Lesson 5.3
Communicate Clearly, Completely & to the Right Person
Estimated time: 7 minutes
Good information delivered to the wrong person may still fail.
Incomplete information may also create more work.
Scenario
A delivery problem happens.
An employee tells a coworker:
“There’s an issue with the customer.”
The coworker asks:
“What issue?”
The employee replies:
“Just ask them.”
That is not a useful handover.
A professional message might be:
“Mrs. Okafor’s 2 PM delivery has been delayed because the item has not arrived from the supplier. I informed her that we would update her by noon. Chidi is checking with the supplier. If there is no confirmation by 11:30, the supervisor needs to be informed.”
Now someone can act.
Useful Workplace Communication Often Answers
- What happened?
- Who or what does it affect?
- What has already been done?
- What still needs to happen?
- When is action needed?
- Who owns the next step?
You do not need a long speech every time.
You need enough information for the other person to act correctly.
Choose the Right Channel
Not every message belongs everywhere.
A routine update may belong in a team platform.
Sensitive feedback may require a private conversation.
An urgent safety issue should not be buried inside a long group chat and assumed to have been noticed.
Remember
Good communication gives the right person enough accurate information to take the right next step.