Communication — Getting the Job Done

By Marcia Bosma, Verdugo Hills and Harborlites Choruses, Regions 11 and 21

Is there anyone out there who can honestly say that they joined Sweet Adelines because of the fabulous Standing Rules or because they wanted to be in charge of deciding the brand of panty hose that the chorus will wear? Of course not! We all joined because we loved to sing. Having said that, it is also clear that decisions regarding the communication of the minutiae (and “not-so-minutiae”) are necessary at times. The job of communicating this information frequently belongs to the leaders of the chapter, although it could be argued that it is the responsibility of each chorus member.

I’m reminded of a quote from the 1967 movie, Cool Hand Luke: “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.”
I chose that quote to begin this article because it is vitally important that we not allow the failure to communicate to be one of the problems that prevent our chapters from being successful. Even though we joined to sing, communication is such a key element in the running of our organization that a chorus’ success is frequently dependent upon it.

In thinking about communication within our choruses, two completely different aspects stand out: 1) the communication of information to our members and 2) face-to-face communication between leaders and members. In this article, I will be focusing on both of these areas of communication.

Communicating Information To Our Members

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all the information that our members needed could be communicated telepathically? That way, everyone would show up at the right place at the right time, wearing the correct costume and make-up, and they would know which songs to sing. Then we could just blow the pitch and sing. But since we aren’t telepathic, the job of communicating information regarding upcoming events and chorus business must be done. Not communicating this kind of information can put stress on our members. But with a good “plan” everyone can receive the facts and reduce that stress.

As chapter leaders, remember a few things:

• Not everyone has access to e-mail, so make sure that those members are not left out of the loop. A phone tree for those people is a good alternative.

• If your chapter is one that distributes multiple reams of paper each week, some things will go home in the chorus bag and never be read. At the very least, mention what you have distributed.

• Some people are auditory learners and have the need to hear the information.

• Disseminating information in several ways is the best way to ensure that all of your members will know what is going on.

Face-to-Face Communication Between Leaders and Members

Communicating is a very complex thing. We send messages even when we don’t realize it, because face-to-face communication is so much more than the words we use. In fact, studies have shown that only 7 percent of our communication comes from our verbal messages. Nonverbal messages make up the other 93 percent, with vocal cues (tone of voice, pitch, volume, etc.) accounting for 38 percent and body language the remaining 55 percent.

What this information means to you is that you must be constantly vigilant about the messages you are communicating to the others around you. And this applies to everyone in the chorus, not just the leaders. Remember that your guests are judging the chorus not just by its leaders but by the messages they receive from everyone — and those messages are frequently the ones you send when you roll your eyes, breathe a heavy sigh, or even talk out of turn on the risers.

If you are a leader or aspire to be a leader, here are a few suggestions to help you establish a positive communication flow with the members of the chorus:

• Use clear, concise, positive language when talking with fellow chorus members.

• Remember that sincerity is a trait that others look for in their leaders.

• Be aware that when your words conflict with your nonverbal messages, the nonverbal messages win.

• Follow through. If you agree to do something, do it. If you find that you cannot do it, give an explanation as to why not.

• Keep your members up to date. If the chorus is behind schedule and needs a little push, tell the members. Sometimes that’s all it takes to motivate your team.

• Be a role model. Many times a chorus emulates its leaders. Try behaving, talking, dressing and acting the way you would like your chorus members to behave.

• Give feedback when needed. If there is a need to critique someone’s performance on a task they were assigned, provide specific examples of what they did incorrectly rather than generalizing. Give positive feedback when deserved, too.

• Get feedback. Ask someone you trust to monitor your communication weaknesses. Perhaps you have had a specific problem area — ask them to watch for that.

• Work on your weak areas.

* * *

Even if you are not a leader in your chorus and have no desire to become one, the communication skills which have been briefly (very briefly) discussed above can help you in your everyday interpersonal communication. If you do have aspirations to become a Sweet Adelines leader, then there are educational opportunities for you to learn the skills that will help you communicate better with your fellow members. A couple of years ago at IES, I remember seeing Dale Syverson attending a class on Smart Leadership. When I mentioned that I was surprised to see her in that class, she replied that she thought that chorus directors needed those kinds of classes as much as the musical ones. It’s all part of “getting the job done.”

If the reason we joined Sweet Adelines was for the music, then the last thing we need is “failure to communicate.

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