Communication and the High Performance Workplace

It is said that communication is the key to success in this era of rapid change. Good communication skills are said to be among the most important characteristics of high-performing teams. Yet the importance thereof is oftentimes downplayed in organisations. If communication is in fact the key to success in a high-performance workplace, changes in the communication process needs to be effected in order to foster the intent of a high-performance workplace.

In an effort to promote open and honest communication in organisations, executives constantly struggle with the question of effective vs. efficient communication. What is the difference, if any? Communicating is seen as a process that predictably has certain kinds of effects. The ability to convey information in an accurate manner is highly relevant to any organisation regardless of the industry associated with that organisation. The specific challenges of how to communicate differs according to the specific stakeholder group/s involved in the communication process.

There is always the consideration of balancing the effectiveness and efficiency of any communication undertaking. Through the use of a focused and clear communication plan, that balance can be attained. Through the various social media platforms available today, they can be useful in being a rapid form of communication, but equally can also be disadvantageous. Therefore caution needs to be exercised when using social media platforms as the basis of organizational communication efforts.