2. Communication Is King

If we were to survey executive and midlevel management about what they feel were the most important elements of success, effective communication would probably rank in at least the top five. Organizations do not operate in a vacuum where no communication is required either internally or externally. If there are at least two people in an organization and this organization has to connect in some way with the outside world, communication will play a big role in their success. If this component within the organization is so important, it must be understood, developed, and implemented like any other process.

If communication can be developed as a process, one must understand what the deliverable or outcome of this process should be, and then work back through the process to develop steps to accomplish that deliverable. This might generate some interesting discussion as to what the deliverable would actually be! One might say effective communication, while another might say quality communication or timely and accurate communication. Because these are great goals in developing a communication plan, it must be understood what is being communicated, to whom, and why, and let that point to defining the deliverable of the communication process.

Although communication can happen in several different formats, such as human to human, human to machine, and machine to machine, this chapter focuses on human-to-human interaction. The fundamental goal in communication is one human trying to convey a thought, idea, command, or piece of information to another human being. Although this sounds simple, there are several things happening in the communication process that can play a role in the success of communication.

Why Communication?

Communication is required at all levels within the organization: between employees at the task level, managers to workers, management to management, executive management to mid-level and lower-level management, as well as business to business. All of these groups represent a wide variety of backgrounds, educational and intellectual, as well as different cultural, professional, and social levels. This represents the first complexity that must be considered in developing a communication process. The organization might have established processes and policies concerning the appropriate communication within the organization, and this should be reviewed when a communication process is being developed.

The next component of communication is the general formal or informal nature of communication. It is important for management to know when it is appropriate to use formal versus informal types of communication. Formal communication is typically used more in contractual agreements, bids and proposals, legal documentation, and other forms of business-to-business information transfer. Informal communication might be more in the form of internal memos, status meetings, and one-on-one conversations to convey information. In either case there is always a sender and a receiver of information, and all of the above considerations will play a factor in designing an effective communications plan.

The Communication Path

To better understand communication, you must first look at what is happening in the communication process that allows information to be transferred from one human to another. At this point one would say that this starts with the formation of words leaving one person’s mouth and another person hearing those words. Although that is true, fundamentally, you have to understand that the process of communicating is effectively conveying a piece of information from one human to another. Communication can take the form of audible words, hand motions, body language, or written words that can be interpreted through sight or touch. Because the scope of this chapter is more the development of communication tools, it is important to understand what communicating actually is without going into great detail.

The fundamental goal of communication is to make a connection between the sender and the receiver. This forms a path that both the sender and the receiver will play an important role in developing and maintaining. Let’s look briefly at some important aspects of both sending and receiving information.

Sender

The sender is the person who has information they need to convey to another person or a group of people. It is important that the sender be clear and concise about the information they want to convey. One common problem with senders is the balance between conveying too much information and conveying not enough information, each potentially coming across as confusing. This will put the receiver at a disadvantage because this information might be difficult to decipher and might make it difficult for the receiver to draw the conclusion that the sender intended.

Senders must also take care that the format in which information is being conveyed does not cause problems in transmitting the information from one human to another. For example, if two people were talking on a construction site while heavy equipment was being operated, having a verbal conversation might be difficult because of the noise. This might result in the receiver’s understanding only part of the information, in which case the message transfer was not successful. It is the responsibility of the sender to choose a form of communication that will effectively transfer the entire message the sender intended for the receiver.

The sender can choose a one-to-one conversation to better articulate information and generate discussion between the sender and the receiver for further verification of facts within the information being transferred. The sender might choose a written form to best clarify the message if there is important detailed information to be conveyed. The written form might also be chosen due to distance or time zones, and e-mail might best convey a message in a timely and accurate manner. It is the sender’s responsibility to choose the best form of communication transfer to completely and accurately convey information or a message.

Receiver

The receiver, the other half of the information transfer connection, is as important as the sender. The receiver also has responsibilities in this connection to verify the information he has received and to make sure that he understands the message that was sent. If the receiver is having a verbal conversation with a sender, it’s important that he makes and keeps a connection to ensure that everything the sender conveyed was received. The receiver in many cases will show signs of receiving information in the form of body language or confirmation in statements, which confirm that he understands the message that was sent. The receiver’s body language might indicate that he is not paying full attention if he is nervous, distracted, or disinterested in the conversation. This can also point to the difference between listening and hearing.

Listening Versus Hearing

There are two forms of reception the receiver will engage in: hearing and listening. Hearing is the physical ability to receive audible sounds in the human ear. Although the sender’s words move through the air and strike the receiver’s ears, this does not indicate that communication has happened. Hearing is simply sound waves striking the eardrum. It is the second component, that of listening, in which the receiver decodes those sound waves into an actual message. Receivers must understand that it is listening that will determine whether a message was conveyed. Listening is the receiver decoding information into a message that the sender intended the receiver to understand. How does the sender know whether the receiver understood a message? This is detected in what’s called a feedback system.

Feedback

Feedback is the receiver sending a signal of some kind that indicates whether she received, and understood, all the information. It’s vitally important in conversations between individuals, or for an individual within a group, that feedback is detected because this allows the sender to understand that receivers are actually listening to their message and not just hearing information bounce off their ears. Feedback can be displayed as body language, hand movements, or facial expressions in which receivers are sending a message that they do or do not understand information. It might be in the form of questions showing that they understand part of the information but need further clarification to understand the full message. This feedback can also be associated with other forms of communication, such as e-mail, telephone, and video conferencing, during which the sender should be watching for signs of feedback to ensure that communication is effective and their message has been received and understood. This connection between the sender and the receiver is vitally important because it is the foundation for effectively transferring information within the organization.

Communication Applications

One-to-One

Managers sometimes find themselves in situations in which it is appropriate to have one-to-one communication. This is typically in the form of a manager giving a worker performance reviews, disciplinary action, or maybe training or instruction at the individual level.

One-to-one communication can result in any number of outcomes. This can involve the manager’s having a simple conversation conveying information that was understood by the individual with little or no reaction. Conversations can result in discussion going back and forth, clarifying information, or generating new ideas that take the conversation in a different direction. This can also result in arguments if the receiver did not like the information and the feedback communicated displeasure with the information. In any case one-to-one discussion allows for the clearest communication path and the clearest feedback and discussion opportunity.

One-to-Group

This form of communication requires one individual to convey a message to several individuals in one setting. This might be easier for some people than one-to-one; in other cases this might be perceived as more difficult depending on the skill and experience of the sender. This form of communication is typical within the organization when managers are broadcasting general information to those in their department, or when executive managers are broadcasting information to the entire organization. There might be those teaching at educational institutes who will use this form of communication in the classroom to teach a group of students. In some cases the organization might have a manager engaged in training a group of individuals for a particular process.

Although this is slightly different from one-to-one, there is still a path and connection made with each individual within the group. The information still has to go to each individual, it must be decoded and understood, and the same feedback mechanism must be established to understand that the individuals have received and understood the message. Receivers, in the group setting, might not verbally give feedback with questions but might indicate through body language whether they are attentive.

One-to-Several Locations

Organizations in this day and age are extending their operations to multiple locations that might include other areas of the country and the world. This can add a level of complexity to the communication path but should not discourage the manager from developing a communication plan for off-site locations. Interestingly enough, even with off-site locations or locations around the world, the communication path still exists, with a sender, the form or path the information will travel, and a receiver, as well as a feedback system. As long as these components make up the communication process, communication can be accomplished anywhere, at any level, with any complexity of operations.

This becomes the make-or-break point of multilocation communication in sending and receiving information accurately and completely. These paths can be in the form of e-mail, conference call, or teleconference. Much as in the individual and group setting, the sender should try to design a message that can be sent clearly and look for feedback which indicates that the message was received and understood.

When the manager understands that the components of communication are the same, simply taking different forms of transfer depending on the scenario, managers can treat the communication as a process developing and improving as needed.

Communicating in Meetings

It is common to find managers performing the communication function in a one-to-group or meeting format. Meetings are conducted as a place where information is transferred, and how these meetings are structured and conducted plays a large role in the success of the information being transferred. As you have seen, there is a communication path that will be established in transferring information, but potential difficulties can be compounded in a group setting where there are other dynamics to be considered.

Meetings, depending on the purpose, can have varying types of staff that might present other issues to consider. These issues might simply be personality conflicts, varying agendas, or various levels of management that might be represented with no particular reason. It is important for the manager to understand why meetings are conducted, what are they designed to accomplish, and who needs to attend. In conducting meetings, the manager can do certain things before, during, and after the meeting to ensure that information is successfully transferred and understood by those attending the meeting.

Before-Meeting Prep

Confirm that the meeting is necessary

Identify the participants

Establish an agenda

Prepare meeting logistics such as conference calls or computer links

During the Meeting

Start the meeting on time

Designate a meeting minutes taker

Facilitate the meeting, manage the agenda

Summarize the meeting results

Summarize follow-up actions

After the Meeting

Distribute meeting notes and list of follow-up actions

Plan for any follow-up meetings

The manager must also understand that every time there is a meeting, resources are stepping away from their normal job to participate in that meeting. It should also be understood that these meetings cost the organization time and money. This places the responsibility on the shoulders of the person calling for the meeting to justify everyone’s need to participate. It is also important, depending on the topics of discussion and information that will be shared, to properly determine the participants who need access to that information. This is one factor in why some meetings go better than others and why some participants should or should not have been a part of the meeting. The manager should also consider the type of meeting being called, why it’s being called, and who should participate in each type of meeting.

The following are some examples of various types of meetings that can be conducted within the organization:

• Department or staff meeting

• Project kickoff meeting

• Status review meeting

• Problem-solving meeting

• Design review meeting

• Customer, supplier, or vendor meeting

All of these types of meetings have certain things in common: They have a sender of information, a communication path, a receiver, and a feedback component. The manager in charge of setting up these meetings will have these components of communication to consider no matter how many people are involved, how many locations are involved, or the dynamics of the individuals involved. The process of communication is still the same—it simply takes different forms.

When the manager understands that communication is a process, she can formulate a communication plan that can act as a check-off list when communication is required.

Communication Management Plan

The communication management plan is a project management tool that establishes a checklist of how a project manager conducts communication within a project. This can also be used by the manager to set up meetings and establish communication protocol within the operation. To help improve the process of communication, managers must know more of the details and characteristics of the environment within the organization. The communication management plan is a simple matrix that lists four fundamental areas of communication: who, what, when, and how.

1. Who—In establishing meetings, who needs to be at the meeting is vitally important to the success of the meeting. When information is released, either announced by the manager or offered by others in the meeting, it is important for the manager to understand who really needs this information. As mentioned, all the resources invited to the meeting have been taken away from their primary duty in order to participate in this meeting. Although these individuals might have a need for the information in the meeting, they will need to return to their primary responsibility as quickly as possible.

Care must be taken in deciding whether certain management and executive management need to attend, because a lower-level meeting with lots of detail might not require their participation. Other status meetings can be designed to update higher levels of management on larger components of the operation. Likewise, workforce individuals might be required in a meeting for their level of detail or status update, but might not be required in other meetings where higher levels of information or sensitive information will be distributed. It is important that the manager only invite necessary resources who either will participate in giving information or are needed to receive information in a particular meeting.

2. What—Information is a powerful tool within an organization, and managers must be responsible for what types of information are distributed through various levels within the organization. Executive managers typically do not want to sit in on low-level update or status meetings and listen to all the discussions and detail within that type of meeting. Likewise, workforce employees should not be attending executive management meetings where they would be privileged to sensitive information and decisions required at that level. So meetings are designed around specific information being distributed to certain individuals who require this information as part of their job.

Information can be given in several forms, from verbal status to PowerPoint-type slide presentations to detailed drawings. The point of the meeting is to accurately and completely convey information, so it is vital that the information be in the appropriate form and be as clear as possible. When using graphs and charts, make sure that the receiver understands what information is there and what is being said. It is in these settings that information is misunderstood, and the sender must make sure that the format does not cause problems. These meetings are designed specifically to match the information that is discussed with the participants who will be required to hear this information.

3. When—Now that the manager has established what type of meetings is needed, who will be invited to these meetings, and what information will be distributed and discussed, it’s important to determine whether meetings need to be held on an ongoing basis. Some meetings are held to distribute information in a single setting, whereas other meetings are set up on a regular or ongoing basis. As previously mentioned, because resources attending these meetings will be taken away from their normal responsibilities, meetings should be held only as often as needed. Meetings do cost the organization time and money so too many meetings are simply a waste! The frequency at which ongoing meetings are held needs to be evaluated by the manager to ensure that information is transferred in a timely manner, without requiring overly frequent meetings.

4. How—The last component in developing the communication management plan is to determine how information will be communicated. The manager needs to determine the appropriate communication path required for each type of information needing to be communicated, depending on to whom it needs to go and where these individuals will be. Because information can be delivered in several forms, it is important that the manager understand that the type of communication selected should match the type of information that needs to be transferred. For example, a short statement about a change or status can be simply e-mailed, whereas a discussion about a change requiring a decision might constitute a meeting to facilitate that discussion. Details about a drawing might be best communicated if the receivers can see the details for themselves on the drawing rather than reading them in a typed paragraph within an e-mail or hearing them in a discussion on the phone. The form of communication is very important for the manager to choose in transferring information because this can dictate the success of understanding what was intended in the message.

Some managers and executives are more comfortable with e-mails and conference calls and simply would prefer that form of communication. Others might prefer being in meetings for the discussion and want an e-mail summary after the meeting. The manager needs to know how others prefer receiving information because this might also dictate how comfortable the receiver is while trying to understanding a message, or it might be that they are very busy and simply cannot attend every meeting.

A simple tool used in project management to consolidate the details of who, what, when, and how information will be distributed is called a communication matrix. This is another tool the manager can develop. It can start with four columns listing the preceding items and all those within the department and organization with whom the manager will communicate listed in the rows. Tables 2.1 and 2.2 show examples of how a communication matrix can be used in operations management. These can be listed by either meeting or resource type.

Table 2.1. Communication Matrix Example—By Meeting Type

Table 2.2. Communication Matrix Example—By Resource Type

This tool is useful because the manager can quickly see which individuals are supposed to attend which type of meetings, how often the meetings are scheduled, and what type of communication these individuals prefer. It is also important for the manager to discuss with each individual his preferred form of communication because this might help in the communication path. Some individuals who attend a meeting might also ask for a follow-up e-mail of the minutes and actions assigned. Other individuals might not elect to attend the meeting but might prefer an e-mail containing the minutes because of their time constraints and other responsibilities. Some resources could be located in other facilities or around the world and might request a conference call or videoconference as well as an e-mail. It is the responsibility of the manager to determine how these individuals are to participate and what their preferred form of communication is in order to ensure the success of communication.

When the manager develops the communication management plan and understands the communication path as a process, this becomes a powerful tool for the manager to better refine how information is transferred within the organization. The simple knowledge of the communication path and developing a tool like a communication matrix helps the manager work with other individuals in delivering information as they prefer. When recipients of information receive only the information they need, when they need it, and in the form that is preferred by them, this increases the success of how information is used and processed within the operation.

Power Tool Summary

• The manager, being the sender, must design the conversation with a clear objective and conduct the conversation in a place appropriate to effectively convey the message without distraction. It also is important for the manager to pay attention to feedback from the individual or to solicit a response to confirm that the information has been received and understood by the individual.

• It is important for the sender to pay attention to body language because this might be the only indicator that messages were received and understood. It is also good practice for the sender to solicit questions to clarify receivers’ understanding.

• It is when managers can see many areas of operations as processes that simply need to be developed and improved that they have the tools to approach critical areas in operations confidently.

• The manager thinking of communication as a process can design communication at any level or scenario required.

• The manager has more power over completing tasks and control over information distribution, giving the manager’s confidence and improving the communication structure within the organization.