What type of communication occurs among peers within an organization?

Lateral communication occurs among peers within an organization and involves the exchange of information between individuals at the same hierarchical level. This type of communication is crucial for fostering collaboration, sharing resources, and ensuring that team members are aligned in their efforts toward achieving common goals. It promotes teamwork and helps in resolving issues that may arise between various departments or workgroups, enhancing overall organizational effectiveness.

In contrast, downward communication refers to the flow of information from higher levels of management to lower levels, typically used for directives or policy changes. Upward communication is the opposite, where information flows from lower levels of the organization to higher management, often used for feedback or reporting. Cascading communication describes the way information diffs down through an organization, often starting from upper management and filtering down to various levels, but does not specifically refer to communication among peers. Thus, lateral communication is distinctly characterized by interactions among colleagues at the same level.