Organizational Communication

The third and final kind of communication that will be discussed in this blog is organizational communication. Organizational communication refers to all of the physical items that communicate a message relating to an organization. A sample of these items is depicted in the above collage - things like answering machines, web pages, church signs, letterheads, bulletins, and PowerPoint presentations could all be considered pieces of organizational communication.

It is important to take into consideration what each piece of media from your organization is communicating to others. The quality, positioning, availability, and wording will all play a role in how other people view your organization. Churches especially need to make sure that their organizational communication supports and lines up with their mission and vision. Take the church sign above for example - I'm fairly sure that the message the church is trying to communicate is not coming across clearly.

Here are some examples of communication in church bulletins that comes across differently than it was intended:

• Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
• The outreach committee has enlisted 25 visitors to make calls on people who are not afflicted with any church.
• Evening massage - 6 p.m.
• The Pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday morning.
• The audience is asked to remain seated until the end of the recession.
• Low Self-Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 to 8:30 p.m. Please use the back door.
• Ushers will eat latecomers.
• The third verse of Blessed Assurance will be sung without musical accomplishment.
• For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
• The Rev. Merriwether spoke briefly, much to the delight of the audience.
• The pastor will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing, "Break Forth Into Joy."
• During the absence of our pastor, we enjoyed the rare privilege of hearing a good sermon when J.F. Stubbs supplied our pulpit.
• Next Sunday Mrs. Vinson will be soloist for the morning service. The pastor will then speak on "It's a Terrible Experience."
• Due to the Rector's illness, Wednesday's healing services will be discontinued until further notice.
• Stewardship Offertory: "Jesus Paid It All"
• The music for today's service was all composed by George Friedrich Handel in celebration of the 300th anniversary of his birth.
• Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.
• The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the church basement on Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
• The concert held in Fellowship Hall was a great success. Special thanks are due to the minister's daughter, who labored the whole evening at the piano, which as usual fell upon her.
• 22 members were present at the church meeting held at the home of Mrs. Marsha Crutchfield last evening. Mrs. Crutchfield and Mrs. Rankin sang a duet, The Lord Knows Why.
• A song fest was hell at the Methodist church Wednesday.
• Today's Sermon: HOW MUCH CAN A MAN DRINK? with hymns from a full choir.
• Hymn 43: "Great God, what do I see here?"
  Preacher: The Rev. Horace Blodgett
  Hymn 47: "Hark! an awful voice is sounding"
• On a church bulletin during the minister's illness: GOD IS GOOD Dr. Hargreaves is better.
• Potluck supper: prayer and medication to follow.
• Don't let worry kill you off - let the church help.
• The 1997 Spring Council Retreat will be hell May 10 and 11.
• Pastor is on vacation. Massages can be given to church secretary.
  Taken from: http://www.bible-reading.com/bulletin.html

These are humorous examples of miscommunication involving organizational communication, but these situations are not always humorous. Churches should endeavor to represent themselves and the Lord well through their use of organizational communication.

It is worthwhile for churches to preform an annual audit on all of their communications, both external and internal, to make sure that they are still serving their purpose and being effective.