Knowing Your Audience

There are many ways to communicate, the approach, and channel used to deliver the message can have a major impact on the way it is interpreted or received. The various ways of communicating can be interpreted differently depending upon numerous characteristics, such as culture, peers, gender, and social class to name a few. It is very important when presenting or sending one specific message to multiple audiences that one sends the message to satisfy the needs of each audience appropriately. A disappointing message can be difficult to communicate, because of the emotions attached with the message being sent. In a situation when it is necessary that an emotionally difficult message has to be communicated, it is an obligation of the sender to include adequate important information. Unrelated or unnecessary information should not be included within the message being presented to avoid misinterpretation.

"A small copper operation in northern Chile owned by Minera San Esteban Primera, suffered a cave-in on August 5, 2010, leaving 33 workers trapped underground" (Weik, Juan, 2010). With the occurrence of the cave-in taking place while these employees were on-the-job, the mining company, Minera San Esteban Primera took on the responsibility for communicating the message in regard to the incident to the families of the trapped workers and the company's employees. The same specific message needs to be conveyed to both audiences, but for the message to be received as intended; two different styles of communication must be taken in consideration. The company spokesperson's delivery of the message to the families of the trapped mine workers, and to the employees of the company, may consider using the "extemporaneous" style, through a face-to-face channel.

Communicating this disappointing message to the families of the trapped mine workers, one should deliver the message through the channel of face-to-face communication because any other channel will not display sincerity in regard to the miners being trapped. The use of extemporaneous style is how the announcement should be conveyed, because this "style is the most versatile of all the styles" (Thomas Cheesebro, Linda O'Connor, Francisco Rios, 2010). This particular delivery will allow the families to feel as they are being directly spoken to, so the company will show that they are emotionally involved with rescuing the miners. In other words it will present a sense of urgency to bring a sort of calm to the families. For the message to be received how it is intended, these are the necessary considerations. In addition, to the considerations of the needs of the mine workers families, the message must include only pertinent information. Communicating the message to the loved ones of the 33 trapped workers is a sensitive message to relay, so it has to be handled with care.

The disaster affected not only the trapped mine workers and their families,