Dr Rajeev Gupta

Communication

The manner in which businesses communicate and involve employees in latest strategies is crucial for promoting implementation. Statistics reveal that an approximate 65% of employees do not get their roles when different initiatives are introduced. The absence of an effective communication strategy can not only lower motivation but also spark a resistance to change. Together, these factors can lead to inefficiencies in the system and raise the cost of execution.

Without communication team, players can lose touch with the company’s objectives and goals. Over time, both employee and entrepreneur may drift off course.

To make sure that the all departments stay in tune with the entrepreneur’s vision and strategy, the team should gather frequently for different updates.

Ideally communication should start as early as the strategic planning itself. In fact, it should be a parallel to the process of planning. The communication component needs to be two way in the sense that you should be getting feedback about your strategy not only in the beginning but also as it unfolds.

 

There are quite a few different ways that you can facilitate this communication.  For instance, regular meetings are one way to go.

  • Operational groups could gather for a daily huddle at the start of the day to make sure that everyone is on the same page and updated.
  • Executive meetings between key management personnel may be conducted regularly to assess the progress of the strategy implementation.

Interestingly enough, meetings can quickly disclose whether an organization has a strong culture of execution or not. For instance, if a meeting consists of a long presentation while other attendees sit quietly, unwilling to raise questions knowing that their own presentation will follow soon, then there is cause for concern. This scenario depicts an organization without a culture of execution and a place where even the best strategy may fail.

On the other hand, if a presentation is short and to the point with active participation by everyone present, with questions being answered and a common understanding that everyone is working on the same goals and timeline then this team is on the path to successful execution.

It is often very easy to fall into the trap of doing a great job of communicating at the start only to see people go back to business as usual. This also why planning communication ahead of time is important because it keeps the momentum up. At the same time, it is also important to engage key employees with targeted communication to win their support for the strategy.

 

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