October 31, 2003

Effective communication critical for organization’s success, profitability

Everyone agrees that effective communication is important. In my experience, communication problems are by far the most common and challenging issues facing organizations.

A high-level discourse on communication methodology is beyond the scope of this article. Instead, I will cite two real-life examples and provide a few recommendations, hoping that the reader will see the relevance to his or her organization and be motivated to take positive action.

While documenting a software process improvement project for an electric utility in Southern California, I observed that people working on the same projects but in different departments had never previously met.

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In fact, many had worked there for as long as 20 years without ever being in the same room together. They discovered that the simple exercise of meeting face to face enabled them to gain a better appreciation of their co-workers and the issues they face, more quickly resolve longstanding differences, and gain new insights into their own methods. The process became more efficient, less costly and more profitable.

In my second example, a well-known national laboratory was reeling from negative publicity because of three failed missions. One space probe had crashed because incorrect data was transmitted to the probe. The reason: Someone had failed to convert English units to metric.

This was not a case of incompetence on the part of project managers, scientists or mission controllers; it was a communication failure, plain and simple.

I and another technical writer performed an institutional documentation assessment, which included interviews with more than 50 subject matter experts. During our investigation, we discovered the existence of at least 10 separate information domains. They had developed and evolved independently of one another, and no system was in place to enable or encourage them to share information.

In many cases, the managers of each domain insisted that their method of storing and retrieving information was the correct one, their philosophies were deeply rooted, and they were resistant to change. Due to corporate politics and territorial issues, many were reluctant to share their information management techniques with others, and some felt threatened by having their methodology examined by outsiders.

When an organization that thrives on information becomes fragmented, failures are inevitable. Furthermore, corporate politics often stand in the way of positive change. The challenges, while difficult, are by no means impossible.

Here are a few recommendations I have found to be very effective:

” Ensure that corporate governance protocols include policies and procedures devoted specifically to communication. Make sure that they address communication among employees, and between the company and its customers.

” Establish a managed and controlled system for maintaining and disseminating organizational policies and procedures. Adopt a single-sourcing methodology incorporating a standardized format and a centralized repository for all documentation, structured to make information readily accessible. User-friendly tools, such as an online help system, can be a very effective component.

” Ensure corporate buy-in from the top down. If management refuses to endorse the process, it is guaranteed to fail.

” Conduct interdepartmental gatherings so employees can meet one another and describe their respective functions. Make sure each person understands that his or her job is important. Employees who feel isolated or unimportant will suffer low morale and lack loyalty to the company and to their co-workers. This becomes especially important when the going gets tough and you need your people to pitch in to go the extra mile.

” Conduct comprehensive training sessions and workshops with a focus on communication issues. Never take for granted that your employees understand and practice your organization’s communication policies and procedures. A surprising number of employees do not read their company’s policies and procedures, and many do not know where to locate and retrieve them.

” Never underestimate the power of corporate politics and how they affect communication. Establish nonthreatening and constructive methods to accommodate different personalities and philosophies. Bring people together to deal with unresolved issues; avoid using memos or other impersonal means.

These recommendations only touch the tip of the iceberg, but management all too often overlooks them or takes them for granted, to the detriment of all concerned. However, by using available technology coupled with a single-sourcing methodology and wise counsel, even highly sophisticated information domains comprising unique output formats can be integrated. Always remember that effective communication is so important that it can make the difference between success and failure of a project or even an entire organization.

Steve Mercer is a technical writer and founder of Mercer Technical Communication, a technical writing and documentation outsourcing firm. He is a certified financial planner, with degrees in art history and psychology. He can be reached at (303) 823-8500 or at spaceart@earthlink.net.

Everyone agrees that effective communication is important. In my experience, communication problems are by far the most common and challenging issues facing organizations.

A high-level discourse on communication methodology is beyond the scope of this article. Instead, I will cite two real-life examples and provide a few recommendations, hoping that the reader will see the relevance to his or her organization and be motivated to take positive action.

While documenting a software process improvement project for an electric utility in Southern California, I observed that people working on the same projects but in different departments had never previously met.

In fact,…

Christopher Wood
Christopher Wood is editor and publisher of BizWest, a regional business journal covering Boulder, Broomfield, Larimer and Weld counties. Wood co-founded the Northern Colorado Business Report in 1995 and served as publisher of the Boulder County Business Report until the two publications were merged to form BizWest in 2014. From 1990 to 1995, Wood served as reporter and managing editor of the Denver Business Journal. He is a Marine Corps veteran and a graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder. He has won numerous awards from the Colorado Press Association, Society of Professional Journalists and the Alliance of Area Business Publishers.
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