The Cost of Silence: A Lesson in Communication
The most expensive mistake of my career stemmed from poor communication
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A decade ago, as a new manager, I made a single decision that caused thousands of late orders and taught me a lesson I still reflect on today. I was responsible for the pick department of a fulfillment center, where we retrieved products from storage to fulfill online customer orders. The items were then passed on to the pack department, which boxed and shipped them.
This is the third article in a series on effective communication. Part one explored the importance of active listening. Part two looked at how to craft clear and concise messages.
Among the various processes we used, one called BOD (Box on Demand) was reserved for the largest items. On the pick side, the large size of the items meant that a worker could only fit 6-8 items in a cart, compared to 20+ items for smaller products. On the pack side, each item had to be measured and fed into a machine that cut a custom-fitted box out of gigantic sheets of cardboard. This process involved significant manual handling and was the slowest in pack, as we only had a single machine.
One day, I noticed we were falling behind on picking the needed BOD items. In an effort to meet our deadline, I decided to add more workers to the BOD process. However, I failed to communicate this move to the pack department or my boss. I was making decisions based solely on my perspective, without considering the potential impact on other departments.
Had I opened a line of communication with the pack department, they could have provided crucial information I didn’t have, such as their inability to handle the increased volume. This additional perspective could have led to a more informed decision, potentially avoiding the chaos that ensued.
Communication is not just a managerial task—it’s a fundamental responsibility.
Within an hour, the problems began. The pack BOD team, slowed by the custom box-making process, couldn’t keep up with the increased volume from the pick team. The backlog swelled to over 300 units, far exceeding the 60 units per hour they could handle. With our limited quantity of carts now full of BOD items, other pick processes ground to a halt due to a lack of available carts. This situation led to dozens of pickers being unable to work and packers running out of items to box, except in the BOD process, where the bottleneck persisted.
In addition to causing hundreds of hours of lost productivity, my decision resulted in thousands of late customer shipments. Ten years later this remains the most expensive mistake of my career, all stemming from one critical flaw: a lack of communication.
The Critical Role of Communication in Management
My BOD experience taught me that communication is not just a managerial task—it’s a fundamental responsibility. Clear and concise communication is crucial to prevent well-intentioned actions from backfiring, as they did in this incident. My decision to add more workers to the BOD process seemed to me like the right move to meet our deadline, but without proper communication, it became a catalyst for chaos.
If I had communicated with the pack department, they could have provided insights that were outside my immediate view, allowing us to make a more informed decision. This incident underscores the importance of ensuring everyone involved is informed and aligned before making decisions that impact multiple teams.
Strategies for Effective Communication
Reflecting on the BOD incident, I’ve since adopted several key strategies to avoid similar pitfalls:
Plan Your Message: Before taking action that affects multiple departments, think through your communication. Identify who needs to be informed and how the message should be delivered. If I had communicated my plan to increase the BOD staffing, the pack department could have prepared for the increased volume or warned me about the potential bottleneck. Their input would have revealed considerations I hadn’t thought of, leading to a more balanced decision.
Communicate Clearly and Directly: In fast-paced environments, clarity is crucial. Avoid jargon and use simple, direct language to ensure everyone understands their role and can act efficiently.
Be Specific and Timely: Vague communication can lead to disaster. If I had specified the number of additional workers and the expected impact on pack, the situation could have been managed more effectively. Clear, specific communication allows others to provide feedback or raise concerns, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the situation.
Check for Understanding: After conveying your message, confirm that it has been understood. A quick check-in with the pack team could have revealed the likely bottleneck before it escalated. This step is crucial because it ensures that everyone is on the same page and can contribute their insights.
How Communication Shapes Team Dynamics
The BOD incident also highlights how poor communication can disrupt team dynamics. The sudden influx of work without warning led to stress and frustration within the pack department. When communication is lacking, it breeds uncertainty and reduces team cohesion. Conversely, clear and consistent communication fosters a collaborative environment where everyone is aligned and working towards the same goals.
Enhances Focus and Direction: Clear communication provides the team with a sense of direction. Had I communicated my intentions clearly, both pick and pack teams could have aligned their efforts, preventing the bottleneck that led to late and missed shipments.
Optimizes Time and Efficiency: My mistake wasted not just time but also resources. Clear communication streamlines processes, ensuring that time and resources are used efficiently. In this case, a simple heads-up could have optimized our workflow and prevented costly delays.
Fosters Accountability: When expectations and changes are communicated clearly, team members understand their responsibilities and are more likely to hold themselves accountable. By failing to communicate my decision, I inadvertently set the stage for a situation where no one could be held accountable because no one had been fully informed.
Boosts Morale: In any team, morale is closely tied to how well communication is handled. The BOD incident undoubtedly affected the morale of both the pick and pack teams, who were left scrambling to manage a crisis that could have been averted with better communication. Clear communication reduces stress and builds confidence, which in turn boosts morale and productivity.
Overcoming Barriers to Effective Communication
Despite its importance, effective communication can be challenging. Even the best intentions can run afoul of barriers that cause communication to break down or be misunderstood. Common barriers include assumptions, emotional reactions, and information overload.
Avoid Assumptions: I assumed the pack team would manage the additional workload without issue. This assumption proved costly. It’s essential to avoid making decisions based solely on your perspective. Instead, open a line of communication with other departments to gather their insights and verify that your communication has been received and understood. This approach ensures a more comprehensive view of the situation, leading to better decision-making.
Address Emotional Barriers: Stress and frustration can cloud communication, leading to errors. In high-pressure or time-sensitive situations like the one I created in the BOD process, emotions can run high. It’s crucial to address these emotions and maintain open lines of communication to prevent them from affecting performance.
Manage Information Overload: In fast-paced environments, the sheer volume of information can be overwhelming. Prioritize the most critical messages and ensure they are communicated clearly. In the aftermath of the BOD crisis I created, my boss sent clear direction that prioritized the actions we should take to minimize the effects as much as possible and get on a path to recover quickly.
Summary
All these years later, the BOD incident remains a vivid reminder to me of the importance of communication in management. Clear and concise communication isn’t just about avoiding mistakes; it’s about fostering an environment where teams can thrive.
By planning your message, communicating clearly, being specific, checking for understanding, and addressing potential barriers, you can ensure that your communication enhances rather than hinders your team’s performance. Importantly, by considering perspectives beyond your own, you can make better-informed decisions that lead to greater success.
As managers, our words have power—used effectively, they can drive our teams to success.
What strategies have you found most effective in avoiding communication breakdowns? Drop your insights or examples in the comments!
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