The Value of Strong Communication Practices

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLIacEhCid0

Be sure to watch this brief video prior to reading this blog

“If everyone around me is playing really well, and communicating, then I can trust them and I can be better at my job too” – Josh Hagerty

In this video clip BC Lions Josh Hagerty describes a number of communication tools that he finds particularly effective in developing a competitive advantage on the football field.  These include:

• Helping less experienced teammates understand team systems, route combinations and coverages.

• Walking through plays, adjustments and formations so that teammates develop a clear understanding of everyone’s role on the field.

• Encouraging players to communicate from their vantage points on the field.  Be loud and vocal about what they are doing and what they are seeing.

  
  

Applying strong communication skills helps to reinforce players understanding of their roles. It increases awareness of their teammates’ responsibilities, positions and situational reactions.  It contributes to the feeling that everyone is on the same page and builds trust between players, which will help to elevate the team’s performance.

Similar communication strategies can be of benefit in business and entrepreneurship. There are many examples that could be drawn upon to make this point. I will limit it to a few examples that I have encountered through my career.

A well-established safety practice called 3-way communication or active listening is often used in work conditions that have a high likelihood of catastrophic outcomes if human error takes place (often resulting from miscommunication). Here is how three-way communication works in an industrial setting. A worker turning off a high voltage switch in order to perform maintenance on it, will state that the switch has been turned off. A co-worker would then respond with something like “confirming that the high voltage switch has been turned off”. Then the worker might respond, “affirmative, the switch has been turned off, and we are clear to begin work”. This is followed by the co-worker affirming that work is about to commence. The on-field communication that Josh describes is a bit more organic and less scripted, but it serves similar purposes of communicating awareness of the situational environment and promotes a coordinated response.

As a researcher who spent years assessing the workplace environment, I found that running focus groups provide far greater insights and depth of understanding of workplace issues than simply running a series of surveys. Survey responses provide an individual’s view. It is difficult to ascertain the depth of thought and influences that led to their input. Whereas in a focus group environment, you receive a group generated perspective where people share their thoughts and experiences and react to what is said around the table. Issues tend to be explored from many different perspectives contributing to a collective understanding. As the researcher is present during these sessions, it also communicates the level of consensus, and contentiousness of the issues that are raised. It is also not uncommon for focus groups to inspire problem solving suggestions and many times participants leave with a general sense of catharsis that what ever issue raised, they were heard and it just might lead to improvements. The key point being that a focus group environment advances communication in the form of valuable situational awareness and understanding.

Businesses taking part in chamber of commerce or board of trade activities where they learn from experiences of others, can be extremely impactful. Networking session should not be seen strictly as sales pitch forums, but also a means to communicate with other businesses about what they do, their focus, direction and challenges. It’s a way to build business community alignments and possible collaborations. This is also the basis for attending professional trade shows where people from similar industries or professions gather to exchange information and operational experiences including technical advancements, safety issues and other challenges in their area. The critical point is that healthy communication includes external sources as well.

The whole premise of this website and the EDGE (Entrepreneurial Discussion Group Exchange) is all about sharing insights, to draw from the cumulative wisdom of many individuals with vast experience to help others tackle challenges, encourage growth, help set or adjust goals and inspire positive change.

Despite the clear benefits that open communication has, there is a reluctance among many in business to communicate openly for fear of competitors copying their services or countering their strategic advantage. Though these threats are often real, and can lead to increased competition, the limitations from working in a vacuum can be equally harmful to the success and growth of your business.

When you place a strong emphasis on communication at all levels of your business, uncertainty is minimized. Flawed assumptions are identified early and resolved, personnel understand their roles and they build realistic expectations. Encouragement of strong communication practices will likely be an influence on customer service practices and can serve as a way to help engage and retain customers and clients.

So, whether it be on the football field, in business or in life, a strong emphasis on healthy communication is essential to elevate your progress, build trust and maintain positive momentum and achieve the goals you have set. Please share your thoughts on strong communication practices in the comment section below. What communications strategies are of greatest value to you?