Communication in the workplace
For the past 2 years I have joint run a web development and hosting business. As CEO of the company, I deal directly with clients all the time. In an industry such as this, clear, effective communication is everything.
Since most of the communication between clients is through email (their choice not ours), it is often sometimes hard to understand exactly what they require. In the past I have chosen a “best guess” method using my experience in the field to judge exactly what they require. What I have learnt (and duh) is that sometimes clients aren’t the most computer illiterate, they ask for some things that just aren’t possible. (Although with ajax and .NET these days, a lot has improved)
Over the years I have learnt to clarify, clarify and clarify some more. I recently completed an essay paper that discussed why effective communication is one of the critical factors leading to both individual and organization success. I chose topics such as;
- How management can use blogs to communicate company thought to stakeholders.
- How important trust is between management and employees - you must build trust, not have trust.
- Using an open flow information method, being more upfront with employees and clients, keeping everyone in the loop.
I guess my point is, and this applies to every business - identify communication problems early and correct them by using a more direct and open method. Adding that personal touch can’t hurt either; we saw this with Scrivs and his dance videos.
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POSTED IN: Personal Thoughts
2 opinions for Communication in the workplace
Dennis Bullock
May 26, 2006 at 2:24 am
I agree. I have found that email just doesnt cut it in some situations and the phone or a remote session is needed to really get what you are saying across. Nothing is worse than spending time going downa path and having to retrace your steps.
Jonathan
May 29, 2006 at 7:39 am
I agree, sometimes a 5-minute phone call is priceless. I just call if we swap 4 e-mails in under an hour.
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