Bcom 275 Knowing Your Audience

Knowing Your Audience
Kyndall Scribner
BCOM/275
9/17/2012
Sandra Norris

Knowing your audience is a key factor when communicating. When delivering a message one needs to consider the role of the audience receiving the message. Family members, friends, and co-workers need to be aware of the situation. We need to take into consideration who we are going to be speaking to and their ages. This message needs to be delivered sensitively and with care. We need to consider their emotions and feelings, but include information and facts. When presenting this message about the incident to the families it would be best to do it face-to-face. Hopefully, this would show that the company cares about its workers and their families. The families would need emotional support and someone to talk to I imagine. I would make sure that there was a grief counselor on site to help the families through this hard time. It would be best to keep others out of the loop and give the family the respect they deserve. Often when delivering this kind of message others may want to know and it often causes loved ones to become upset or angered. We want to keep this situation as calm as we can due to the circumstances. When presenting this message to the company’s employees I believe it would be best to call a formal face-to-face meeting. I would also put together some sort of letter or memo for the employees. In the meeting I would discuss the evacuation or rescue process, so that they know what is to happen. I would then explain to them what is going to take place after the evacuation process has been completed. I would ensure them that their families have been made aware of the ongoing situation. This should show that the company cares about its employees as well as their families. I would offer or provide counseling to those who may need or want it. Before this message is delivered I would make sure that our information and facts are correct. It is important that our information is correct and that no false information has been given out by company. If the company had false information it could upset employees and their families and the company could lose business or employees and so on. The company should then document all of the information on the incident. After this they should safeguard their information, so that people found out in an appropriate manner. If a person found out from someone else that their loved one was involved they would more than likely be upset. In other words timing would be the key when dealing with this incident. Families of the Miners: face-to-face
August 5, 2010
I am saddened to announce to you that one of our copper mines has collapsed and has left 33 miners trapped 300 meters underground. The rescuers are working to locate the miners and determine their conditions. We will keep you updated on the situation as we find out the locations of the miners and their conditions. Once we do locate the miners we are going to drill a hole and supply them with food, water, medical supplies, and a communication device. Please try and remain calm at this time as we are trying to do our best and give you information as it comes. We will do our best to bring them home safely to you. If anyone needs to talk to someone about this tragedy we have counselors available. Employees: Memo
August 5, 2010 Dear employees,
I am saddened to tell you all that one of our copper mines has collapsed. Thirty-three of our miners are trapped three hundred feet underground. We are doing our best to locate them. Once we locate them we will determine their conditions and then release information to you all and the families of the miners. Our main goal is to locate them and make sure they are all safe. Once we rescue all of the miners we are going to shut down this copper mine due to the collapse. I believe this is the best thing to do. I understand this is a sad time for most, but let’s try and remain calm. If any of you need someone to talk to or support there will be a grief counselor and a therapist available.

Reference
Weik, J. (2010). Over 30 workers trapped after Chilean copper mine collapse. Metal Bulletin Daily, (224), 65.