It is believed that staff will use their skills trained to help in running the day to day affairs of the University. Mr. Nyan stated that an organizational communication can be both External Communication and Internal Communication. He explained that Internal Communication is within the organization, whereas, External Communication is communication with the external stakeholders of the organization.
Participants also learnt that communication in organization uses two basic channels, formal and informal. Both are important and both carry messages, sometimes reinforcing and sometimes conflicting throughout the organization.
It was also noted that the downward message consists primarily of information which is necessary for any staff to carry-out their work, such as policies and procedures, orders and requests which are passed down the appropriate level in the hierarchy. Upward messages are reports, requests, opinions, complaints. Horizontal messages are between different departments, functions or people at the same level in the organization.
During the second phase participants applied the skills they gained from the first phase to practice how to write a standardize reference number. This gave room for participants to ask questions that baffled their minds on Reference numbering.
The second phase of the training also focused on mail and correspondence Management. Time/Stress Management and Interpersonal skills/Attitude to work.
It was learnt that the general principles of records management applied to records in any format. Digital records (almost always referred to as electronic records) raised specific issues. It was noted that is more difficult to ensure that the content, context and structure of records is preserved and protected when the records do not have a physical existence.
Mr. Nyan stated that Records Management means the planning, controlling, directing, organizing, training, promoting, and other managerial activities involved with respect to records creation, maintenance, use, and disposition in order to achieve adequate and proper documentation of the policies and transactions.
It was noted that sometime ago , “records management” was sometimes used to refer only to the management of records which were no longer in everyday use but still needed to be kept “semi-current”, or 'inactive' records, often stored in basements or offsite. More modern usage tends to refer to the entire “lifecycle” of records from the point of creation right through until their eventual disposal.
Speaking on “Time Management and Stress Management”, Mr. Nyan mentioned that It is how people respond to stress that determines whether they will profit from misfortune or be miserable. “Try this exercise to organize, reduce and prioritize the number of events in your life, organize and prioritise your tasks to reduce your stress. He added.
He advised participants to be self- decipline and avoid procrastination. He told participants that scheduling would help them focus on their priorities and by focusing on starting tasks rather than completing them, procrastination could be avoided.
He said time management can become an overwhelming task, and that when you do not have control over your own self, you can not control time. Begin with task-oriented self-discipline and build from there, he stated.
In the second phase, Mr. Kofi Nyan outlined the management process and strategy used during interviews and advised participants to be abreast of information around them.