Communication Overdrive

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-opportunities/article938373.ece

Communication overdrive is the true productivity killer

Nitya Sai Soumya

Communication plays an important role in personal effectiveness and business success. This is the reason why there is so much emphasis on it in the workplace. However, of late, communication is out of control and is taking productivity out of work. Now it is time to control communication overload so that it does not burden further the already overworking teams.
Communication overload is in a way result of excess prominence we gave to collaboration and teamwork. With arrangements like remote teams, telecommuting and flexi-time coming to existence, communication has reached an explosive state. Another source of it is our attempt to increase visibility— the pressure to reach more customers, be more responsive and productive.
We suffer communication overload in different ways. Some of them are innumerable meetings, being copied to hundreds of unnecessary mails, receiving redundant information because the sender wants everything on records, and increased insistence on collaboration even where it is not really required.
Mobile phones, smart phones, PDAs, numerous ways to message and chat, social media, and tools that facilitate virtual meetings have made communication so easy that now it has become difficult to control it.
Communication overload is a bottleneck to productivity. It consumes time and energy, which can instead be used to do more important tasks. The pressure to meet demands from different directions coming at the same time causes stress. The flood of unwarranted communication diverts our attention and prevents us from focusing on a more important task on hand.
Another disadvantage to communication overload is that it can make us commit mistakes. When there are many communication sources providing several pieces of information, identifying and extracting relevant and current information from them is a tricky task. Making decisions based on this information is dicier. Using information from a mail while the latest update is waiting at the fax machine can result in costly blunders! So it is high time we realise the significance of communication in our lives and limit it to the extent required.
Here is some guidance on it:
Limit sources: Just because there are so many choices of communication available, it does not mean that you have to use all of them. Also, the communication tools that you use need not be available with the client.
So use popular communication tools and go for a new one only if it is really necessary. For example, you do not need videoconferencing to connect with a client in your city.
Organise sources: Maintain a log to enter details about phone calls. Separate messages/ faxes according to the subject or relevance and keep them in different folders/ files. Set deadline to reply based on priority. Once you respond to a communication, mark it so as to avoid confusion. Avoid sending and receiving redundant messages. You need not send a mail to your boss with details about what you spoke on the phone every time you speak with your client. You can update him when there is some significant development.
Protect channels: In a period when there is so much emphasis on expanding networks, it is enticing to give your phone numbers and email addresses to everyone you meet. But this will get unwanted communication that leaves you with little time for genuine business. Sometimes, you many even end up being inaccessible to true customers because your communication channels are busy.
Resist the urge: Overcome the obsession to check e-mail, phone messages and social media updates frequently. Try to allot time for it, say five minutes after every hour. Depending on the nature of your job, you can even limit it to once or twice a day!
When calling for a meeting think whether you really have to meet people personally at the point. May be it is enough if you send them an email. When in meeting, stick to the timings and the agenda.
When sending mails, consider whom you are keeping in the loop. Similarly, ask your colleagues and clients to keep you in the loop only if you should know what is in the message. Use predefined email distribution list judiciously.
Overusing communication and communication tools causes serious problems to personal efficiency and productivity. So, to make them serve the purpose they should be used only when they are needed.
Nitya Sai Soumya