The One New Year Resolution Every Manager Should Have Made

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the value of effective communicationAs the calendar flips over to a new year, 45% of us made a resolution to do something better – eat better, work out more, get more organized…

But what about your business resolutions?  Are there resolutions you should make that can improve the productivity of your company / department / work team?  You bet, and the good news is that this is not difficult.  As a manager, owner, executive (whatever), there is only one resolution that you should make in 2015.

To communicate better. 

Effective communication is not just about feeling good. It is not just about walking around and telling everyone that they are doing a good job. It is about ensuring that everyone is on the same page; that everyone understands the company’s / department’s goals and what role they must play to achieve that goal.

There are real bottom line benefits when everyone is on the same page. In fact, according to Towers Watson, companies who have highly effective internal communications have 47% higher returns to shareholders.   

Do not just focus on email.

Communication is not just about sending an email and then moving on.  As a leader, you must ensure that a sent message is received and internalized by the recipient.  There is no “one and done”.

This means communicating more frequently and in different ways.  The goal is for your message to be heard and drive a desired action.  This does not mean to disconnect from email.  However, relying on email as a sole means of communication is ineffective and does little to build working relationships.

Make the most of face-to-face interactions (when possible). Smaller face-to-face get togethers (such as brown bag lunches, town hall meetings, etc.) offer a much more personalized and engaging format for effective communications.  Flexibility is key; designate multiple time slots and venues to maximize attendance.

Technology can help.

Consider investing in other communication tools, such as

  • Social video portals for employee-generated content and corporate communications.
  • Internal webinars / webcasts to extend the reach of any / all of your face-to-face meetings.
  • Internal blog to provide a more conversational tone to your communication.
  • Enterprise – oriented social networking tools (such as Chatter, Convo or Yammer) to help with consensus building and collaboration.

Remember, communication is a two-way street

But communication is more than just pushing information out.  It is about gathering information as well. Effective communication requires active listening; it requires a sense of balance.  Listen to the reactions and feedback of others.  When you focus on trying to make your point, you are not able to hear (and therefore act upon) the information that is being pushed in your direction.

Everyone here at Snelling wishes you a happy and prosperous new year!  And we are here to help.  We work collaboratively with companies across the United States in the areas of workforce planning, recruiting and staffing.  We listen to what you need to grow in this next year.  So contact us today!