I've done a fair bit of work of late as a subject matter expert in the area of Project Communications. Even so, I struggle to understand what it really *is.* I have an 807 page book on my shelf about Project Communications that goes on and on about how to manage it, but never defines it!
I feel about communications the same way I feel about the colour orange. Some days it seems like it's a colour all its own, but often enough it just seems to be a variation of red or a saturated yellow. And maybe that's it. Perhaps communication isn't so much a thing unto itself as it is a vehicle for, or enhancement of, something else.
When I'm really communicating with someone, I feel a sort of *click.* I can often see it in the other person as well. Something happens that is bigger than either of us. It is the most energizing part of managing projects for me - getting to the point of *getting it* so that my team and my stakeholders can share in project success.
Effective communications in projects is like model airplane glue. Applied well, you don't really notice it in the end product. Used sloppily, you end up with gobs of glue all over the place. Sure, the airplane is held together, but it's best to stand back a few feet so you don't notice the disaster of the execution. And if I spend too much time around communications *templates* I start to hallucinate anyway.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment