Creating a managerial communication culture that works

I have a confession to make: I am a technology junkie and I’m every high-tech marketer’s idea of the perfect customer.

I’m receptive to any product that will make my life easier and I’m not afraid to put my hard-earned money on the table to get it.

My love of technology also extends to my work as a professional communicator. I regularly counsel clients on how to use technology to enhance their communication efforts.

Many of them see this as a critical component to becoming (or staying) a “fast company.”

Despite this, I am also convinced that in the rush to embrace new technologies, most corporate communicators and human resources professionals have overlooked one of the most important and effective tools at their disposal — the manager. That’s right, the manager. Those overworked people who toil away in relative obscurity in almost every organization on the planet.

Just about every survey I have read in the last five years has clearly and unequivocally stated that managers or direct supervisors are the number one source for employees seeking information. Staff are more likely to turn to their immediate supervisor than any other single source.

Managers are important in both the official and unofficial flow of information within organizations for several reasons, including:

•The vast majority of businesses still operate under some version of a hierarchical model, where managers are in the loop sooner and with more details than those who report to them. Rightly or wrongly, they are perceived by their team as being “in the know.”

•Staff know their direct managers better than any other senior person in the organization. And, when they want information, they will always turn to those they feel most comfortable with.

•Because they are positioned between the front-line workers and senior management, managers are a natural conduit of information, up, down and across the company.

Yet, despite managers’ unique position within the company, most organizations fail to recognize the tremendous influence they exert within an organization and to empower them as communication agents.

Now, before everyone jumps up and says “we involve our managers all the time,” I want to clarify my position.

I’m not talking about only using managers as a tactical element — where they get debriefed, meet with staff on a initiative, present material and answer questions.

I’m talking about using managers as a core, foundational element in a company’s overall communication strategy.

Failing to use

managers

There are several reasons why organizations fail to use managers as a core component, including the following.

Time: It’s very easy to get so caught up in “doing” that there isn’t time for “planning.” But, like it or not, integrating managers effectively takes planning. Truth be told, fully exploiting the management communication opportunity requires an up-front investment of time and money that many companies are not willing to make.

Managers pull back: I have heard “that’s not my job, that’s HR’s job” more than a few times. Some of the pullbacks are valid, many are not.

The solution is simple. Make sure managers, emotionally and intellectually, understand the benefits to themselves and the organization.

Unfortunately, communication competency is not valued. It’s true that what gets measured gets managed, and sadly, there are not too many organizations out there that include communication as a core competency (that is appraised, monitored and measured). The message is that while we say it’s important, we don’t act like it is — and, seeing is believing.

Product versus process: Too often, communication is viewed as an event — communicating pension, benefits, performance management and so on. Looking at it this way means that managers may factor into the equation or they may not, depending on the initiative. Communication is a process, not an event.

Managing managers

to communicate

How can organizations change things and make managers an integral part of the communications process?

Plan for it: Just as an effective communication process is always the result of a well thought-out communication plan, turning managers into “official” communication agents will only happen if it is planned.

Every functional company has a business plan and a sales plan, yet many don’t have a communication plan.

A critical component of that plan should be the role of managers in creating a communication culture.

Sell it: Communication is all about marketing ideas. Organizations must market ideas with the same energy, enthusiasm and savvy as they pitch products. But be prepared. You won’t convince your organization of the value of making managers into communication agents without some up-front selling.

Like it or not, as the HR person, it’s your job to make the case. You will need to get senior management on side because it’s going to cost money.

But most importantly, you will need to sell the managers themselves. They are not going to take on additional work as a goodwill gesture. They need to see the benefits for themselves and the organization.

It’s your job to tell them how important they really are.

Training: There is no better way of improving communication skills than training. Managers need an interactive workshop — a comprehensive and exclusive session dedicated to improving communication skills in the workplace.

Training is critical because it will establish a level of consistency across the organization. It is also the first step in developing communication as a core competency critical to business success. Start at senior management and roll it out through the company.

Performance appraisal: If communication is a critical competency for management (and it’s impossible to argue otherwise), make it part of the job description and measure it. By taking this step, integrating it into the performance appraisal system and holding managers accountable, the company sends a powerful message about how highly it values communication.

Compensation: The best plans link individual performance to compensation. The company is saying, “If you are effective in the areas we deem critical, we will recognize these competencies financially.” Therefore, it’s important not only to include communication in the performance management system, but the compensation plan as well.

Recognition: It’s very hard to break old habits or established cultures. While training and accountability go a long way, there needs to be a company-wide mechanism that’s visible.

Recognition programs, or events that celebrate people, are common enough, but what’s rare is highlighting the communication component of that person’s success. You’ll rarely find a high achiever that isn’t an exceptionally good communicator — so, talk it up.

Corporate communications or HR have typically been viewed as the owners of the communication function in most companies. Either of these groups can own the company communication strategy, but the communication responsibility cannot lie within one functional group.

It requires the participation of all colleagues at every level of the organization. And, one of the best ways to get that commitment is through leveraging managers and supervisors in the process.

Companies that integrate communication demonstrate certain characteristics, including the following:

•information flows down, up and across the organization;

•leaders are visible;

•communication is open and honest;

•everyone knows where the company is headed; and

•people feel valued and important.

If you invest the time, energy and resources into making managers and supervisors an integral part of the communication process, you will be a lot closer to making those characteristics an integral part of your organization. Ultimately, you will be creating a communication culture — a key indicator of a “fast company.”

Sandy French is president of Northern Lights, a company specializing in internal advertising, located in Toronto. He can be reached at (416) 593-6104, or by e-mail at [email protected].

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