Without communication, efficient Knowledge Management (KM) would be exceptionally difficult to maintain. Communication is a knowledge manager’s best tool. By utilizing it effectively, you can strengthen literally every aspect of your business.

But how exactly do communication and KM interact? What defines their relationship? And how can you go about building seamless communication strategies?

For any business looking to get ahead in this rapidly changing, data-driven marketplace, the answers to these questions can make or break your efforts. Here's what you should know about strengthening your communication for efficient Knowledge Management.

The relationship between communication and knowledge management

First, it's essential to define the difference between communicative processes and Knowledge Management in general.

Communication, simply put, is the diverse act of expressing an idea from one consciousness to another. It takes on a variety of forms and these days is increasingly digital. In the business world— like in every other aspect of life—the effectiveness of communication can determine your success, whether you’re attempting to boost sales, cut costs, or improve the employee experience.

Knowledge Management, on the other hand, represents the ability of a business to capture information, share it, and apply it effectively. As you can see, communication is a central aspect of this process. Within the framework of KM, efficient communication is necessary in three key areas of business. These are:

1. Information gathering.
2. Disseminating insights and analytics across a company.
3. Forming a narrative that translates information into real-world applications.

Streamlining these endeavors company-wide is a fundamental skill for any business development manager. After all, you'll be working across departments and specialists to transfer information from one source to another. Without the right data sources, a proper method of communication across your company, and a narrative contextualizing your knowledge, you will fail in your endeavors to coordinate information.

As you're aware, this will make digital and global trade especially difficult. With Supply chains alone requiring real-time, transparent modes of communication, your ability to process information is key.

Strengthen your communication efforts to make these processes seamless.

How to make communication efforts seamless

Fortunately, strengthening your communication efforts doesn't have to be as difficult as it might sound. Sure, communication takes constant effort and careful coordination. But with a business framework dedicated to effective KM processes, you can build a communication system that all but eliminates human error.

Here are some effective strategies for helping you make your communication efforts seamless:

1. Constantly invite feedback: Without the coordination and cooperation of your entire team, your KM strategies will not be as effective as they might be. Because of this, feedback is one of the most essential communication techniques that you can use to promote the application of any knowledge. Coordinate with your team, creating an open and empathetic environment in which insights, questions, and concerns can all be shared freely and easily.

2. Build continuous learning into the company culture: Communicating knowledge effectively is much easier with a dedication from all parties to continuous learning and growing. By espousing these values in your company culture, you support an environment in which people are willing and eager to listen. This will help in your efforts to create an empathetic space for feedback and ideas, and will in turn help you encourage dialogue.

3. Encourage a dialogue: By building an open and horizontal dialogue with your workforce, your KM strategies will take on new life. Such an approach invites each member of your team to share their passions, their projects, their questions, and concerns to develop mutual understanding. This can take many forms, from circular in-person group brainstorming sessions to open platforms for instant messaging and knowledge sharing. The right tools will make such a dialogue even easier.

4. Apply effective communication technologies: In the wake of Covid-19, more business places than ever have moved to remote work. Without the right communication platforms, your KM processes will suffer. For example, Lucidspark states that more than 50% of employees admit to working on other things during virtual meetings, making a strategic plan for remote work vital. Tech tools like collaborative digital bulletin boards, group messaging, and document sharing all help to ensure that employees are contributing and staying focused.

5. Innovate, innovate, innovate: Finally, commit to an environment that is constantly open to change and adaptation. The digital world makes new processes possible all the time. From new communication tools to agile frameworks for coordinating your knowledge, your ability to innovate will determine the effectiveness of your KM strategies. A change mindset will help employees learn and grow while inviting greater understanding into knowledge applications.

Building efficient knowledge management through communication

By following these strategies for strengthening your communication efforts, Knowledge Management will improve across your entire organization. Open dialogue invites empathy and improved communication while continuous learning makes for more open-minded employees. Build a culture of innovation by highlighting these values, then reap the rewards as workers seamlessly apply new and improved processes.

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Amanda Winstead is a writer focusing on many topics including business and technology. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.