

media and public relations contacts from /HS. 2e had plent of open communication from all

levels of staff and team members. ' am happ to report that the entire pro(ect was a wonderful

success. 2e continue to have close ties with /HSB additional in-#ind donations have occurred as

a direct result from the pro(ect. !s a wa to recognize /HS for their generous contribution, we

honored them with a /orporate Ehilanthropist of the Fear award at our annual Ehilanthrop

)rea#fast. 't was a win-win for both entities. LifeSpan was able to have many pro(ects

completed and wish lists fulfilled and, at the same time, was able to provide volunteer

opportunities for the doctors, nurses, and staff at /HS. /onstant communication from all

individuals involved, from various levels, was the #e to our success. Gverone was engaged,

felt part of the team, and had a great sense of accomplishment at the end of the wee#.

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Conce"t %taken from Organizational/ommunication D !pproaches and Erocesses D<ourth Gdition b atherine =iller&

#ro$ect #lanning an% Communication &or a

Large 'olunteer #ro$ect

C(a"ter 7 ) A**imilation #roce**e*

Eage 74I D 0able I-7 Stages of theSocialization Erocess

LifeSpan was not the onl agenc being

considered b /HS. 0here were man meetingsand tours during the anticipatory socialization stage. !fter we received word that LifeSpanwas the agenc of choice, we began theencounter stage of meeting e"pectations on bothsides, ma#ing revisions along the wa as wediscovered facts. ) !ugust +, both partieswere settled into the metamorphosis stage.0hose on the team felt li#e famil and #neweach other6personall and professionall.

C(a"ter 10 ) C(ange an% Lea%er*(i"#roce**e* in Organization*

Communication and Leadership

2ith this particular pro(ect, communication wasflowing from all levels in all directions within both organizations. Elanning sessions were verintense, tas# driven, and detail specific./ommunication from all levels of managementand leadership was given internall ande"ternall from both LifeSpan and /HS. 0hecommunication was ver direct when dealingwith those individuals who were ma#ing thingshappen for the pro(ect. /HS held their 1nited2a ic#-Off at our program at the end of the

four-da pro(ect D all levels of managementfrom /HS and LifeSpan were present during theic#-off event and remar#s from everone D topdown were positive about the goodwill of /HSand the mission of LifeSpan.

C(a"ter + ) Deci*ion Maing #roce**e*

E$=, the /ognitive =odel2hile there were man people involved with thedecision ma#ing process along the wa6fromlarge groups to small sub-groups, most of thedecisions were made b the core planningcommittee which consisted of 7+ individuals.

0he /ognitive =odel was used and came into pla man times during the si" months of planning. 'nformation flowed both upward anddownward between committee members,associates and peers, and leadership teams bothat LifeSpan and /HS. Elans were implemented, productivit was high and everone felt li#e partof the team as decisions were being made.

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2007 12 org comm final paper

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