Do you communicate with clarity?

Every client I have worked with has had some degree of communication problems throughout their organization. Some have been critical issues that cost them dearly off their bottom line, while others were nothing more than annoying inconveniences. And there was a lot in between. Regardless of the type of communication challenge you face I will bet that it is costing you money.

Communication is the movement of information from department to department and/or person to person.

I would like to ask you six simple questions. If you can answer all of them with accuracy you are in touch with your organization's communication issues. If you can't, I suggest you spend some time and energy discovering the answers. It might just improve customer satisfaction, employee performance, profits and sales.

1. Do you have a communication problem in your organization?

2. If yes, in which direction (s) or where is it the biggest problem?

3. Why does the problem exist?

4. How long has it been a problem?

5. Who is responsible for the problem?

6. Why hasn't it been solved?

Here are a few ideas to consider to improve your corporate communication:

1.Assume nothing.

2. Inspect everything.

3. Find the source of the problem (person, policy, procedure.)

4. Determine what the problem is costing you directly and indirectly.

5. If it is a recurring problem ask yourself why.

6. Get closer to the problem.

7. Ask the people who are closest to the problem what it is and why they think it exists or persists.

8. Encourage upward feedback of accurate information.

9. If you are a senior person in the organization, take full responsibility for the problem.

The accurate movement of information throughout your organization should be one of your top priorities if you want to eliminate, rumors, redundancy, mistakes, wasted resources and any number of other costly outcomes.