University of Maryland, College Park

Pearl Diving Assignment 3

Yasmin Moez

Communication for Project Managers: ENCE424

Dr. Shana Webster-Trotman

October 26, 2019

Introduction
Throughout this semester, I have learned concepts and skills that will allow me to flourish
as a project manager. These include how to engage in a crucial conversation and reach a successful
solution by making it safe, stating with the heart, and reestablishing mutual purpose. In addition, I
have realized the important influence principles that are vital for a leader. Throughout this essay,
I will explore how I have developed as a result of the understandings gained from crafting an email
expressing my disappointment towards my team’s performance, reviewing important classroom
concepts on influence principles, navigating a crucial conversation scenario, and taking the Big
Five personality assessment.

Team Email

Team,
I have noticed some disappointing behavior that has begun to reflect poorly on the
overall performance of our team. As you know, I have been with the company for over 20 years. I
have shaped and help support workers at all points in their career to sharpen their skills and
ultimately lead and execute successful projects of their own. It should come as no surprise why I
have not been pleased with the performance on our projects with our last clients.
Prior to this, we have successfully executed 8 projects from initiation to completion, while
staying within time, scope, budget, and good client relations. As such, I know that everyone on
this team is capable and vital, bringing a unique set of skills and techniques that allow us to live
up to our reputation. As of late, our reputation has begun to be compromised by unprofessional
behavior. Behavior such as, turning in work and project updates late without any explanation,
handing off and signing off on below standard work, and being absent from work in some
instances.
I understand that there may be issues that affect us and bleed into our professional lives. I
welcome these concerns and will be accommodating to urgent and difficult situations. I will not
however allow for work that is below your standards, as well as mine. Our reputation is worth far
too much to be tarnished over behavior such as this. I expect and have seen far better work than
what has been handed off recently.
I anticipate seeing everyone working towards rebuilding and improving our reputation
through more thoughtful work, better management, and understanding proper boundaries. I look
forward to working towards this goal with all of you and supporting each other along the way. Our
new project is a large client, so let us show them what we really are capable of.

Regards,

Yasmin Moez
Project Manager

Classroom Concept
An important concept from the classroom activity this week would be the different aspects
that are necessary in being a leader. According to Cialdini, these include reciprocity, consistency,
social proofing, credibility & authority, likeability, and scarcity.
Reciprocity is the idea that people tend to return kindness with kindness. This means that
it will be easier to have workers and coworkers to help you in stressful times or complete an
assignment on short notice if you have treated them kindly or helped them in the past. This is
important in being a project manager because short notice deadlines or project updates can come
up often throughout projects. Therefore, practicing reciprocity allows for these instances to go over
more smoothly and efficiently.
Consistency is the theory that you should do what you say or else you will lose credibility.
If someone were to react to requests for time off differently depending on the pressure of that
period, they would become much less credible leaders because they are shown to be incapable of
sticking to rules and regulations themselves. In terms of being a project leader, this is very
important because the more credible you are, the more your team would be receptive to your
demands and requests.
Social proofing is how people tend to behave in the way they see other people behaving.
This is why people may be more likely to follow a path that has others already on it. This is vital
in being a project manager because it creates a sense of unity and mutuality between you and your
project team.
Credibility & Authority is the social behavior where people are more inclined to listen to,
respect, and follow orders from a credible authority figure. This would explain such practices as
soldiers in the army fighting other forces with questionable tactics on orders from their country,
which is something they would not otherwise do. This is useful for being a project lead because it
means that your team are more accepting of your requests simply for being a credible authority.
Likeability is how people listen more to and are more easily persuaded by people who they
like, whether it be because of physical appearance, confidence, speaking ability, or kindness. It is
evident in most retail stores, where the salespeople tend to be outgoing, helpful, well dressed, as
well as trying to make a sale. In regard to managing projects because it means that if you make
more of an effort to be more likeable and personable, people you work with, whether it be
coworkers or team members, they will be more receptive to your requests.
Scarcity is where people want and prefer a product that is rarer, whether limited by the time
or number available. This is why limited-edition items are more sought out after and in demand.
This is advantageous in being a project lead because it allows for the use of time limited bonus
opportunities for completing tasks before an impromptu deadline, making the team more flexible
and accommodating.
Influence tactics such as reciprocity, consistency, social proofing, credibility & authority,
likeability, and scarcity were important ideas from this week’s classroom activity. They are
necessary for being a successful leader. They allow for more efficient and successful projects to
be completed.

Crucial Conversations Scenario

First, it would be vital to realize that safety has been compromised in this moment and must
be reestablished to engage in a constructive conversation (Patterson et al 54). To do so I would say
“I understand that you are upset at my level of work on the assignment and I apologize for that. I
assure you that I did not intend to put you in a compromising position, just as I know you do not
mean to be defensive. Can we focus what we all want, to improve our level of work from here on.”
I believe that this establishes safety because it starts with the heart and refocuses everyone’s
attention on the initial goal, rather than the content of what was said. Also, it appeals to ethos
because it calls upon our rational and reputation to help find a mutual purpose.
Next, I would assure my boss of our intent and respect of the company through contrasting
by saying, “I do not want you to think that I am not capable or do not respect you, since I have had
6 successful projects in the past executed smoothly of the 7 I have been given. I do believe that
requiring constant check ins, project updates, and reviews decreases productivity and morale.”
This statement clarifies my purpose and intent wo avoid any misunderstanding or confusion. Also,
it appeals to logos and ethos because I recount the high percentage of successful projects I have
completed, as well as recounting my previous work as an example of my character.
Lastly, I would suggest a solution for the way that both my boss and I feel. I would say, “I
believe that a promising route to look towards would be where I would turn over more thorough
updates, and you come to trust my work and judgement based on my previous successes. I believe
that this will allow for better quality work and a more productive work environment.” This allows
for a solution that benefits all involved. In addition, it appeals to pathos by describing the
opportunities possible, and ethos by calling upon my credibility.

Big Five Personality Assessment

Understanding how you are inclined to behave, can help you anticipate certain undesirable
behavior and improve upon yourself. The Big Five personality test review your answers are
determine your personality based on 5 principles called OCEAN; openness, conscientiousness,
extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.
After taking the test I found that my results were; openness: 60%, conscientiousness: 46%,
extraversion: 52%, agreeableness: 37.5%, and neuroticism: 58%. I agree with most of the results,
since I know that I tend to over think and analyze things, thereby explaining my 58% neuroticism.
I also enjoy complex ideas and theories, explaining the 60% openness. I know that I am an
introvert, explaining the lower score of 52% for extraversion. I am surprised at my agreeableness
scoring being so low at 37.5%, since I am empathetic and understanding of others’ needs.
The Big Five personality test scores have similarities and differences to the Jung
personality profile and the DISC personality assessment. For example, both all of the personality
tests determine how we perceive and interact with the world around us. The Big Five and DISC
personality tests determine how well a criterion describes your personality, based on percentage.
The Jung personality test on the other hand, chooses the trait the describes you most between
different options. Across all tests, I was found to be more analytical and overthinking, based on
58% neuroticism, 33% compliant, and judging from all 3 tests. According to the Big Five and Jung
test, I am more concerned with the big picture rather than details; 60% openness and judging.
However, the DISC test describes me as preferring the details based on 33% compliant.
The benefit of taking different types of personality assessments allows for a more well-
rounded understanding of how you tend to think and behave in normal situations, as well as high
pressure ones. This in turn allows you to better avoid potentially compromising or difficult
situations.

Conclusion
Because of the understandings gained from crafting an email expressing my
disappointment towards my team’s performance, reviewing important classroom concepts on
influence principles, navigating a crucial conversation scenario, and taking the Big Five
personality assessment, I believe that I have developed my communication skills. I understand
how to better navigate a crucial conversation, influence principles help shape a leader, and
understanding my personality breakdown helps to avoid miscommunication. As a result of the
insights gained, I will be able to use these concepts to better achieve my professional and personal
goals.
 Works Cited

“Cialdini's 6 Principles of Influence - Explanation and Examples.” Conceptually,

https://conceptually.org/concepts/6-principles-of-influence.

Patterson, Kerry, et al. Crucial Conversations. 2nd ed., McGraw Hill, 2012.