The Importance of Communication

The art of communication is the language of leadership”- James Humes

Without a doubt, communication is vital to a well-managed project. When it comes to project management, there are two main groups of people with whom the project manager needs to ensure effective communication; the stakeholders and the project team. Every stakeholder has a vested interest in the outcome of the project. Therefore, they require regular updates, and it is imperative that communication is clear.

Communication is involved in every aspect of project management. This includes providing clients and team members with updates, receiving updates and assigning duties to team members. Whether through conference calls, webinars, face-to-face meetings or simply standard emails, project managers must stay in contact. In fact, it is estimated that project managers spend 90 percent of their time on tasks that involve communication. Due to the amount of communication that takes place in project management, any breakdown can be detrimental to the success of the project; hence, the reason effective communication is so essential.

According to Harvard Business Review, a lack of communication is one of the most common complaints within an organization. Because of this, project managers must stay connected. If project managers want to truly be successful, they must stay abreast of the project challenges, address problems within the team and understand the issues of the client. Since project managers usually work with a diverse group of people, they must also ensure that they are utilizing the correct communication methods to get their message across and understood.

The ability to communicate effectively to diverse individuals and clientele will only heighten one’s success level, as a project manager. This honed skill is what allows CDCG to succeed on diverse projects that include economic community development, government contracts and major nonprofit organizations. CEO, Karen Davis, recognizes that the basis of effective communication is making sure that the needs of the audience are always considered first.