How does your company communicate?

In business, there are many levels of communication: one-one communication, group communication, written communication, and marketing communication to name a few.  One way to affect a business dynamic is to have poor communication in any one or worse all areas.  As communication channels are transferred, interpreted, and applied to  groups or individuals, mixed messages or misconstrued meanings can be a start or demise of organizational success.

Problems in communication begin as a domino effect.  When one area of a business compromises its value system, it affects the business structure in general.  Good communication skills have to be in place harmoniously, otherwise; conflict and chaos can tear down inter and intra personal communication gateways.  

 In a company structure, this type of communication (conflict and chaos) creates inefficiency.  Meaning, company allocates their resources inappropriately, raising cost for such things as retraining or marketing to restore customer relationships.  One example this occurs is when corporate training within a company (intra) fails, and employees are lacking the skills or the ability to develop and grow.  Furthermore, lack of training affects the relationship between (inter) clients and employees who will eventually end business growth, leaving lack of revenue to succeed.

Aggressive Communication

Constructive trait of aggressive communication is defined as being assertive and augmentative.  Destructive communication is considered being hostile or verbally abusive.  A positive trait when working in a business setting is being assertive, especially if one is trying to move up the corporate ladder.  Playing sports or being a leader in an organization is also believed to be constructive traits for aggressive communication. Furthermore, to be augmentative is deemed to be positive if one is a lawyer or on member of a debate team hypothetically speaking.  However, if you take this behavior into another setting such as at home or with close friends, you may receive a more negative response.

There is never a reason to be hostile or verbally aggressive, but in today’s society, we praise this type of aggression in such professions such as professional fighters, rappers, and even wrestlers. Is it because we consider this a type of behavior entertainment?  In most cases this might be true; however, there are some people who use destructive communication to hurt others daily.  A person's position at work or in the home should never be a reason to abuse or use aggression with others. Learning to respect each other even when one does not agree is the only way positive communication can continue and relationships can build.

Comany values vs your values.

One of the biggest problems with conduct at the workplace centers around employee training.  One can ask questions such as, what are the company’s values; beliefs and expectations are great starting points for any new employee.  If the company has standards set in place for their employees, more than likely ethical behavior and conduct is prevalent in the work place. Furthermore, policies and rules need to be implemented to decrease a hostile work environment, as well as keep order, harmony, and professionalism.

Ethical conduct must be top priority at every organization.  Furthermore, companies should have their own ethical standards to compare when looking for employment. Like with every business relationship, one must make sure values coincide with company values.

Valuing Communication in business

A sure way for a company to fail is to have poor or lack of communication.  Communication should be highly valued in an organization like diamonds are valued to a jeweler.  Buying a diamond is a big investment, and so is communication.  If a company does not feel it is an important part of their success, then more than likely they will fail. Sorry, simple communication will not do only effective communication. “Communication is based on relevant and timely information, without such; there can be no effective communication” (Mader, 2009).   I have worked for a few companies with high turn-over because of lack of communication.  Whether the communication is upward or downward if policies, expectations, regulations and daily task are not handled effectively, then chaos, disorder and manipulation take over leaving a very poor business structure.  If the trust is missing in business so is the foundation which leads to more instability.