The Communication Climate

Communication, just about everyone agrees, makes work easier for people, and makes organizations more productive.

Establishing a climate of confidence is one of the first steps toward establishing good communication in any organization. In other words, creating an environment in which everyone communicates readily and openly.

Let's look at three key elements that help create a positive communication climate:

• setting an example
• penalties and rewards
• appropriate results.

Setting an Example

To set an example, leaders and managers have to communicate with employees and others who report to them. It doesn't matter how that's done, whether orally or with written reports, as long as it's done.

If you ask what they should communicate, we can sum it up with three types of information: instructional, contextual, and motivational. Instructional information explains what needs to be done, when and where it should be done, and perhaps how it should be done. Contextual refers to background or 'big picture' information; for example, it explains how the work of an individual fits into the work of the organization. And, motivational information explains why something should be done. The amount and quality will partially determine the communication climate.

Penalties and Rewards

Over and over, we hear that bad news gets shut out in organizations -- apparently that's one reason why Enron got into trouble. What's more, messengers delivering bad news often get punished.

But, an absence of punishment obviously isn't enough. We also need to think about rewards for communication. At minimum, that means recognizing contributions and the contributors. Ideally, these people deserve rewards of some kind when they go above and beyond the call of duty to provide information of value. Of course, we need to go beyond that minimum to create an open communication climate.

Appropriate Results

For many employees and managers, the most important reward of all is to see the company change in response to information they provided.

Over and over, surveys show that financial rewards play an important role, but beyond a certain level employees would rather make a difference of some kind. All of which is consistent with Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

The idea of appropriate results also refers to inter-personal relationships at work. A result that helps us get along with, or work more effectively with, co-workers can be a powerful reward in its own right.

Summary: good communication within an organization is management's responsibility. And, exercising that responsibility starts with the creation of a positive communication climate, an environment in which leaders and managers set an example, penalties and rewards are appropriate, and employees can see the results of their communication initiatives.