Comments on: Do the smart thing: Communicate more to engage your people during tough times. http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/do-the-smart-thing-communicate-to-engage-your-people-during-tough-times Pulic relations, marketing and corporate communications tips, tools and techniques to help make you a better communicator, grow your business and enhance your effectiveness. Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:41:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Ray Seghers http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/do-the-smart-thing-communicate-to-engage-your-people-during-tough-times/comment-page-1#comment-18 Ray Seghers Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:37:16 +0000 http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/?p=83#comment-18 I agree. As a follower of Rensis Likert, I believe strongly in employee participation. Communication is an essential ingredient. I think that managers need to trust their employees more. Most employees would rather hear bad news rather than no news at all. I agree. As a follower of Rensis Likert, I believe strongly in employee participation. Communication is an essential ingredient.

I think that managers need to trust their employees more. Most employees would rather hear bad news rather than no news at all.

]]> By: Jim Falk http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/do-the-smart-thing-communicate-to-engage-your-people-during-tough-times/comment-page-1#comment-15 Jim Falk Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:26:45 +0000 http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/?p=83#comment-15 Eddie - You are on target with this article. During challenging economic times, people are understandably concerned and this tendency is exacerbated by what they hear and see happening with other companies and organizations. I have found that it is important for management to be confident and positive and to speak candidly about how the economy is impacting our work. In addition to creating more comfort so that time and energy can be directed towards work rather than fomenting rumors and unrest, some of the best ideas can be generated by everyone working together with knowledge about the opportunities and challenges. Eddie – You are on target with this article. During challenging economic times, people are understandably concerned and this tendency is exacerbated by what they hear and see happening with other companies and organizations. I have found that it is important for management to be confident and positive and to speak candidly about how the economy is impacting our work. In addition to creating more comfort so that time and energy can be directed towards work rather than fomenting rumors and unrest, some of the best ideas can be generated by everyone working together with knowledge about the opportunities and challenges.

]]> By: G Marshall Johnson http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/do-the-smart-thing-communicate-to-engage-your-people-during-tough-times/comment-page-1#comment-14 G Marshall Johnson Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:56:01 +0000 http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/?p=83#comment-14 Eddie, Good Stuff! Communication is often a source of huge misunderstanding. Who thought the English lanaguage needs 800,000 words with multiple meanings? Keep up the good work! Eddie,
Good Stuff!
Communication is often a source of huge misunderstanding. Who thought the
English lanaguage needs 800,000 words with multiple meanings?
Keep up the good work!

]]> By: Neelam Sanjiv http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/do-the-smart-thing-communicate-to-engage-your-people-during-tough-times/comment-page-1#comment-13 Neelam Sanjiv Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:36:35 +0000 http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/?p=83#comment-13 You have succeeded in putting across your ideas in a brilliant manner. The reader can connect with your thoughts instantly. Your views are very very practical and every business should follow this rule of SMART COMMUNICATION specially in times of crisis. I am sure your article will bail out many business people from their difficult sutuations !! Keep up the good work always........ Regards Neelam Sanjiv Manager - Branding & Corporate Communication PROMED EXPORTS www.promedgroup.com You have succeeded in putting across your ideas in a brilliant manner. The reader can connect with your thoughts instantly. Your views are very very practical and every business should follow this rule of SMART COMMUNICATION specially in times of crisis.
I am sure your article will bail out many business people from their difficult sutuations !!
Keep up the good work always……..
Regards
Neelam Sanjiv
Manager – Branding & Corporate Communication
PROMED EXPORTS
http://www.promedgroup.com

]]> By: dschneider http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/do-the-smart-thing-communicate-to-engage-your-people-during-tough-times/comment-page-1#comment-12 dschneider Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:59:01 +0000 http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/?p=83#comment-12 This article is clearly from an old school managerial standpoint. As a manager you should be communicating daily if not weekly to your employees. Letting them know that times are financially tougher, their input is always welcome. Valued people will stay if they feel they are an important part of the organization. Whether it is "Nice idea" or whatever. Praise is free and should be given freely when deserved. Nice job or an " Hey I appreciate what you did on xyz" goes along way. At least they take home a good feeling and will be more productive. Even how about I value what you did. take an extra hour and .. go see ( your family/girlfriend/ bowling league/) free an very motivating. Your people will make or break you. Getting extra loyalty and work in this time is vital. Especially if they feel good about giving it. This article is clearly from an old school managerial standpoint. As a manager you should be communicating daily if not weekly to your employees. Letting them know that times are financially tougher, their input is always welcome. Valued people will stay if they feel they are an important part of the organization. Whether it is “Nice idea” or whatever. Praise is free and should be given freely when deserved. Nice job or an ” Hey I appreciate what you did on xyz” goes along way. At least they take home a good feeling and will be more productive. Even how about I value what you did. take an extra hour and .. go see ( your family/girlfriend/ bowling league/) free an very motivating. Your people will make or break you. Getting extra loyalty and work in this time is vital. Especially if they feel good about giving it.

]]> By: Rose Eliff http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/do-the-smart-thing-communicate-to-engage-your-people-during-tough-times/comment-page-1#comment-11 Rose Eliff Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:42:41 +0000 http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/?p=83#comment-11 Good points. A lack of communication fosters a lot of questions, gossip and supposition amongst employees, distracting them from their normal work. Employees who are left in the dark will engage in "what have YOU heard?" hallway conversations. In tough times, when companies are having to do more with fewer people, these distractions lower employee efficiency. Providing the facts (even "I don't know" is a fact) goes a long way to empowering employees and treating them like adults who can be trusted with the truth. Good points. A lack of communication fosters a lot of questions, gossip and supposition amongst employees, distracting them from their normal work. Employees who are left in the dark will engage in “what have YOU heard?” hallway conversations. In tough times, when companies are having to do more with fewer people, these distractions lower employee efficiency. Providing the facts (even “I don’t know” is a fact) goes a long way to empowering employees and treating them like adults who can be trusted with the truth.

]]> By: Ted http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/do-the-smart-thing-communicate-to-engage-your-people-during-tough-times/comment-page-1#comment-10 Ted Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:56:41 +0000 http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/?p=83#comment-10 Eddie - You are right on the money. I work in the same space, so this continues to confound me as well. Effective communication is at the heart of every business --- people have to talk, debate, disagree, listen and reach agreement long before they can execute effectively. Yet for supposedly smart people, most senior leaders are consistently bad at effectively communicating --- particularly so under difficult, stressful conditions. Clearly there are exceptions, but they are the exception rather than the rule. As consultants / advisers / coaches, we have to ask ourselves: why don't senior execs do the things that are good for them (or their companies)? Likewise, why do 90% of the people who have had a major cardiac event (heart attack) revert to their old behaviors as soon as six months after the event? Clearly illogical. Are they idiots? Maybe, but not in their minds. They don't believe the negative future applies to them. Someone else maybe, but not them. They don't want to change. And so it is with senior executives and their communication style. "This is who I am, and it's gotten me this far, I'm not about to change now. Besides, that data (Watson type research) doesn't apply to our company. I know what people are thinking about around here (wrong!)" In truth, it's fear, masked as arrogance, combined with a lack of skill and desire. It they were really good at this, they would already be communicating with people, because they'd know the power of connecting with others. About the only way to get a CEO to change behavior is to have a respected member of the Board of Directors force the agenda. But that type of change rarely sticks. To make a sustainable difference, it's unfortunate, but CEO has to go and the Board has to find someone who gets it (the power of effective communication) and has the track record of great performance on the "hard" metrics. Unfortunately, there aren't many AG Lafley's and Bill George's out there. Eddie – You are right on the money. I work in the same space, so this continues to confound me as well. Effective communication is at the heart of every business — people have to talk, debate, disagree, listen and reach agreement long before they can execute effectively. Yet for supposedly smart people, most senior leaders are consistently bad at effectively communicating — particularly so under difficult, stressful conditions. Clearly there are exceptions, but they are the exception rather than the rule.

As consultants / advisers / coaches, we have to ask ourselves: why don’t senior execs do the things that are good for them (or their companies)? Likewise, why do 90% of the people who have had a major cardiac event (heart attack) revert to their old behaviors as soon as six months after the event? Clearly illogical. Are they idiots? Maybe, but not in their minds. They don’t believe the negative future applies to them. Someone else maybe, but not them. They don’t want to change. And so it is with senior executives and their communication style. “This is who I am, and it’s gotten me this far, I’m not about to change now. Besides, that data (Watson type research) doesn’t apply to our company. I know what people are thinking about around here (wrong!)” In truth, it’s fear, masked as arrogance, combined with a lack of skill and desire. It they were really good at this, they would already be communicating with people, because they’d know the power of connecting with others.

About the only way to get a CEO to change behavior is to have a respected member of the Board of Directors force the agenda. But that type of change rarely sticks. To make a sustainable difference, it’s unfortunate, but CEO has to go and the Board has to find someone who gets it (the power of effective communication) and has the track record of great performance on the “hard” metrics. Unfortunately, there aren’t many AG Lafley’s and Bill George’s out there.

]]> By: Janna Rust http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/do-the-smart-thing-communicate-to-engage-your-people-during-tough-times/comment-page-1#comment-9 Janna Rust Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:03:49 +0000 http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/?p=83#comment-9 I totally agree that more communication is needed when times are tough. Employees know when something is "up" and will make up their own information if left in silence. I've experienced this before as controller of an organization that was going through a bankruptcy. People speculate and the rumor mill grinds long before most "official" communication is released. If we as leaders would embrace the tough times as a means to rally the troops with some honest communication, we would all benefit and be less stressed as a result. Thanks for your article! I totally agree that more communication is needed when times are tough. Employees know when something is “up” and will make up their own information if left in silence. I’ve experienced this before as controller of an organization that was going through a bankruptcy.

People speculate and the rumor mill grinds long before most “official” communication is released. If we as leaders would embrace the tough times as a means to rally the troops with some honest communication, we would all benefit and be less stressed as a result. Thanks for your article!

]]> By: Cathy Taylor http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/do-the-smart-thing-communicate-to-engage-your-people-during-tough-times/comment-page-1#comment-8 Cathy Taylor Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:25:51 +0000 http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/?p=83#comment-8 All very good points. But I have to ask, why do you think most companies retrench anyway on communications? Not enough foresight to see they're doing more harm than good? I have recommended the same strategy to numerous clients and most agree with that line of thinking but cannot seem to push it through the approval process. I'm just curious about your thoughts. All very good points. But I have to ask, why do you think most companies retrench anyway on communications? Not enough foresight to see they’re doing more harm than good? I have recommended the same strategy to numerous clients and most agree with that line of thinking but cannot seem to push it through the approval process. I’m just curious about your thoughts.

]]> By: Jeffrey St.Clair http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/do-the-smart-thing-communicate-to-engage-your-people-during-tough-times/comment-page-1#comment-7 Jeffrey St.Clair Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:40:05 +0000 http://www.reevesstrategygroup.com/?p=83#comment-7 Dear Eddie, Your message is powerful, but the delivery is stiff. You need to be less wordy, use less "strategic speak," and have some engaging and attracting images. I would love to show you what I can do to make your communications more exciting, J. http://innovativesocialmedia.wordpress.com/ Dear Eddie,

Your message is powerful, but the delivery is stiff. You need to be less wordy, use less “strategic speak,” and have some engaging and attracting images.

I would love to show you what I can do to make your communications more exciting,

J.

http://innovativesocialmedia.wordpress.com/

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