Biz-commPulse

How Storytelling can liven up Business Communication

2015-04-17T15:54:00.000+01:00

Storytelling is referred to by some experts as the future of internal communication. Telling stories is not new and has been around for thousands of years. Many psychologists can tell you that something is better remembered if it is linked to a compelling story. This is just how our brains work.

This is why storytelling can be a powerful internal communication tool to engage and inspire employees. Using stories for internal communication messages could evoke a shared sense of identity due to an emotional connection with the stories. Language

The Coca-Cola Brand is renowned for its stories.

can be used to the business' advantage as it can evoke such emotional connection with other employees and what the business stands for. Businesses therefore now also use stories to share or explain their business culture or goals. The business can, for example, use stories to explain difficult data, facts, and figures. Stories can also provide some added insight into its operations and vision and mission. Many employees have interesting backgrounds and experiences to use for stories which will make the business appear more human to its employees.

Since internal communication has become more visual, stories could include Infographics, videos, images or social networks. Videos are ideal for sharing interesting company stories to showcase employees' talent and experiences. Managers can use visuals to share announcements, expectations, and goals with employees. In fact, storytelling needs to become part of the business' internal communication strategy to inspire employees. Employees will also learn from each other and try to improve. The business' newsletter or other publications and social media are ideal for sharing stories. Sharing employee stories to the outside world could create a connection with the business. The best example of sharing stories to the outside world is that by Microsoft as part of its new CEO's drive to change the company's corporate culture. The same principles can also be applied for internal communication as part a strategic move to inspire employees to learn from each other.

Why Integrated Communication is Essential for Better Customer Service

2014-08-02T17:32:00.001+01:00

Integrated communication (IC), if applied correctly in the business, will help you to build long term relationships with your customers. You can somewhat control how customers feel about your business through unified communication and messaging. I still consider Don Schultz as one of the pioneers of the integrated communications concept. Although theorists are still trying to work out a united definition of what integrated communication entails, the majority of literature on the topic indicates that by controlling all communication the brand of the business is enhanced through a consistent brand image, which could eventually result in better sales. Having loyal customers can only benefit the business through repeated sales.

Sounds impossible? Exactly how can integrated communication be achieved?

· The top management must first of all understand integrated communication. Integrated communication can only be achieved when it is implemented throughout the business in the correct manner. There must also be a clear understanding of what the business wishes to achieve.

· Create a consistent message about what the business is and stands for through a unified corporate image, personality and identity. All employees should be aware of the kind of messages that they should convey to customers.

· Various communication channels should be combined using a consistent message. These messages in the different communication platforms should complement each other and reinforce one message.

· The company should invest in IT infrastructure to attain integration of messages, for instance content management software or similar software.

· The IT infrastructure should also enhance interactivity with all the business' stakeholders. The business should build a profile of its customers for tailor-made communication through data mining practices.

· The whole company, from the receptionist to the top manager, must implement the principles of integrated communication. It must also be understood by all in the business and implement in all business processes.

· The business should devise an integrated communication strategy with clear plans how to achieve communication integration.

· The challenge with social media is that consumers now also shape the message and the business should therefore often interact with them. Interactivity is important in ensuring a consistent message about the business.

· The mission and vision of the business should aspire to apply principles of integrated communication.

Integrated communication will be difficult to achieve since it also depends on the cooperation of all employees in the business. The top management of the business should also be fully committed. But if better relationships and sales are the end result, why not attempt to achieve this kind of synergy?

Also read this article Why business communication should be part of a strategic plan.

ReferencesHolm, O. 2006. Communication processes in critical systems: dialogues concerning communications. Marketing Intelligence & Planning: 24(5):493-504.

Schulz D.E. 1996. The inevitability of integrated communication. Journal of Business Research:37(2):139-146.

Schultz, D. 1998. Invest in integration. Industry Week 18 May: 20.

Fear of Public Speaking is all in the Mind

2014-07-29T16:07:00.000+01:00

The fear of speaking in public is very real and many people’s biggest anxiety. Some people stop breathing, start stuttering and sweat excessively when they need to speak in front of other people. A fear of speaking in public has nothing to do with incompetence. Even people in top positions had to overcome the fear to speak in front of a large crowd of people. Some well-known public speakers still feel butterflies just before they step onto the stage, which is quite normal. I know somebody who never applied for promotion because the new position entailed speaking in public. The good news is that fear of speaking in public is only in the mind and has mainly to do with how a person thinks about him or herself when being in that position.

The brain is an amazing organ with unimaginable capabilities. Neuro-programming is a powerful self-improvement technique to help you climb the corporate ladder and to adjust your brain into thinking differently.

Fear of public speaking can be overcome with mind control to think differently when you need to address other people. Your fear is rooted in your own erroneous self-perception that your audience will find your speech boring or even laugh at you. When you are a professional who need to speak often in public and thus really need to overcome this fear, professional hypnotherapy sessions with a psychologist can assist adjusting your thoughts. Many audio hypnosis DVDs and other software programs are available concentrating on reprogramming your brain for public speaking commitments. Deep breathing exercises to calm down your nerves can also help as you tend to breathe too shallow when feeling anxious.

These tips can assist you when you need to prepare for your next public speaking engagement:

It is very essential that you need to be well-prepared. No amount of reprogramming of your mind will work if you do not know the topic well. This includes anticipating questions that the audience might ask you and a professional presentation. Also creating a mind map for your presentation has proven to work well for other speakers.
Close your eyes, listen to soft meditation music and visualise yourself speaking in front of other people. See yourself as confident, well-prepared and the audience enjoying what you have to tell them. Do this visualisation technique every day for a couple of days before your presentation.
Think of your greatest success in life and how you felt when you achieved that. Try feeling that way when you visualize yourself speaking confidently in front of other people.
Just before you step onto the stage, do some deep breathing exercises to calm down your nerves.

The more you speak in public, the more confident you will become. Practice makes perfect, but it is that first step that you have to take in overcoming this unnecessary fear that is the most important of all.

References

Mindmedia.com

Neurolinguisticprogramming.com

Counselormagazine.com

Helpguide.org

How to Prevent Rumours in the Business Through Communication

2014-04-12T18:41:00.000+01:00

Rumours in the business should be managed through proper communication.

As a manager you have the added responsibility to look after the communication in the business, that is to make sure that communication is coordinated, early enough, frequent and clear. Many large businesses have communications employees to deal with the communication aspects for the business, but it ultimately remains the responsibility of the manager. It is human nature to discuss issue with you colleagues, especially if there is uncertainty about unforeseen changes in the business or problems with employees. But it is important to stop or prevent rumours early enough before they get out of hand, damage the reputation of the business or the morale of the employees. What role should the manager play to put an end or prevent rumours in the business?

A weekly blog on the Intranet is increasingly being used by managers worldwide to inform employees about goings-on in the business or to obtain feedback on an important matter. Similarly this blog can be used to put an end or to prevent rumours. What better way for employees to hear information straight from the manager?
More social gatherings could also discourage rumours if employees get to know each other better.
The daily business operations should be conducted in a transparent way including how promotions are done, business systems are working or by making minutes of meetings available to all employees.
A rumour should be dealt with immediately. As a rule, the business should have a couple of communication channels to communicate with employees and those channels should be used immediately when rumours are spread.
Team work and team spirit should be encouraged. Employees should feel they are all working towards a common goal and are not competing with each other. If employees feel jealous about the achievements of others, that could easily lead to gossip and unfounded rumours.

Rumours should thus be managed both the prevent and to stop them and communication plays a key role in doing so.

Related post

A CEO Blog for Better Communication

About Ethical Communication and Management's Role

2014-01-06T11:26:00.001+00:00

Ethical communication occurs when it is honest, open, fair and mindful of all employees' rights. It is not surprising that the management of a business could play a pivotal role to set the example to employees. They should lead by example, reward ethical behaviour as well as create an awareness of ethics in general. The corporate values of the business are imperative in that they guide the ethical behaviour of employees. It is important for employees to understand the difference between right and wrong behaviour in the workplace. Business' values are usually related but not limited to human rights, employee development, health and safety, discrimination and respect for others as well as working conditions.

How can a manager instill ethical communication practices in the business? By, for example:

creating an awareness of the values of the business through continuous communication
having ethical roundtable discussions with employees
blog postings on the business' website regarding the ethical aspirations of the business
a whistleblower hotline where any unethical behaviour can be reported anonymously
having a code of conduct which is accessible to all employees
making ethical communication an imperative part of the business' internal communication strategy

By communicating ethical conduct in the workplace, employees will be able to think responsibly, make the correct decisions as well as develop ethical relationships across channels, cultures and media.

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The Four Cs of a Social Media Strategy for Business Communication

2013-06-29T11:38:00.003+01:00

Many businesses now embark on a social media campaign (often also referred to as social influencing) to reach their target audiences in the thousands of different social media networks. In addition employees are also increasingly using social media for different business reasons.

In fact, a social media strategy has now become almost imperative in today’s business communication milieu. But what makes a good social media strategy? Is it enough to only decide which of the different social media networks to use or may be used by employees?

As a social media strategy becomes more imperative, it is perhaps also time to consider the following four Cs when planning the strategy. The four Cs are circumstances, contribution, communication and consequences. These can be explained as follows:

Circumstances

A good social media strategy should always consider the circumstances of the target audience(s) of the business. What are their needs? Who are they? Why are they in that particular social media network? Before deciding on a social media network, make sure that the social media campaign will capture the attention of the right people and address their needs. Also if the target audience(s) will actually be present on that social media platform. Many businesses prefer to establish their own brand communities on their own websites.

Contribution

A business should always consider what positive contribution the presence of a brand or product in a particular social media network can make in the lives of the target audience(s). The idea is that the target audience of the business should not eventually abandon the brand or product's social media page because it perhaps might not be relevant in terms of content or social connections with other users. The business must consider content that will engage the target audience(s) even in the long-term.

Communication

Communication in the social media network is the most important consideration. What kind of communication can be encouraged in a subtle way? Communication about products or the brand of the business should allow for instant, spontaneous communication and not be controlled by the business. The brand of the business should be built through real experiences of the users. In the case of negative communication, the business should respond within the boundaries of a clear communication plan.

Consequences

People join social media networks for different reasons, one being to connect with others who have similar interests. A social media strategy should consider the consequences for the target audience(s), be it in terms of functionality, social meaning or entertainment. Will the target audience(s) be able to find or download useful resources, connect with like-minded people or be entertained by the brand or product?

The four Cs of a social media strategy all point towards one thing: planning is key.

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An Honest Impression of 360 Peer Evaluation and Feedback

2013-06-29T09:22:00.000+01:00

Have you received an invitation, especially on LinkedIn to evaluate one of your peers via the 360 evaluation process? I recently accepted a colleague's invitation to be peer reviewed in this manner and in this post I want to give my honest impression of this evaluation process.

But first how does it work? It is a web-based peer evaluation system where the reviewer has to drag the 18 most positive attributes of the colleague to another box, then those most likely to be associated with the colleague, and then lastly those least likely to be associated with the colleague. In addition you have to single out attributes needing attention. You have to drag 18 attributes for each category and are then left with all attributes not dragged over and thus being forced to associate them with the least likely to be associated with the colleague. The process seems quite fine until you reach the least likely category. Even if you do not necessarily agree with the attribute you are forced to drag it to the box. And this is where I have a problem with the evaluation, namely being forced to drag all remaining attributes to the least likely to be associated with box.

The biggest advantage is that peers are perhaps in a better position to evaluate a colleague's work than the supervisor who is not always working that closely with the colleague. All strengths and weaknesses can also be identified. The biggest disadvantage, however, is that you are forced to drag all attributes not previously selected to the colleague's least likely to be associated with category or that the reviewer will not be that honest.

Branding should also consider Customer Service

2013-06-29T09:21:00.003+01:00

Branding a company is important for distinguishing it clearly from the competitors through planned communication strategies but it also expands to other functional areas in the company, for example, a reliable customer service when dealing with customers’ email, written, personal and telephonic enquiries and basically all instances where customers come into contact with the company. A reliable customer service is also applicable to effective brand administration in that customers can benefit by the whole administration process. As indicated in previous posts, the role of happy employees in this regard is of utmost important. The happier the employees, the better the customer service will be.

But how should it work? A brand communication strategy, as part of an internal communication strategy, should include strategies how to offer value to the customer in all areas of service delivery, including administration. When a company has inefficient administration, it often results in losing valuable customers. All companies have customers that complain but what set them apart from the competitors is how these complaints are resolved. Kevin Levin Keller’s strategic brand management principles reiterate that for branding to be successful customers must perceive the company to be different. The company must provide value to the customer and employees in all areas of its operations. In short it must deliver what it promises.

A company should provide value through the way it communicates and deals with its customer and employees. This thus also includes brand administration which is all about controlling branding techniques and messages of the company, integration of messages across all the different media platforms resulting in consistent brand communication. All communication in the company, its technology, marketing infrastructure and expenses should be well-run as administration and branding should complement and reinforce each other.

A brand is well administered when both customers and employees link their quality of life to the company's brand.

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How Resonance in Leadership affects the corporate image

How Resonance in Leadership affects Corporate Image

2013-05-20T15:10:00.000+01:00

It is true that resonance in leadership makes a difference between merely managing a business and true leadership. The employees in businesses today differ vastly from before requiring new ways of leading to obtain results, especially because of technological innovations.

Source: Freedigitalphotos.net

What is a resonant leader? A resonant leader also inspires employees not only to find meaning in their own lives but also hope in the future. It has more to do with the "how" of leadership and not merely the "what". As communicated in an earlier posting, a good leader always displays emotional intelligence, considers all points of view and thus never react on emotions. A resonant leader also displays emotional intelligence but is also excellent at inspiring employees to greater achievements through self-actualisation. This kind of leader is good at communicating the mission and vision of the business to employees making them feel valued and indispensable in the business.

But what has resonant leadership to do with corporate image? Actually everything. Corporate image refers to how employees as well as people outside the business perceive the business which can be either favourable or unfavourable. Many employees deal with the business' clients on a daily basis and if they are not committed to the business that will be very obvious. Employees who feel inspired and committed on the other hand will always go that extra mile for the business. These employees appreciate their roles in the business and will treat clients with dedication and pride. The business will be perceived as having excellent relations with its clients and prompt customer service.

Good leadership plays a pivotal role in having a positive corporate image.

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How Cultural Intelligence can benefit Cultural Diversity

2013-03-30T14:53:00.000+00:00

Cultural intelligence refers to behaviour based on the knowledge and skills related to the cultures of employees with whom the manager interacts in the business. This can range from language skills or other qualities such as tolerance for uncertainty or flexibility which could also be enhanced because of emotional intelligence (see my post on emotional intelligence).

Cultural intelligence is developed by learning about the beliefs, customs and even restrictions of specific cultures as well as showing an understanding of a different culture by blending in. Cultural intelligence consists of four aspects, namely linguistics, spatial, intrapersonal and interpersonal.

Image Credit: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

Linguistics refers to successfully interacting with employees from other cultures whose native language is different and thus overcoming any language barriers. For example, learning some key words or even lingo of another language spoken by employees could create a feeling of unity in the business.

Spatial understanding refers to displaying of behaviour what would facilitate any conversation without an embarrassment. For example, should you shake the employee's hand or open the door for a female employee?

The intrapersonal cultural aspect refers to an understanding of the manager's own and unique cultural style. This insight assists in comparing employees and to make appropriate judgments in situations that may occur in the business.

Interpersonal insight refers to successful interaction with all employees in the business and to show empathy and an understanding for employees' intentions and desires.

How could you as the manager of a business improve your cultural intelligence?

Be motivated to learn about the different cultures of employees in your business
Recognise that there are different viewpoints than your won.
Be aware of what is acceptable and what not in other cultures.

What is your managerial communication style?

Obstacles in cross-cultural communication

A CEO Blog for Better Business Communication

2013-03-02T14:52:00.001+00:00

A direct communication channel by the CEO could enhance
business communication. Image credit: Photopin.

Communication from the CEO of a business is essential for employees not only to receive direct messages from Top Management but also to understand the thinking process of those who are in charge. A CEO weekly blog could improve communication in the business and simultaneously make the management more visible to employees which is essential for any business communication strategy to remain effective.

The CEO could, for example, write to employees on a weekly basis about different topics that would be of interest to them at that specific point in time. The blog posts could relate to important events in the business, clarify unclear issues or communicate essential new information, for example on being ethical. In addition interesting statistics about how the business is doing financially could also be of interest to employees.

It is, however, important that blog entries should be regular and not merely become another unused business communication tool. The blog could be part of the business Intranet and updated on a specific day of the week. In that way employees would know when to expect new communication from their CEO.

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About Ethical Communication and the Manager's Role

Using Infographics as a Business Communication Tool

2013-02-17T13:29:00.000+00:00

Infographics, or the visual representation of data, is increasingly being used by businesses to visually represent complex data to their employees. Especially policies with numerous legal terms or complicated business data lend themselves to using infographics. Infographics can easily be designed by any employee who is creative enough to resourcefully represent data visually and not necessarily only by graphic designers. Numerous online tools are available, but they could also be designed with Powerpoint, Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop. These graphics can be uploaded on the business website and also be distributed to employees via email or even embedded in the business Intranet and should preferably complement the business corporate identity.

What kind of data could be visually represented to employees?

Business policies could be visually displayed to explain how they affect employees in real business life.
Business figures could be made more accessible to employees via infographics by also indicating how these figures impact on the overall business performance.
Complicated tasks could be explained visually and even step-by-step so that all employees could better understand them and also how they fit business goals.
Important business deadlines could be indicated visually so that no employee could miss them.
Business events could be highlighted visually so that employees could better understand their importance.

There are endless possibilities in the business when it comes to using Infographics and my examples cover only a few. This rather new business communication tool could improve communication in the business in that it facilitates better understanding of both complicated and important messages.

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A CEO Blog for Better Business Communication

Why Feedback is important in your Business

2013-02-04T15:01:00.004+00:00

Employees generally welcome feedback from managers, not only constructive feedback about their own work performance, but also about any undertakings in the business which directly relate to their tasks. Managers tend to forget that well informed employees are more productive and also focused on achieving business objectives.

So what kind of feedback should a manager give to employees?

Continuous feedback to employees is important. Picture Credit: Photopin.

Feedback on work performance without discouraging the employee, thus constructive remarks to help the employee grow and prosper to the benefit of business goals. The annual performance interview is the ideal place, but feedback could also be continuous throughout the year in less formal settings.
Feedback about all activities and undertakings in the business. Large businesses have their own public relations officers dealing with internal communication according to an internal communication strategy. But employees will also value information directly from the manager(s). This will put their tasks in the business into more perspective as well as eliminate any hearsay in the grapevine. Feedback could be given in meetings or by using other media in the business for example, an Intranet, email, social media used by the business to inform employees, video conferencing (for large businesses with various branches), to name just a few possibilities. Many businesses now also use Google Enterprise because of the endless possibilities to communicate more frequently with employees.

Managers should speak to employees whenever the occasion rises and not be invisible as communication is crucial for the success of the business and information is powerful. Well informed employees are also empowered to do better in their tasks and to see the bigger picture in the business.

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About being an Emotionally Intelligent Leader who enhances Communication

2013-01-26T17:38:00.000+00:00

Are you an emotionally intelligent leader? Photo credit: Photobin.

Are you an emotionally intelligent leader who manages your emotions and also recognizes and manages the emotions of your employees? Or do you merely act on your feelings and regret it afterwards? Do you constantly have to apologize to your employees for being insensitive?

Today having the ability to effectively communicate your emotions and to perceive and manage the emotions of your employees is a highly desired leadership skill, a skill that can very much enhance communication in your business.

Emotionally intelligent leaders have great self awareness, can manage themselves well, possess good social skills and can also manage employee relationships. By being aware of who they are and what their strengths and weaknesses are, unsettling emotions are controlled before they can harm the business communication culture. These leaders are also generally very optimistic and always attempt to seize opportunities which will benefit the business in the long-term. Healthy social relationships are at the core of effective business communication. When a leader has empathy with employees, it does not mean that the business is run ineffectively. It rather boosts a culture of productivity in that employees feel cared for and that they play an important role in achieving the business objectives. It further fosters team work as well as develop and influence employees.

Leaders who are emotionally intelligent inspire employees by not judging them, listening to them and acting neutrally in a conflict situation. Employees usually appreciate it when being given the benefit of the doubt, especially in a conflict situation.

A good leader should always remember that employees are individuals with their own unique abilities. An emotionally intelligent leader concentrates on the positive traits of employees and develop these traits to the benefit of the business.

Are you an emotionally intelligent leader?

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Know what True Diversity means for your Business

2013-01-11T16:45:00.005+00:00

Do you want to know what true diversity will mean for your business' performance? Diversity in a business is generally accepted as acknowledging, accepting and also understanding all the differences among employees. Diversity is most evident in terms of employees' age, gender, religion and race.

Photocredit: Photobin.

Lately managing diversity is not only perceived in terms of accommodating differences in a business, but also as actual thoughts about what true diversity really means. With other words, diversity is also about the actual thought-process of the responsible managers, especially when it comes to the advantages of having a diverse group of employees. Just think about it for a moment: diversity in a business could result in better problem-solving and customer service because of the diverse backgrounds of employees similar to the customers. Similarly employees' unique creativity and innovation based on shared differences could only benefit the business in the long-term. Managers should, however, also carefully think about all the challenges facing true diversity, for example, group cohesiveness, interpersonal conflict, value differences and discrimination, to single out a few.

It should be the ideal for managers to create an inclusive environment in the business where all employees and business objectives could prosper. Managers need to manage diversity by planning and implementing business systems that not only maximise its advantages for the business, but also minimising the numerous disadvantages.

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Reading Emails and Productivity

2013-01-05T07:52:00.004+00:00

Photo credit: Photobin.

Are your employees spending too much time reading emails? Many employees are constantly being interrupted by reading emails throughout the day resulting in a loss of productivity for the business. Once interrupted by an email, some experts suggest that employees can on occasion waste up to 30 minutes to get back to work again. Many of these emails are from colleagues and not really that important. As a result some businesses now do not allow employees to send emails to their colleagues and only to clients of the organisation. However, since emails have become essential for daily, instant communication, some businesses even introduced instant messaging for employees to communicate with each other without having to send emails while file sharing through applications such as DropBox or similar applications are encouraged.

What do managers need to do? Depending on the nature of the business, it is perhaps a good idea to prioritise reading and sending emails of emails in the business. Perhaps employees could read emails only twice a day and then have dedicated time to reply to all emails. The rest of the time could be spent on urgent projects without having to constantly read and send emails. Of course this might not be a viable solution for all businesses, especially those ones that need to be in constant contact with clients or employees who are organising projects. But the reality is that in an age of instant communication and constantly availability, loss of productivity could the result for businesses.

What is Good Leadership in 2014?

2012-12-30T17:00:00.001+00:00

Source: Freedigitalphotos.net

Being a leader is not the same as being a manager. A manager can still be a poor leader or a leader cannot be a good manager. In an ever changing business environment, known leadership principles also constantly have to adapt with new leadership styles in addition to the old styles. But what is leadership and what will make a good leader in 2014?

A good leader inspires other people while ruling or guiding them in the right direction. But in a world of being connected, a good leader also provides opportunities for what is known as connective leadership. This means that while managing and leading, the leader also provides opportunities for participation and innovation by giving employees access to experiences and knowledge to grow.

The leader of 2014 knows exactly what employees' passions are and enable them to use them to the benefit of both the business and the employees. Employees are skilfully connected with not only their own tasks but also with those of the group to achieve mutual business goals. By thinking and acting holistically, the 2013 business leader builds and nurtures relationships by influencing employees and instilling trust.

Creating space for employees in which to grow is the biggest investment the 2014 leader could make for the business.

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Team Work is Good for a Business

2012-12-28T15:36:00.001+00:00

Source: Freedigitalphotos.net

Team work has become increasingly important in a business, especially since numerous studies confirm that not only are employees more productive when working in a group, but many excellent and innovative ideas had their origin in a group setting to the long-term benefit of the business.

Why is team work good for a business?

In a group setting employees have different skills, talents and working styles which can complement each other while striving towards achieving the same business goals. Employees have to collaborate while different ideas are shared and tested with peers. It often happens that employees are encouraged to do their best in a group setting because they trust and respect each other. However, the opposite is also true if the team consists of different personalities who do not agree which could result in conflict.

To really succeed with a team approach in a business, the culture of the business needs to be one that enhances team performance and competition and not emphasise individual performance. Extra care should be taken to employ only people who will complement each other. Each member of the team should feel that they contribute equally to all the decision making and that their ideas are valued. If only a few employees actively participate in group decisions, it could lead to resentment on their part because they are doing all the work. It is always a good idea to have a group leader who steer the group in the right direction and keep them on track.

Even though individual work is still valued by numerous businesses, others realise the importance of team work to achieve their business goals and then adapt the business culture accordingly.

Why Managing Talent is important for your Business

2012-12-18T19:10:00.000+00:00

Source: Recruitingcycle.com

A business is just as good as its employees and therefore managers aspire to employ only the most talented people. Not only are talented employees appointed, but star performers are also handpicked for further improvement of their talents to the benefit of the business through specialised training and skills development programmes.

Why is it so important for a business to manage and develop the talent of its star employees?

First of all it is an investment the business makes in its employees which will pay off in the long term.
It is considered a strategic advantage for the business by attaining all of its business objectives through highly skilled employees.
It cultivates the loyalty of the best employees in the business because it makes them feel appreciated and rewarded to be handpicked for further training.
It also improves the performance of these employees in the business as the training is usually directed linked with business needs.
Talent management is closely related to succession planning and in this way the business can be assured of highly skilled people to run the business in future.

Talent management is considered so important that large businesses nowadays even hire talent management teams to identify star performers in the business for further development.

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Use of Social Media at the Office – Good or Bad?

2012-11-12T14:00:00.000+00:00

Many businesses that used to deny employees access to social media are now increasingly making access available. It is as if there is a renewed awareness that use of social at the office is not necessarily always a bad thing. The main reason why businesses did not in the beginning want to give employees access to social media is because of fear of loss of productivity and even misuse of social media.

Why is use of social media at the office a good thing? I can think of at least the following reasons:

Source: Twitter.

A more favourable perception of the business by employees is created which in turn could result in even higher productivity.
Networking opportunities for employees outside the business are possible which could benefit the business in the long term.
Employees are granted the opportunity to build a personal professional brand through various social media.
Employees can even assist in building the company brand through a perception of expertise in the business.
Employees are able to have access to instant news regarding the industry by following experts on social media.

There is always the possibility that social media could be abused by some employees but provided that social media are used within the particular guidelines of the social media policy of a business, these are just some advantages of using social media in the workplace.

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Right Technology for Seamless Communication Integration

2012-11-10T14:53:00.001+00:00

Another key area for seamless integration of business communication is having access to the right technology or infrastructure. Many business owners therefore are looking for the right software with which to integrate all messages to or from employees. I recently discovered Google Enterprise which is a very cost effective way of managing communication in the business. Google has been widely criticised especially since they seem to almost have a monopoly when it comes to search engines, but I am fascinated by the many possibilities for any business. So why am I impressed and what can Google Enterprise do to enhance integration?

Source: Google Enterprise.

Google has many applications which business owners can use to communicate with employees. Employees are always connected via email while the communication can be better managed with added productivity applications. Examples of such applications are:

A calendar where all calendars are visible to the whole team
A cloud drive where all the business documents can be stored and accessed by all team members
Open documents, sheets and slides can be accessed by all team members and even if a team member is working at home, this team member would be able to collaborate on a document with other team members.
The Vault is an extra feature where e files can be archived.
Google + where employees could be part of circles and communicate with each other instantly. Video chats will even allow employees at other branches or countries to stay in contact.

Seamless integration of communication requires clear and consistent messages understood by all in the business. By having access to more contact points, communication could be improved for better productivity.

Related article

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Why Feedback is Important for your Business

Is Gamification the Answer to Employee Motivation?

2012-10-07T09:27:00.002+01:00

Source: Freedigitalphotos.net

Many business owners want to motivate employees for better productivity but lack the knowledge how to do it effectively. This, however, might become easier for managers in future as some businesses now contemplate using gamification to motivate employees while others already successfully implemented this.

What is gamification? Gamification uses game elements such as rewards or badges to reward online users for using a specific service or purchasing a particular product. In this way users feel appreciated while some might even aspire to gain more rewards. Game elements also engage users and add a human element to an otherwise impersonal environment.

How can gamification be used in a business environment? First of all the right software should be obtained and installed on all employees' computers. Once all employees are registered on the system, the games can begin. A good point of departure is for all the other employees to see each others' accolades. Accolades could be awarded for punctuality, meeting deadlines, solving problems in the business, completing surveys, not taking sick leave or leadership positions, etc. Employees could, for example, earn rewards such as a day off when they reach a specific level or number of points. The possibilities are endless. By using gaming elements, employees could strive to obtain more accolades than their colleagues or feel proud to be recognised for meeting deadlines or other work-related accomplishments. Another great advantage of gamification is that employees would be able to learn more about the business by engaging in tasks or processes which they otherwise would not have done. Many young people are used to playing games and would excel in a game-like working environment.

You might also be interested in my article how gamification can be beneficial for marketing.

Why your employees might be resistant to change

2012-08-12T13:18:00.001+01:00

Source: Freedigitalphotos.net

Implementing changes in a business could be very difficult but even more if employees are not in favour of the changes. By knowing why employees might be resistant to change, effective communication strategies and media could be developed in advance to overcome any obstacles and to adequately inform employees about the changes (also read my post on how to communicate changes).

Here are the five most common reasons why employees might resist the changes you want to implement in your business:

Employees do not really see or understand the need for any changes.

Fear of management changing the status quo.

Reluctance to work with other colleagues or in different teams.

Employees not willing to take on more responsibilities.

Employees might fear retrenchments, early retirement or other issues that might threaten their long-term security in the business.

Honest and open communication play a crucial role in implementing changes in the business. Employees need to receive detailed information about how changes will affect their position in the business. As a manager you need to discourage any rumours which might make employees even more resistant to change. Also allow enough time for your employees to become used to and prepare for the changes. In addition allow for enough feedback opportunities and also listen to your employees' concerns or any other suggestions. Employees must trust you and accept the changes as being the best for the business. The biggest mistake any manager could make is to withhold any important information related to the intended change.

Change management process: How to communicate changes

2012-08-11T10:03:00.002+01:00

Any change management process requires good communication skills as many employees are naturally resistant to change. If changes in the business are also not congruent with some employees' self-seeking interests, the challenge for managers is even greater. Employees also have unique personalities and may react to change differently (also read my post why employees might be resistant to change).

Employees need to prepared for the change in the business and all changes need be reinforced. What role does communication play in the change management process?

Source: Soshable.com

Before the changes are implemented, the manager first needs to motivate employees to appreciate the need for the change. Many employees feel too comfortable in the current status quo and need to see how the changes could benefit them in the long term. The manager could, for example, communicate current problems in the business and explain how the changes would solve them and also benefit the employees. Numerous tools are available to motivate employees, for example, face to face meetings, the business Intranet, personalised emails, desktop feeds and newsletters. It is especially important to manage any rumours which could spread fast and harm any positive messages. Employees need to know their roles in the anticipated changes and need to hear it from managers.
Once employees are aware of the need for the changes, they need to be empowered with new methods and guidelines to accommodate the changes to the best of their abilities. The manager should, for example, introduce training programmes where necessary to provide employees with the necessary skills to use any new methods and procedures.
Lastly when the changes are implemented, the manager has to communicate reinforcing messages to support the role of the employees in embracing the process. The new way of doing tasks, for example, could be praised so that employees feel part of the whole process.

Implementing changes has never been an easy task, but with the necessary communication skills all resistance could eventually be surmounted.

What is your managerial communication style?

2012-06-04T17:48:00.002+01:00

As a manager you communicate in a specific manner to your employees. Your communication style can fall within different managerial approaches but in this article I will focus on the two most common styles, namely the classical and humanistic managerial communication styles. I will first explain the more formal classical style.

A manager who has a classical managerial (authoritarian) communication style:

communicates through formal communication media such as oral and/or written and visual communication and very little face to face discussions.
creates but also uses opportunities to make the long and short term goals of the business clear using these formal communication media.
changes 'unacceptable’ attitudes and opinions by shaping new ones through manipulation.
diminishes fear and suspicion because of misinformation or misinterpretation of the right but unclear information.
communicates numerous rules to employees.
prevents or corrects misunderstanding from lack of information and prepares for and adjusts to change.
provides mostly negative comments when employees are evaluated for performance.
rewards and punishes employees.
speaks to the employees from the top not allowing much feedback or opportunity for feedback.
is task-oriented and does not concentrate much on the individual doing the task.

A manager who has a humanistic communication style:

encourages, supports and motivates employees
has well developed reward and communication systems in place
believes in participatory decision-making
follows employees-centered supervision and control approach
has a participatory problem solving approach
shares a common corporate culture
establishes role expectations and standard operating procedures (but only after discussing it in the teams)
speaks with the employees on all levels and not only from the top.
does not only use formal communication media to address employees but also speak to employees face to face.
has an open-door policy, meaning employees are always welcome to discuss any problems they might have.
considers both the task and the individual doing the task and not only the task.

Some managers follow a mixture of both communication styles. Do you recognise your managerial communication style?

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