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"Do employees complain that your company suffers from a lack of communication? That the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing? Maybe the one doing the complaining is you. Or perhaps, as many companies do, you conducted an employee engagement survey and “lack of communication” emerged as a top gripe," writes Art Markman (photo, left) in a piece at HBR.org.
"I’d like to suggest that this problem may not be what it seems. . . ."
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"For most of us, language is transparent. In other words, we do not see what it is or how it works. That is what I call a communication blind spot. If you are blind to what is going on when you communicate in your own language, imagine how much you do not see when communicating in English as a second language with people from different cultures. Specifically, you cannot see what you need to change about how you speak, write and listen when using English within your particular intercultural business context. I call that an intercultural communication blind spot."
According to Christina DesMarais (photo, left), "Anywhere from a third to half of the population fits the definition of being introverted, meaning these people are at their best in quieter environments compared with the extroverts who do well with a lot of stimulation. And if you're someone who clearly identifies with being on either side of the fence, you know how challenging it can be living and working with people who can be so different from yourself. Coming from the introverted camp, here are several things I wish extroverts understood."
"When cultures mix there are many unknowns, such as different accents, unfamiliar body language and tones of voice. There are also different communication styles, customs and protocols. This can lead to participants being self-conscious and nervous about doing or saying the wrong thing, with a fear of appearing incompetent or inappropriate. In business we all have a certain identity we wish to maintain and do not want others to form negative opinions about us. All these factors produce tension."
". . . You have to practice so that change can happen. Why? Because change is not a destination, it is a process. Accustomed as most of us are to a goal-oriented mindset in business, a common misconception is that we can set targets on communication changes and get there on deadline."
"Do you ever find yourself mindlessly browsing social media, not knowing how exactly you ended up there? Or perhaps you have a serious deadline looming ahead. You promise to buckle down and get to work, but 30 minutes later, you inevitably find yourself knee-deep in pages of unrelated Wikipedia entries. Those are pretty sure signs that your procrastination might have gotten out of hand—to the point of occurring on autopilot," writes Carline Liu (photo, left) at TheMuse.com
"This isn’t to say that you haven’t tried to break this bad habit—because you certainly have. If it seems like nothing has been working for you until now, then we have good news: These are resources that provide practical steps to starting and finishing your tasks on time. . . ."
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