How many times have you heard someone say in an exasperated tone, "I told him to do that"? This is a typical reaction when something is not done on time or improperly.
Effective communication is important in any organization, but it is especially critical in a small company where there is minimal system redundancy.
It's ironic that as the options for communication have evolved from letters to telephone to fax to emails to texting, the problem does not seem to abate.
We have more information at our disposal, yet the problem persists. The reason is that these tools are all transmission devices, not communication devices. They are designed to improve speed and access, not resolve problems.
One simple rule will eliminate missed communications and the complications they cause: Communication is the responsibility of the sender.
People are also reading…
It means that your responsibility does not end with the sending of a message. Email is perfect for broadcasting a consistent message to a wide audience, reaching people in different time zones or transmitting documents. Its weaknesses are that it eliminates direct, conversational feedback and does not guarantee that the recipient ever received the massage.
A good communicator follows these steps after initially transmitting a message:
• Asks for an immediate acknowledgement that the message was received.
• If it is a direct conversation, asks the recipient to repeat what was said or asked.
• Establishes a deadline for a response or task completion. ASAP is not a deadline.
• Constantly checks for agreement on what was said.
• Asks for status updates and whether additional support is needed.
These steps all take time, but consider this observation: Why is it that we never have time to do it right the first time but always have time to do it over again?
Ralph Hershberger is president of SCORE Southern Arizona, a nonprofit group that offers free small-business counseling and mentoring by appointment at several locations. For more information, go to www.southernarizona.score.org, send email to mentoring@scoresouthernaz.org or call 505-3636.