56. Optimizing Your Organizational Culture Through Clear Communication with Prina Shah

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Hello and welcome to this episode of Ways to Change Your Workplace with Myself Preena Shah, where we uncover today how you can find ways to optimize your organizational cultures. Hello and welcome to this episode of the Ways to Change Your Workplace podcast with myself, Preenasha. And today we're going to be discussing the importance of clear communication in creating the organizational culture that you desire. Imagine this: you are working in an organization with a current culture that needs to be optimized. All cultures need such a lens. The good organizations have what I call a desired culture. It's what they aspire to be from an organizational culture perspective. And that's where the gap is between today's culture and the desired culture. And one thing that has a huge impact on building your desired culture is how you articulate it. Many executives get stuck in the today culture rather than focusing on their desired future culture. Now that is a bit of a problem. And why is it a problem? It's because they're not effectively communicating it. So effective communication is a critical component of any successful organization. It helps to build trust, foster collaboration, and ensure that everyone is on the same page. So in order to achieve these benefits, it is essential that we communicate clearly and consistently. So what does it mean to communicate clearly, you are asking me? It means being concise and to the point, using language that is easy to understand, and being mindful of your audience, which is your workforce. It also means actively listening to others and being open to feedback. It means using analogies, examples, and painting a picture of your future desired culture. And here I'm talking about communication from the board to the executive, to the leadership team, to the management team, to all staff communications. They have to be clear and consistent. And that's where I have seen organizations fail. You see, the larger the organization, the more channels of communication there are, and the more distance there is to the decision maker. Think of this: you work or once worked at a large organization, and you receive that wonderful email from the executive about upcoming changes, and then you go and speak with your manager, and they have no clue about what the hell is happening. And you speak with them and you tell them that you've already raised concerns about these proposed changes that the executive are making. Did no one get that original memo? Don't the executive know that you've raised concerns historically? Where did that information go? Into the corporate void is what I call it. Because the larger the organization, the larger that corporate void is. And then you hear from the executive about the shiny new idea, and your frustration levels increase. You feel as if no one has listened to you, all of your hard work has been wasted. I know that is the case for many, many people. So another point to note is that clear communication isn't just about what we say, it's also about how we say it. Nonverbal clues such as body language, tone of voice, can often convey just as much, if not more, than the words themselves. So it really is important to be aware of these cues and to use them to your advantage. If you haven't listened to the episode with Anne Latham, who talks about the power of clarity in your communications, go back a few episodes and check it out. She goes into in-depth detail. And I want to give you some more information as well. So, how can we create a culture of clear communication within our organization? Here are a few tips for you. Set clear expectations regarding your desired culture. Make sure everyone knows what is expected of them. It's an obvious one, but my gosh, it is as one that so many organizations, executive teams, especially yourselves, do not articulate clearly. Another tip is to encourage open and honest communication, to create a safe space for people to speak their minds and to share their thoughts and their ideas. So think of creative ideas beyond your all-staff meetings or town hall meetings, whatever you call them, beyond your intranet and beyond boring team meetings. Mix it up a little. Consider an internal podcast, a coffee with the CEO or the executive team, an executive road show where they go to the people, and the list goes on. Think about what's going to work for you and your organization. I've helped many organizations to create engagement initiatives to suit their culture. So reach out to me if you need help because one thing that's really important to know is that each culture is really different. You need to do what's going to suit your organizational culture. Another very important point is to practice active listening. Pay attention to what others are saying and show that you are listening by acknowledging their points and asking clarifying questions. Now, I'm gonna go into a little bit more detail now, and I think it's really important for you to listen to the naysayers, you know, the negative people within the workforce. They too have a lot to say, and guaranteed, most people come with good intentions if they are talking about something that they have an issue with. If they are constantly complaining, ask them to come to you with their complaint as well as two possible solutions to that complaint. Get the naysayers to come up with the novel ideas. It really and truly works. You cannot believe how creative the naysayers can be. So tap into that aspect of your workforce because the naysayers have a lot to contribute. Do not discount them. And then use technology to your advantage. Tools like video conferencing, online collaboration platforms can help facilitate clear communication, even when people aren't physically in the same location. So, a big point here is to remember not to exclude those working away from the office. Your reach has to be even wider and all-encompassing now when you're talking about the desired culture that you wish to create. Another point is to provide training and support. Invest in training programs that help employees develop their communication skills and be available to offer support and guidance as and when is needed. It's not only about the way you communicate, it's about creating a shared language for the culture that you desire. You can't do it on your own. Upskill your workforce. So clients of mine have held we will and we won't statement sessions to align to the desired culture. Some have listed what they stand for and what they stand against in relation to the desired culture. You know, there's a lot of power in determining what you stand against. And when the people decide what they stand against, hello accountability in an organic and self-empowering way. Really consider what kind of creative ways you want your desire culture to be communicated, how you're going to upskill people, how you're going to hold sessions to create that shared language. There's so many creative things you can do to communicate your desired culture. I'm really excited to see what you're going to end up doing. So by following some of these tips and making a truly conscious effort to communicate clearly, you can see the change that you can make to create a positive way towards a productive organizational culture that supports your desired culture, your new world. No doubt you've got a few ideas of what you can do to clearly communicate your desired culture. It's not only about communication, it's then taking action and listening and being and doing and continually keeping a focus on that. I hope that this has been a wonderful episode for you to tune into and subscribe to the Ways to Change Your Workplace podcast because I will be seeing you in the next episode. All details about this episode are in the show notes. If you like this episode, I'd like you to take a moment and think about at least two people who might enjoy it. And please share the episode details with them too. Also, don't forget to connect with me on LinkedIn and on Instagram. I am freena.shar. See you there too.