Connecting, but not communicating!?
I always get annoyed when people are on their phones while out with friends. It seems like these little gadgets always have priority. Although, made to enable interaction, at times I think they only drive people further apart. With the explosion of media and cross channel communication we can reach anyone, anytime regardless of time and space. But, I cannot stop and ask have we really mastered communication? Research[1] shows that with higher usage of technology we suppress our soft skills. Has the new way of interacting actually decreased the overall quality of communication?
Business communication
The international business has utilized advances in communication and transportation technology for economies of scope and scale. The interconnected business environment bridges employers, employees and clients across the globe. But technology itself does not ensure for messages being transmitted and understood.
The Forbes report[1] on adapting strategy to the changing economy found that high performers create twice as many formal communication plans for project execution in comparison to low performers. Additionally the Project Management Institute[2] (2013) reports that half of the unsuccessful projects fail due to ineffective communication.
“It takes two to tango”
It should come as no surprise that 92% of CEOs recognize communications as critical to the success of strategic initiatives[1]. Emphasize on communication for success is even greater when collaborating with an external partner. In the outsourcing industry where part of the business is entrusted to an external partner open and clear communication is crucial! The ability to effectively understand client’s preferences and communicate them among employees is top quality of the leading service providers. Most importantly, the communication should flow both directions: from the buyer to the provider and the other way round. Taking the time to develop effective communication channels drives numerous benefits for the business, on both the providers and buyers side:
- Key factor for attracting and attaining quality workforce;
- Builds trust and long-term partnerships with clients;
- Strengthens the qualities of the employees creating team synergies;
- Provides clear vision;
- Encourages pro-active behavior;
In the next article we’ll focus on step by step strategies and mechanisms for effective communication drawing on personal experience with my team. In meantime share your thoughts below. How do you communicate with your team and business partners? What are the biggest struggles you encounter?I leave you with a quote from James Thurber:
“Precision of communication is important, more important than ever, in our era of hair trigger balances, when a false or misunderstood word may create as much disaster as a sudden thoughtless act.”
Something to think about.
