In organizations, there is the truth of what is happening, and then there are the stories we tell ourselves (and each other) about what is happening. In powerful organizations, the truth and the stories are closely aligned. In weaker ones, there is a disconnect, or a gap. And yes—you guessed it—having your employees making up stuff, rather than you telling them, is a sure-fire way to expand that gap.
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Communication is a lot like electricity in that it needs a medium or conduit through which it can flow. In business these media have been summarily dubbed “channels”. Over the past 20 years, the channels have changed a bit. We have seen the rise of email, intranets, forums, video conferencing calls and even chat applets. The more traditional channels are still in use as well, such as: meetings, one-on-one conversations and the occasional hand-written note.
The point of all of all of these channels is to find as many ways to move the same communication in order to reinforce the message. The greater and more diverse the channels, the better chance you have at your message being heard in the manner in which you need/want it to be heard. There is another channel that is not always viewed – or at least treated – as a communication channel. It carries more influence than all of the previously mentioned channels and has multiple touch-points for stakeholders. Culture…. Read More»
Editors Note: Be sure you read the entire article before you disregard in misjudgment.
Conflicts and clashes are as common at most workplaces as black coffee on Monday morning. If you’re looking to axe communication completely though, try ramping up curmudgeonese and then watch its magic spin.
Bickering is usually where curmudgeons nail their hottest acts. Get to water coolers early to …… Read More»
Every story needs conflict. Fiction writers in every medium know this well. No conflict, no audience interest. But in real life? Especially in business? There are enough conflicts to deal with from outside sources, be they competitors, market upheavals, or freak snowstorms that sever the last 10 miles of our supply chain. Do we really need to leave things unsaid or poorly said among the folks we’re working with, too?… Read More»
Once upon a time, NYFM (Not-Your-Father’s-Manufacturer), a very old, established company, decided they needed to drastically change in order to grow and be around many more decades. So, they created a highly disruptive ‘bet-your-career’ strategic plan. And they lived happily ever after.
Really? How many stories like this have that happy ending? … Read More»
High performance, success, and achievement require exemplary communication skills. Unfortunately, the world has fallen in love with a mode of communication that more often than not facilitates mediocrity. Meet civility: being cordial, nice, congenial, kind. BUT, the type of communication that is required for excellence in organizational life and beyond is in fact often shunned. Meet candor: straight-talk, being a little curt, blunt, to the point. Candor is about saying what needs to be said. It’s about keeping it real. Here’s the million-dollar question: Which one is more important? … Read More»
Everyone is so busy all the time. So it’s tempting to cut corners wherever you can. It’s tempting to do everything by email (or even faster modes like texting and instagramming, etc), but I’ve spent a good portion of my time as an executive coach helping my clients unwind the damage they’ve done in the name of expedience. And, I’ve fired a contractor or two because I got sick of being “cyber scolded” with terse emails. So let’s try to save you this trouble…. Read More»
By any measure, we are communicating at an explosive rate. We spend hours weeding through our in-boxes, preparing reports and attending meetings. We talk, we text, we tweet. But, for all of the channels we have to reach each other — many of our most impassioned messages remain “lost in translation”. Why? One explanation is that we simply haven’t built the required skills to ensure that we are communicating effectively. We invest in strategies to design engaging office spaces, flatten bureaucracies and build the technological capacity to receive those messages. But have we devoted ample time to the development of our communication skills?
The answer is likely “no” — and sadly, this limits our potential to share best thoughts, and convert those thoughts into action. … Read More»
As we approach President’s day, it seems fitting to honor two wonderful examples of innovation: our first American President, George Washington and our 16th, Abraham Lincoln. Both men were students of their environment–continually examining their surroundings and identifying niches to fill. … Read More»
In my last post, Self-Doubt Is Overrated, I told you that soon I was going to tell you what my own personal Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) is. Just a couple of days after publishing that, the kind folks at the Shorty Awards sent me an email saying the love what we’re doing here at ExchangeGain and they think I should throw my name in the ring for a Business Innovator award. #weird. Okay, let me be clear: my BHAG in life isn’t to win a Shorty. No, the Shorty isn’t the goal. The Shorty is the springboard to help get me to that goal a little faster. Because here’s my BHAG…… Read More»