EyeBiz Success Strategies

Attaining success hinges on clear communication. Specifically, it is imperative to articulate your vision for 2024 in a manner that enables the development and execution of a strategic plan. Without a well-defined vision and a strategic execution plan, success becomes fleeting and elusive.

As you read this short article, consider the following quote: “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw. How often have you been the victim of this assumption? We’ve all been there more times than we know, so it’s crucial to keep this in mind when communicating something as crucial as your vision for 2024.

What exactly is communication? Consider communication to be a two-way process of reaching a mutual understanding, in which participants not only exchange (encode-decode) information, news, ideas, and feelings but also create and share meaning. The key here is mutual understanding; without it, we have only an illusion of communication.
Sydney J Harris highlights the distinction between information and communication: “Information is giving out; communication is getting through.” Effective communication is crucial to our ability to lead teams.

What is more important, what is said or what is heard (getting through)?
Of course, the answer is what is heard however, we tend to focus more on our presentation of information and less on attaining a true mutual understanding. What can we do? One thing is to create an environment that encourages active listening and more important, active questioning by those we lead.

Active questioning helps you understand the meaning by asking for clarification of words, concepts, and expectations. Management team members should be asking probing questions such as how much volume growth, or what is the purpose of the additional space. Questions to ensure a clear understanding of the vision. If engaged, general staff will be asking questions such as: why, what is changing, how does this impact me, who trains me, and when do we start.

TOOLS FOR SPEAKING WITH MORE CLARITY
Here are a few things to consider that could improve your chance of achieving mutual understanding when delivering messages.

• Articulate a clear vision so that your team works together to achieve it. Paint a picture with your words.
• Remember, it’s not just about the message you deliver. It is about the message that is heard.
• Distinguish between information and communication. Giving out versus getting through. (Sydney J Harris)
• Management team communication is necessary to foster collaboration when building an effective strategic operations plan.
• Tailor communication methods for different audiences.
• Without clear communication with the entire staff, you lose the opportunity to generate momentum.
• Encouraging questions is essential; no questions could be a sign that communication did not create a shared understanding.
• Allow time for the message to be heard and digested, especially when working with a management team to develop a strategic operations plan.
• Use the right communication method.

During the early stages of sharing a plan, the best method is face-to-face. This allows you to see those that “get it” versus those that don’t.

As you can see, the illusion that communication has taken place is not that hard to imagine.
As always, I hope these posts stir up new ideas and provide fresh perspectives. Should you wish to explore these concepts further, or if you find that personalized consulting could elevate your strategies, I invite you to reach out.

Hacking Success Together

Connie StClair, COE
Growth & Strategy Specialist
cstclaircoe@gmail.com