May I suggest however that the building block of productive labor -- the cornerstone that makes assembly lines flow smoothly and service teams work -- is communication. It used to be you’d hear the phrase “ stop talking and get to work.” The far better mantra is now “START talking and get to work.”

Consider the impact of poor communications: Tasks frequently have to be repeated because instructions were not clear. One department does not understand why another department needs a report and so it delays sending the requested material. A receptionist cannot explain the company's services to a guest in the lobby and the firm loses a prospective client. A manager misses an important meeting because she fails to ask her assistant to change her calendar. Senior executives lose precious hours in a meeting that becomes an exercise in egos rather than solutions...all because the dynamics of group interaction are not understood. An important memo is not read because of the length and confusing sentences. Employees spend time trying to ferret rumor from fact regarding the company's position in a troubled economy. A manager engages in doublespeak regarding possible layoffs and morale plummets for everyone.

These are but a few examples of situations that lower productivity, situations caused by miscommunication, poor communication, or no communication. And that's a situation no one wants.