Communication: Companies Need Less…Not More!

I work with a large variety of CEOs, senior managers and key employees.  If I ask about the needs and issues within the company, I almost always get the same response…”We need more communication.”

 

My reaction to that is that it is simply, WRONG!

 

Companies don’t need more communication.  They need more clarity.

• Clarity of the vision of the company.

• Clarity of where the company is going (long term and short term).

• Clarity of HOW the company will get there.

• Clarity of individual roles and how those roles create value toward the vision.

• Clarity of how roles must intertwine in order to achieve extraordinary results.

• Clarity of how the company will hold itself and each individual accountable.

 

Think about a great basketball team.  When things run smoothly within a team they find that less communication is needed, not more.  When the team is really “in the zone” and everything is going perfectly, what is the coach doing? Very little!  He’s not yelling, or sending in new plays or screaming at the assistant coaches.  He’s letting the team perform at its peak level… because of their clarity of purpose.

 

The point is, when managers and employees have clarity of where they are going and how to get there they need less communication, not more.

 

Great teams don’t usually talk in paragraphs or even sentences to communicate.  They are so in-tune with one another they talk in just few words and eye-contact.  They have so much clarity of purpose among them that they require less communication, not more.

 

The next time someone in your company pushes for more communication, remember, “Don’t strive for more communication.  Strive for more clarity!”

 

Written by David Woods David@giantpartners.biz

Work Less – Think More.

I love music. When I listen closely to a piece of music, I notice the ebb and flow, the crescendo and diminuendo. I also notice the silences. Those composers who understand the value of silence use it to create powerful moments where anything’s possible. I believe the same can be true in business—if we just take time to think.

 

It’s easy to fall into the trap that tells us more work will yield more or better results. We’re constantly bombarded by messages that suggest we can do it all. The reality is that our best comes out when we are focused on a few key activities. Most times, focus doesn’t just happen. Focus comes from clear thinking.

 

Clear thinking doesn’t just happen either. It takes time. “But who has time to think,” you ask? I’ll tell you. Those that make thinking a priority. In other words, if you value thinking, you’ll make time for it.

 

You know the phrase “pregnant pause”. Why is it called “pregnant”? Because what comes next is a new creation, how it will look is anyone’s guess. It might even be a miracle. It’s true in music. It’s true in life. When was the last time you experienced a deep silence like that?

 

As you compose the symphony of your life, try using silence to create a new world of possibilities. Set aside time just to think. As you work less and think more, your work will become more focused and aligned and the symphony you create will be more powerful and memorable because of the silences.

 

Written by Andrew Ranson  Andrew@giantpartners.biz

Kick Me Now!!

Has anyone ever jokingly put a note on your back that said “Please kick me”? For the last three weeks, it seemed I have been wearing this note. 

For example:

• One friend told me my email etiquette was deplorable and had hurt someone’s feelings.

• Another told me that I was sending an arrogant message and was injuring a relationship. 

• A third friend told me my negotiation skills needed sharpening as I was unknowingly sending a negative message. 

Did it hurt to hear these messages?  Yes, but only briefly.  Sometimes I need to be reminded of the words of the proverb, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

 

It is my observation the more successful you become and the more power you assume, the less likely you are to be told the truth.  Sad to say, but the majority of leaders I know are never corrected by those around them. Can you imagine acting like a fool and not being aware of it?  There is an inverse relationship between those who have power and the frequency they are being corrected.  I estimate that 95% of powerful leaders have zero accountability in this area.  The real problem is that the most influential leaders are the ones who need the most correction.  Why?  Because if a person of influence says or does something foolish, they influence more people with their stupidity.  If a speech is given to thousands, an email is sent to dozens or negative perception is created with a few, the damage can horrendous.  Remember, influence works in positive and negative ways. 

The best solution I have seen is surround myself with a group of CEOs and leaders who lovingly “kick me” when I do or say something foolish.  Unfortunately, this is way too often!  In truth, I really value these men who risk kicking me.  They correct me because they trust me to respond favorably.  I listen to them because I know they have my best interest in mind. 

When is the last time you got a kick from someone around the office?  If your answer is “not lately” then you can reach one of two conclusions.  First, you are perfect human being.  Or secondly, you need to be “kicked” but people are afraid to help you.

 

Ouch!!! 

Written by Matthew Myers Matthew@giantpartners.biz

Loose Change

Check your pockets and your pocket books.  My guess is you have some loose change – maybe a few pennies, quarters and dimes.  Now check the top of your dresser.  More loose change.   Now, the junk drawer (come on, I know you have at least one in your house!).  Yep, more loose change.   Oh, I almost forgot – the center console of your car.   A vast treasure trove of loose change!    Keep checking – your golf bag, that old purse, the suitcase.   I bet you’ll find more loose change.

 

So why don’t we throw that change out?   It’s not doing us any good sitting in all those places.   We don’t throw it out because deep down, we know that change is valuable.   Or it will be when we finally take the time to do something with it.   Just ask my husband – I think he’s paid for vacations with our loose change!  He keeps a big plastic jar and regularly consolidates all our loose change in it.  Each time he cashes that jar in, it’s worth a couple hundred dollars.   Our change is valuable because he takes action.

 

It seems to me that this is a good analogy for our lives at work.   We know change is valuable if we take action.  But we find it hard to take that step to “make change” – pun intended, by the way.

 

One of my favorite quotes is “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”  Think about it.  Change is inevitable.  Growth is optional.   That is so true.  Change is going to accumulate all around us – just as the loose change does.  Whether we like it or not, change is going to happen.  It’s up to us to use that change for growth.  If we take action, if we manage the change, then we have the opportunity to grow.  To grow personally and professionally.  To grow our businesses.   Without change, you don’t get growth.  

I love change.  It’s exhilarating.  It’s scary.  It keeps things fresh and interesting and it opens up new possibilities.   No one wants to get stuck in a rut, yet we do when we fail to embrace change.   Most of the time, we resist change because we don’t know the outcome.  It may not work.  We might fail or look stupid.   It might be hard.   Why change something that’s working?  All valid reasons if the world would just stand still.   But it doesn’t – everything is changing all the time.   Your customers are changing.  Your competitors are changing.  Even the rules are changing.   So why aren’t you?

 

Remember, change is inevitable.  Growth is optional.   Now, here’s my challenge to you.  Every time you empty your pockets of that loose change, I want you to think differently about some business change or personal change you’ve been resisting.   Scoop up that loose change, put it in the change jar and take action.  Cha-ching!

 

Written by Pattye Moore   Pattyem@giantpartners.biz

Teaching An Old Dog New Tricks

Experience is the best teacher?  Age begets wisdom?  How about it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks…  Many people equate leadership with experience, or maybe it is more true to say we trust leaders with more experience.  Translate that, we trust leaders that are older.  We somehow get anxious when we hear about the 26 year old CEO of that new start up that is doing great.  We secretly wonder how long it will be till they make some major blunder that leads to disaster.   In the end, we seem to value more the experience of the elders, over the clean eye of the youth.

This may have been true decades ago, but in our current world, where new technology tools seem to be invented hourly, a wise leader must begin to look for advice to the younger crowd.  Never before in history have we had such a divergence in the experiences between generations.   Never before have we had to wrestle with how they differ in their use of tools (technology.)  Once upon a time, it made sense to create a Board of Directors and fill it with people that had a few decades of experience on them.  Now even venerable firms like Delloitte are writing white papers suggesting Boards have a specific technology section on the agenda.  That young IT hot shots be held accountable at these very same Board meetings.  In order to truly have the best shot at success in today’s world, we need some youthful advice.

It is time to stop believing that age equates to value in an organization.  The viewpoint of the young now contains nuggets that will dramatically improve the operation of many businesses – if we listen.  Sure, they may be spoiled, coddled, and disrespectful of their elders at times.  Yes, they sneer behind our backs because we do not know how to load our own wireless drivers, and then comment to each other about how amazed they are that we got to where we are now.  But they have incredible value.  They have a clean eye, and when approached the right way, they can offer powerful insights.  So the next time you want sage advice, see a 22 year old…

Written By Scott Klososky. Scott@giantpartners.biz, www.klososky.com