Opening Communications

I’ve worked in and with a lot of organizations in my time. That work requires a lot of talk and written communications. Sitting around a table or in someone’s office is a time to open the mind and the mouth and speak ideas that are relevant to whatever the conversation is about. Mostly these would be business problems, police protocols, human resource issues, client relationships needing a tweak, and so on.

Openly sharing these issues with one another on a work team informs every one of the common threads. Each person has a relationship to those same threads. They most likely have a reaction, a point of view, or an observation to share. Sometimes these meetings are fun and produce a lot of laughter; other times they are gloomy and intent on fixing something serious. Whatever the climate in the room, all participants get more out of the meeting if they listen intently and share their thoughts freely.

This act of open communications is not always easy. Some organizations stifle the behavior. Communications are thus truncated and less meaningful. They are usually quite bureaucratic if not outright authoritarian. Although decisions are made clear in such circumstances, implementation of those decisions is lukewarm at best unless the threat of losing one’s job is thrown into the mix. Not a happy circumstance. And, in the long run, not good for the organization, either!

I’m working with an all-volunteer organization with a serious mission and strong long-term vision. The volunteers are all high-powered A-type personalities (except for me!) who know their stuff about the work of the organization. But there seems to be a problem. And I think it is centered on communication behavior.

I’m beginning to get the feeling that trust is an issue that keeps communications from being fully free and creative. I’m not used to this environment. I’m used to free flowing creative surroundings that reward risk taking and exploration of possibilities. I experiment with programs and processes to produce new results. Much of the results are valuable and necessary for our future success. So I share my opinion when asked or not! I do so usually in writing so the ideas can be added to the hopper at our next committee meeting. Sometimes my thoughts are shared by the committee chair before the meeting, most of the time they are not.

Also, most of the time no reaction is shared; by anyone, including the chair.

That leaves me wondering if offering ideas on my part is unwelcome or maybe even resented. I don’t know. But I do know that conversation is muted among members of the committee. I am beginning to sense a hesitancy of our members' willingness to share ideas with one another and the group.

This would be an undesirable situation. The lifeblood of any organization is the free sharing of ideas and thinking among its people. Yes, discipline in these matters helps the communications stay focused and orderly. But discipline to the extent of restricting communications is an early symptom of organizational ineffectiveness and death.

I spoke of this with a fellow volunteer last night. He told me to keep doing what I’m doing and challenge others to do the same. He observes the same lack of communications and fears the organization will atrophy and fall into irrelevance. He claims I’m the only one willing to risk ideas and communications in the group. He urged me to keep doing so!

So I will. Along the way I hope to learn if my fears are true, or if it is just me, or what.

At my age I do not yearn for authority, title or riches. All I want is effectiveness in what I do so that others can benefit from it. That is reward enough for me. Sort of like a teacher, you know? Most teachers are underpaid and very under-appreciated. But they know their work is vital to the success of others and to the long term survival of our very culture. Thank God for teachers.

So the task for the rest of us – who are not teachers – is to be honest, creative  and communicative. Only then will our work have a chance to expand to the benefit of others. And grow in value and effectiveness, too!

That’s a good thing!

June 14, 2016