Communicate

An overused term if there ever was one, the word communicate can mean many different things. At work, inadequate communication gets blamed for cultural ills and project failures. Managers attend 99 dollar one-day training sessions billed to teach communication skills. Communication is included on many performance evaluation forms, although the definition of what communication is varies on these forms and is often absent and left up to each manager and subordinate to figure out.

We could declare that communication is any message we impart  - in any medium (verbal, email, signs, books, etc). Using this definition, a leader who sends out lots of messages, talks a lot at meetings, and buys and hands out flavor-of-the-month management books like candy canes at Christmas would be considered a big communicator. Don’t scoff, this is a common strategy in organizations – send more email messages! Fill the in-boxes!

I don’t favor this definition of communication because it focuses solely on the act of sending information out and does not address how messages ought to be received. This is 50-yard line communication, to use a football metaphor, because while you might have taken your message down your side of the field, you have not penetrated into the other person’s territory and you are only half way to your goal.

I like to hold communication to a higher standard and assert that it is not communication unless and until the message is received by receiving party as it is intended by the sender. Using this definition, an email is only communication if the person reading it understands the information and interprets the tone and tenor as the author had intended. If you send a vague message, it’s not communication. If you send a message written in the wrong language for the receiver, it is not communication. If you write a ten-page report that no one reads or comprehends, you have not communicated. If you send an email that ruffles a few feathers because the receiver thought you were angry when you were not, you have not communicated.

Using this definition of communication, how many of your messages sent are received as communication?

Comments

[Aidan Crawford]

I came across your posting through a Google Alert and I just have to respond.

Communication is so important in every aspect of work. My boss, Jim Clemmer, is fond of mentioning that most organizations are quick to say they need more communication - but the hands go way down when asks "who needs more e-mail?"

He uses the moose on the table metaphor to show how lack of communication can literally crowd out an office with unspoken issues.

Cheers,
Aidan Crawford
Marketing Director
The CLEMMER Group
www.mooseonthetable.com

[Scot Herrick]

Just to extend the communications idea a bit further, Lisa...

Not only does a person have to receive the communication as intended, but the communication has to be engaging in order to have the person take action on it.

The management craft is one that needs communication as well as engagement or nothing will get done (at least well).

Nice post.

[Mike King]

I think the most successful way to improve communication is to have people DECREASE the number of emails sent. Try it, run a project where email is NOT allowed for passing on information. Its amazing how much more real communication will go on. People will ask questions, get involved and discuss things, instead of hiding behind their inbox wondering what things mean to themselves.

[Chris Young]

Lisa - Nice post... I especially like the part about sending a message in the wrong language for the receiver. By this I take it as sending a message in the wrong communication style or tone an individual.

We all have unique communication styles and ways in which we want to be communicated with. In my opinion meaningful communication comes when we recognize the uniqueness of others and adapt our message in a way that is most meaningful to them.

Example - speaking with a very direct, no nonsense individual? Don't mess around and get right to the point. Speaking with an individual that needs everything laid out for him in specifics? Don't just tell them what to do, but outline the specifics of the project, what needs to be accomplished, and what your exact expectations are.

When we adapt our message for the receiver, this is when meaningful communication occurs and we can all use more of that.

Chris

[Lisa Haneberg]

Thanks for all the great comments. I agree - we send out far too many messages and communicate not nearly enough.

[GreatManagement]

Great post!

The one big bugbear of mine is 'urgent emails'. You know the ones 'Can you look at this and come back to me at 4pm' or 'I need your actual costs to date by cob today'.

1. The sender assumes I am sitting at my desk waiting for such an email to arrive so I can do some work because I have nothing to do!

2. The deadline is totally ridiculous

3. I often ignore these even if I have seen them just to teach the sender a lesson!

4. The sender thinks they have communicated

Andrew