A Very Broad Term

"What does communication look like to you?" It was and is an excellent question. The question was raised at a staff meeting of mid-level managers that I attended recently. The meeting was held in response to concerns raised by the managers that communication within the organization was not as good as it should be. Communication, the chief executive officer noted, is such a broad term that it is not always clear what exactly is meant when it is used. For instance, is one talking about how information is shared? Are you referring to the channels used to pass along information? Or is this a comment on how well people are allowed to voice their views?

Listening to the discussion, I was struck by the realization at how often many of us are, in fact, unclear when discussing such an important topic. We say the word "communication" and assume everyone knows what we are talking about. Yes and no. The fact is people do have their own perspectives on it simply because their communication needs vary. The CEO, for example, may feel it refers to how clearly his or her directives are being understood by those within the organization. The staff, on the other hand, may be more concerned with the opportunities they are given to be heard  or have meaningful input.

"What does communication look like to you?" How would a classroom teacher answer that? What would their students say? What about the patient? Or their doctor? Different people in different positions with different communication needs and goals. Without question, communication is an important conversation to have regardless of the location or group dynamic. At the time, for it to be fruitful, a clear understanding of what is meant by it must be established. Otherwise, there will be miscommunication about communication. That may sound funny, but the reality of such an occurrence is anything but that.