“Information is power, but it is pointless power if hoarded. Power must be shared for an organization or a relationship to work.”
— MAX DEPREE
“Leadership is an Art”
It used to be easier being a poor communicator.
Life was slower, and communication options were limited. Management relied heavily on giving orders rather than building teams and consensus. Now, you can be interacting with others nearly around the clock. And today, business demands that you do so quickly, clearly, concisely and appropriately.
Without sufficient, timely information, most people are handicapped in their ability to excel. Successful leaders seek to create an environment where communication is encouraged, rewarded, frequent and relevant.
Some people don’t know what information to share, who would be interested in it or how to communicate so others will pay attention to their message. Others don’t want to get involved in the politics of communication. Still others hold onto what’s always been done, because it takes less time and is safe.
Creating a culture of open communication takes time, effort and courage. It is occasionally risky, and it sometimes upsets the power structure. Yet it is absolutely necessary. Your organization cannot survive in an atmosphere of secrecy, stagnation and recycled ideas.
If you want to charge up your employees, shake up your competitors and excite your customers, you have to invite and expect people to communicate, and listen carefully to the messages they convey.
Following are some suggestions for ways you can foster an environment of open, successful communication in your organization:
• Establish methods for open exchange of information and viewpoints. Create an environment in which people know their ideas are respected and wanted. Successful leaders make conscious efforts to establish vehicles and processes for communication. Build communication strategies into your business plan so that it supports your organizational mission, objectives and structure.
• Communicate the message that every idea is worthy of consideration. Valuing the ideas of others is an important prerequisite to fostering open communication. You can set the tone by deliberately sending the message that ideas and contributions are valued. Be receptive to all ideas so you don’t shut off the flow of ideas.
• Encourage others to express their honest views. In an environment of open communication, people feel reasonably comfortable sharing any and all information, whether it is good news or bad, agreement or disagreement. To have the most flexible culture, most effective problem solving and most adaptable workforce, the open sharing of ideas and thoughts is necessary.
• Interact with people openly and directly. Warren Bennis from the University of Southern California discovered in his research that effective leaders are consistent and predictable. Interacting with others openly and directly helps to communicate predictability, as well as build stronger relationships.
• Make sure people have no surprises. People do not like surprises, especially negative ones. Therefore, it is critical that you do not keep from others information that may result in their being caught off guard or unprepared. It is always better to say something before the person learns the information from another source.
• Proactively share updates and information with relevant parties. Work processes rely on the smooth flow of information among all the people involved. Without information sharing, teamwork disappears and customers are ill served. In times of change, it is even more important to put a lot of effort into establishing a communication plan and continually updating and implementing it.
• Choose the appropriate communication method for the situation. How you communicate is as important as what you communicate. You can meet individually or as a group; in the other person’s area or in your own; you can use the phone, voicemail or email; you can use formal or informal written communication, etc.
Whenever you communicate, decide the method that will work best for the message, the person and the goal. Use at least two methods to send important messages.
No matter what your organization creates or provides, from industrial equipment to consulting services, effective communication will give you a competitive edge. Better, smarter, faster — they are possible only through frequent, useful and dynamic communication.
Brad Larsen is a life coach and corporate consultant from Northern Utah. He can be reached at bradlarsen@dailymasterpieces.com.
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