Communication and Collaboration Strategy

Communication and Collaboration Strategy

Communication and collaboration are considered to be vital components in any successful organization, but as with many important elements of an organization that has achieved success there are sometimes obstacles to overcome. Interaction between individuals with different learning styles and personality types are two such obstacles that can be a challenging task to conquer.

A Harvard University professor by the name of Howard Gardner purposed in 1983 his theory of Multiple Intelligences that suggested humans actually have additional ways that information entering their mind is processed or different learning styles (Carter, Bishop & Kravits, 2007). One of these styles is Logical-Mathematical, which is the ability to problem solve and understand logical reasoning. Communication with this individual could consist of explaining details sequentially or writing an outline of instructions. Another learning style is Musical, which gives a person the aptitude to understand sound or identify patterns. This type of learning style would communicate well when putting things or ideas to rhythm or organizing in a specific pattern. Interpersonal is a learning style that relates and has good interaction with others. Discussing things in a group setting would provide good lines of communication in addition to allow this person to teach or train other people. Although having communication between all three would be difficult, placing these individuals into a discussion group where the data could be arranged in a specific pattern of operation and at the same time maintain a sequentially outline of instruction you would be able to maintain a level of communication that would be adequate for these three learning styles.

The other obstacle mentioned was personality types. Each individual has their own specific personality trait that identifies something about them. One of the more common types is the organizer. The organizer...