Bcom/275 Knowing Your Audience
Knowing Your Audience Paper and Communication Release
BCOM/275
04/22/2012
Rhonda Cottingham
Considerations for the audience
When communicating to an audience about an incident such as the Chilean mine collapse, we should keep in mind that our audience is a blend of roles, and that they are there because they are concerned or want to help. An accident such as this tends to bring people together and they all want to see what they can do to help. Your audience has friends, families, reporters, public service workers, by standers, and co-workers. However, the consensus is the same “what can be done to get the workers out?” Since we are dealing with a blend of roles, then we should always been the facts but also show empathy. When conveying facts some may appear matter of fact, and we never want to seem matter of fact when we are dealing with lives.
Considerations for employees
When communicating to an audience of employees about the Chilean mine collapse, we should keep in mind that we don’t want to cause a panic. These employees are concerned for their co-workers and for themselves. They are scared that they may be the next victim of such accident and they may want to walk out. As a representative of the company, you want to speak to them with facts, empathy, and assurance. You will need to try to assure them that the company is trying their best to try and assure this will not happen again. In your facts you should try to gather statistics of these types of accidents to try to put them at peace.
Face to face approach
I would most definitely choose the fact to face approach with the families. The subject at hand is too delicate to discuss over the phone, send an email, send a video, writing a memo, or sending a text. Although this is a business, it needs to relate to this audience because their loved ones are trapped. I would also take this same approach to address the employees. You will need to look them in the eyes and assure them of the
BCOM/275
04/22/2012
Rhonda Cottingham
Considerations for the audience
When communicating to an audience about an incident such as the Chilean mine collapse, we should keep in mind that our audience is a blend of roles, and that they are there because they are concerned or want to help. An accident such as this tends to bring people together and they all want to see what they can do to help. Your audience has friends, families, reporters, public service workers, by standers, and co-workers. However, the consensus is the same “what can be done to get the workers out?” Since we are dealing with a blend of roles, then we should always been the facts but also show empathy. When conveying facts some may appear matter of fact, and we never want to seem matter of fact when we are dealing with lives.
Considerations for employees
When communicating to an audience of employees about the Chilean mine collapse, we should keep in mind that we don’t want to cause a panic. These employees are concerned for their co-workers and for themselves. They are scared that they may be the next victim of such accident and they may want to walk out. As a representative of the company, you want to speak to them with facts, empathy, and assurance. You will need to try to assure them that the company is trying their best to try and assure this will not happen again. In your facts you should try to gather statistics of these types of accidents to try to put them at peace.
Face to face approach
I would most definitely choose the fact to face approach with the families. The subject at hand is too delicate to discuss over the phone, send an email, send a video, writing a memo, or sending a text. Although this is a business, it needs to relate to this audience because their loved ones are trapped. I would also take this same approach to address the employees. You will need to look them in the eyes and assure them of the
References: Metal Bulletin Daily; 8/6/2010, Issue 224, p65-65, 1p http://www.livescience.com/11169-chile-collapse-facts-amazing-survival-story.html