How to Avoid Communication Breakdowns
Jun
21
Written by:
6/21/2011 12:34 PM
Communication is one of the hallmarks of great business, but often times it gets taken for granted and its value gets overlooked. It can be very easy to perceive your communication as effective, then find yourself surrounded by mounting problems with your employees and your clients. This blog post by Jamillah Warner points out that as small businesses, we are on both sides of the service coin- we provide services as well as pay for them. Warner recognizes that it can be too easy to fall into the role of frustrated or angry manager when a service you are paying for doesn’t turn out the way you wanted. On the other side of the coin, you can easily become a resentful consultant or service provider when a client keeps insisting that you aren’t fulfilling their needs, while you’re at your wits end.
Warner suggests communicating with impeccable articulateness, so that the only way someone can interpret your instructions are the way they are intended. She also recommends that when that communication or exchange does go awry, it’s important to clear the air with that person and learn from your mistakes for a future relationship that is more fruitful. When a professional relationship just continuously fails to prosper, however, it’s important to know when to cut your losses to find services and clients with whom you can establish fulfilling mutual relationships.
I’ve had my share of both kinds of relationships, and I’ve found that when communication breaks down, I look at the issue and say, “What caused this situation, and how can we address it so the same catalyst is eliminated?”. How do you handle breakdowns in communication at your office? What are common problems that you have found that have positively or negatively affected the way you and your management staff communicate with your employees, contractors, or clients?
2 comment(s) so far...
Re: How to Avoid Communication Breakdowns
Communication can become "bogged" down and impeded the relationship for whatever no good reason. However one exists. it is best then to have little communication for a while so that both parties can return to their natural state. If when the communication begins again it again gets "bogged" down, then despite attempts the need has to be greater than the sale for the communication to go forward.
By Joy Munro on
6/21/2011 2:34 PM
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Re: How to Avoid Communication Breakdowns
Thanks for the feedback, Joy!
By Rob Basso on
6/24/2011 8:09 PM
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