Communication is at the core of how humans exist, and it’s key to how we’ve survived as a species. However, good, clear, and effective communication skills aren’t ingrained in our DNA, effective communication skills are learned behaviors and habits. If communicating with other humans wasn’t challenging enough, our modern society’s business norms don’t make it any easier. Learn three of the most common communication problems in business and how to solve them on the job.
1. Information Overload
There’s a lot of work to get done, and despite your best efforts with many tools, managing everything can be overwhelming. Your phone is constantly buzzing, email alerts are chiming, and meeting reminders won’t quit. All the tools developed to facilitate our communication are now clashing in this environment, creating a problematic cacophony. Adopting virtual numbers could be a strategic move to address this issue. For example, employing a virtual phone number in Mexico enables teams to maintain a local presence seamlessly, without installing physical lines across different locations. This approach ensures efficient and streamlined communication, especially crucial in dynamic markets like Mexico City, where businesses benefit from local engagement.
Similarly, as colleagues adopt their preferred communication methods, you might need help with mismatched information. It becomes crucial for your organization to understand precisely which tools are being used, when, and why. If your IT team has chosen the Microsoft suite, the options are extensive. Digitally savvy team members might start exploring and using niche apps, while others stick to familiar tools like Outlook. This divergence in tool usage can cause project delays and performance issues, as some team members need help with platforms that are not universally comfortable or familiar.
To be successful, identify which core tools your organization uses in a policy document. While this might seem unnecessarily rigid, consider it your north star or governing document. This lengthy file will provide a decision guide for tool usage across the enterprise. All team members will be expected to abide by it and review it annually along with other policies and procedures.
Requiring people to do something doesn’t mean they’ll comply—just look at speed limit signs. Collaborate with your tool power users and training department to set your team up for success. Use a screen recorder to capture the step-by-step process that the user will need when they use the tool. Show how to add tasks to Microsoft Planner, point out quirks with your booking site, and highlight unique features. This provides a consistent overview of the experience and reduces the need for peers to provide ad-hoc training. A recording will always be available for reference.
2. Misalignment With the Organization’s Values and Purpose
Any difference between what one says and what one does will tarnish any message, no matter how polished. If you’ve curated your organization’s values statement, branding the walls and letterhead, yet not living it, you have a problem. Take an honest assessment of how effective your internal communications and leadership communications strategy is today. Identify potential silos, hierarchical issues, and misalignment between behaviors and stated values.
No organization is perfect, but consider this the first step toward improving your business and the health of your team. When organizations are misaligned, it can lead to poor performance, lacking engagement, and attrition. Teams might lose momentum toward achieving deadlines, provide lackluster customer service, or stop trying altogether. Turn the tide with an effective internal communication strategy that your executive team and front-line managers can support.
Collaborate with your front-line managers to develop this strategy and resist the urge to pre-solution the plan. Your managers have the perspective of their folks on the ground floor that even the most in-touch executive won’t have. Next, get feedback from the organization on what gaps exist and ask for specific ideas. Keep the survey anonymous, and ask your managers to nurture your request for 100% participation. This extra effort will help you get the best range of insight so you can create something using everyone’s input.
Use this data to draft a structure that supports your stated values, empowering everyone to live and reinforce them. Incorporate your shared language into how you operate and how you serve your end customer. Update your performance evaluation process to assess team member’s adherence to these values. If you value candid feedback, offer it, expect it, and reinforce it, even if it’s hard to hear. Model the values and culture you state to improve team trust and communication throughout the organization.
3. Relevancy of the Message and Timing
No one wants to be out of the loop, but it’s an issue that’s all-too-common, even among close-knit teams. Call it gatekeeping, trade secret, or self-preservation, many people like to keep information close to the vest. While discretion is often appreciated, a lack of information often causes confusion, worry, and mistrust.
Set an expectation of what information is communicated and when. Determine what channels you’ll use to disseminate it, using your policy document to guide your decision. Strive to make information accessible to all, taking into account job types and tools. If you have employees who work outdoors, use print communication posted in their break room or delivered by their manager. Teams using their computer might appreciate email, but a post on your intranet might be easier to find.
Decide when to deliver updates, too, prioritizing message timeliness and following up on prior promises. If you have a quarterly board meeting, commit to providing a wrap-up within two business days. These meetings often result in decision points that your team will implement, so timeliness is key to their job. Collaborate with your communications team and assistants to identify a calendar and process to keep you consistent.
Understand and Break Down Communication Blocks to Reach Your Fullest Potential
When you focus on understanding what’s beneath the surface of your business communication problems, you can begin to solve them. Get curious about the day-to-day challenges your team is facing and observe their experiences first-hand. Implement improvements to your business communication processes with transparency, equipping your leadership team to lead by example. When you do, you’ll build trust, gain support, and break down communication barriers, clearing the path toward success.
