By David Okul
March 19, 2020
Among the most common complaints in organizations is the ‘lack of effective communication in projects.’ Managing projects without effective communication is a nightmare, and that should not be the case.
Effective communication in projects borders on both verbal and non-verbal transmission of messages and cues, then later waiting for feedback. Communication unites stakeholders and team members to share the objectives of a project. It also makes them understand their roles and execute them with certainty.
Importance of effective communication in projects
Some people think that a project manager’s job is nagging as it keeps reminding the team players of their deliverables and deadlines. Although the description is undesirable, a significant chunk of a project manager job is to communicate to the team for various purposes such as:
- Relaying information
Project managers must keep everybody informed with regards to project progress and details. They should be aware of constraints such as time and resources that may prohibit the conclusion of a project in time.
- Access to information
Without a proper communication strategy, it is only a matter of time before a project collapses. It helps to stick to a system of communication that enshrines focused and regular contact. This practice will prevent conflicts and misunderstandings within the project team.
- Changes in situations
A project manager must prepare to handle challenges that arise within a project’s lifecycle. The challenges must come, and the best way to handle them is to know the following.
- Who needs to be communicated to and at what time
- What type of communication is necessary; face to face, emails, phone calls, video conferences, etc.
- The frequency of the communication needed.
- Bridging the communication barrier
Effective communication means steering away from jargon that hinders communication. As a project manager, communication revolves around talking, listening, and interactions.
Setting up a communication plan
The starting point of effective communication is establishing a good communication plan, which outlines the strategy of communication for a project. The following components are useful in developing an effective communication strategy:
- The purpose of the project
- The team players
- Various dependencies
- Time scales
- Flexibility
A communication plan often includes a combination of active and passive methods. Active communication face to face meetings, telephone conversations, and video conferencing. In contrast, passive communication consists of the methods where the recipients can consume communication in their own time. Examples of passive communication include emails, websites, and blogs.
Proper project management does not only dwell on tools and processes. It also focuses on people. Effective communication strategies assist in building relationships between people.
Desirable communication skills that are vital in project management
Building effective communication in projects requires some skills. We believe that the following skills are essential for a good project manager:
- Listening both the good and the bad side of the team perspective
- Focusing on efficiency instead of speed. Team members should understand that moving in the right direction at a slower pace is better than moving at a fast pace but in circles
- Asking questions to understand the team members and other stakeholders better
- Respecting the stakeholders in the project
- Updating everyone on pertinent developments in the project.
A project manager can effectively communicate by setting the project expectation with all the stakeholders. A useful project management tool for mapping stakeholder expectations is the RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) chart.
Improvements in communication will minimize the risks of a project. When starting a project, you should validate the information by having a sound communication plan. You must outline the tools you will use for communication and include them on the budget.
Always keep in mind that effective communication in projects should reflect on the deliverables. Anything that threatens the success of the project should be handled swiftly.
David Okul is an environmental management professional with over 10 years experience on donor projects, forestry, and community-based natural resources management.
