Communication
Despite huge advances in company communication systems from mobile phones through to email facilities, bad communication is still cited as a major problem for many companies.
Developing positive lines of communication with your colleagues at all levels is essential. Letting them know the information they need to know and vice versa can save enormous amounts of time and energy. Remember to copy the right people into memos and emails and give people a reasonable amount of time to respond.
If your company has an internal email system then use it as much as possible. It provides a fast, efficient and very cost-effective method of communication and gets you away from the problems of not being able to contact people. Take care, though, that using email doesn't mean you don't talk to anyone - the most effective form of communication!
Telephoning on the other hand demands an instant response, so it is a good idea to plan your calls. Before you ring, plan what you are going to say or find out, and try to keep the call concise and to the point. If you aren't sure how much time you spend on calls, time yourself for a day and you might be surprised!