I love my job. I believe wholeheartedly in the difference that effective communication makes to organisations, how it solves problems and supports achievement of plans and goals. As a result, I’m always willing to talk to others about what I do, whether at networking meetings, co-working offices or even at the pub with friends.
(Oh yes, I’m a hoot at birthday parties!)
I very rarely meet anyone, either professionally or personally, who says ‘Oh no, we wouldn’t need you at my place’ when I explain what I do. The reaction is much more along the lines of ‘We so need someone like you where I work’.
Of course, these statements are very often followed with a ‘but….’ – ‘my boss won’t spend money on anything’, ‘they don’t recognise the need’ (it’s not always clear who they are in this one), ‘they think everything is fine and dandy’ (or in this one). In these cases, there seems to be a barrier to sorting out communication problems, even when many of the people involved know that there is an issue of some sort.
Why should this mismatch exist? Is there something inherently problematic about getting communication right? It certainly isn’t easy and it does take time. However, organisations that are willing to put some thought and planning into how they communicate with each other, what they want to achieve by communicating well and the impact it can have on their people and processes, these are the ones who reap the benefits.
I think part of the problem is that communication can be viewed as a separate entity in its own right. This means that ‘communicate’ becomes another item on a busy to do list. However, I always tell my clients that everyone is busy enough without adding to their tasks – communication should be about supporting the work that you do and accelerating or growing the impact that it has.
When you get it right, communicating with others about what they and you are doing becomes part of ‘the way we do things round here’. That’s always what I am working towards with the organisations I work with. I think that is what a lot of organisations need, if only they are willing to take that first step and look at what great internal communication can really do for them.
If you would like to talk to me about how I can help you make the first move towards improved internal comms, please get in touch.
Until next time
Sarah