Every manager knows bad communication can destroy even the best laid plans. Sometimes, all it takes is a single misinformed worker to knock an entire project off the rails.
Just ask the leaders of Mali. They gave a baby camel to French President Francois Hollande in January as a gesture of kindness for sending in troops to help them fight militant Islamist groups.
Shipping the one-humped camel to a French zoo was a logistical mess, so the President entrusted it to a Timbuktu farmer whose land was damaged by French tanks. The farmer was instructed to care for the camel until they could transport it to a French zoo. Weeks later, the camel was gone.
Actually, it had been eaten. The farmers caring for the Arabian camel misunderstood the directions; instead of feeding the camel, they slaughtered it to feed themselves. It wasn’t used as intended, but it was used.
That’s a huge communication problem! Perhaps it was a language barrier, or maybe a perception problem of what the farmer had been through. Misunderstandings happen all the time, for many reasons, all over the world. It may be the single biggest reason your employees aren’t doing what you expect.
There are three main causes for a communication breakdown:
1. Lack of time – Instructions are given so quickly that the people who have to do the job don’t understand correctly. Vague summaries in meetings and rushed conversations in passing leave workers little time to ask questions. When no one takes the time to explain expectations, the interpretation is left up to the worker.
2. Memory – The worker doesn’t take notes when the task is presented, instead relying on their memory. As a result, the instructor limits the information to avoid overwhelming them, they fail to explain all the steps, or forget to warn about potential roadblocks. When everyone is working off memory, perception is reality – but rarely is it correct.
3. Bubbles – Everyone is working in isolated bubbles; too proud to ask questions or too busy to offer guidance. There is little collaboration and practically no feedback. In the end, both parties think the other understands, although they wind up far apart on the results.
When you let assumptions and perception guide your company towards goals, you create unrealistic expectations. Things get done, but probably not the right things. The farmer takes the camel home as asked, but once the bosses leave he has to decide on his own what to do with it.
To avoid these types of mistakes in the workplace, it is essential to learn good communication habits. You must be very clear in your message and your expectations, and you must be willing to put time, effort and follow-up into every project. Here are three very simple steps to get you started:
1. Sit down – Whenever you give someone instructions on a new task or project, make sure you sit down and get their undivided attention. They will pay more attention than when you are chatting in the hallway, and it will show them that you value the conversation and the results of the project. They will be more likely to be attentive, ask questions and develop a deeper understand of your expectations.
2. Send a follow up email – In the 24 hours following your conversation, send out an email with a brief outline of your expectations. Remind them that you are open for additional questions, give examples and point them to other resources if possible. At the very least, this will give you a record of your expectations and show you are accessible for future discussions.
3. Checkup in person – Put a note on your calendar to check back with the worker halfway until the due date. The discussion can be casual or formal, as long as it is face-to-face or on the phone. Ask about their timeline, challenges and unexpected twists that may alter the project. This is a good opportunity to show you are open to new ideas.
To be a good communicator, you don’t need to spend hours in meetings. You just need to make sure the conversations you have are meaningful. Follow these three simple steps and you will eliminate many of the workplace miscommunications that waste time, cost money and create endless frustration.
No one is asking the Timbuktu farmer about his side of the story. For all we know, he may have come to his decision only after failing to reach Mali officials for follow-up questions. Now, they’re scrambling in damage control; vowing to send France a bigger, better camel. Hopefully it comes with good instructions.