At a most basic level, communication is the exchange of information. There is a source who is the originator of the information and the recipient who is expected to receive it. Typically, communication happens between:
- A sender to a receiver (closed room discussion between manager and subordinate)
- A sender to multiple receivers (a speaker talking at a seminar)
- Multiple senders to a single receiver (e-mails from a number of people dropping into my inbox)
- Multiple senders to multiple receivers (meetings or a group discussion setting)
Apart from the information exchange, the media or the form through which communication exchanges happen is relevant as well. The person sending the information may choose one medium over the other, for example, a telephone call over sending out an e-mail. Every form of communication has its advantages and disadvantages as well. We will discuss the various types of communication and the pros and cons of each type. This communication training guide will help you and your team choose the medium to opt for during various situations.
I once attended a seminar where one of the speakers, representing project managers, emphasized that communication is most important to managers as they are the people who act as a bond between the senior members of an organization and the wider workforce. They are required to translate business requirements into project activities, report on the project statuses to the customer, and liaise with vendors.
As I thought more about the speech, it made me realize that the speaker was missing the hidden truth about communication in the workplace—there is no central power base, but a complex web of interactions, all of which need to be treated seriously. Many organizations follow a pyramid structure of hierarchy, where staff at a lower level outnumber their superiors; it seems utterly crazy that the core of communication should be confined to such a small cross-section of an organization's structure. If the bottom half of the organization makes up most of your organization, how can the project manager at the seminar claim that communication is most important to managers?
In any organization, the communication channel from top to bottom must flow and be error free so that the communication regarding activities taking place at the ground level flows to the top uninterrupted and without distortion. For the pyramid to hold tight, the movement of communication needs to be an infinitely more complex web than the simple top-down structure that appears to be in place in much thinking. Communication is critical to all parts of the organization and organizations must make every effort to improve communication in all directions and for all parties—not just those leading operations. While we reason that communication must be effective at all levels of the organization, companies don't often focus on providing their employees with quality communication training. They expect their employees to communicate clearly and accurately, but don't do enough to build the foundation to bring them up to speed. Companies must invariably impart communication training, not only to those at the management positions but also to all layers—starting from the bottom layer and moving upstream.