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Duck Tales

July/August 2005

Talk It Out

We all know about open-door policies and the importance of sharing information. But how many of us really know how to put these practices in place? If you’d like more dialogue at your organization, if you’ve ever struggled to get your message out or grab people’s attention, then this duck has just the thing for you!

Kick back and enjoy this issue of Duck Tales.™ It’s packed with tips on how to encourage meaningful communication at work. We hope it will provide inspiration and insight for you during your next conversation, meeting, or speech.

Foster Continuous Learning
Knowledge knows no borders, says Margareta Barchan, the CEO of a successful Swedish organization. And in a sense, knowledge cannot truly be managed. But it can be “captured and converted into an asset in the form of systems, processes, templates, data banks, and more,” says Barchan. It then can be used to improve performance and create profits.

To reap these benefits, however, leaders must create an environment that nurtures continuous learning. Barchan outlines five conditions necessary to foster learning:

Open dialogue. Employees should feel free to contribute ideas and make recommendations.
Values. A solid base of values should help shape the company and its culture. Embracing the values provides consistency, trust, and camaraderie.
Sharing. Create an open atmosphere where sharing knowledge occurs spontaneously and is a part of the culture.
Trust. Being trusted imparts feelings of inspiration, motivation, and job satisfaction. If you want inspired, motivated, and happy workers, cultivate an atmosphere of trust.
The right people (or ducks, as the case may be). The right people let you attract and retain customers. Look for people who willingly share knowledge, have the right skills, and match the organization’s values and beliefs. The right people also include board members, suppliers, colleagues, and clients. They all possess valuable knowledge and ideas that can benefit your organization.

Sharing Knowledge
How much information do you share with employees? Only a small amount—about 3 percent—of a company’s information is “classified.” Examples might be private health data, restricted technical information, or sales figures about to be announced to the press. The remaining 97 percent of information should be shared. This goes beyond distributing e-mails and clarifying assignments—it involves explaining why.

Suppose that someone asks you to do something but doesn’t explain why you should do it. How would you feel about completing the task? You might actually believe it’s unimportant and not worth your while. Now imagine someone says to you, “Please complete this performance review by Thursday. Management is assessing performance gaps and has three new criteria. Call me and we can chat about them before you introduce them to your team. Thanks for your help.” How would you feel now? Probably more trusting of the other person and more willing to help.

When people understand the why behind the what, they feel more powerful, are more productive, and are better team players.

The Magic Question
Would you like your employees to be more involved, more committed? Do you want them to take a more active role? One of the best ways to boost morale and get employees more invested in their work is simply to ask their opinion.

Go beyond the “open-door policy,” urges management consultant John Parker Stewart. Open-door policies work only for employees who have the initiative to come talk to you. You need to actively seek employees’ opinions. Ask them outright, “What do you think?” That little question can have a tremendous impact on employee attitude and behavior. First, employees see you as someone who values their opinion, someone who cares. Second, it shows you want to be a team player, that you want to collaborate. And finally, you will get accurate, insightful information that you can’t get anywhere else.

As a manager, you need to listen to their input and then follow through with their ideas. Encourage them to pick up the ball, to set their own direction, to initiate a new project. Consider Eric Butterworth’s words: “I tell you and you forget. I show you and you remember. I involve you and you understand.” Asking “What do you think?” not only will involve employees, but it will also lead to greater commitment, pride, and insight.

When the News Is Bad
As long as companies continue to hire human beings, managers will have the unpleasant task of delivering bad news—you’re not getting that promotion, your performance is lagging, you’re being taken off the account (and, in some of our cases, it’s time to clip those wings). When delivering bad news, most managers know to take employees into a private room, but other rules, such as the following are not always so obvious:

Use the right messenger. The bearer of bad news should be the employee’s direct supervisor or the next level of management. Too often, companies assign the “dirty work” to a human resources manager. Relying on an HR person is only appropriate in cases of termination or other situations when legal issues arise. Someone who knows the employee will be able to tailor the discussion to the person and the circumstance.
Don’t sugarcoat the problem. Some experts recommend stating something positive before delivering the bad news. But too many employees only hear the good news and tune out the bad. A better approach is to state the problem, the results of the problem, and the consequences if the problem continues. (“You have arrived 45 minutes late to work for the last two weeks. You’ve failed to meet your deadlines. If you continue this behavior, you will be terminated.”)
Be compassionate. Remember the times when you’ve received bad news. Be respectful and compassionate.

Telling Your Story
Nothing is quite so compelling as a good story. That’s why so many of us love a good book or movie. Stories illustrate your point and get your listeners to connect with you. A self-revealing story, such as one about a personal failure or struggle, can build trust and encourage openness at your organization. When others see an admired leader as fallible, yet successful, the doors open for honest dialogue.

Telling a story with humor, confidence, and humility can lead to a conversation about what you could have done differently—and others are often eager to share their own stories of struggle and triumph. The best leadership stories start with a bang, making people sit up and take notice. Here are some examples of successful opening lines: Let me tell you about a time when I really messed up…. Here’s a story about something I learned the hard way…. I’d like to tell you about one of my personal heroes…. I’m going to tell you a story about a risk I took….

To be effective, the storyteller must avoid preaching or sounding boastful. Also, beware of sarcasm and derogatory comments about others. Strive for a clear and compelling message, peppered with humor and interesting tidbits, and things will be just ducky!

Say What?
Not every conversation in the workplace can be a pleasant one. There are bound to be confrontations and personality differences in the normal course of a workday. Here are the three most difficult conversations workers have routinely, and the most effective methods for dealing with them:

Who’s to blame? One of the most common disagreements begins with “who did what” or “who said what.” Then the blame begins. Rather than dispute who is right, employees should examine both sides of the story. Often, incomplete information, different interpretations, and conflicting value systems are at the root of the disagreement. Blaming others results in defensive behavior, while taking responsibility for actions will lead to a more productive conversation.
What about feelings? Quite often, workers try to avoid bringing up “feelings” in difficult conversations. However, that simple avoidance can lead to both parties being hurt. If one person is angry, he should first ask himself what might have caused the other person to act in the way he did. The angry worker must also ask himself if he may have inadvertently contributed to the problem. The conversation is more likely to assume a productive tone after people sort through their feelings.
I’m at a loss for words. A difficult conversation can catch anyone off guard. For example, it’s easy for an individual to turn constructive criticism from a manager into a personal attack. Employees should avoid “all-or-nothing” type of thinking.