Management Effectiveness

Improving Communication --

Tips For Managers

Research indicates that managers spend somewhere between

50% - 80% of their total time communicating in one way or the

other. This isn't surprising, since communication is so critical to

everything that goes on in an organization. Without effective

communication there can be little or no performance management,

innovation, understanding of clients, coordination of effort, AND,

without effective communication it is difficult to manage the

expectations of those who are in a position to make decisions

about your fate.

It can also be said that many managers do not communicate well,

and do not set an organizational climate where communication

within the organization is managed effectively. This isn't surprising,

since a manager who communicates ineffectively and does not

encourage effective organizational communication is unlikely to hear

about it. Poor communication is self-sustaining, because it eliminates

an important "feedback loop". Staff are loathe to "communicate"

their concerns about communication because they do not perceive

the manager as receptive. Both staff and management play out

a little dance.

In short, you may be fostering poor communication, and never

know it. You may see the symptoms, but unless you are looking

carefully, you may not identify your own involvement in the

problem. What can you do about it?

Your Role In Communication Improvement

Effective organizational communication, regardless of form,

requires three things.

First, all players must have the appropriate skills and

understanding to communicate well. Communication is not

a simple process, and many people simply do not have the

required depth of understanding of communication issues.

Second, effective organizational communication requires a

climate or culture that supports effective communication.

More specifically, this climate involves trust, openness,

reinforcement of good communication practices, and shared

responsibility for making communication effective.

Third, effective communication requires attention. It doesn't

just happen, but develops as a result of an intentional effort

on the part of management and staff. Too often, communication,

whether it is good or bad, is taken for granted.

We can define your role in improving communication with respect

to each of these. First, if you want to improve communication,

you will need to ensure that you and staff have the skills and

knowledge necessary to communicate effectively. This may

mean formal training is in order, or it may mean that you coach

staff and provide feedback so that they can improve.

Second, you play a critical role in fostering and nurturing

a climate that is characterized by open communication.

Without this climate, all the skills in the world will be wasted.

Finally, you must bring communication to the forefront of

organization attention. If you make the effort to improve

communication, your staff will recognize that it is important.

If you ignore it, so will staff.

Some Specific Tips:

1) Actively solicit feedback about your own communication,

and communication within the organization. Ask staff

questions like:

• When we talk, are you generally clear about what I am saying?
• Do you think we communicate well around here?
• Have you got any ideas about how we could communicate better?

Consider including these questions (or similar ones) in your

performance management process, or staff meetings.

2) Assess your own communication knowledge and

understanding

(See self-assessment instrument on Page 5-sorry,

not available online).

3) Working with your staff, define how you should communicate

in the organization. Develop consensus regarding:

• a) How disagreements should be handled.
• b) How horizontal communication should work (staff to staff).
• c) How vertical communication should work (manager to staff, staff to manager).
• d) What information should be available and when.

Once consensus is reached, support the achievement of these

goals through positive reinforcement and coaching.

4) Look at the impact of the structure of your organization and

how it impacts on communication. Indirect communication

(communication that is transferred from person to person)

is notorious for causing problems. Look at increasing direct

communication where the person with the message to send

does it directly with the receiver.

5) Learn about, and use active listening techniques. This will

set a tone and contribute to a positive communication climate.

If you don't know what active listening is, find out.

It's important.

6) Consider undertaking a communications audit. (see sidebar).