Communication

Communication Is The Key To Having A Successful Business


Basic principles of communication

Every business requires effective communication, on many different levels of existence. A business that communicates successfully does not merely survive. It thrives and continues to grow.

The quality of communication within a business, determines the degree of success to a large degree.

How communication reflects the business, exterior to its inner, business structure and function, can help to determine how successful it will be in the community.

Communication Problem Solving - Questions to Ponder

1. Are we really communicating at all, when we attempt to communicate with others, with respect to business?

2. Have we learned the appropriate communication skills that are essential, to be able to communicate properly? If not, why not?

3. Are we actually communicating effectively, when we attempt to communicate or is it non-effective communication?

4. Are we really communicating what we think we are communicating or is it something totally different, that is actually communicated?

5. Is there a communication pattern that is negative and destructive, in our efforts to communicate with others? Or, is it positive and constructive?

6. Is there some kind of a problem that is evident in our communication methodology, that could be corrected, if it was properly diagnosed?

7. What are we really communicating and on what level of communication?

8. How can we communicate more effectively, so that we are actually communicating what we want to communicate?

Leading Others Towards More Effective Communication in Business

Communication is an extremely complex concept and occurs on many different levels or planes of awareness. Being aware of the particular level of communication is vital, when a person or a number of people are attempting to communicate. It is not always immediately evident on which plane a person or a number of people are attempting to communicate. In fact, it may not be apparent at all. Initially, it becomes important to establish the level of communication.

When two people are attempting to communicate with each other in business or with respect to life in general and are not communicating on the same plane, there is or there can be, an immediate breakdown in communication. The results can be disastrous. For example, if one person is attempting to communicate from a very high level of communication and the other person is attempting to communicate from a very low level of communication, the communication may not even be communication at all.

Either one person has to move to a lower level of communication, or the other person has to rise to a higher plane of communication, in order for the communication to be truly effective. Who is responsible for establishing the level of communication? The onus is on both of them to recognize where the area of difficulty lies and to respond accordingly, allowing communication to be on a more appropriate plane. The leader will take the first step and lead the other to a level of effective communication, where both are able to communicate on the same plane and can function together, in terms of appropriate communication.

There are no actual rules or regulations that one has to follow in terms of communication in business. Nothing is legislated or dictated, either to individuals or to groups of people, with respect to what level of communication people should be on or what they should do to establish or to maintain appropriate and effective levels of communication. In reality, business owners learn very quickly, what works for them and what does not work. While many books have been written on the topic, there is no single set of guidelines, that is applicable to every business scenario. Much of the communication that occurs is based on trial and error. But we all learn by trial and error too and generally we tend to avoid what appears to be error, simply because it does not work.

Generally, the things that do work in terms of true business communication, are basically positive and constructive in nature, as opposed to negative and destructive. As communication continues, it gradually rises to a higher plane of awareness and effectiveness. It should not deteriorate to a lower level of non-effectiveness. If it is stagnant or essentially not open to change or improvement, over a period of time, the level of communication will simple deteriorate and eventually come to an end. At some point in time, this would become total non-communication. Ideally, the goal that we strive for is true communication in business.