THE Communication Gap

There is one chief enemy to communication - assumptions. I've grown to hate them. Every time I make one or someone else I work with makes one, something goes wrong.

Time, money, & relationships are wasted. This happened just this past week at my job when we decided that we could make a decision without discussing what seemed like a small detail to a client (we assumed). The result - that small detail ended up being a huge issue and was the difference maker between a successful end result and an unsuccessful one. It caused us time dealing with the vendor, client and co-workers involved, not to mention it cost our company actual cash to remedy the issue.

Its a simple, but far from easy thing to counter. As Middle Managers, we're trying to bridge the gap between clients and co-workers, our boss and our co-workers, or our boss and our clients. In the midst of those gaps, opportunities for assumptions abound. We assume someone understands what a term means, what's next in a process, that we'll get back in touch as soon as we can, and on and on. Its inevitable that its going to happen sometimes, but make it just that some times.

The only counter measure to assumptions is over-communicating. Tell someone everything and anything they might need to know. Go to the other extreme and use assumptions for good...assume the person you're talking to knows nothing about whatever it is you're working with them on. Talk about and bring out into the open all details, even when it seems painful. Be prepared for some people to get bored, but you'll be amazed at the difference in makes in a successful long-term relationship with those around you, not to mention avoiding all kinds of pitfalls on the path toward meaningful results.

Over-communicate!