The Meaning of a Word
The meanings of words are based on
the receivers’ perspective, on what the word means to him/her. In the 160th Special Operations Aviation
Regiment (Airborne), the soldiers are known as the “Night Stalkers.” A common phrase which is used throughout the
workplace is “Night Stalkers Don’t Quit.”
These words can be interpreted in many ways by the receiver. These four words serve a purpose though. As any military organization, it is rich in
history and pride, built on sacrifices made throughout the years. But what is in context is important to the
organization. It creates a mindset
throughout the organization and Special Operations community. The context of the message is very important
for the employees of the organization to understand. Managers must be able to develop an intuitive
understanding of their employees, so as little misinterpretation occurs. Perceptions are key to the success of the
organizations mission, and managers must be able to base this perception by
understanding the tone and context that does not match their own
perception. Carefully managing the
employee expectations is dependent on the message sequence. In this case, “Don’t Quit Night Stalkers,”
might sound more of a statement and order, then how receivers perceive “Night
Stalkers Don’t Quit.” Note that
employees have vastly different interpretations of the same announcement
depending on their expectations (Clampitt, 2016, p. 19). As mentioned, employees have different
interpretations of the same words. These
four words may have a deep meaning on an employee which has served in the unit
for 15 years, then an employee with less than 1 year. The way the message is framed is as important
to the meaning of the words. For
instance, if managers are describing a situation in which many sacrifices were
made, or how harsh the conditions were, it frames the message. In this context, the mission continued,
although more difficult, but quit was not in the vocabulary. Although a stressful situation may be
encountered, the motivation for the employees to push through it,
increases. Also, the proper message must
be sculpted, to accentuate certain interpretations. The term “Night Stalker Don’t Quit,”
accentuate that the mission and cargo are the greatest concern and arriving +/-
30 seconds to any objective around the world is expected. Never surrender, never leave a fallen comrade
behind, or embarrass your country, are all accentuating words and phrases used
to interpret “Night Stalker Don’t Quit.”
Managers must also pay attention to the secondary messages. When managers provide feedback, or
constructive criticism, they must pay attention to the reactions and responses
of their employees. If a response seems
out of context to the issue at hand, then the employee may be unable to focus
on the prominent issues at hand. The way
managers in this organization communicate, is the dance approach. In some instances, direct one-way
communication is necessary, as in the Arrow approach, and sometimes because of
the close relationships which are built by unit cohesion, the Circuit approach
is used. The circuit approach is widely
used because of the natural affinity, and the encouragement by teachers, as
Clampitt (2016) points out, because it “highlights the importance of feedback
and interaction” (p. 38). The Dance approach compares communication with
dancing. Both are alike, with patterns,
movement, creativity, and have a wide variety of reasons. This approach combines the results-based communication,
like the Arrow approach, and the understanding communication in the Circuit
approach. The goals of communication
have a wide variety, and it involves many criterias to be successful. Communication involves the coordination of
meanings, co-orientation, is rule governed, development of unconscious skills,
and a patterned activity. The Dance
approach allows managers to combine the Arrow and Circuit approach, getting
results with limited amount of concern about the employee relationship. There are also not concerned about immediate
results but establish the patterns of sustained success. Attached in figure 1 is the Night Stalker
Creed, which exemplifies the meaning of “Night Stalkers Don’t Quit.”
Figure 1. Night Stalker Creed (United States Army
Special Operations Command, 2018) .
References
Clampitt, P. G. (2016). Communicating for
managerial effectiveness: challenges, strategies, solutions (6 ed.).
Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
United States Army Special Operations Command. (2018).
160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). Retrieved from
www.soc.mil: http://www.soc.mil/USASOAC/160th.html
