General Patrick O'Reilly and Clear Communication

Maintaining an efficient, healthy work environment is dependent on how well a company communicates. General Patrick O'Reilly has spent the better part of four decades mastering the art of communicating within the workplace, and is here to give some free advice on communication.

General Patrick O'Reilly always stresses the idea that communication is much more than verbal conversation and direction. Good communication is based on both verbal and non-verbal cues. Neither is necessarily more important than the other, as clear communication cannot take place without both. General Patrick O'Reilly believes communication starts from the top down, and as a former Director of the Missile Defense Agency charged with overseeing eight thousand people, he knows a lot about communicating clearly.

General Patrick O'Reilly always makes sure his subordinates know exactly what he expects of them. When people know what is required, they are less likely to shy away from their duties. If people are unclear of what is asked of them, more times than not they won’t do anything at all. Letting people know their job is key. General Patrick O'Reilly also stresses creating open lines of communication between all hierarchies. He believes that the lowest person in the company should be able to contact the highest, and vice versa. A company should be striving to create a unified product or service, so it only makes sense that the people within the company be unified and on the same page.

Effective non-verbal communication involves carrying yourself with respect. This means companies should have policies on dress code, interpersonal relationships, or similar policies. General Patrick O'Reilly believes unity within the company creates a willingness in people to work together. Creating and enforcing standardized rules, whether that is just a few or a whole list, is an important step to fostering this unity.