How can you bridge communication gaps in your organization?

Provide feedback mechanisms to ensure that leadership will hear, and act upon, employee concerns Promote top-down communication that’s focused on honesty, clarity, and empathy Encourage employees to voice concerns, suggestions, and opinions on how your company can grow and improve Give clear guidance on dispute resolution and diffuse issues before they have a chance to grow or fester

I personally follow this and have learnt post :-) failures. 1. Mails or Messages are not effective way to communicate unless its generic one. Always prefer face to face or if the person is away Virtual call is the best. 2. Communicate and hear back to ensure both are on the same page else it will bounce. :-) 3. As long as its win-win and working towards a common goal the expression and direct communication wins. Then you may mail.

-By clearing define roles, responsibilities, and expectations for each team member and create channels for feedback, such as suggestion boxes, regular team meetings, or anonymous surveys. -Develop standardized communication protocols within the organization and schedule regular team meetings to discuss projects, share updates, and address any challenges.

Have you ever tried to plan a group vacation with friends over email? - Endless back-and-forths without decisions. - Long waits between replies, causing confusion. What's needed is synchronous communication (phone calls, in-person meetings, video calls): - Quicker resolutions, often in less time than multiple emails. - Real-time feedback, no delays. - The richness of voice and expressions conveys more than words. Asynchronous communication (email) has its moments: - Allows time to process information. - Great for documentation and reference. But remember: - Charged topics do need a personal touch. - If emotions will be invoked, increase the number of senses involved Ask - is this the best way to convey this message?

Firstly, prioritizing the active listening and feedback mechanisms helps to understand the specific communication challenges faced by different teams or departments. Facilitating cross-departmental collaboration breaks the communication gaps and encourages open communication and cooperation. Moreover, clear and transparent communication helps in fostering a cohesive work environment.

Some of the practices should be followed to improve communication. Prefer face to face, one-on-one, direct phone calls, virtual meets rather than just limited to the communication to emails. Be kind enough, keep ego aside, be open to listen to others, don't force only your ideas to others all the time, be available to the team members etc. Have friendly communication amongst the team members and try to bridge the gap between seniors and junior employees. Promote mutual respect and understanding. May be organize parties outside the office.

In addition to confirm if the communication has been understood in the real sense, one may to achieve coherence ✅ Ask the Team member to rephrase it in her/his own words ✅ Ask for suggestions she/he would like to add for improvements ✅ Any other information she/he already has regarding what has been communicated

Too often, leaders talk ‘at’ people rather than engaging with them. Invite conversations. When sending broad, or one way messages, be human, be vulnerable, be transparent in addition to being direct, driving, and business focused. Share the information, but always remember that you are sharing with humans (I like to say bellybuttons), not objects. If leaders show deep caring throughout their messages, it is more likely to connect to their teams.

Define roles and responsibilities in a way that leaves no room for ambiguity to minimize misunderstandings. Every team member should know their specific duties and how they fit into the larger workflow.

Clearly communicate organizational goals, objectives, and expectations to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Provide detailed instructions whenever needed and encourage team members to ask questions to avoid any misunderstanding.

In order to fully listen, I would argue that just for a moment, you must forget about yourself. Lose yourself in curiosity and understanding what it might be like to be the other person. Listen beyond just the facts and words. But what is the background, fear, and aspiration underneath. Ask one question with the intention to ask at least one additional one to take things deeper rather than simply switching topic and skimming the surface.

Listening is a superpower, why not try it? I don't mean just listening, I mean, really trying to understand someone. We are so busy in organizations today that we spend so little time listening. Deep listening means being present, suspending judgement, avoiding being a know it all and using curious questions. Remember, it's not about you, it's about the other person. Something you think is insignificant might be really important for them. At an organisational level, I always encourage leaders to go and listen to people. Being locked away in meetings all day and never connecting with people isn't good for business! You will learn so much more and gain the reality of what's going on in your business when you do this. Listen and learn.

Encourage active listening by training employees on effective listening skills. This includes giving full attention, maintaining eye contact, asking clarifying questions, and paraphrasing to ensure understanding.

When someone is speaking, give them your undivided attention. This not only shows respect but also allows you to pick up on nuances in their message.

each organization's communication challenges may be unique. Tailoring communication strategies to address specific issues, culture, and employee preferences is crucial. A customized approach that takes into account the organization's distinct dynamics can often yield more effective results in bridging communication gaps.

I believe that this is a key part of effective communication. People are different. Some prefer quick briefs. Some prefer passionate ones. Some like emotion and understanding. Some prefer just the facts. Appreciating that the needs are different and tailoring one that matches the general needs would make communication more effective.

While technology can enhance communication, it's essential to remember that effective communication is a two-way street. It also involves active listening, empathy, and a commitment to understanding the diverse perspectives within the organization. A holistic approach that combines the right tools with a culture of open dialogue is key to bridging communication gaps successfully.

I have found that in some circumstances I had to adjust the way I showed up, in particular when I was a young 20 something on big shows. It was a perception based on age and sex. In my experience working with people from all parts of the community and with different titles, I might adjust formalities or casualness however it’s always been important to me to treat all people with dignity and respect. If it is not reciprocated then you have the opportunity to raise it with them, ignore it or report it. We can always seek to learn from others and refine our communication and our connectivity with others.

One thing I’ve found helpful for those who struggle with communication, is that emotional intelligence plays a key role in the effectiveness of the communication. Just as it is important to actively listen and be aware of our tone and body language, it is important to be aware of our audience or peer’s body language as well. Salespeople, for example are more likely to be loud and gregarious, even when they are dealing with a challenging situation. On the other hand, a new employee may be too scared to speak up regarding issues. Once again, company culture and communication go hand in hand.

Communication style to also include aspects such as global workforce, language preference, worker/manager/supervisor/leader, etc

I often say that feedback is like a muscle. Consider when you haven't been to the gym for a while and the first time you go, it hurts? However, once you have been going regularly and are in the habit, it's ok. Feedback is similar, the more we do it, the easier it becomes. If we stop making it such a "big thing", and get into the habit of feedback, it's so much easier. I introduced the One minute feedback concept - yes, you can take 1 minute to give feedback, if you do this regularly. But you must have built trust and have developed psychological safety. Work that feedback muscle and make it a habit.

Encourage employees to seek clarification and provide feedback on communication processes and practices. This helps identify areas of improvement and enables the organization to address communication gaps proactively.

In my experience as a professional stage manager we wrote reports after each performance, seen by all departments including executives. Writing factually accurate reports, making suggestions and stating what needed to be executed to respond to a situation happened every day. Feedback, collaboration, suggestions are positives welcome in true collaborative practice. Criticism, opinions, rejection, retaliation occurs when other personal factors are at play and are qualities to be neutralised quickly. We can drive collaboration if all parties are working towards the end goal and can be heard - in accordance to our values and principles.

Create channels for employees to provide feedback, suggestions, and ideas. This can be done through regular surveys, suggestion boxes, or dedicated communication platforms. Actively acknowledge and address employee feedback to demonstrate that their input is valued.

Break the silos. Communication thrives in openness. Tear down departmental walls. A bridge built on transparency connects teams. In a united front, the organization speaks a common language.

A big miss I've seen over and over at organizations is clear and effective communication from the top down. When leadership has meetings, having someone take notes and then follow up with an email about critical messages to funnel down to teams is very important. It holds everyone accountable for sharing the same message as well as NOT sharing what shouldn't be shared.

We foster a culture of open dialogue, encouraging feedback from all levels. Regular team huddles and cross-functional meetings promote collaboration. Embracing technology for secure, real-time communication enhances efficiency. Above all, leadership sets the example by actively listening and valuing every voice. It's about building a cohesive, patient-centric team, where communication is the linchpin of success.

Often the fail point in effective communication is the final link in the chain, the line manager. This despite what might be a very well defined procedure and clear messaging, especially in larger hierarchies. There are lots of reasons for this, such as the unique perspective line managers have on how corporate messaging lands with the end user, therefore looking to soften or alter the dialogue. It can also be that line managers are not confident in being the voice of the company. But it is common that this population is overlooked in terms of importance in communicating on behalf of the business - invest here too!

🗣️ clear is kind!!! Will your communication still make sense if revisited in 2 weeks? Is the length reasonable? Providing context and detail are important, and so is not overloading the recipient with too much info.

Don't forget to invest in the final link in the chain, the Line Manager. This is especially true in large organizations where there are many layers between the source of information and the end user. The dynamic between employee and line manager is different to any other formal relationship, in that this is where you will get a back and forth, questioning and more openness in demonstrating disagreement or dissatisfaction with the message. Make sure your managers are equipped to handle this, having had sufficient information and opportunity to ask the questions that they will anticipate (rather than what a Communications department might THINK will come). Particularly true of the message might not be overwhelmingly positive.