Communication centres on the exchange and sharing of information between people. With so many focusing on optimizing the communication within teams and/or from a leader-follower standpoint, there’s a type of communication that tends to be missed in the process; lateral communication.
This refers to the communication that happens within departments or organization units; usually at the same hierarchical level as each other. Since this communication too is dedicated to the purpose of coordinating activities, efforts or fulfilling a common purpose or goal. This is lateral communication.
Time is of the essence in a project, so you may need to optimize the time spent planning and communicating between different departments. One way to have this done would be to schedule regular check-ins or meetings where problems, plans and progress can be discussed.
In a work context that runs hybrid (WFH and on-site), a good communication tool will be needed, so as to reach out to many as reaching any one of them. MultiCall is that tool, with how it can bring people together, and give everyone the right and ability to contribute value to the conversation. Here’s everything you need to know about the tool!
The Call Monitoring System allows you to maintain check-ins with the entire team, and they can report on progress, plans, and challenges together with you.
Doing so can clearly indicate to anyone in management about the frequency and basis for lateral communication. This in turn can result in informal communication between members of each department.
With the help of MultiCall’s Scheduling feature you can set recurring calls, as well monitor as the duration. Depending on your company, it may also be useful to have a member of the management team present during interdepartmental meetings to ensure the accuracy of information communicated.
Remember: Fail to prepare; prepare to fail! The point of this board is to detail the most important communication items for your projects. It also would help in cases such as monitoring changes in policies, practices, and procedures over a stipulated time period. The message board can also help as a physical cue for communicating messages about daily concerns within the workplace.
Workplace culture issues can hinder effective lateral communication. Examples of these include competitive behaviours among peers, each trying to stand out for their own performance, rather than taking a holistic approach to the company and team’s well-being and overall performance.
Instead of incentivizing competition in the workplace, setting a reward-based system for group performance vs. an individual’s performance would allow for better lateral communication.
Assembling a team means bringing people together with diverse skills, experience levels, and backgrounds. With established lateral communication, the company is primed not just for decision-making but for execution towards an outcome as well. With far greater productivity, you’d be able to reach more, now.
In any business, delays in communication can slow down progress and affect overall productivity. When teams are unable to connect quickly, decisions get postponed, tasks remain incomplete, and workflows become inefficient. These delays may seem small at first, but over time, they can create major challenges for organizations trying to stay competitive.
Emails have been a standard form of business communication for years, but long email threads often create more confusion than clarity. Important points get buried in multiple replies, and conversations become difficult to follow. Teams spend time scrolling, re-reading, and trying to understand context instead of focusing on solutions. This slows down progress and affects productivity.
Many businesses today rely heavily on chat apps for daily communication. While messaging platforms are quick and convenient, they are not always the most effective way to handle important discussions. Over time, this dependency can create gaps in clarity, delay decision making, and reduce the quality of communication. Businesses need to evaluate whether chat apps are truly supporting their goals or slowing them down.
In many business situations, teams spend a lot of time preparing perfect presentations and detailed slides. While visuals can support communication, they are not always the most important factor. What truly matters is how quickly teams can connect, discuss, and make decisions. With Best Audio Conferencing Apps, teams can focus on real conversations instead of spending time perfecting slides that may not add real value.
In today’s fast moving business environment, communication needs to be clear, quick, and easy to manage. Video calls have become common, but they often add extra layers that are not always necessary. Audio calls offer a simpler and more practical way to connect. By using Best Audio Conferencing Apps, businesses can keep conversations smooth and focused without worrying about visual elements.
In sales, building trust quickly is the key to closing deals. While emails and messages are useful, they often lack emotional depth. Voice conversations, on the other hand, create a stronger human connection. When people hear a voice, they can sense tone, confidence, and sincerity.
