It is funny how people view communications.
The challenge when helping business owners is that they often start from the point where they believe they are right.
The effectiveness of good communication is not seen as a project in itself but as part of a belief that if I say it then it must be done.
We used to read and learn about the effectiveness of the silo hierarchy or network organisations , where style of communications was key to effectiveness.
I asked an owner the other day to stop everything he was doing, gather the troops, and explain why team work to achieve common goals was essential to help achieve business goals.
The reason I suggested this was that he was advising me that until their roles were totally defined to the point of chronic detail that they could not possibly understand how to communicate to each other.
"How could I know as I was not always here..."he cried.
"Doesn't matter" said I , "I can see what is happening by the results". Events occur , it is true, because roles are ill defined but we have met often as a team recently to expect , of each team member, that they can converse with each other , to solve business issues without necessarily reverting to higher authority.
"They are not trained to do that , they have only ever worked here ....!!!!! "
"Stop putting obstacles in the way I said", "and I am speaking about you".
Communications will never be totally perfect but communications is not just about you to them but between team members
The other point is you do not have all the answers to the problems that others create, the problems are past the point of no return by the time you hear about them, and all of this happens,in the main, in front of customers.
Thankfully he asked for more help !!!
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