If asked, most employees in most organizations will confirm that communication is the top issue they struggle with. Whether it’s gossip, not following the chain of command or the infamous “meeting after the meeting”. These are the types of things that can rip an organization apart from it’s core. What makes this such a tough pill to swallow for those who know the full story is that those who participate in this communication subculture are operating with about 20% of the information available. We often hear that there are two sides to every story, but much of this communication isn’t even operating with a quarter of one side and at the end of the day, regardless of the various sides to the story, there is only one truth.
Here’s the point… be cautious when building your point of view based on a comment or accusation made by someone in your organization. Typically, you are only receiving 20% of the information surrounding the topic at hand. When you think you know, odds are you don’t know.
Here are a few good practices to follow…
- Abide by the chain of command. If you have a question about something going on in your organization, ask your supervisor about it. If someone outside your chain brings a complaint or “the latest news” to you, either don’t accept it, get names of the source or have a direct conversation with all involved.
- Don’t gossip among your coworkers, comparing notes to build your view point. Listen for trigger words such as “they said/heard”, “everyone thinks”, and “someone told me”. When you hear these words, walk away, or ask the next question… Who is “they”? Who is “everyone”? Who is “someone”? If the person won’t say, then that person is giving you less that 20% of the information.
Avoid the communication pitfalls, and trust the leadership of your organization. If you can’t trust the leadership, then leave. If the leadership is doing something that is unethical or illegal, have your facts straight, follow the chain of command with the issue and be prepared to own your facts and also understand that you may have to leave in the end.
