Are you actually communicating with your communications? If not, it’s time to get HOT communications in action.
Or are you just giving instructions?
To communicate you need to be Honest, Open and Two-way (HOT).
During COVID, our team saw a significant jump in HOT communications by creating a plan, being deliberate in our actions and then giving an ENCORE.
In a fully virtual, WFH environment we were able to purposefully build an atmosphere of listening, understanding, feedback, and buy-in which kept individuals and teams motivated and supported – ultimately, feeling included.
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How to Start HOT Communications
Any successful communication between two people, a team or an entire organization must be Honest & Open. There are no shortcuts to building trust, this is it.
If it’s not Two-way then it’s not really inclusive, its instruction. Being HOT leads to a quicker understanding & respect for differences in views, interests & needs.
Translation – teams and individuals are more engaged, willing to participate in change management, meet goals, and feel motivated in their work when the communications process is a reflection of their involvement.
To find success or build on opportunities you must do one thing, acknowledge.
Progress only comes to those who are willing to admit where they are and define where they want to go.
“85% of employees said they’re most motivated when management and leadership offer regular updates on company news.” (Trade Press Services, 2020)
“Regular updates,” not once everything has been decided. It’s critical that you share along the way.
Honest, Open & Two-way communication is a beach, not a boulder. It’s made up of all the little actions, not a few big gestures.
Build it everywhere – virtual meetings, email, chat, 1:1, team gatherings, each small action you take adds another pebble of trust to your beach.
As you find those Honest, Open and Two-way communications successes celebrate them, nurture them but most importantly…
Give success an ENCORE:
- ENCOURAGE – be the example, encourage them to be open as well
- NOTIFY – share info early & often
- COLLABORATE – purposefully provide space for HOT dialogue
- ORIGINATE – where will info come from, keep it consistent
- RECOGNIZE – know thy challenges – welcome them, talk about them
- EMBRACE – accept there is no end point, it’s a constant building process
Building a better team starts with building better communication. Do it by being honest, open and two-way.
