I guess one of my pet reasons that comes pretty close to the top is lack of communications. This can cover many situations and cover a wide area. I intend to cover just a couple of these today, but I encourage you to think about your own environment and what happens when things are unknown but acted upon. Many times, it becomes a disaster in many ways.

Take for example, you buy one of those kits that have to be put together and they claim you only need a screwdriver and a pair of pliers. Many times, it ends up being a worthless piece of junk, or something you have to modify to make things work.

The boss who says he wants this or that, but doesn’t give you much of an idea how to get to the bottom line the way he or she wants it done. The end result is obvious, but how many ways can you go wrong to get to the end result. Rules of “Murphy’s Law”.

Or the take-it-all employee never tells the boss what’s going on with the job. Mistakes continue to be made over and over again. You have to remember ONE thing: the boss is FULLY RESPONSIBLE for what you do. He doesn’t have to be the one making the mistake to be responsible.

Many business leaders require a “weekly status report” or some other title, but get the same results. They require employees to report to management about what they are doing while at work; what is the progress or what is happening. There are many different formats, from oral reports to weekly written reports, but the end result is the same. If you don’t know how to create one, there are plenty of examples available on the web.

Some business leaders send out weekly or monthly newsletters to clients or related business professionals. Email newsletters are very important. Many people refer to many emails as “spam” and could fall into this category if left unchecked. Some school systems use this system to keep parents informed about the developments of school activities.

People going back on their word is another good point. Was he ever promised that someone would do something, he never heard from it again? You go and ask for details, why and what happened, but they pass it off as “it’s not a big deal, it’s not important”. Especially the engaged ones; even those promises To your childs is it so extremely important.

Two-way communication is one of the most basic functions needed to minimize business issues. Many problems can be traced to inadequate communications about what is needed. A simple process of sharing ideas and thoughts, opinions and plans seems like a “no-brainer”, but the value of communication seems to be quite low in today’s information world.

It is simply not possible to have a relationship between people or projects without commutation, but that communication must be total and have good value content. Midway communications can be dangerous in any number of ways, from friendship jeopardy to business failures to the safety of equipment or life and limb.

AGAIN — This is so VERY IMPORTANT !!!!! manager vs. Employee: The employee cannot do the job with bad communications coming from management. This works both ways: the employee must also provide information of value to the chain. Reports written without continuity or accuracy are worthless.

This can also be a very good motivational tool for the employee. Improve morality so everyone knows what’s going on. It’s a great way to avoid low morale with some people knowing things others don’t. It also increases productivity because it brings staff input from employees if they know the “whys” of a decision. Post suggestions etc. It should always be in writing for constant reference. Deadlock in proceedings will eventually cause problems.

I’m not telling you anything new, I’m just reminding you of something you’re already well aware of. Wisdom = just common sense with its sleeves rolled up.