Lean Tip #2581 – Reduce the Communication Barriers
Between Employees to Create a Friction-less Communication.
In order for a business to run smoothly and
carry out the necessary day-to-day operations in an efficient manner,
communication amongst all employees must be as effective and clear as possible.
When this is not the case, employees feel detached from one another and
unmotivated, which in turn results in mistakes that could potentially have
drastic consequences on the business' productivity.
This can be done in various ways, such as
creating a platform to facilitate knowledge sharing., which could be in the
form of an online knowledge-sharing forum where employees share their ideas for
innovation and current experiments. Furthermore, it could also take the form of
an afterwork activity (such as lunch or drink meet-ups), where senior employees
can get to know the newer employees, and provide them with tips and
recommendations on their new positions in the company.
Lean Tip #2582 – Schedule In-house Training for
New Employees to be Mentored by Highly Skilled Employees.
Your employees are your greatest resource in
terms - especially when it comes to knowledge and experience. Make sure that
your employees have the opportunity to share theirs with the newer generation.
Not only does it help new employees learn and
give them a set person to go to for advice, but mentors get to expand their
skills. Learning how to mentor and making them put into words the knowledge
that they have worked so hard to gain.
If you need help setting up a mentoring
program, mentoring training can help you get started.
Lean Tip #2583 – Place Employees Together on Company
Projects Where They Can Share Knowledge Rather Than Compete With One another.
Working on something as part of a larger
company is a great way to accomplish point four above. When people work as part
of a larger group they will understand the purpose of their own team on a
higher level.
This should naturally help your team members
see the importance of collaboration at every level of the company - and how
important it is to share knowledge.
Lean Tip #2584 – Keeping the Communication
Transparent
The first and foremost responsibility of a
corporation is the use of clear and transparent means of communication. In an
open knowledge sharing environment, employees can freely express their
individualistic ideas and might contribute to future success. Moreover, no one
likes a workplace environment where only a few employees can access inside
information about the company. So, knowledge sharing via open communication
develops a sense of trust and awareness among employees.
Lean Tip #2585 – Engaging People via
Conversations
When like-minded people collide, something
massive or even a new idea can occur. Of course, like-minded people don’t just
run into each other randomly; they can meet up at a company’s event organized
specifically for improving conversations among people. Apart from formal
meetings, creating an opportunity where people can meet and communicate freely
can lead to meaningful peer-peer conversations.
Lean Tip #2586 – Improve Communication by Strengthening
Connections
Not only should communication be improved
between team members who work together, but between employees and their
managers. Make sure to address this during management training programs.
Managers who take the time to get to know their employees and are willing to
listen to them will find it easier to communicate and keep direct reports on
task. When employees feel that managers are able to address their individual
concerns, they are more likely to feel connected.
Lean Tip #2587 – Knowledge Sharing Can Improve Employee
Engagement And Retention
When it comes to a company accepting change,
embracing new technologies and adapting to innovation, then channeling everything
into the talent pool will keep you ahead of the game.
By fostering a knowledge sharing culture,
you’re giving employees the possibility to acquire, assimilate, but also
transfer new knowledge, this being an excellent way to create value.
Additionally, becoming a company with a solid
learning culture can even become a great tool for employee engagement and
retention. Employees feel valued and appreciated when their employer invests in
their growth and development, by putting a continuous stream of learning
opportunities at their disposal.
Lean Tip #2588 – Eliminate Ambiguity in the
Workplace.
Remove any potential for confusion from all
workplace communication, including company guidelines, roles, responsibilities
and processes. Accountability begins with a clear understanding of who is
responsible for which parts of the business, and employees struggle when
management leaves important information open for interpretation. To avoid
potential problems, follow up often and be firm about your expectations for
open communication at all levels in the future.
Lean Tip #2589 – Explain the Business Why
Often leaders come up with a great idea, plan
it, implement it, and may even communicate it but may not think to explain why
a particular initiative makes sense at any given time.
We need to take the time to think about how an
employee will perceive our great ideas.
This requires communicating from the
50,000-foot level and making sure employees understand why something is done
and how it supports business goals and organizational strategy.
Lean Tip #2590 – Create Feedback Process
One way communication rarely works well. Create
a forum for employees to offer feedback and ask questions.
This helps to ensure that the message was
received as it was intended.
These feedback sessions can be done in staff
meetings or an online employee forum.
Regardless of the structure or process,
employees need to feel like their thoughts and opinions are heard.
This process also helps the organization
identify areas that can be improved upon.
Lean Tip #2591 – Establish a Cooperative Mindset
It’s easier to start cooperation at the
beginning, than force it later in the process.
Key members of the team must articulate that a
collaborative, cooperative approach is wanted, needed, and will be supported.
This means rewarding project team members when they think past the standoff or
conflict and solve problems together.
Lean Tip #2592 – Teach People the “Why”
A lot of leaders make the mistake of forcing their
vision, ideas and decisions on their staff. Sometimes they do this because they
think it will save time or avoid pushback. However, in reality, this approach
can really backfire, particularly if it’s done repeatedly. When people
unwillingly commit to anything, they feel disingenuous and disempowered, which
undermines motivation and, ultimately, positive performance and productivity.
The way to avoid this is to teach people the reasons behind your grand ideas or
vision. Share what you’ve learned or know, telling stories that communicate the
benefits and purpose. Do this while building the buy-in as well as after the
fact, as a way to reinforce its impact and success.
Lean Tip #2593 – Encourage Questions And
Feedback
To build buy-in and align people around your
vision, give them the time and place to ask questions and provide feedback. Let
them challenge you and even demand that they do so if there’s any shred of
doubt as to whether it’s going to be best for all. This is critical because
sometimes even the most experienced leaders don’t realize that by pursuing a
particular direction, they could be adversely impacting other aspects of the
organization or its goals. When questions aren’t encouraged, surfaced and
answered, misunderstandings and mistakes are more likely to occur. When they
are encouraged, problems are more likely to be averted and your people will
naturally become more engaged and involved in developing solutions. In turn,
this sense of involvement helps enable their ownership and buy-in for the
vision.
Lean Tip #2594 – Define What Winning Looks Like
Great business and military leaders do it.
Elite athletes do it. Envisioning what winning looks like is a critical part of
achieving success. As Henry Ford once said, "Whether you think you can or whether
you think you can't, you're right."
Studies in neuroscience show that when we
literally picture ourselves achieving a goal, our brain starts to find ways to
get us there. A great exercise to go through once a team has defined their
shared vision and goals is to first individually picture what winning looks
like and then share those ideas with the team. What does the organization feel
like? What will it be celebrating? Going through this exercise is fun and
inspiring. It is interesting to see how different team members will envision
the win.
Lean Tip #2595 – Set Regular Check-ins to Stay Aligned
A rhythm of meetings and scheduled
communication is key for any team to stay aligned. Priorities shift and leaders
must be ready to adapt. But all must agree on what the priorities are or need
to become. Otherwise varying directives will be coming from the top and chaos
will ensue. These check-ins are one of the priorities and must be consistent.
Time must be made for those accountable to share updates on progress so that
all are informed on where things stand.
