Often hear the saying “ We are treated like mushrooms , kept in the dark and fed dirt?” What these mushrooms are referring to is their company’s communication pipeline or rather lack of one.
So is it because the people who are supposed to be relaying the information are not actually doing the relaying or are the mushrooms not listening? Well, probably a combination of both but one of the biggest breakdowns in business communication is what I refer to as the 3 arrows of communication.
What do I mean by this?
Staff in a company all form part of a team; the management team, the sales team, the administration team etc. As a team leader you have 3 lines of communication you are responsible for. I refer to these lines of communication responsibilities as the 3 arrows of communication.
The first arrow is downward arrow. It is the line of communication between the team leader and your team. This is the arrow that connects staff who report to you and who you, as a team leader are responsible for.
The second arrow is the middle arrow. This is the line of communication that connects all the team leaders of the different divisions of the company.
The third arrow is the up arrow. This is the line of communication that connects you to your managers.
Now, this may appear so obvious but it rarely happens that when information needs to be communicated that all three arrows of communication are used. In most instances only one arrow is used, less frequently 2 and seldom 3.
Next time you find these situations happening in your company, ask yourself which arrow has been left out:
As a manager (senior , executive or team leader) how often do you have to chase up information for updates etc from staff members? Here the up arrow is missing. In other words the information that is meant to flow up, is not.
As a team leader or division manager, how many times do you find other divisions or sections doing things that you are not aware of, or your team is expected to perform certain tasks or deliver outcomes but you were not fully informed or briefed? In these instances, the middle arrow is missing.
Finally, as a staff member, how many times do you feel you are left in the dark like our famous mushrooms? Company decisions are made, actions are taking place, people are doing things but you were not informed. Sound familiar? Here the down arrow is missing. Information coming down is missing.
When people do not have accurate information, they tend to make assumptions. It is just human nature. Assumptions are counterproductive for team dynamics and overall efficiency.
So next time you need to communicate information, remember your 3 arrows. They will make you an effective communicator.