Organisational problem solving

| Last updated less than one minute ago

Submit :

News Photos Just In Debate Topic Latest News Articles Local News Blog Posts Pictures Reviews Recipes

Professor Anurag Gangal

15 December, 2008

Some organisations grow at a steady pace and some at an erratic pace. Some do not grow at all and eventually fold up. What factors account for such inconsistency? The article deals with one such factor, a vital one at that - communication

UPWARD COMMUNICATION is generally a neglected sphere of research in the area of leadership in organisational behaviour and functioning. Communication from senior managerial officers to non-managerial staff is mostly considered to be the cornerstone of successful running of an organisation. This, however, is not a reality because history is replete with examples of the most powerful organisations and chief executives perishing completely when adopting this one-sided top-to-bottom technique of communication alone. Leadership does not mean merely giving commands and rendering orders.

Effective line of authority and meaningful leadership evolve in an organisation when there are multiple types of information channels – even going much beyond the ‘two way flow’ of information within an organisation. There are at least seven ‘models’ and six types of ‘tactics and techniques’. Apart from all these, there have to be informal, non-formal and natural processes of feedback from non-managerial staff to managerial executives, which are necessary for ensuring a healthy and efficient work ethos and conditions .

Therefore, what organisations require is the ‘learning’ type of communication environment where there is not only upward information flow but also a critical upward communication (CUC) and feedback system – both formal and informal. There must also be a professional analysis unit for upward and downward communication from a ‘learning’ perspective. All communication must be professionally weighed at all levels of the organisation.

If, for instance, an educational organisation is devoid of this learning outlook, then neither teachers, nor the administration or students can ever be benefited. Multiple types of upward feedback are indeed a must for any organisation. Even one of the most powerful dictators like Adolph Hitler failed miserably, in the ultimate analysis, just because he did not bother to use this learning perspective of organisation while dealing with the problems of the state and politics.

A relatively young organisation like Microsoft has been so successful because it uses this ‘learning’ module of communication in running its business affairs. Therefore, Lord Acton’s phrase must always be kept in mind while running an organisation. For him, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. Lack of proper feedback also leads to disruption. Hence, for the sake of success, efficiency, healthy working conditions and the continued existence of an organisation, upward influences and communication are necessary.