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Free Business InformationCommunication Smoothes the Path of Change
by:
Helen Wilkie
Productivity all but always suffers in times of great change, because worker
stress dramatically increases due to the universal fear of the unknown. In these times, communication becomes more important than ever.
Often senior executives genuinely believe they are act with employees once
it comes to matters that affect them. Unfortunately, they often underestimate the number of matters that includes, for the fact is that most high level decisions wish affect employees in one way or
another. (That's why a new law recently went into effect in Britain forcing employers to answer employees' questions on any changes or decisions that affect them.)
So how do you cognize what is important to employees and what to tell them? Well, you need to put yourself in the position, the mind, the heart of employeesÑone worker
at a time. If you were that person, what would-be you be distressed just about right now in the current situation? What would-be be important for you to know? What is the worst thing that could happen, and would-be you want to cognize just about it in advance? How would-be you want to be told?
Of course, you can't answer those questions yourself. You need input from the really folk you are trying to understand. Depending on how more you can discuss or how more is already known, you power ask a few individuals what the grapevine is saying, and what folk are worrying and curious about.
Now, armed with this information, draft the answers to the questions. Of course they must be truthful answers, for untruthfulness
is easily recognized and wish deal a death blow to your communication efforts. Then they must be couched in terms that are clean and uncompromising, but as well tactful and compassionate. It's worth defrayal several time on this partÑlack of commitment to your message is as well easily see and wish mechanically
raise the pessimism
level among employees.
Next comes dissemination of the information. There is, as we all know, no shortage of communication technology in the business world. However, the way a person receives news can dramatically affect how he or she feels just about it, so you need to choose the medium really carefully. E-mail can be perceived as cold and unfeeling in many a cases, tho'
it is useful for routine updates that don't have emotional overtones. Several messages are better spoken, either by managers to their groups or by the CEO to the whole organization.
If the messengers don't have extremely
developed communication skills, it's worth attractive
the services of professional speech writers or presentation coaches to help them, but be sure the message remains honest, clean and compassionate.
And above all, follow through on your commitments and promises. Nothing turns employees off more than empty words, but sincere, caring, current
communication can form the basis for building worker
engagement once
the present time of turmoil ends.
Just just about the author:
Mythical being
Wilkie is a professional keynote speaker, workshop leader and author specializing in applied communication in the workplace. See more articles on communication subjects on her website at http://www.mhwcomcomSubscribe to Helen's free monthly e-zine, "Communi-keys", and get your free 40-page e-book, "23 ideas you can use RIGHT NOW to communicate and succeed in your business career!"
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