In the same series of sharing learning from failure, here is another story from the Bible, which teaches great lessons in project management. It very effectively shows the significance of project communication, importance of speaking the same language for greater project success. In fact it is easiest to sabotage a project simply by breaking communication between its team members.
Have you heard of the “Tower of Babel”? For those who are unaware of what the tower of Babel is all about, let us narrate a small story. Ages ago, everyone on earth spoke the same language and wanted to build a city and a tower with its top in the sky (heaven). When God came down to see the tower, he realized that since all of them speak the same language, they are united and hence have started pursuing the things which would one day lead to chaos. God went down and confused their language so that they may not understand one another’s speech. Thus, without being able to understand each other the humans stopped building the city and got scattered to different parts of the world.
With this story you must have realized how communication drives to either make a project successful or a failure. It is crucial to effectively communicate so that the team is on the same page and all of us are aware of our goals; striving to achieve the same. In the long run, maintaining a proper communication helps in building a more cohesive and effective team. Regular communications help the organizations remain more transparent and building a trust for the brand. Misinterpretation of any message we are trying to communicate can have detrimental effects on a company. It only leads to scattered goals, trust and company values.
At each step of a project life cycle we need to maintain a proper communication.
- Communication helps any organization in publicizing its products and services among the actual and potential customers. When a business effectively communicates to prospects and customers about how its products and services can benefit them, it converts prospects into customers.
- Management is to depend on Communication to perform its functions, such as planning, organizing, directing, controlling, motivating and coordinating. The success of Management largely depends upon its capacity to get the things done properly by the employees. Communication facilitates the exchange of news and views between Management and employees.
- Proper Communication system helps in providing relevant information, instructions and directions to understand the requirements develop and deliver within the project timeline. It helps the business people to take proper decision by supplying right information to the right people at the right time.
- Even when we are unable to meet our timelines, we need to effectively communicate the same to the customers or management to avoid any unnecessary repercussions.
Thus, Communicate to Facilitate and not to flounder. Smallest of error in communication can lead to disaster.