Education and Communications
The less we know, the more we suspect. Managers routinely
underestimate the amount and quality of education and
communication required to make change and improvement
efforts successful. If people don't buy into why changes or
improvements are necessary, they will resist them. Before
people will want to improve, they need to agree with why to
improve. Then they are ready to learn how to improve.
Strong partnerships are built on keeping each other
informed. Effective partners communicate frequently and
clearly. Since information is power, empowering means
sharing information.
A constantly improving and highly effective team or
organization is transparent. Why, who, what, and how
decisions are made, and actions taken is obvious to
everyone. The culture is marked by openness and informality.
Information is widely shared.
Objectives:
- Build a compelling case and cause for
change/improvement.
- Paint everyone into the big picture.
- Strengthen ownership/commitment for
improving our organization.
- Improve communication/feedback flows up,
down, and across.
- Create a more transparent organization.
- Develop a strong conduit for organization
learning.
- Increase trust levels.
Effective Communication
Strategies, Systems, and Practices:
- Deliver clear and consistent messages.
- Use face-to-face communication as much as
possible.
- Are simple, direct, and fast.
- Mobilize and energize.
- Are user-friendly, human, and personal.
- Move information, experiences, learning,
and feedback up, down, and across.
- Use multiple channels and media.
- Are possible only in an atmosphere of trust
and openness.
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