Written by Gaynor Rigby

Why communication fails in business

Whether you’re managing an international business or a small team of two, communication is the key to unlocking passion, potential and productivity.

But it’s important to remember that communication isn’t a one-way street. The communicator can talk until they’re blue in the face, but if the receiver is not engaged and receptive, nothing is being communicated at all.

So, how do you make sure communication is working on both sides within your team?

Singing from the same song sheet

Share your vision with your team. Every business should have a strong, ambitious plan for the future, and each department should have a clear role to play.

Every person in the company should feel excited about the future of the business and how they fit into it.

Knowing me, knowing you

Business growth can often become a barrier to good communication as it becomes increasingly likely that some people in the company won’t interact regularly.

Team socials and briefings offer people the chance to get to know each other as well as an opportunity to update everyone on any exciting news or ideas within the business.

Sharing is caring

Team briefings and catch ups are also a great opportunity to share interesting studies, articles and tips that you come across that could benefit people.

Encouraging regular communication between teams (internal communication platforms such as Microsoft Teams are especially useful for this), sharing knowledge and asking for help becomes second nature and everyone can reap the benefits.

Feedback is a gift

Often, people can be hesitant to give feedback for fear of being perceived as difficult or problematic. But feedback is a crucial part of communication, so it’s important that it’s encouraged and any constructive criticism is welcomed.

Everyone’s mind and way of working is unique, so getting feedback from a variety of people is invaluable to any business and can highlight issues or solutions that could otherwise have been overlooked.

When you provide feedback, remember to always do it with good intentions and never make it personal.

Teamwork makes the dream work

Ultimately, the better communication is within a business, the better that business will perform.

Everyone’s day-to-day roles run smoother and time can be spent on creating awesome results rather than fixing errors caused by miscommunication.

Learn more about what makes a great place to work (and how to spot the best ones!) here.