Build a culture of communication

by: Dan Berger

Establishing a culture of open communication throughout a workplace can be a tricky endeavor. When you’re the boss, it can be difficult to get colleagues to be open and honest with you about their jobs, organizational processes and especially the job you (and I) are doing. You may think you’re communicating enough, but chances are you probably are not. I have personally found this to be true. In fact, I have yet to hear from my peers about leaders over-communicating.

Communication is a widespread concern among organizations and CEOs, and there is a lot of information available to address it – tips on how to engender two-way communication at work and on what mistakes to avoid as you try and build a more cohesive team environment.

Some tips (from Forbes):

– Institute a transparent workplace. Share all the information you can across your organization. Overwhelming your employees with information should be your last concern.

– Get rid of “us vs. them.” Don’t blame organizational failures on a lack of communication (or if you do, be sure your finger is pointed at yourself). Leaders need to initiate open, transparent communication, period.

– Ask specific questions. Don’t be afraid of one-on-one meetings and more face time with your employees to learn more about the inner workings of your organization.

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