StrategyDriven » Communications

Creating a Visual Company: What it means and why productivity hinges upon it

StrategyDriven — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:46:35 +0000

In a Visual Company people communicate visually with flowcharts, mind maps and other visuals just as frequently as they do with written documents. Why?

SmartDraw.com is the creator of SmartDraw, software that helps companies work smarter by communicating visually.

Everyone understands that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” SmartDraw makes it possible to communicate visually by enabling creation of presentation-quality visuals in minutes. It’s comprehensive, supporting every kind of visual including flowcharts, timelines, org charts, mind maps, floor plans, and marketing charts. It’s integrated, working seamlessly with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

SmartDraw’s web site serves as a valuable resource with in-depth information on how to create and use visuals to boost profits and increase productivity.

We live in exponential times. It’s estimated that more unique information will be generated this year alone than in the previous five thousand years combined!

We’ve all heard the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Visuals let you condense information into a form that is both quickly digestible and shows connections and relationships. In a fast changing world, using visuals helps solve the information overload problem. I believe that within five to ten years, all companies will be visual companies.

Studies show that communicating with visuals is up to six times more effective than communicating with words alone. When you look at information presented visually, you can immediately see the key ideas and the relationships between them, instead of having to take the time to read a lengthy report.

In a global company with many different languages, visuals provide a common way to summarize and effectively communicate key ideas. Mind maps, organization charts, flowcharts, project charts, graphs, plans and blueprints are all very effective at communicating information clearly and quickly, within diverse groups and distributed organizations. Yet today less than three percent of business communication includes visuals. This is because, until the development of visual processor software in 2010, creating a visual was more trouble than it was worth.

Before the visual processor, visuals had to be created manually with complex graphics software, usually by an expert. Even for experts, producing a visual like a flowchart was time consuming and the results were often not presentation-quality.

But now, just as anyone can use a word processor to quickly create professional-looking written documentation, anyone can use a visual processor to just as quickly create professional-looking visuals.

With a visual processor, a typical computer user can create presentation-quality visuals in minutes. The visual processor makes the promise of the Visual Company a reality.

Why Become a Visual Company?

Visual Companies grow faster, operate at lower costs and are more profitable than other companies.

A Visual Company is agile because it communicates new initiatives quickly and effectively.
It operates efficiently with low costs because everyone understands the priorities and follows the same processes.
It is flexible: knowledge is easily shared between people because it is documented and accessible.

In a Visual Company, processes are defined and documented with process flowcharts.

Projects are planned with mind maps and managed with Gantt charts and timelines that are automatically generated from the mind mapped plan.

There are clear assignments of responsibility that are documented with an organization chart.

Visual Companies formulate and communicate their strategy and operating plans visually. They summarize key issues using a mind map so these things can be easily communicated and understood.

Visual Companies illustrate their generic strategy with a matrix. They validate their strategy with a SWOT diagram.

And Visual Companies create their operating plans with a project chart.

Summary

A Visual Company uses visuals to summarize and quickly communicate key information. Its organizational structure, goals, plans, processes and expertise are documented and easily accessible, and all of its employees have a visual processor on their desktop, just as they have a word processor today. This allows the company to operate efficiently and to react quickly in order to take advantage of new opportunities.

Visual Companies grow faster, operate with lower costs and are more profitable than traditional companies . In the next decade all companies that survive and prosper will have to become visual companies.

About the Author

Paul Stannard is the founder and CEO of SmartDraw.com. A self-taught software developer, Paul began his career in the PC industry in 1980, founding a software company that developed software for Apple computers. Since that time, he has written more than a dozen published software applications, primarily graphics software. Paul, himself, wrote the first version of SmartDraw, and continues to play a key role in developing the company’s software products. To read Paul’s complete biography, click here.

If you enjoyed this article, let us keep you up-to-date on other newly published insights by registering for the complimentary StrategyDriven Newsletter.

StrategyDriven Newsletter Signup

Please consider the environment before and after printing this article.

StrategyDriven Podcast Special Edition 31b – An Interview with Stacey Hanke, author of Yes You Can!, part 2 of 2

StrategyDriven — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:57:18 +0000

StrategyDriven Podcasts focus on the tools and techniques executives and managers can use to improve their organization’s alignment and accountability to ultimately achieve superior results. These podcasts elaborate on the best practice and warning flag articles on the StrategyDriven website.

Special Edition 31b – An Interview with Stacey Hanke, author of Yes You Can!, part 2 of 2 explores the internal and external communications factors that help us positively influence those around us to take the actions we desire. During our discussion, Stacey Hanke, author of Yes You Can!: Everything You Need From A to Z to Influence Others to Take Action and President of 1^st Impressions Consulting, shares with us her insights and illustrative examples regarding:

key actions that make meetings more effective, including:

the purpose for holding a meeting versus other forms of mass or group communication
when meetings should be scheduled and agendas provided
rules of thumb for determining who to invite to a meeting

how to overcome one’s fear and deliver great presentations
presentation bad habits and why they should be avoided

Additional Information

In addition to the outstanding insights Stacey shares in Yes You Can! and this special edition podcast are the resources accessible from her website, www.1stImpressionConsulting.com. Stacey’s book, Yes You Can!, can be purchased by clicking here.

Final Request…

The strength of our community grows with the additional insights brought by our expanding member base. Please consider voting for us on Podcast Alley by clicking here. Casting your vote for the StrategyDriven Podcast improves our ranking and helps us attract new listeners which, in turn, helps us grow our community. Thank you again for listening to the StrategyDriven Podcast!

About the Author

Stacey Hanke is founder of 1^st Impression Consulting, and author of Yes You Can!: Everything You Need From A to Z to Influence Others to Take Action. Her client list is vast; including Coca-Cola, Kohl’s, United States Army, Navy and Air Force, Leo Burnett and the FDA. She has been featured by SmartMoney magazine, Business Week, Chicago WGN and WLS-AM. To read Stacey’s complete biography, click here.

If you enjoyed this article, let us keep you up-to-date on other newly published insights by registering for the complimentary StrategyDriven Newsletter.

StrategyDriven Newsletter Signup

Please consider the environment before and after printing this article.

StrategyDriven Podcast Special Edition 31a – An Interview with Stacey Hanke, author of Yes You Can!, part 1 of 2

StrategyDriven — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:35:25 +0000

Special Edition 31a – An Interview with Stacey Hanke, author of Yes You Can!, part 1 of 2 explores the internal and external communications factors that help us positively influence those around us to take the actions we desire. During our discussion, Stacey Hanke, author of Yes You Can!: Everything You Need From A to Z to Influence Others to Take Action and President of 1^st Impressions Consulting, shares with us her insights and illustrative examples regarding:

what it means to ‘communicate with influence’
Attitude, Authenticity, and Audience – the three most essential skills to communicating with influence
why consistency in communication is important to communicating with influence and building trust

Additional Information

Final Request…

About the Author

If you enjoyed this article, let us keep you up-to-date on other newly published insights by registering for the complimentary StrategyDriven Newsletter.

StrategyDriven Newsletter Signup

Please consider the environment before and after printing this article.

Can You Hear Me Now? Top Tips To Make Sure Your Communication Isn’t Breaking Up

StrategyDriven — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:48:26 +0000

We don’t know what we don’t know and this is why communication can be challenging. How many of us can honestly say we’re 100% sure our messages are heard and that we’re always perceived as confident, credible and trustworthy? Have you ever walked away from a meeting, media interview or face-to-face conversation with a client saying to yourself, “I shouldn’t have said what I said,” or “I can’t believe I forgot to say…?”

Yes You Can!: Everything You Need From A to Z to Influence Others to Take Action
by Stacey Hanke
and Mary Steinberg

Everything You Need from A to Z to Influence Others to Take Action

Do you want to consistently get what you ask for? Do you want to completely eliminate the possibility of misinterpretations? This book will give you practical and immediate skills and techniques for all face-to-face communication.

Communicating with influence takes work and requires constant attention. Throughout the book we offer our own suggestions for practicing techniques under the heading of Yes You Can! following each chapter.

You will learn how to:

Consistently influence others to take action
See yourself as others see you
Change your behavior to communicate at your best
Focus on what is important to your audience
Practice to make any changes permanent

This book will work for you not because of the ideas we give you but because of what you do with them. The proven skills and techniques in this book have given thousands the ability to be at their personal best. What are you waiting for?

As a leader, you must be able to clearly communicate your purpose and value. Most of us are under the blurred assumption, “If I communicate a message it’s heard.” In reality, your message may not have been heard at all.

Lindsay Edmonds Wickman, Associate Editor for the Chief Learning Officer magazine, states: “…we are are good at analyzing business situations and making decisions, but what we aren’t as good at is communicating with others.”

How do you know if your communication is breaking up? When what you say isn’t consistent with how you say it. For example, when someone tells you “I’m so excited to have this opportunity to work with you,” and they communicate this statement in a monotone and boring voice. Their facial expressions are lifeless. They never look you in the eye and they’re fidgeting with a pen. You’d question their credibility and knowledge, and not take action on what they have to say. To guarantee your message is heard so that you’re communicating with impact and influence, make sure you’re always following these five tips.

1. Pause

Um, what perception, like, do you create, you know, when you hear, um, your peer is using, uh, words that clutter, you know, their language? Knowledgeable, credible and confident probably don’t come to mind.

The number one challenge we need to overcome if we want to communicate with influence, is the ability to replace our non-words with a pause. We use non-words to buy ourselves time to think about what we want to say. These words become distracting and your peers and clients misinterpret your message. Instead, give them time to hear and understand your message.

Give yourself permission to think on your feet by replacing your non-words with pauses. Speak in shorter thoughts or sentences.

Benefits

Get to the point and avoid rambling.
Hold your listener’s attention.
Gain control over your message and how you communicate your message.
Give your listener time to hear, understand and act on what you say.

2. Eye Connection

Last week when I met a new client to help him enhance his ability to influence others, I asked him; “What do you feel are your communication strengths?” He responded, “Eye contact.” As he responded his eyes were darting everywhere! Most individuals don’t lock their eyes with an individual long enough to create a relationship.

When you forget what to say, you will look at the ceiling, floor, your notes or anywhere away from your listeners. When you disconnect you’ll say “uh”, “um”, “so”, “and”, etc. You communicate to your listeners you don’t know what you’re saying and you jeopardize their trust in you.

When speaking to more than two individuals, connect with one individual for a complete sentence or thought. Only speak when you see your client’s eyes and pause when you look away to build trust.

3. Vocal Projection

If you want to be perceived as confident you must speak at a volume level to be heard. This applies to your work over the phone and face-to-face with clients.

On a scale from one to ten, with one being inaudible and ten too loud, when speaking to a group of fifteen or more your voice needs to be at a seven to eight. When speaking over the phone or to a small group, speak at a four to five level.

Vocal projection is the realization you need to use different volume levels so your voice reaches everyone in the room. No one should have to strain to hear you.

Benefits

Hold your listener’s attention.
Bring out the importance of your message.
Convey confidence.

4. Gestures

Most individuals I work with fidget with their fingers, clothing, pen and the list goes on. If they don’t fidget then they unconsciously talk with their hands. There is also the individual who goes to the extreme. They’ve been told they talk with their hands so they hold their hands and do nothing.

Confident professionals use their gestures to add emphasis to their words. To gesture with purpose, expand your gestures from your sides and let your hands emphasize and describe your message.

Add variety to your gestures by relaxing your arms back to your sides after you complete a gesture. If you’re constantly using gestures you’re not able to think on your feet and you’re creating static.

Benefits

You’re the visual. When you use purposeful gestures, your listener will remember more of your message.
Add emphasis to your message and grab attention.
Add energy and inflection to your voice and channel your energy.

Ask for constructive feedback from friends, family and peers: “When I gesture do I look like I’m talking with my hands?” “Do I use gestures too often or not enough?”

5. Get to the Point

The more you say that’s unnecessary, the greater the risk your listener will either miss or misinterpret your point. What can help you get to the point?

Stay focused. When you find yourself going down the path of saying too much and you begin to feel like a train about to derail, put the brakes on and get yourself back on track…PAUSE!
Keep your objective in mind. Think in terms of what your listener needs to know about your topic.
Focus your message on no more than the three most significant points. It’s easier for you to get to the point and for your listener to remember your message.
Pay attention to your listener. Are they hanging on your every word or are they dazed? Are they attentive or fidgeting?

About the Author

Stacey Hanke is founder of 1st Impression Consulting, Inc. and co-author of Yes You Can! Everything You Need From A to Z To Influence Others To Take Action. Her client list is vast from Coca-Cola, Kohl’s, United States Army, Navy and Air Force, Leo Burnett and the FDA. She has been featured with: SmartMoney magazine, Business Week, Chicago WGN and WLS-AM.
Visit Stacey at: www.1stimpressionconsulting.com.

If you enjoyed this article, let us keep you up-to-date on other newly published insights by registering for the complimentary StrategyDriven Newsletter.

StrategyDriven Newsletter Signup

Please consider the environment before and after printing this article.

StrategyDriven Podcast Special Edition 24 – An Interview with Jim Champy, author of INSPIRE!

StrategyDriven — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:05:38 +0000

StrategyDriven Podcasts focus on the tools and techniques executives and managers can use to improve their organization’s alignment and accountability to ultimately achieve superior results. These podcasts elaborate on the best practice and warning flag articles on the StrategyDriven website.

Special Edition 24 – An Interview with Jim Champy, author of INSPIRE! explores how to define a consistent value proposition that impassions and continuously engages and retains customers. During our discussion, Jim Champy, author of Inspire!: Why Customers Come Back and Chairman of Consulting at Perot Systems, shares with us his insights and illustrative examples regarding:

what makes a company inspiring to its customers such that they are fully engaged and keep coming back
core customer-centric principles inspiring companies embody
key processes and programs inspiring companies use to embed these principles throughout the organization
common characteristics and behaviors of the executives leading engaging companies

Additional Information

In addition to the incredible insights Jim shares in Inspire! and this special edition podcast are the additional resources accessible from his website at www.JimChampy.com. Jim’s book, Inspire!, published by FT Press can be purchased by clicking here.

Complimenting Inspire!, are Jim’s five other books including:

Final Request…

The strength of our community grows with the additional insights brought by our expanding member base. Please consider voting for us on Podcast Alley by clicking here. Casting your vote for the StrategyDriven Podcast improves our ranking and helps us attract new listeners which, in turn, helps us grow our community. Thank you again for listening to the StrategyDriven Podcast !

About the Author

Jim Champy, author of Inspire!, is Chairman of Consulting at Perot Systems. He is recognized throughout the world for his work on leadership and management issues and on organizational change and business reengineering. Jim’s first book, Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution, sold more than 3 million copies and spent more than a year on The New York Times best seller list. He also authored the best seller, Reengineering Management: The Mandate for New Leadership, which was recognized by Business Week as one of the top ten best business books of 1995. His columns and articles appear in such magazines a Forbes, ComputerWorld, Sales and Marketing Management, Leader to Leader, and Baseline. To read Jim’s full biography, click here.

If you enjoyed this article, let us keep you up-to-date on other newly published insights by registering for the complimentary StrategyDriven Newsletter.

StrategyDriven Newsletter Signup

Please consider the environment before and after printing this article.

StrategyDriven Podcast Special Edition 23 – An Interview with Susan Scott, author of Fierce Leadership

StrategyDriven — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:22:48 +0000

Special Edition 23 – An Interview with Susan Scott, author of Fierce Leadership explores how how executives and managers can transform their organizations through candid, meaningful dialogue with each other, their employees, and their customers. During our discussion, Susan Scott, author of Fierce Leadership: A Bold Alternative to the Worst “Best” Practices of Business Today and Founder and CEO of Fierce, Inc., shares with us her insights and illustrative examples regarding:

what Fierce Leadership is
developing and using ‘squid eye‘ to recognize business practices that challenge individual and organizational success
engaging in ‘mineral rights‘ deep dive converations to gain full understanding of a situation including one’s personal contributions and impacts
the six worst ‘best’ business practices and their Fierce Leadership alternatives
how to promote Fierce Leadership and Fierce Converstations throughout one’s organization

Additional Information

In addition to the outstanding insights Susan shares in Fierce Leadership and this special edition podcast are the additional resources accessible from her organization’s website at www.FierceInc.com and her books’ websites at www.FierceLeadership.com and www.FierceConversations.com. Susan’s book, Fierce Leadership, can be purchased by clicking here.

Complimenting Fierce Leadership, is Susan’s book, Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life One Conversation at a Time. Fierce Conversations can be purchased by clicking here.

Final Request…

The strength of our community grows with the additional insights brought by our expanding member base. Please consider voting for us on Podcast Alley by clicking here. Casting your vote for the StrategyDriven Podcast improves our ranking and helps us attract new listeners which, in turn, helps us grow our community. Thank you again for listening to the StrategyDriven Podcast !

About the Author

Susan Scott, author of Fierce Leadership, is Founder and CEO of the global training company Fierce, Inc.. For over two decades, Susan has helped executives at companies such as Microsoft, Coke, Starbucks, Cisco, and Google transform their companies by teaching them how to engage in more vibrant dialogue with one another, their employees, and their customers. She is a globally recognized thought leader, the bestselling author of Fierce Conversations, and recipient of the 2008 Stevie award for Entrepreneur of the Year. To read Susan’s full biography, click here.

If you enjoyed this article, let us keep you up-to-date on other newly published insights by registering for the complimentary StrategyDriven Newsletter.

StrategyDriven Newsletter Signup

Please consider the environment before and after printing this article.

Communications – Make Technology Work for You

Lucas Ives — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:55:21 +0000

I have always thought of myself as a ‘modern’ businessman, someone who kept up with the latest technologies and trends. But, admittedly, I resisted such trends as Facebook and Twitter. I just didn’t see how they were applicable to business or academia. Then, while attending a seminar in Dallas, those of us in the audience were encouraged to use Twitter to send comments and questions to the speaker, as he or she was presenting. Before leaving the stage, each speaker would answer questions that had been compiled during the presentation. More recently, I read an article in Time entitled, How Twitter Will Change the Way We Live¹, in which the author discussed the use of Twitter in an academic setting where each ‘tweet,’ or post, was displayed on the overhead during the presentation. The Twitter conversation ended up reaching people outside the lecture hall and continued on for weeks after the actual presentation ended. I was sold.

We saw last year how social networking sights like Facebook and MySpace helped, then Candidate Obama, build a grassroots movement and win an election. We’ve seen news agencies such as CNN, Fox, or MSNBC use blogs to deliver information and gather viewer opinions. They even rely on pictures and videos from viewers’ cell phones to report information. And recently, the world has been following the social unrest in Iran, through YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

These various technologies can be used for very practical business purposes, even though they were originally intended for other purposes. So the question is “How will you use technology to strengthen your business?”

The answer will vary based on your type of business, but I have a few suggestions listed below:

1. Create an online ’social’ network within your company.

An online network will help your employees communicate across various departments and locations. They can post best practices to share with fellow employees or ask questions on the network to which others can respond. They can even post pictures of work-related events to boost moral. If your network has audio or video, you can post recordings of staff meetings in addition to meeting notes.

2. Send alerts to your team via Text Messaging.

Text messaging can be a quick and easy way to let your employees know that a staff meeting has been rescheduled or that the CEO is making a surprise visit to the office.

3. Create a series of YouTube videos demonstrating the use of your product.

This will provide instruction for those who already own your product and it may also generate interest among those who happen to stumble upon your video. Which leads to my next point…

4. Use the Internet to promote your product.

Tools such as stumbleupon.com or digg.com are great resources to promote your product. They scan the Internet and present users with recommended websites based on their interests. If a user finds your website interesting, they may recommend it to others. With millions of users each, stumbleupon.com and digg.com reach a lot of potential customers.

5. Use the Internet to promote yourself.

LinkedIn is an online networking service that allows members to connect with colleagues, classmates and friends. It is focused on professionals and provides access to professional communities and alumni associations. It is also a great way to list your accomplishments and promote yourself.

Almost any technology can provide a great advantage, even if it seems geared to personal use. Like me, you may not see it at first, but I’m sure that once you’ve tried Twitter to enhance your meetings or created an inner-office social network, you’ll be sold.

Final Thought

I’ve included hyperlinks to the various resources discussed above. I encourage you to click on a few and explore them for yourself. Chances are that you will find one or two that will help make your company more StrategyDriven.

Reference

Johnson, Steve. “How Twitter Will Change the Way We Live.” Time. 5 June 2009. 20 June 2009

About the Author

Lucas D. Ives is a training consultant at Verizon Wireless and a StrategyDriven contributor. A dynamic facilitator, he excels at creating and delivering captivating training focused on the business professional. To read Lucas’s complete biography, click here.

If you enjoyed this article, let us keep you up-to-date on other newly published insights by registering for the complimentary StrategyDriven Newsletter.

StrategyDriven Newsletter Signup

Please consider the environment before and after printing this article.

Management and Leadership – Managing Your Virtual Team

Elmer Thomas — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 01:09:11 +0000

People used to think that “working from home” was code for “getting paid to eat Oreos in pajamas”, but with the recent recession, getting paid at all isn’t anything to take chances with. If you’re engaged in virtual project management you can’t physically just drop in to check on your workers – at least, not without a lot of gas, possibly a jet, and the risk of some extremely unpleasant surprises. But with the right web based project management software it’s entirely possible to keep tabs on your employees – without them setting their Twitter status message as 1984.

The main problem with online collaboration is that your staff, by definition, must have a reliable access to the Internet. Aka “The Infinite Distraction Engine.” Administering employees online can be like herding cats, except the cats are all in different countries, and invisible. The cats also have access to YouTube. How can you remotely manage them?

1. Set a strict schedule – for yourself

Task management is tricky, but you can’t let your workers know. The very first time you write “Did you get that, um, thing?” (a week after it was needed) is the time they decide that responding to you is optional. As a virtual project manager you can’t afford that, and neither can your company.

Get some proper task management software and upload everything into it – digging through your inbox’s search filter every time you need information is a great way to get distracted. Set a schedule for contacting, reviewing, compiling updates and administering problems each day, and stick to it outside of the direst emergency. Dropping everything because of one problem is a great way to create twenty more.

2. Use the right contact method for the right job

Web based task management is all about the results, not the hours. If you’re sending 8am emails just to check if people are at their desks, congratulations – you’re not a manager, you’re a first grade teacher! If you’re ever looking at the “time sent” instead of the email content, you’re literally missing the point.

The key to communication in project management is using the right tool for the right job. It’s tempting to play with the whole range of communications strategies – e-mail, AIM, Skype , phone, even a project-based Twitter – but that’s exactly what it is: play. If you’re going to work, you need to use each option right.

E-mail: This should be your regular communications system. For setting schedules and assigning tasks, because you can attach all the relevant information and make sure everyone involved gets the same package. Your first inquiry after any non-urgent work should also be by email. Better yet, use a web based project management system that keeps all conversations relevant to the project in one place.

Phone/Skype: This should be your problem resolution option (set up Skype if you can, it’s an entirely sensible cost-cutter with no downside). It might seem “cyber” to talk by messenger, but hashing out problems works better with voice in many cases. You can exchange information faster, you can pick up on mood and tone, and information won’t be throttled by whoever has the slowest typing speed.

Messenger/AIM/Skype: You can use this instead of phone if you’re swapping a lot of files back and forth (just make sure you’ve got a service and clients which can carry those). As online project manager, you MUST resist the temptation to drop in a “Hi how’re things going!” every time you see an employee online. It breaks their concentration, it’s the slowest and least precise of the virtual management options, and if you don’t have a definite reason for talking you’re telling your workers “Hey, just break off and talk to whoever you want, whenever you want! I do!”

3. Keep track of it all

Get ready to have your mind blown: as a virtual project manager, you have to manage the virtual project. Astonishing stuff, we know, but there’s more to it than you might think: you have to keep track of your own online contacts as well as the project progress.

What’s the status of the online interface? When was the last time you talked to the graphic design team? Whose tasks are due now, and who’s already updated you with reasons for delays? It’s flattering to think you can hold all that in your head, but that head evolved to avoid tigers and find mates – don’t kid yourself. Two pounds of grey sludge is not a filing system.

Proper online management tools are keys to success, or even to competence. Yellow stickies are useful for EXACTLY ten seconds after the call – either enter the data you scribbled with the phone on your shoulder somewhere more permanent, or get ready for that awful cold feeling when a task is two weeks behind because you simply never told them to start. Those yellow notes have their uses, but permanent recording isn’t one of them.

Real team software can record your contacts as well as your updates, so you don’t phone the same guy one day later demanding his next weekly update. The instant they think you aren’t on top of things is the instant you aren’t.

Check your team management software before every call – as task manager you have to be the central front, the master computron brain that’s on top of it all. Even if it’s really your desktop who knows what’s what, you’re the one who’ll get paid for it.

Elmer Thomas blogs primarily at Thinking Serious which focuses on programming, design, business and productivity content for tech entrepreneurs living in a 2.0 world. That is, when he is not tickling his entrepreneur itch or consulting. To read Elmer’s complete biography, click here.

If you enjoyed this article, let us keep you up-to-date on other newly published insights by registering for the complimentary StrategyDriven Newsletter.

StrategyDriven Newsletter Signup

Please consider the environment before and after printing this article.

Communications Best Practice 1 – Communicate 7 Times, 7 Different Ways

Karen Juliano — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 05:42:59 +0000

All too often vital communications go unheard, creating workforce discontent, reducing organizational effectiveness, and alienating clients. Why with today’s advanced communication mechanisms do so many messages go unnoticed? One answer is that people are so overwhelmed with modern society’s messaging that they sometimes don’t recognize the importance of a single announcement; filtering it out as noise. Another reason is that not all people meaningfully receive information in the same way and some important messages are only sent through channels not likely to be received. To overcome both these challenges, managers should consider communicating important messages seven times using seven different media.

You need to be logged in as a Premium Member to see this part of the article. Login using the box in the sidebar. Not registered? Click here to register

Karen K. Juliano is StrategyDriven ’s Editor-in-Chief and Director of Communications and Marketing. Prior to joining the StrategyDriven team, she helped produce weekly programming for a Public Access Television station and served as a production assistant in the public affairs office at United States Naval Base, Philadelphia. To read Karen’s complete biography, click here.

If you enjoyed this article, let us keep you up-to-date on other newly published insights by registering for the complimentary StrategyDriven Newsletter.

StrategyDriven Newsletter Signup

Please consider the environment before and after printing this article.

Management and Leadership Best Practice 1 – Open, Honest, Timely Communications during Times of Uncertainty

StrategyDriven — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 12:46:11 +0000

People, regardless of their position, experience anxiety relative to the unknown. Is my job secure? Will I be able to provide for myself and my loved ones? and Will I lose my home? are just a few of the questions that preoccupy the minds of all organization members during uncertain times. Like all distractions, these self survival fears steal time and focus from the job at hand, negatively impacting productivity. Unlike other distractions, these fears are nearly impossible to ignore and will only subside once conditions become more predictable. Therefore, it is critically important that the manager-leader minimize the magnitude and duration of uncertainty by providing subordinates with as much clarifying information as possible. The manager must communicate.

You need to be logged in as a Premium Member to see this part of the article. Login using the box in the sidebar. Not registered? Click here to register

If you enjoyed this article, let us keep you up-to-date on other newly published insights by registering for the complimentary StrategyDriven Newsletter.

StrategyDriven Newsletter Signup

Please consider the environment before and after printing this article.