Clarifying Policy
by Miki SaxonYesterday I gave you an example of policy that was costing a company thousands of dollars at a time they can least afford it. That policy was seriously flawed and poorly communicated.
I frequently talk about the role of communications and why clarity is so important in management.
Think of it this way, operational communications provide people information on how to do their jobs, while management communications tell them what their jobs are and why they do them, giving form and purpose.
Problems often arise when managers are careless, sloppy or use jargon in an effort to sound sophisticated, knowledgeable and “with it.” This leads to poor or inaccurate communications and misunderstanding, because people hear those words through the filter of their own experiences and apply their own definitions.
When communicating with your team you can eliminate this by remembering why, how and the overall goal.
The WHY: to provide your people with all the information needed to understand how to perform their work as correctly, completely, simply, and efficiently as possible.
The HOW: by providing clear, concise, and complete communications at all times.
The GOAL: to make your company more successful, your employees happier and more productive and you a more effective manager with better reviews.
Companies need to establish the same three points—why, how and the overall goal—to their policy development.
The WHY: to provide your people with all the information needed to understand the principals and mechanics required for the company to run as correctly, completely, simply, and efficiently as possible.
The HOW: by providing clear, concise, and complete communications that provide both the policy and guidelines on its implementation at all times.
The GOAL: to make your company more successful, your employees happier and more productive and your investors/stakeholders more confident in your future.
You can change confusing to clarifying with just a little effort. Is it worth it?
Image credit: Dominik Gwarek on sxc.hu
