The Communications Myth
Living in the 21st Century is truly marvelous, isn't it? We live in a world of instant communications where everything we need to know is right at our fingertips. The moment anything of significance occurs it is instantly transferred around the globe making us the most well informed generation in the history of the world.
Why is it then that communications is such a problem in the modern workplace? Why do so many employees believe that key decisions of upper management, or even their immediate management are not being communicated to them?
Don't believe me? Then go out and ask the rank and file in your company about the companies' direction; the department's goals and objectives; the companies newest marketing campaign; or the reason behind the recent decision to implement new systems.
Most employees don't know these answers because the communications is just not reaching them.
The reality is that communications comes in two parts. First, there is what the speaker or author sends, and then there is the message that is received. If what was sent is not the same as what was received, there is a communications error. Even worse is when the sender believes something is being sent, but nothing is received. Without a feedback loop the sender often assumes that the message has been received and understood when it truly has not.
The assumption that because a message has been sent that it must have been received is the source of a lot of frustration in the workplace today. In an effort to ensure that their communications are received, companies are sending out communications at an ever-increasing pace. Company directives, employee newsletters, status reports on dozens of pending projects, letters from the CEO that are sent and then forwarded and re-forwarded by various levels of management, departmental bulletins, company news flashes and so on lead to the illusion of communication. But since the employees don't receive or value the communications, they are not being received. And while I admire the efforts to transmit information and knowledge throughout the company no one should ever confuse the quality of information being transmitted with quantity. And that means that you should never assume that because something has been placed into an email, or newsletter that it has been communicated and understood.
In the fast paced work environment of today, employees are overwhelmed with deadline, projects, and an ever-growing pile of unread email. Employees are not ignoring these communications intentionally, but rather they are overwhelmed with pressing assignments. In addition, they believe that the value of these communications is limited due to the absence of any reasonable way to direct their questions and concerns back tot eh sender. Written communications, whether they be in emails, printed newsletters, posters, or even personalized letters can never be a substitute for the depth of understanding and commitment that comes with interactive, face to face discussions.
Clearly it is not possible for the CEO, the Vice Presidents, or even the Directors to meet each person one at a time to discuss issues with them, but in this age of communications, there is no excuse for not using interactive video or audio to communicate on a regular basis.
If you want to reach your employees and make sure that your message is being received, then don't rely on contrived communications vehicles like newsletters, or mass communications like email. Instead, invest in your employees by direct communications. And do it at all levels of the company. Remember, sending a message that is not being received is of no more value than a message never sent in the first place.
David Meyer, owner of Coaching for Tomorrow, has more than 25 years of management and leadership experience, having worked for companies such as Nobil Shoes, McDonough, Allied Stores, MCI and Nextel Communications. His mantra, "You Win With People" is based on the deep-seated belief that hiring, developing, and promoting the right people can lead to organizational and financial success. As a management and leadership coach, David works to instill that same passion in his clients by helping them understand the importance of strong leadership, strong teamwork, and strong players.
David has a Bachelor's in Business Administration from Elmhurst College and has been certified by both ACTION International as a Business Coach and the Coach Training Alliance. He also has received his CTM from Toastmasters. He is an Officer in the Denver Coach Federation and a facilitator/trainer for the Coach Training Alliance and ACTION International of Colorado. He is also a co-author of the book Creating Workplace Community: Motivation.
Married with two adult daughters, David is active in his local Kiwanis club and Crossroads Community Church. He enjoys reading, golf, scuba diving, and Civil War reenacting.
www.coachingfortomorrow.com Google News Updated : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:50:04 GMT Obama And McCain On Small Business - CBS News
CBS News - The fifth installment of the series examines where each candidate stands on helping small businesses. Supported the government bailout aimed at easing the credit crunch. Obama-McCain debate Question 5: What sacrifices Ad Wars: McCain Dishonorable and Obama Untrustworthy Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:28:47 GMT Fed's new tool: Business loan bailout - CNNMoney.com
CNNMoney.com - By Chris Isidore, CNNMoney.com senior writer NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The Federal Reserve announced a new program to help the battered market for short-term business loans - taking its closest step yet to lending directly to businesses. Fed's Credit Tactic Has Small Effect Fed, in emergency move, will lend to companies Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:33:46 GMT Bloomberg’s Gift to the People: Moi - New York Times
New York Times - By CLYDE HABERMAN An e-mail pen pal of mine in Alaska (no, not her, someone else) wrote the other day mentioning Marshal Philippe Pétain. UPDATE 1-NYC lawmakers to weigh bill raising term limits Bill to end term limits introduced in City Council Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:08:24 GMT World markets mixed amid ongoing bank jitters - Forbes
Forbes - By PAN PYLAS 10.07.08, 5:55 PM ET World stock markets were mixed on Tuesday as banking stocks on both sides of the Atlantic took another pounding despite the US Federal Reserve's announcement that it will buy huge amounts of short-term debt in an ... TOPWRAP 15-Fed steps in but US stocks dive; UK to rescue banks Patrice Hill THE WASHINGTON TIMES Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:03:58 GMT Ayers and Obama later worked on Chicago charitable boards together - CNN
CNN - By Drew Griffin and Kathleen Johnston CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- More than 30 years ago, William Ayers was a fugitive leader of the Weather Underground, an antiwar terrorist group known for its bombings of police stations, the Pentagon and the US ... Connelly: My tea with a 'terrorist' What’s The Obama-Ayers Connection? Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:55:44 GMT Obama, McCain stretch facts in debate - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain stretched facts, sometimes past the breaking point, as they addressed the financial crisis and more during their second presidential debate. McCain, Obama Laud Buffett When Asked About Treasury Candidates Obama-McCain debate Question 2: How will Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:01:16 GMT Judge Orders 17 Guantánamo Detainees Freed - New York Times
New York Times - By WILLIAM GLABERSON WASHINGTON - A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the Bush administration to release 17 detainees at Guantánamo by the end of the week, the first such ruling in nearly seven years of legal disputes over the administration’s detention ... White House "Deeply Concerned" With Guantanamo Ruling US judge orders Guantanamo Uighurs freed Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:49:29 GMT Amazon RSS Feed Generator |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Goals are critically important for the success of a meeting.... Read More Integrity is very important to me, and I try hard... Read More The senior flight attendant on the WestJet flight was starting... Read More However hard we try, we seem to make life more... Read More You, the Entrepreneur, are 'normally' a type-A individual. One who... Read More Many of you will recognise this quote from the 1960s... Read More Change is not simple. Why do we repeat behavior that... Read More Are you NICE or do you CARE? ... Read More Bar Charts and the Information ChallengeWhether one is an unknown... Read More Here are some quick thoughts on ways to turn things... Read More Here's a productivity tip that will save you a lot... Read More Have you noticed that some sound ideas get bad publicity?... Read More Did you know that an airplane in flight is off... Read More It happens over and over in businesses every day.Within large... Read More Recently a client told me a wonderful story about how... Read More "Become the Squeaky Wheel", a new book just published, explains... Read More The problem with communication is the illusion that it has... Read More It should not be. If it is an effective newsletter,... Read More Some say that in business as in sex: if it... Read More Many work environments now are open plan, with only a... Read More I'm sure you've experienced those typical "headache" meetings! You know... Read More Perfectionism can get in the way of building or marketing... Read More This article relates to the human resource functions competency, commonly... Read More Leaders and Managers often ask us, 'What do you do... Read More In many ways there are no secrets to implementing effective... Read More
Adsense
websites
Quick Tip - Effective Meetings Begin With Goals
Why I always Keep my Promises
Pitching to Employees
5 Questions Great Managers Ask (and they arent hard!)
Dont Get Side-Tracked By The Nay-Sayers
I Am Not A Number - Why Too Many Change Projects Fail
Writing and Revising Your Life Story
Are you NICE or do you CARE?
Bar Charts Brought to Life: Index of Interactive Information for HTML and PDF
How To Rebuild Trust
Using Outlook to Count Responses
The Few & the Many: Free Trade, Outsourcing, & Communication
Focus on Outcomes to Keep Your Business On-Course
Disaster Prevention Tips For Hiring A New Manager
How to Keep a Good Employee: Look, Listen, Learn
How Businesses Can Stop Wallowing in Bad Debt and Prevent It in the Future
Five Principles of Effective Communication
Is Your Employee Newsletter Management Propaganda?
Lets Flourish and Prosper!
11 Strategies on How to Work in An Open Plan Environment
Holding Effective Meetings Can Be Easier than You Think!
Overcoming Perfectionism
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: Adapting Human Resource Functions
Beyond Management Coaching: When Things Are Getting Out of Control
Uncovering the Secrets to Effective Performance Management
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Unveiling the Value of Your Expertise
All of us have knowledge, expertise, and experience that others... Read More
Paretos Law- Your Formula For Success
A 'dirt-world' retail business I used to manage had a... Read More
Listening Strategically
Usually, we're most interested in communicating outwardly; getting our messages... Read More
Vampire Meetings and How To Slay Them
Meetings can be like mythical vampires ? sucking the life... Read More
Downsizing in Organisations - The Real Truth
I've met and worked with many people in all sectors... Read More
Turbo Charge Your Career With The Most Powerful Leadership Tool Of All: The Leadership Talk: Part 1
Leaders speak 15 to 20 times daily. You speak at... Read More
The Importance of Business Goals
For you to get where you want to go, there... Read More
Give Yourself a Boss? Day Gift
Become a better boss and reap the benefitsAnother interesting study... Read More
Why Businesses Need to Start Nurturing Collective Wisdom
COLLECTIVE WISDOM CAN BE AN effective tool for solving the... Read More
Problem-Solving Success Tip: Measure
Measure.The first key question to answer in starting a problem-solving... Read More
How to Overcome Your Fear of Firing
OVERCOMING FEAR OF FIRING "It was obvious that this employee... Read More
Effective Multi Cultural International Business Meetings
Of the many areas in international business where cultural differences... Read More
10 Ways To Maintain Profits In A Slow Economy
1. Sell more back end products to your existing customer... Read More
How to Say No
Rejection hurts. No one likes to give it or to... Read More
Are You Cascading Your Strategy, or Fragmenting It?
INTRODUCTIONThe typical approach executive teams use to cascade, or roll... Read More
Leaning Toward Change
Seduced by the publicity surrounding the impact of Lean on... Read More
Getting to Consensus
The need to get people in an organization to pull... Read More
The Myth of the Management Team
Every business has problems. That is why the average life... Read More
3 Ingredients of Highly Profitable Organizational Change
As waves of organizational change sweep across the business landscape,... Read More
Innovation Management: The Time Factor
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
Jack Welch--Success Is Getting Back Up on the Horse
A few months ago I had the opportunity to spend... Read More
Its All About The Customers, Baby
If you want to ensure a steady stream of customers... Read More
Creativity and Innovation Management: The Creative State
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
Tales From The Corporate Frontlines: Job Security in Todays Workplace
This article, Job Security in Today's Workplace, is part of... Read More
Prepare A Winning CV
There is every chance that elements of this article may... Read More
Business Management |