“Poor Communication” Is Often a Symptom of a Different Problem

Do you feel like your organisation struggles with a lack of workplace communication? Have you tried resolving this with emails, meetings - basically, more communication methods - but nothing helps? You know excellent communication is key to your morale and productivity, and eventually your company’s bottom line. So what’s the deal?

Well, according to an article from the Harvard Business Review, communication breakdowns are often a sign of a different underlying issue. For example, if something goes wrong, it may be because your team felt like they didn’t have all the information to make a decision. Or, if people are struggling to finish their work, it may be a lack of structure defining what they can and can’t do.

When communication breaks down, take a step back and understand that it might not be personal and that there might be other factors at play. Talk to your colleague and encourage them to consider certain things that have gone wrong. The key is to understand that poor communication might not be the problem. Study the situation to assess why your colleague feels they couldn’t act. The second step is to understand their capacity to tell you what’s bothering them and to try and read between the lines. 

Workplace communication doesn’t have to be an uphill battle. Learn more about effective workplace communication and stay tuned for more information about our upcoming communication course that can show you how to get the smooth, easy communication you’ve always wanted with your colleagues.