An example of great communication was during an SAP upgrade as well as divisional realignment within my company.Not only were we switching divisions and having our reporting structure changed but we also were upgrading from SAP 4.7 to 6.0. Changing organizational structure as well as learning the new way of business was difficult enough, never mind learning new user roles within the new SAP platform.
In an effort to facilitate a successful "cut-over" we had user testing platforms as well as daily conf calls. Eventually as deadlines got closer we increased the frequency of communication to the extend that there was a live open line with the help desk for 24 hours.
At first glance one may think that the communication was excessive however as we approached each time line goal we realized how important open communication was. Looking back many still comment on how often we were on the phone with the "help desk" but everyone agrees that it was critical to the success and timeliness of the implementation.
Some bad examples of communication I experience are when and previous peer would hold meetings regarding a project of some sort. Everyone would attend and pay attention however the deliverables weren't clearly assigned and delegated so many times the projects would fall behind and miss critical deadlines. When doing root cause analysis of where the project failed it always pointed to the fact that the communication wasn't clear and concise. While organized it wasn't effective because it wasn't clear.
I like your comments about the value of open communication. I believe open communication within an organization is critical to achieving successful business operations. As D'Aprix discusses in Chapter 4 of "Communicating for Change," having open lines of communication between employees and management produces a much more informed, and therefore productive, workforce. Just as your organization realized how important open communication was to the successful implementation of the new SAP platform, open communication in the workplace can result in a more successful organization, as was the case with SRC. When employees are aware of what is happening they have a greater ability to make valuable contributions.
ReplyDeleteWhen we bring in a new customer, I find that while weekly conference calls may seem excessive, they are key to preventing disaster down the road. The key is everyone being involved and having a good leader. By good leader I mean someone who clearly defines individual roles and deliverables. That brought to mind many of the team horrors I have experienced with some of the classes here at WNEC.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of having daily conference calls seemed a bit excessive to me at first. But as your example proved, and another situation at my company also proved, the constant communication and updating did in fact work positively. People sometimes need the constant reassurance and deadlines to stay on track and keep up the results.
ReplyDeleteI don't think excessive communication is a bad thing when introducing change in an organization. Due to the excessive communicatioin I would bet that most employee's comfort level and their personal anxieties were eliminated ensuring a smooth transition as well.
ReplyDeleteGood results may well be the proof of good communication technique. A 24-hour help line is only excessive if it is wasted. If it helps get the desired results, it may well have been an innovative decision.
ReplyDeleteWatch your spelling!