Creating a culture of open communication

Communication is hard. But we find that the organizations in our Best of the Best Benchmark are consistently rated higher by their employees than those in our overall benchmark. So we know it is possible and companies are accomplishing it. But the question for most is how?

When we look at communication in our benchmarks, we find that good managers, supervisors, and leaders are consistently taking actions to create a climate that is conducive to open and honest communication. In this open communication climate, people feel free to give their input and ideas, information is shared freely, conflicts are discussed and worked through, and people are more willing to express innovative ideas and to take risks. In fact, the Best of the Best score 20 points higher than other organizations when it comes to communication flowing effectively from upper management to employees. We also find the Best of the Best score higher on questions related to listening and being receptive to the opinions and thoughts of employees: by 16 points to be exact. Communication is two-way and the Best of the Best have mastered this. But I am sure you are still asking “How?”

The basis of an open communication climate is trust. The leader establishes an environment of trust within and among all the people in the group. To begin to build or expand trust in your organization implement the following tips to foster open communication:

Keep your employees informed  

We all want to be “in the know.” Take time to keep your employees informed about what is happening within the organization. We find, from our benchmarks, that employees in the Best of the Best organizations rate their companies 18 points higher on communicating changes than the average company. Let employees in on the “big picture” and the reasons for management decisions. The more people feel informed about their organization, the better they feel about their participation in that organization. Managers who tend to hide information from their employees will soon lose credibility and will certainly not be included in important informal information loops.

Use a “real” open door policy

Most managers say they have an open door policy. However, employees often quickly find out that although the door may be open, the mind is closed! If you have an open door policy, it means you welcome people to come to your office with their ideas, comments, complaints, and suggestions. It also means that you are open to actively listening to and honestly responding to those who come to see you.

Encourage others to express contrary viewpoints

Let people know that you expect them to challenge and disagree with you. When they do, let them state their case. Do not interrupt. Ask questions to ensure that you understand their point of view. Look for areas of agreement and be willing to see the others’ perspectives. Once you have a clear understanding of the others’ views, clarify the points that you support and those you cannot support. Provide a thorough explanation as to why you disagree.

Don’t “shoot the messenger.”

Nothing destroys trust and credibility more than this one. And, unfortunately, this is a common problem in many organizations. A good leader understands that, in today’s complex organizations, people are required to relay messages. These messages may be from other groups within the organization, members of management, special groups or task teams, or employee or labor groups. All messages should be received calmly and no blame must be placed on the messenger. If you shoot the messenger one too many times, not only will the messenger not come back again, but everyone else will do whatever it takes to keep information from you.

Encourage employees to share information

If your employees rely solely on you to keep them informed, you will quickly become overwhelmed and the employees will not get all that they need to do a quality job. Let your staff know that you expect them to share information on a regular basis. Set aside time in staff meetings simply for information sharing. Actively involve others in giving updates and sharing other relevant information. When employees come to you for information that someone else can handle, redirect employees to go to one of their colleagues for that information.

Promptly respond to communication from others

A general rule of thumb is to get back to people within a maximum of twenty-four hours. A better rule of thumb for some of the people would be to get back within four hours. When someone sends you an email, note, or phone message, get back as soon as you can to let that person know what you are doing about the concern. Even if you cannot respond with a complete answer or solution right away, you can let them know that you are working on it and that you will get back ASAP. Then, do what you said you would do!

Keep your manager informed

Managers differ in the amount of information they wish to receive from the people they manage. Take the time to discover what your boss expects from you. How often does he or she expect to hear from you? Does he or she prefer written information (reports or status updates) or a weekly face-to-face meeting? What types of decisions does he or she expect to be consulted on? When can you make decisions on you own? How much detail does he or she like? These and many other questions must be answered so you can respond appropriately to your manager. If you cannot readily find the answers to these questions, set up a meeting with your manager to go over these kinds of issues. Remember, just as you would expect from your employees, no manager likes surprises. Find out what your boss needs and keep him or her informed and up-to-date.

Over an 18 month period, we worked with a client to implement these tactics to improve and open up communication. Their communication scores on a follow-up Employee Option Survey rose by 20 points, demonstrating that great progress can be made when we get serious about opportunities for improvement and take action. Your organization can make great improvements too!