Workplace Communication Flows 1

By: Robert F. Abbott

You've heard the cry. I've heard it, too, "We need better communication!" or "We need more communication!" It's an almost-universal mantra. But, what do we mean, when we ask for more workplace communication or better communication? Let's explore that question by looking at the different ways that communication flows around and through modern organizations.

For example, I used to work as a construction laborer, doing the kinds of things you would expect: digging, filling, pouring cement, cleaning up, and carrying things. In that job, as in practically all jobs, workplace communication flowed four ways.

It came down from my foreman, who might tell me to dig a hole two feet deep and three feet in diameter. Then it moved upward when I reported back that I had finished the job, or could not finish it (blame the plumbers). It travelled laterally when I discussed the job with a fellow laborer ("Keep digging while I go get a tape measure."). There was also the grapevine, which flowed in all directions, and might involve speculation about who would be transferred.

Of course, you don't have to be a philosophical laborer leaning on a shovel to recognize the same workplace communication flows: downward, upward, laterally, and through the grapevine. Which takes us back to the main point: when we talk about "better communication" or "more communication" we want to know where to start.

And, where to start means identifying and understanding the four workplace communication flows: downward, upward, laterally, and the grapevine. Regardless of the types of communication, whether verbal communication, written communication, or even non-verbal communication, our starting point is the four basic flows. More after this...

Downward Workplace Communication: Enabling

Let's focus first on downward communication in the workplace, and a couple of its important characteristics. Consider these common, downward forms of workplace communication:

• A manager explains a task to an employee
  
• A customer gives an order to a supplier
  
• Shareholders instruct management.

Enabling

These forms have more than direction in common. Each one also provides enabling information in the workplace. When a manager instructs an employee, she enables the employee to do his job, and makes it possible for him to earn a living by doing something that has value for the employer.

The same holds true for communication from a customer to a supplier. The supplier gets information that indicates what the customer is willing to purchase. Another example: senior management finds out from shareholders, or the board of directors, how owners want to apply the money they've invested.

More detail

And, as information moves downward in the workplace, it grows increasingly detailed. For example, my construction jobs began when a company wanted a new building. The company called in an architect, and gave instructions about what it wanted, where the building would go, how much to spend, and so on. The architect then hired a contractor, and gave new instructions that included blueprints. The contracting firm set up shop on a construction site, where its superintendent gave instructions to foremen of each of the building trades. The foremen, in turn, told their tradesmen what had to be done, and finally, the tradesmen instructed the laborers.

All of this was increasingly detailed information. It took a rather abstract idea, "We want a new office building." and turned it into a number of specific, and definitely not abstract, instructions, such as: "Dig a hole here, three feet across and two feet deep."

Finally, downward communication in the workplace might be thought of as a basic building block of organizational activity. It makes possible delegated, specialized, and coordinated activities, key requirements of any organization of more than one person.

All organizations of more than one person must use workplace communication in one way or another. One person must give another instructions before any activity can occur.

Next: Upward and lateral communication

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