Communication fails because of a lack of clarity on part of the leader. Communication fails because of lack of proper channels and modes of communication. Communication fails because of politics and power play in the work place. Failure of communication is dysfunctional and dysfunction is the enemy of efficiency, growth and profits.
Many factors contribute toward failure of communication in an organization. Are these failures unavoidable, or is it possible to overcome these failures and communicate effectively?
The first step towards effective communication is to standardize the formal mode of communication. This includes standardizing the official operating language, the channel and mode of communication , and the accessibility of information. The employees must be trained to hone their interpersonal skills. In a cosmopolitan organization, cross-cultural training should be given to minimize interpretation / perceptive errors.
Even when all these measures are put into practice, it is inevitable that misunderstandings will occur in large organizations. This is mainly because of the language and cultural factors, and the difference in perception between the parties involved. For example, something that one person considers a light hearted joke could be taken offensively by another because of various factors including his moods and prejudices.
The only way to avoid such failures of communication will be at a personal level. The employees have to be careful while voicing opinions and take care not to say anything that might hurt their colleagues. But when one comes across a communication that they are disagreeable with – they should think rationally and decide whether the message was really understood how it was meant to be understood. The prerogative of course, remains with the organization to ensure this.
A little initiative towards better communication can go a long way in maximizing growth and profits.
