Kelly was instructed by her manager, Ira, during a coffee break not to share an e-mail with anyone since it contained proprietary information. Later, another manager, Jon, asked her to forward that e-mail since it was related to the work he was doing. He told Kelly that Ira had approved of him using the e-mail. Without asking for a written request, Kelly forwarded the e-mail to Jon. When Ira discovered this, she held Kelly responsible for insubordination and refused to believe her story. In the context of the communication between Jon and Kelly, which of the following is a disadvantage of oral communication that led to Kelly's difficult situation?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The disadvantage of oral communication in this scenario is that it allows no scope for a permanent record of the conversation. Since Jon and Kelly did not have a written request from Ira to forward the email, Kelly had no evidence to prove that she was instructed to do so. If the instructions were given in writing, Kelly could have shown it to Ira as proof of her innocence.

Kelly Was Instructed by Her Manager, Ira, During a Coffee