Don't Leave Managers Out of Your Plan
... able to draw what Lucent Technologies calls the "line of sight" for employees. The line of sight shows employees the context of what they do -- how their jobs fit in, strategically, with the overall business objectives. The line of sight, research shows, is an essential component of employee engagement: the willingness to take action and change behavior in pursuit of business goals. Some organizations use managers as a conduit, sending them meeting guides and other materials with instructions to "cascade" the information down to their employees. But shouldn't an effective plan rely less on good intentions? Managers are busier than ever. More than two years of downsizing, rightsizing and reorganization has heaped work on managerial plates like two-for-one night at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Communicators should realize the potential payoffs and give managers the tools they need to communicate effectively. Here is a three-part model for creating an effective management communication plan: 1. Research: Do some research among managers to determine their ability and willingness to improve their communication effectiveness. How comfortable are they knowing what and how to communicate? How well do they listen? 2. Assess: Determine your communication aspiration. Then, take a hard look at your communication past. What are your communication strengths and weaknesses? What worked and what didn't? How are you measuring your success? What role do managers play currently? What do we want people to think, feel or do as a consequence of our comm...