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Creating_a_Communications_Culture_to_Enhance_Performance
| Creating a Communications Culture to Enhance Performance
A pervasive challenge in organizations today is the lack of
performance management systems that support high-performance
cultures. While there are a number of elements that support a
performance culture, there are two powerful conversation tools
that must provide the foundation for any solid performance
management system - adequate and appropriate feedback mechanisms
within the organization, and effective use of requests and
promises.
The Gallup organization researched what makes a great workplace
in a survey (the Q12) that involved 80,000 managers in a
multi-year research project. The survey identified 12 dimensions
that characterize a great workplace and positively impact
employee retention, customer satisfaction, productivity and
profitability. Significantly, six of the twelve dimensions
reflect on the quality of communication within the organization
and contribute to organizational climate, which in itself
predicts 20-30% of business results. They are:
-- I know what is expected of me at work. -- In the last week,
I have received recognition or praise for doing good work. -- My
supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a
person. -- There is someone at work that encourages my
development. -- In the last six months, someone at work has
talked with my about my progress. -- At work, my opinion seems
to count.
Create Adequate Feedback Mechanisms in Your Organization
Performance reviews are standard fare, yet research shows that
most employees feel they do not receive adequate feedback on how
theyˇ¦re doing, whatˇ¦s expected, what they need to do to
improve, and how to be as successful as they would like. There
are several venues through which to give and get feedback ˇV
supervisory reporting relationships, 360 assessments, mentoring
and coaching relationships.
Giving Effective Feedback: 1. Agree on goals and/or performance
standards to be met. 2. Be descriptive, not evaluative 3. Give
sufficient positive feedback 4. Beware of over-reliance on
negative feedback. 5. Don't withhold negative critical
information in order to avoid hassle. 6. Give ongoing feedback
and be timely with respect to particular events or situations.
7. Give specific examples and guidelines rather than being vague
and general.
Understand the Anatomy of Effective Requests and Promises
The purpose of communication in business is to make agreements
on how we are going to take action to achieve the outcomes and
results we want. What drives action and creates velocity are
requests and promises. This is the lifeblood of business
communication.
An effective request must contain three elements:
- Saying exactly what you want. - Saying exactly when you want
it. - And saying exactly who you want it from
Note that the operative word here is exactly. The more precise
you are in your requests, the greater the likelihood that
youˇ¦ll get what you want or expect.
Certain actions, or lack thereof, create confusion, resentment,
communication breakdown, and thus unmet goals. Common ways we
sabotage our communications are by:
- Making unclear requests - Not making requests - Not
communicating expectations - Promising when unclear about the
request - Not declining requests - Breaking promises without
mending the break
If you need to improve performance in your organization, take a
close look at the effectiveness of your organizationˇ¦s feedback
mechanisms, and the skill level people have with these essential
communication tools. With appropriate training supported by
follow-on coaching, you can improve individual and
organizational performance relatively quickly.
(c) Copyright 2003. Manay Arond-Thomas, all rights reserved.
About the author:
Manya Arond-Thomas, M.D., is the founder of Manya Arond-Thomas &
Company, a coaching and consulting firm that catalyzes the
creation of ˇ§right resultsˇ¨ through facilitating executive
development, high-performance teams and organizational
effectiveness. She can be reached at (734) 480-1932 or e-mailed
at manya@arond-thomas.com. Subscribe to Emotional Intelligence
at Work mailto:manya_list@aweber.com
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