After going through my classmate Trang lee’s blog, something interesting caught my attention. The blog discussed the most appropriate channel downsizing. “People may interpret the same message differently depending on the way it was communicated and it is extremely important for an employer to find an appropriate communication channel and to maintain a balance between directness and compassion when delivering the bad news to employees.” the blog concluded. Doubtlessly, it is important for us to choose the correct channel when we are trying to delivery message.
In the movie Up in the air, Keener makes several mistakes throughout the film due to her lack of communication skills. Firstly, when she is asked to accompany Bingham in downsizing, she is very nervous and unable to be genuine. With tunnel vision, Natalie follows the downsizing procedures and techniques without understanding the deeper meaning of why certain words and gestures are used. For example, they are supposed to talk about the benefits of being unemployed such as the freedom to chase your dreams or start a new career path while maintaining a calm and relaxed body language. Keener’s anxious demeanor and lack of control lead an employee to proclaim that she will commit suicide and eventually, she does. A more experienced person like Bingham would have known what to say and how to act to avoid severe situations like this one. He understands the importance of being genuine, truthful, and even vulnerable in interpersonal communication. In a more personal scenario, Keener aggressively tells Ryan that he needs to be closer to his unofficial girlfriend Alex. When Ryan refuses to take her advice, Natalie becomes furious and leaves. Natalie has very little knowledge of the whole situation because she does not know Alex or what their relationship entails. Eventually, Ryan does take her advice but ends up heartbroken because Alex is already married and did not want anything serious. Keener used her trusting relationship with Bingham to convince him of her own opinion and it ended badly.