mikebarnes

An Infinite Number of Monkeys

A Guide to Effective Business Communications

(this text appears as Chapter 1: Introduction in the book)

Introduction

This is a book about communications. It isn’t a book about Information Technology. Whereas IT covers everything to do with computers and information distribution networks, the field of communications need be neither so broad nor so narrow. It’s not so broad because we don’t really need to care about computing hardware, datacentre technologies, or the principles of data networking. It’s not so narrow because we certainly need to think carefully about the human element of the system.

You won’t find me using the term ICT (Information and Communications Technology) in this book either. As soon as an acronym gets introduced, people assume there is a rigid definition, maybe some science, and the true meaning gets lost. Communication is what we need, communication between people, so let’s call it that.

It’s very tempting to focus on the technology, to get carried away with the clever stuff such as integrated clients, social media, ‘clouds’, smartphones and tablets. Fun gadgets can be great to play with, but to add value in the context of an organisation it is necessary to add a bit of focus; to have a purpose, goals, and metrics to measure their effectiveness. The purpose, of course, has nothing to do with the technology and everything to do with people.

Focusing too much on the technology leaves us at risk of forgetting about the human element. The computers and databases don’t produce anything, they’re just there to enable the people to get their work done – to help them to communicate. The best communications solution will be highly effective in oiling the wheels of the business machinery: by getting ideas moving around the organisation quickly, by putting information into the hands of the right people at the right time, and by supporting efficient processes – whilst avoiding unnecessary ones. The worst solution will be a barrier to effective communication, however pretty it may look and however many features it may have.

Providing the best solution is not easy, due in part to the large range of tools and in part to the rate of change that provides technophiles with plenty to play with, and technophobes with plenty to learn. What is needed is intuitive technology which has a very short learning curve, is instinctively used in preference to anything else, and does not leave anybody behind.

This guide offers a summary of the communications landscape which exists today, and gives guidance on making best use of today's technology and positioning your business to take advantage of new technologies as they emerge. Ignoring advancements in communications, and failing to have a vision for how to apply them, can leave your business at a disadvantage relative to your competitors. The businesses which grasp good communications practices will benefit from greater efficiency and higher productivity: greater success.

You will see that this guide goes beyond buying a phone system, beyond tools such as email, instant messaging and blogs. We will look at information, and the transfer of information from person to person to create knowledge - two concepts which form the fundamental foundations for an effective organisation. Amassing information, and using that information to drive organisation structure, coordination of tasks, assessment of employee effectiveness and forward planning, will help build and maintain a successful business.

But, to steal from Douglas Adams, DON’T PANIC! Different organisations can, do and will work in different ways. The communications toolkit is simply that – a bag of tricks from which to pick and choose the right mix of tools with which to operate an organisation. By understanding how knowledge and communications can be used most effectively, and by making informed decisions about their use, any organisation can make the most of the communications age.

This is a guide to business communications in the widest sense. Your ‘business’ may be motivated by money, saving cats or ending world poverty, may have been in existence since the Crimean War or since last Tuesday, intended to be a permanent force or just a temporary one. Whatever the legal, temporal or commercial status of your group, the principles of communication remain the same.

Feedback from customers and others in the industry is always welcome: I want to provide the very best information in the very best way, and as the world continues to change I want this book to change with it. Comments and queries can be sent to: monkeys@linkedworld.co.uk

You can read the whole book by getting either the print or electronic version from Amazon or from your local bookseller.