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Introduction
Communication is one of the most important tools
a leader can use to focus their employees on understanding, embracing, and delivering a companys
strategy. However, most individuals reach positions
of leadership without learning how to communicate
with others in a way that not only accurately conveys
information, but also elicits a successful response. In
Beyond the Babble, Bob Matha and Macy Boehm
present a three-step process for leaders to improve
communication in their companies. This process,
which they call the On Strategy approach, has one
goal: to provide leaders with the process and tools
needed to achieve better business results with effective communication.
Business Book Summaries February 22, 2010 Copyright 2010 EBSCO Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved
Key Concepts
The On Strategy communication approach
gives organization leaders the process and tools
needed to improve their companys communication:
1. Clarify the goals, strategy, and relevance
of the companys plans through the Action
Equation. The Action Equation (Know + Feel
= Do) helps leaders concisely define where
the company is headed and what employees
must know and feel.
2. Prepare the People Channel by assembling
and training leaders throughout the organization. The People Channel consists of the
managers, supervisors, and informal leaders
throughout every level of a company. The
People Channel uses the Conversation Platform to communicate the company strategy
to fellow employees in an informal, personal
manner.
3. Use the People Channel to communicate the
Action Equation through the Conversation
Platform. The informal efforts of the People
Channel must be supported and encouraged
by all leaders.
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Management must first determine where the company is headed and what employees must do, know,
and feel in order for the organization to get there. Matha and The heart of On Strategy communication is in leaders and
Boehm have created an equation employees talking to each other every day about strategic
known as the Action Equation information and perspective that help them do their jobs and
(Know + Feel = Do) to help leaddo them well.
ers specifically define all three of
these aspects.
larger goals. Each part of the Action Equation must be
The Do portion of the Action Equation encourages
thoroughly analyzed by management before effective
leaders to distill their company goals into two concise,
On Strategy communication begins.
Business Book Summaries February 22, 2010 Copyright 2010 EBSCO Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Business Book Summaries February 22, 2010 Copyright 2010 EBSCO Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Informal leaders, including influential line employees, receptionists, Union stewards, should also be
engaged in the strategy. They are often some of the
most respected individuals in an organization. Informal leaders can be identified by asking employees at
every level of the organization who they go to for reliable inside information.
Once all leaders within the People Channel, whether
formal or informal, have been aligned behind the
Conversation Platform, they must next receive On
Strategy communication training. Ideally, the companys top leader would lead the On Strategy training
for other high-level leaders, and then those leaders
would train the next level. This pattern should be
repeated down throughout the entire organization.
On Strategy communication training should take
about two to three hours and should cover six separate
areas, in order: expectations about communication,
the basic elements of the Conversation Platform, the
specifics of the companys Conversation Platform,
how to use the platform, which processes and tools
will be used to support leaders as they communicate
strategy to employees, and feedback.
In the initial part of the training session, the leaders
should explain how effective communication and
results are related and why leadership participation throughout the organization is essential. After
explaining the conversation platform, the training
should move to giving leaders an opportunity to roleplay using the Conversation Platform in informal
interactions.
Some leaders have problems using the People Channel effectively. They may inadvertently dominate or
intimidate employees during strategy conversations,
or place such a strong focus on problem-solving that
they discourage employees from fully discussing
issues. The most effective way to deal with or prevent
these problems is to provide interpersonal skills training and coaching to teach leaders,
managers, and supervisors how to
When leadership is not truly aligned around strategy, leadership communication wont be either. As a result, strategy will establish rapport with co-workers,
listen actively, and encourage an
falter.Just because managers nod yes in meetings doesnt
environment of open discussion.
Business Book Summaries February 22, 2010 Copyright 2010 EBSCO Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved
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a word on how training supports the business strategy. It is important to eliminate babble during this
drumbeat; both the companys Conversation Platform
and the Action Equation should be used to filter out
information which does not pertain directly to what
employees need to know, feel, and do with regards to
the company strategy.
There are two types of communication vehicles: traditional and operating. Traditional communication
vehicles include company newsletters, town hall
meetings, videos, posters, paycheck stuffers, tent
cards, and the companys intranet
site. Operating communication Companies train managers in every important facet of busivehicles include regular meetness except strategy communicationMost people have cerings, operating reviews, and
documents focused on reporting. tain abilities to communicatebut a company wouldnt ask
Both traditional and operating the sales force to sell a product without training them in how
communication vehicles are pow- the product works. The same goes for strategy.
erful tools that can be used to
emphasize and encourage employee discussion about
Running short-term campaigns is an effective way
company strategy. However, those communicafor leadership to communicate more intensely about
tion vehicles must not grow to take the place of the
specific topics. A company could choose to run an
personal conversations that drive true On Strategy
On Strategy campaign for many reasons: to introcommunication.
duce their employees to new brands and products;
to introduce leadership conferences or executive preThere are three ways to maximize and govern an
sentations; to celebrate employees or even prepare
organizations communication vehicles:
employees for challenging news such as upcoming
1. Create a steady, effective drumbeat of commulayoffs; to build excitement and interest in training
nication with the communication vehicles
programs.
2. Use the communication vehicles for short-term
campaigns
3. Utilize the companys communications department and outside resources
Creating a steady drumbeat of communication
involves constantly reaffirming the precepts of the
organizations Conversation Platform in the minds
of employees. Traditional communication vehicles
from emails to posters to newsletters should be
interesting enough to generate conversation and
focus attention exclusively on strategy. Operating
communication vehicles should be used to promote
the companys strategy by always being presented
in the context of the Conversation Platform. Reports
and meetings should each directly address the core
message and the four supporting building blocks of
the Conversation Platform by pointing out, at every
opportunity, how each aspect relates to the strategy.
Reports can include summary charts on the first page
that show how the company is progressing towards
its strategic goals; training meetings can begin with
Utilizing communication departments and outside resources may also help maximize a companys
communication vehicles. Many organizations have
communication professionals available to them who
may focus on either the strategic aspects of communication or on tactical aspects, with their sole focus
increasing communication overall. Both are useful,
but the authors believe that communication professionals who focus on strategy are more effective to
achieving business goals in the long run.
Four steps can help develop the strategic bias of any
communication department:
1. Place managers and supervisors with certain strengths
in leadership positions within the communication department: These strengths include strong
business acumen, a history of initiative in the
workplace, common sense, interpersonal skills, a
positive attitude, an ability to speak clearly and
easily with executives, comfort with risk taking,
strong skills as a facilitator, and a passion for the
job.
Business Book Summaries February 22, 2010 Copyright 2010 EBSCO Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved
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2. Focus the communication department goals on company strategy, not communication as an end in itself:
More creative and practical thinking will result
with both leaders and communication specialists
driving towards the same goals.
Likewise, measuring how information flows throughout an organization can demonstrate managements
communication effectiveness and provide a concrete
way to evaluate areas in which communication needs
to be improved.
Addressing Problems
A number of problems can get in the way of effective On Strategy communication. The first of these
involves the Behavior Chain, or the experiences and
beliefs about the workplace and management that
shape the behavior an employee displays at work.
Many employees hold beliefs that make it difficult for leaders to implement organization-wide
changes. Matha and Boehm refer to these beliefs
as the why nots. These include the belief that no
program advocated by management will last very
long; that leadership never tells
As you prepare On Strategy communication, if you dont think the truth about its real motives;
that, because the program wasnt
it will raise an eyebrow, produce a smile, or cause somebody to developed by frontline employees
pause and think, go back to the drawing board and improve it. it wont work; that the real problem lies at someone elses feet; that
Give your employees something to talk about on strategy.
only people part of the in group
Metrics about communication in an organization
at a workplace are responsible for making meaningful
are effective if the metric results clearly track with
decisions; that its never worthwhile to take workcommunication and if the members of the organizaplace risks.
tion recognize this connection. Research that links
Leaders must actively identify, understand, and work
communication with business results and shows the
to alter the why nots that affect the Behavior Chain.
quality of information flowing through the People
Management must create a new experience for workChannel can help demonstrate On Strategy commuers that will drive a whole new set of beliefs. They
nication at work. Certain research approaches, such
can do this by using employee surveys or discussion
as hierarchical linear modeling, can show which
groups to determine the cause of employee resiscommunication behaviors result in positive results.
tance to new strategies. Leadership must then use this
Business Book Summaries February 22, 2010 Copyright 2010 EBSCO Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved
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information to build trust in employees by specifically announcing what they are going to do to change
employee experience, doing it, then recapping what
they did for the employees.
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Contents
Foreword
The Authors
Acknowledgements
Introduction
The Power of Communication
On Strategy Communication: An Overview
Do: What Do You Need Employees to Do?
Know: What Do Employees Need to Know to Take
Action?
Feel: What Do Employees Need to Feel To Take
Action?
The Why Nots: Whats Getting in the Way?
Package: Turn the Action Equation into a Conversation
Align: Make Sure All Leaders Are On Strategy
Equip: Give Leaders the Tools They Need to Communicate On Strategy
Drive and Support: Orchestrate and Sustain On Strategy Conversation
You: The Top Leaders Role
How to Resource Guide
Glossary of Terms
Notes
Index
Business Book Summaries February 22, 2010 Copyright 2010 EBSCO Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Business Book Summaries February 22, 2010 Copyright 2010 EBSCO Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved
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