As with any good relationship(s), the key is communication. When in doubt, over communicate. One of the biggest problems I witness in organizations is communication. I also happen to understand why it happens. We each typically work in silos of some sort, no matter how flat an organization tries to be. We work with different folks and we may even talk openly about what we’re working on at times at team meetings and the like. That said, these quick recaps or accountings of what we’re working on generally lack context or specifics on how it impacts different parts of the organization – not to mention most people tune out after about 2 minutes. Given all that, it’s a bit easier to understand why it may feel like communication is occurring when it isn’t – at least not accurately or effectively.

So, what can we do about this? Overcommunicate. Re-communicate. Put things into context for others. It can be exhausting, but those who communicate well are often looked upon as the best collaborators and well respected throughout their organizations. The great thing is that it shouldn’t be hard, it just takes practice.

-Alex