Communication Creates Innovative Culture
March 5, 2007
Do you recognize and celebrate innovation in your organization through communication? Communication at work creates an innovative culture when you let your employees know you value their ideas and input. And you don't shoot the messenger of bad tidings when innovation has failed. Good managers communicate support and advice, reflect and probe in a constructive way when things go less than perfectly, and they don't play the blame game.
An Innovative Culture Can Bring Your Organization to Life
In today's work world you have communication innovations such as iPODs, Instant Messaging, Text Messaging and other technically savvy ways of communicating. However, it is the essential communication skills that managers use with their team members that will create and drive a culture that is freethinking and forward moving. After all, the foundation for good communication is openness.
When a manager encourages the free exchange of open, honest communication, people are not afraid to offer up new ideas or disagree with an old one that could be improved. When this is done consistently by all your managers, it signals a change in your organization that brings it to life and brings innovation to the table. Innovation leads to better ways to serve the customer and eventually comes back to your bottom line in increased productivity and revenue.
Communicating Innovatively is Not a One Size Fits All
With a diverse workplace already in full force, managers also have to be cognizant that the way they communicate can't be a one size fits all proposition. Managers have to be concerned with understanding individual team members' interests and tailoring their messages accordingly.
Great companies have managers who communicate openly and often, ask for feedback, listen, and then respond appropriately. Take Grand Circle Corp., a Boston travel company, which is one of HR Magazine's 50 Best Small & Medium Places to Work. Grand Circle defines what they celebrate as "open and courageous communication" as being willing to ask tough questions, give constructive feedback to others, and accept such feedback without defensiveness. It's one of the organization's values.
High Performance Innovation Meets Empowered Employees
What happens when you have both innovative communication technology and managers trained to communicate more effectively? Employees begin to look forward to coming to work because they have a relationship that includes good communication with their manager.
Both communication technology and managers who communicate well will streamline work, accelerate transactions, release creativity and empower employees. "High Performance Innovation" is one of the top ten forecasts of what every business needs to prepare for now according to the Institute for Global Futures 2007 Global Trends Report.
Good Communication = Good Culture = Good for Business
Making the next step toward an innovative culture means you need to train your managers well. Essential Skills of Communicating is a program Corexcel offers that can help you move a good culture to a high performing innovative one by:
- Creating a climate of open communication
- Designing clear, concise messages
- Learning to communicate
Quote for the Week
"To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others." - Anthony Robbins
Sources:
Canton, J. (Jan. 2006). The 2007 Global Trends Report, Institute for Global Futures.
Pomeroy, A. (July 2007). Great Communication. HR Magazine.
Vital Learning Corporation (2007). Essential Skills of Communicating.