In any job, from a startup to a multinational, communication makes things happen. Great ideas and solid strategies can all fall down because of poor communication. Management today is not only giving orders. It also means making sure people understand what needs to happen, remain on the same page, and be ready to react if needed. It’s communication that links the strategy at leadership level with day-to-day reality at work. It’s communication that solves the majority of issues in a timely way.
Clear instructions remove many of the problems in the workplace. Not many problems arise because employees don’t have the necessary expertise; often it comes down to miscommunication. Employees may do exactly what they’re told, but it’s just not the right thing in context, or they’re not quite sure what’s being asked of them and so get things wrong, miss deadlines, and redo work unnecessarily. Managers who are effective at communication make sure they are clearly explaining what needs to be done, the reason it matters, and what a successful outcome will look like. In doing so they can prevent unnecessary mistakes, confusion and frustration from arising in the first place. Often simply communicating in a clear, structured way is enough to get rid of issues before they become a headache.
Communication in management is about listening as well as talking. Communication that is effective is two-way. Management who listen well to their team are able to gather valuable information to help them understand how work is going, how teams are functioning and where things might be improved down the line. Employees who feel listened to are also more likely to share information with you. They’ll provide genuine and useful information about what’s going well and what’s going wrong and be motivated by knowing their work is valued. Effective listening creates a culture of openness and trust. It’s the foundation of a strong team.
It’s not just what you communicate but how and when that matters. How you deliver a message can make all the difference to how well or badly it is received. You can easily undermine your message, or cause unnecessary confusion and anxiety if you pick the wrong time or use the wrong tone to convey important information. Great management is aware of the context in which it is communicating. It makes decisions around how to time communication appropriately and how best to use its tone to ensure messages are conveyed effectively. It knows when a more direct approach is required, as well as when a supportive, nurturing tone will be more helpful. Emotional intelligence in the workplace is increasingly important today and it starts with communication that is effective.
Good communication is a great way to reduce tension in the workplace. Uncertainty is the primary source of tension in many jobs. Not knowing what is expected of you, what is changing or why decisions have been made is one of the top causes of stress. Clear communication removes the unknown. Regular updates and open discussions allow employees to feel comfortable in what they’re being asked to deliver, and to gain confidence in the business and its decisions. Even difficult messages such as layoffs can be much less stressful for the receiver when they are clearly communicated.
Strong communication leads to trust in the workplace. In the same way, clear and effective communication creates trust in the business. People don’t wake up one day trusting your leadership; you need to communicate openly, follow through on what you say and provide useful and honest feedback before trust in your business can grow. The result is a more productive team, as people feel comfortable working together and less likely to conflict with each other or you. Employees can get behind decisions when they understand the reasoning behind them. Often it’s communication that builds leadership.
It’s all very well understanding this at a basic level, but when you look deeper, you’ll find that communication in business is much more complicated than you might think. At the end of the day though communication is a critical part of management. It touches every aspect of the job from the most basic of tasks to high-level strategy and planning. Great managers don’t talk the most, they just communicate best. For modern HR, communication is a critical element that can turn any team into a productive, well-motivated, high-performing unit.