L2L Group

How would you solve a jig-saw puzzle if you were provided with only the pieces and not the picture that you were supposed to arrive? This is what happens when communication breaks down. In spite of having the required information, you can't seem to arrive at a useful end result.

In this era when everyone is pushing the outer limits with their personal time, precise and short communication is the key to unlocking the benefits of anonymity.

Imagine the feeling you would experience if you were no longer required to recite the same statements over and over again! Imagine if all of your employees got what you said at the drop of a hat! Yes, that's the power of effective communication. Letters and words - when carefully chosen, can turn your company round faster than you can imagine. There is no doubt that listening and paying attention to non-verbal gestures constitutes a major part of communication, but why not also endeavour to speak with accuracy - sprinkled with charisma and magic, so that listeners can do nothing but follow and do as they're told.

Be as clear in what you say as possible, and don't leave any guess work for the listener. Any unclear aspects of your conversation stand equal chances of being understood or misunderstood entirely, so even if it's a supplier you've been dealing with for ages, don't rely on what you think should be 'obvious'. The least of what can be done in these situations is to prepare a document that states all of the 'understood' parts, which you can then get the other party to agree to - and if possible, sign it as well. Any new clause that you intend to introduce into the existing agreement should be taken to your partner as soon as possible for their own personal consideration, and if there is a mutual agreement, include a written statement of the place and time when the new clause comes into effect.

Dealing with internal and external customers also follows a similar plan. The employees (internal customers) should be given an exact position which they're strive to reach. This should be stated in both qualitative and quantitative terms. Besides this, a career plan for each of them should be clearly charted out and broken down into an unmistakable time-line. Supplement this process with technological solutions to save time when transferring information. Motivate and train your employees to communicate effectively while preparing the reporting hierarchy (i.e. who is to report to whom). This will help them to acquire a broader picture of the organization and pave the way for long-term benefits for your company.

Last - but never the least, always 'Keep Your Word'.