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The Importance of Effective Communication: Some Food for Thought

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Nikola A Baumann, The Importance of Effective Communication: Some Food for Thought, The Journal of Applied Laboratory Medicine , Volume 1, Issue 4, 1 January 2017, Pages 460–461, https://doi.org/10.1373/jalm.2016.021865

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Having been active in the Society for Young Clinical Laboratorians (SYCL) 2 for several years, the opportunity to give something back as a speaker at the SYLC Workshop preceding the 2016 AACC Annual Meeting was an honor. The SYCL workshop centered around the theme of communication and leadership, and I was asked to provide insight into effective communication with staff and trainees—a rare chance to reflect on the soft skills that we all use every day. These are the skills that some believe can't be taught. This may be true, but time spent on thoughtful contemplation of what we do and how we do it is usually time well spent. Researching and reflecting on this topic has raised my awareness of the importance of communication, including communication challenges such as providing constructive feedback and listening. Below, I attempt to share my findings and my experience.

Mind the say-do gap.

Make the complex simple.

Find your own voice.

Be visible.

Listen with your eyes as well as your ears.

Notice that these 5 habits have little to do with what one says but rather how one says it. Keeping your message simple and genuine will go a long way. In addition, more than half of communication is nonverbal including body language, gestures, and eye contact. It is important to be aware of what you are saying nonverbally. Even a brief moment of checking your email during someone's presentation conveys a nonverbal message. Styles of communication vary. An excellent article by Mark Murphy distills communication into 4 styles: analytical, intuitive, functional, and personal ( 2 ). Although no style is superior, effective communicators know how to recognize and match their communication style with their audience whether it be their boss, peers, direct reports, or trainees.

As leaders and educators, some of our most valuable and formative communication will be in the form of feedback. Statements such as “great job” and “well done” are easy to give and are certainly well received. However, the receiver may be left wondering what specifically they did that was great and wondering if there are areas that could be improved. When giving feedback, it is important to be positive (if it is genuine), be specific, be immediate (or at least timely), and be tough if needed, but not mean (or rob the recipients of their dignity) ( 3 ). In many cases, the person receiving the feedback recognizes what is going well and what is not, so start by asking for his or her perspective. Ask them how they feel they performed or if there are areas they want to improve upon. This step opens the door for constructive feedback without a defensive atmosphere. Formative feedback should be given in private and not in the hallway or in front of peers. And although it is often a delicate process, honest assessment of a person's progress can lead to substantial growth and improvement.

In my experience, the most underused and least perfected communication skill is listening. In professional settings, individuals with authority should listen more (i.e., talk less). I have a favorite quote: “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply” (Stephen Covey). To illustrate the truth of this statement, I asked the SYCL workshop attendees to pair up and do an exercise in listening. Each pair chose one person to be a speaker and one to be a listener. The speaker was asked to talk about any topic they wanted to for 2 minutes. The listener's job was to listen and not say a word. Just listen. As I watched this exercise unfold, I observed listeners who were struggling not to speak, desperately wanting to share their own story, offer their advice, and provide their feedback. On discussing the activity, attendees felt that “just listening” was difficult and far more challenging than speaking. This is more food-for-thought in our daily interactions.

Finally, it was indeed a rare (and somewhat terrifying) opportunity to stand in front of the next generation of leaders and be asked to provide them with a few personal golden nuggets of professional advice. Initially, it was overwhelming, but once I really thought about what I have found to be important in my professional interactions, the following came to light: ( a ) Say what you mean and mean what you say (even when it's easier to say what you think people want to hear). ( b ) In leadership and management relations, a “unified front” will make your job easier and your team more confident. Conversely, a “divided front” will do the opposite—create division in the work unit and drain positive energy from the team. ( c ) Don't tip-toe around the hard stuff, it won't go away. ( d ) Be real. And perhaps most importantly, ( e ) wrap it all up in a package of kindness.

Society for Young Clinical Laboratorians.

Author Contributions:   All authors confirmed they have contributed to the intellectual content of this paper and have met the following 4 requirements: (a) significant contributions to the conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; (b) drafting or revising the article for intellectual content; (c) final approval of the published article; and (d) agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the article thus ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the article are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Authors' Disclosures or Potential Conflicts of Interest:   Upon manuscript submission, all authors completed the author disclosure form.   Employment or Leadership: None declared. Consultant or Advisory Role: None declared. Stock Ownership: None declared. Honoraria: N.A. Baumann, AACC. Research Funding: None declared. Expert Testimony: None declared. Patents: None declared.

Forbes /Leadership, Susan Tardanico. 5 habits of highly effective communicators [internet] . http://www.forbes.com/sites/susantardanico/2012/11/29/5-habits-of-highly-effective-communicators/#428f682225fc (Accessed July 2016).

Forbes /Leadership, Mark Murphy. Which of these 4 communication styles are you?   http://www.forbes.com/sites/markmurphy/2015/08/06/which-of-these-4-communication-styles-are-you/#6dd000f11ecb (Accessed July 2016).

Entrepreneur. www.entrepreneur.com (Accessed July 2016).

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Bus. Commun. Res. Pract. 2020 ; 3 ( 1 ): 1 - 3

pISSN: 2586-5293, eISSN: 2586-534X

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22682/bcrp.2020.3.1.1

“Ups and Downs” and “Ins and Outs” of Organizational Communication

Copyright © 2020 Korean Association for Business Communication. This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ ) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Published Online: Jan 31, 2020

Effective and efficient communication is of utmost importance for organizations to succeed. Communication is the process of creating; interpreting; and relaying ideas, facts, opinions, and feelings about work performance, organizational effectiveness, and efficiency ( Markovic & Salamzedah, 2018 ). Effective verbal, nonverbal, and electronic communication is the exchange of meaning as it was intended and allows for the interchange of information to create a connected world.

Varying Communication Styles

Regardless if the communication is oral, written, or digital; the importance remains the same. Effective workplace communication among all stakeholders at all levels of the organization is essential for organizations to produce impactful outcomes ( Ferrin, 2016 ; Jagadheeswari, Priya, & Gayathri, 2019 ; Leonard, 2019 ; Oñate, Cagiao, & Teixidó, 2019 ). Employees who demonstrate effective communication with employers, coworkers, and customers demonstrate a valuable skill and are seen as important assets within the organization ( Michael Page, 2020 ). Successful companies know how to communicate internally and externally. They must understand the value of communication so that they can convey ideas to other companies, spread information about their products, and synchronize their own staff.

People have different communication styles. Vast and varied workplaces, with generational differences and ever changing technology, can create barriers for effective communication. For example, 31% of Millennials and 30% of Generation X use instant messaging at work every day, as opposed to 12% of Baby Boomers ( Lewis, 2018 ; Plumberg , 2018 ). Further 47% of Baby Boomers never use social media; whereas, 53% of Millennials use social media at least sometimes ( Plumberg, 2018 ). This variation of communication preferences forces managers to adapt to the different generations who want to use the latest technology and those who do not readily embrace current technologies.

Ineffective Communication

Poor communication in today’s workplace, with unclear instructions and responsibilities, meetings that serve no purpose, and other work stressors lead to larger issues with widespread impact on the organization ( Lewis, 2018 ; Plumberg, 2018 ). The detriments of poor communication on an organization include overuse of resources, lower efficiency, lack of innovation ( Odine, 2015 ), more errors, legal complications, recruitment issues, and adequate staffing problems ( Buhler & Worden, 2013 ; Sherman, 2019 ). The possible monetary losses attributed to simple communication deficiencies are astounding. Grossman (2013) found an average loss per company of $62.4 million per year because of inadequate communication with employees. Lam and Dale (1999) noted that even if suitable internal and external communication channels are in place, the lack of use of the communication channels leads to problems.

For example, forgetting to send important emails; shipment errors due to missed phone calls; or loss of sales due to miscommunication, or lack thereof, with customers and clients can have substantial negative impact on the organization’s success ( Odine, 2015 ). Even if the lack of communication is not because of the company’s standard operating procedures, it is still the organization’s responsibility to ensure that employees are obeying the requirements for strong communication. From not being told what to do, how to do it, or who is in charge of what, leads to confused workers and managers who are unsure of their or company goals ( Díaz-Soloaga, 2019 ).

The Economist Intelligent Unit found that 52% of workers indicated added stress because of poor communication, 44% noted that poor communication can slow or fail project completion, 31% indicated low morale, 25% said that performance goals are missed, and 18% said that ineffective communication can result in lost sales ( Lewis, 2018 ; Plumberg, 2018 ). Lack of communication ranges from not answering emails to a lack of congruence in managers’ conceptualization. One of these examples, the lack of using communication, is just one of many that can have damaging impacts on a company. Lack of communication creates distance and confusion among not only company-to-customer relations, but also company-to-employee relations. Without a strong requirement or standard of communication, ideas/information cannot be shared effectively or agreed upon.

Communication Strategies

According to Díaz-Soloaga (2019) , implementation of specific communication strategies to transfer corporate identity successfully to team employees allows employees to coordinate meetings, broaden information, and develop managerial relationships. One solution to improve workplace communication is having a chosen medium to communicate. Since email is the most prevalent form of communication among the three dominant generations in the workplace ( Plumberg, 2018 ), email is obviously the most effective form of communication within an organization.

Effectively communicating the mission, vision, values, and goals of the organization promotes understanding of procedures, timelines, and other criteria. Shareholders will then feel part of something larger; they will see the big picture, know their work is valued and respected, and see their investment flourish ( Ferrin, 2016 ). Communication with employees, customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders must be clear, concise, and correct. Managers must be able to communicate effectively for their organization to succeed ( Morley, n.d. ). One method to build effective communication among employees is to ensure that managers practice better planning techniques to clarify and understand their ideas and company goals before sharing with their employees. Managers should know exactly how the task is to be completed, what resources are needed, sequence of activities, and timeline to completion. Monitoring feedback and control procedures should also be followed ( Adu-Oppong & Agyin-Birikorang, 2014 ). Keeping everyone involved and demonstrating active listening skills are critical aspects to ensure effective workplace communication.

Further benefits of effective communication include increased morale, decreased turnover, improved productivity, better team building, stronger corporate culture ( CLIMB Professional Development and Training, 2019 ; Ferrin, 2016 ; LaMarco, 2018 ), and improved customer service ( Marx, 2015 ). It is easier for stakeholders to support the success of the organization if they know what the company is currently doing, planning for the future, and aspiring to do. Companies with employees who are able to communicate effectively have positive outcomes ( Brink & Costigan, 2015 ). With clear communication, employees have a better understanding of what is expected of them ( Emerson, 2018 ), which increases performance rates ( Brink & Costigan, 2015 ; Darling & Dannels, 2003 ; Sherman, 2019 ). Ultimately, effective communication can lead the organization to success and longevity ( Buhler & Worden, 2013 ).

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Communication Studies: Effective Communication Leads to Effective Leadership

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• 1 University of Kansas.
• PMID: 32187871
• DOI: 10.1002/yd.20371

This chapter explores how communication studies focuses on human communication among people in groups, teams, and organizations. While persuasive communication has long been at the heart of leadership development, the discipline's contributions to effective leadership also range from advancing our understanding of organizational communicative systems to the development of skills for deliberative democracy and civic engagement.

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How to Communicate for Impact

In Harvard Business Publishing’s global research report, Leadership Reframed for the Workplace of the Future , we explored the top 10 critical skills leaders must possess to navigate constant change and disruption effectively.

One key capability highlighted is “ Communicating for Impact ”, with survey respondents emphasizing its importance across all levels:

• ol]:!pt-0 [&>ol]:!pb-0 [&>ul]:!pt-0 [&>ul]:!pb-0″ value=”1″>77% of senior leaders
• ol]:!pt-0 [&>ol]:!pb-0 [&>ul]:!pt-0 [&>ul]:!pb-0″ value=”2″>75% of people managers
• ol]:!pt-0 [&>ol]:!pb-0 [&>ul]:!pt-0 [&>ul]:!pb-0″ value=”3″>64% of individual contributors

Additionally, 73% of senior leaders, 65% of people managers, and 49% of individual contributors expressed a keen interest in refining this skill through training.

Don’t miss out on learning the most crucial communication skills for success in the workplace. Watch our informative video and download the full report here .

Let’s talk

Change isn’t easy, but we can help. Together we’ll create informed and inspired leaders ready to shape the future of your business.

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8 Essential Leadership Communication Skills

• 14 Nov 2019

If you want to be an effective leader , you need to excel in communication. In fact, the success of your business relies on it.

According to a report from the Economist Intelligence Unit (pdf) , poor communication can lead to low morale, missed performance goals, and even lost sales. A separate study found that inadequate communication can cost large companies an average of $64.2 million per year, while smaller organizations are at risk of losing $420,000 annually.

But effective communication impacts more than just the bottom line. For leaders, it’s what enables them to rally their team around a shared vision, empower employees , build trust, and successfully navigate organizational change .

Why Is Communication Important in Leadership?

A leader is someone who inspires positive, incremental change by empowering those around them to work toward common objectives. A leader’s most powerful tool for doing so is communication.

Effective communication is vital to gain trust, align efforts in the pursuit of goals, and inspire positive change. When communication is lacking, important information can be misinterpreted, causing relationships to suffer and, ultimately, creating barriers that hinder progress.

If you’re interested in enhancing your leadership capabilities, here are eight communication skills you need to be more effective in your role.

Essential Communication Skills for Leaders

1. ability to adapt your communication style.

Different communication styles are the most frequently cited cause of poor communication, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (pdf) , and can lead to more significant issues, such as unclear priorities and increased stress.

It’s essential to identify your leadership style , so that you can better understand how you’re interacting with, and perceived by, employees across the organization. For example, if you’re an authoritative leader , you likely have a clear vision for achieving success and align your team accordingly. While an effective approach for some, it might fall flat for others who seek more autonomy in their role.

Every employee’s motivations are different, so knowing how to tailor your communication is essential to influencing others and reaching organizational goals.

Related: 4 Tips for Developing Your Personal Leadership Style

2. Active Listening

Effective leaders know when they need to talk and, more importantly, when they need to listen. Show that you care by asking for employees’ opinions, ideas, and feedback. And when they do share, actively engage in the conversation—pose questions, invite them to elaborate, and take notes.

It’s important to stay in the moment and avoid interrupting. Keep your focus on the employee and what it is they’re saying. To achieve that, you also need to eliminate any distractions, including constant pings on your cell phone or checking incoming emails.

3. Transparency

In a survey by the American Management Association , more than a third of senior managers, executives, and employees said they “hardly ever” know what’s going on in their organizations. Transparency can go a long way in breaking down that communication barrier.

By speaking openly about the company’s goals, opportunities, and challenges, leaders can build trust amongst their team and foster an environment where employees feel empowered to share their ideas and collaborate. Just acknowledging mistakes can encourage experimentation and create a safe space for active problem-solving.

Every individual should understand the role they play in the company’s success. The more transparent leaders are, the easier it is for employees to make that connection.

When communicating with employees, speak in specifics. Define the desired result of a project or strategic initiative and be clear about what you want to see achieved by the end of each milestone. If goals aren’t being met, try simplifying your message further or ask how you can provide additional clarity or help.

The more clear you are, the less confusion there will be around priorities. Employees will know what they’re working toward and feel more engaged in the process.

5. Ability to Ask Open-Ended Questions

If you want to understand employees’ motivations, thoughts, and goals better, practice asking open-ended questions. Jennifer Currence, president of consulting firm The Currence Group, said to the Society of Human Resource Management to use the acronym TED, which stands for:

• “ T ell me more.”
• “ E xplain what you mean.”
• “ D efine that term or concept for me.”

By leveraging those phrases when speaking with your team, you can elicit more thoughtful, thorough responses and ensure you also have clarity around what they need from you to succeed.

There’s a reason empathy has been ranked the top leadership skill needed for success . The better you get at acknowledging and understanding employees’ feelings and experiences, the more heard and valued they’ll feel.

In a recent survey (pdf) , 96 percent of respondents said it was important for their employers to demonstrate empathy, yet 92 percent claimed it remains undervalued. If you want to improve your communication and build a stronger, more productive culture, practice responding with empathy.

Related: Emotional Intelligence Skills: What They Are & How to Develop Them

7. Open Body Language

Communication isn’t just what you say; it’s how you carry yourself. Ninety-three percent of communication’s impact comes from nonverbal cues, according to executive coach Darlene Price .

To ensure you’re conveying the right message, focus on your body language. If you’re trying to inspire someone, talking with clenched fists and a furrowed brow isn’t going to send the right message. Instead, make eye contact to establish interest and rapport and flash a genuine smile to convey warmth and trust.

8. Receiving and Implementing Feedback

Asking for feedback from your team can not only help you grow as a leader, but build trust among your colleagues. It’s critical, though, that you don’t just listen to the feedback. You also need to act on it.

If you continue to receive feedback from your team, but don’t implement any changes, they’re going to lose faith in your ability to follow through. It’s likely there will be comments you can’t immediately act on—be transparent about that. By letting your employees know they were heard and then apprising them of any progress you can, or do, make, they’ll feel as though you value their perspective and are serious about improving.

Related: How to Give Feedback Effectively

Improving Your Leadership Communication

Communication is at the core of effective leadership. If you want to influence and inspire your team, you need to practice empathy and transparency, and understand how others perceive you, through your verbal and non-verbal cues.

To improve your communication skills and become a better leader, begin by assessing your effectiveness so you can identify areas for improvement. Then, set goals and hold yourself accountable by creating a leadership development plan to guide and track your progress.

Do you want to enhance your leadership skills? Download our free leadership e-book and explore our online course Leadership Principles to discover how you can become a more effective leader and unleash the potential in yourself and others.

(This post was updated on June 16, 2020. It was originally published on November 14, 2019.)

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