What is Effective Communication?
In its simplest of forms communication can be defined as a sender providing a message to a receiver. One must also consider several factors that complicate communication; such as the format of the message, the medium by which the message is transmitted, the interpretation by the receiver and whether any reply is warranted. All of these components present a variety of challenges and obstacles, which frequently cause breakdowns in communication.
Most of what people believe is communication is actually what we would define as “advertising.” With the best of intentions, organizations have been attempting to communicate with their people by using a variety of means that are more supplemental in nature. These misguided communication tools include intranet pages, newsletters, bulletin boards, check stuffers, meeting minutes and mass e-mails. In reality, Effective Communication occurs when you have face-to-face interaction, documentation on the content of the conversation and reinforcement of what was communicated prior to the conclusion of the discussion.
Key elements for Effective Communication:
- Meeting Structure. By creating a standard agenda in a face-to-face environment, you can ensure clarity of the message and know that everyone will speak the same language.
- Standardized Frequency. With everyone having an establish rhythm for when communication will occur, you will establish a foundation for timely completion of tasks.
- Provide Connectivity. With a built-in process for passing and receiving critical information, you’ll create direct links from top to bottom and bottom to top.
- Forward-looking Mindset. While reporting on the present, leaders and employees can look ahead to “what’s next” and discuss best practices for taking issues head-on.
Why is Effective Communication so important?
The importance of effective communication cannot be overstated. One of the leading factors in determining the success or failure of organizations today is the effectiveness of their people to properly communicating with one another. To verify the importance your people place on communication, check your employee survey results. You’ll likely find several issues all pointing back to a lack of true communication. For both small and large organizations to be successful; one must understand what is meant by effective communication and how to achieve it.
How can you measure Communication Effectiveness?
When communication is effective it’s easy to recognize. You’ll rarely encounter any blank looks or confused responses to questions. Beyond simply using your gut feelings, leaders can create easy audit processes to confirm that vital information is being distributed, received, understood and acted upon. The audits can occur within the context of a meeting or even done as random spot checks.
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Effective Communication occurs when you have face-to-face interaction in standardized meetings
