Business is communication. There are no great leaders or good managers who are not effective communicators. They know that it is not about oratory skills alone, but about everyday communications – with teams, colleagues, peers, clients, regulators, suppliers – to name but a few stakeholders.
So much depends on getting communication right, whether it is setting goals for your team or motivating them, persuading a colleague to support a stretch goal, securing collaboration from other departments, delivering updates to senior management or even the Board, pitching to a client, negotiating with a supplier or sharing your vision for your department or company.
When it goes wrong, the misunderstandings that result can lead to lost time, conflicts and a shift in focus from the goals at hand. Hybrid working can further exacerbate the possibility of miscommunication – or, not being understood.