Take
a moment to browse online job postings, and you will see the same item listed
recurrently under “Qualifications”: namely, effective communication skills. As
important as this capacity is for
prospective employees, it is even more vital
for businesses of every size. This obtains both for interactions with external
stakeholders, and within an organization. No team, regardless of the talent and
expertise of its personnel, can expect to achieve its potential unless
information transfers seamlessly and comprehensibly among its members.
Although
many of the requirements of functional internal communication are common sense,
you may find the following guidelines useful:
•
Invoke the KISS principle.
When
you initiate communication, take a moment to consider whether the information
you intend to convey is presented in the simplest, most concise, most
unambiguous form possible. Is there any room for misunderstanding or
misinterpretation? “Keep it simple and specific” is a useful guideline here.
Concision is also advantageous in most situations.
•
Accuracy is indispensable.
Double-check
e-mails and other documents before you distribute them. If you have doubts
about any aspect of the material, seek confirmation either by doing research on
your own, or by consulting a colleague. Accuracy is paramount for effectiveness
in communication, for two reasons: first, because inaccuracy can compound into
missteps and delays that cost time and money; and second, because repeated
errors on your part may erode the trust that others place in you. It is
generally worthwhile to take a bit of time to ensure accuracy now, rather than
spend a lot of time trying to correct mistakes (and repair any damage to your
reputation) later.
•
Maintain records of important instructions and agreements.
Communicate in both verbal and written form.
Even if
you’re confident that you understand what you’ve been told, or believe you’ve
made yourself perfectly clear, it is important to make use of documentation
rather than simply rely on memory. If, as an employer, you have to convey
complex instructions to an employee that involve multiple steps, write them
down in clear, succinct language. (Recall the “KISS” principle.) The same
advice applies to employees who need to communicate information up the chain of
command.
•
Keep communications relevant to the recipient.
The
human brain has a remarkable capacity to “zone out”, discounting intelligence
it deems irrelevant. This is an adaptive evolutionary trait; for our distant
ancestors, the ability to identify crucial facts, and save mental energy by
omitting unimportant or superfluous ones, was a prerequisite for survival.
However, in our modern civilization, this immanent skill can occasionally
backfire; by skimming a lengthy document in order to save time, for instance,
we risk overlooking information that is
relevant to us.
One
of the ways for managers to avoid this pitfall is by tailoring communications
to each recipient, with specific details or instructions. This practice also
sends a tacit signal that employers acknowledge and appreciate the unique
contribution of every individual.
•
Who reports to whom?
All
staff should know exactly to whom they are accountable, and for whom they are
responsible. As the scale of a company or organization increases, this factor
becomes all the more necessary. It is axiomatic that communication should occur
through the proper channels, but what are the proper channels? Aim to ensure
that everyone who works in your business can answer that question without a
moment’s doubt or hesitation.
•
Details matter. But never lose sight of the big picture.
