Companies that create conversation silos tend to miss out on key learning and growth opportunities.
San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) May 20, 2014
The Performance Group (TPG) proudly celebrates another milestone as it rings in its 16th year as a top Bay Area event management company. From the very beginning, TPG understood that one of its guiding principles would be “open door communication,” a core value instilled by its founder, Suzanne Ashton.
“I had been working for an event marketing agency in San Francisco and most of our leaders were headquartered in the Midwest,” Suzanne explained. “When I decided to start my own firm, I knew I wanted to create a family feel and a culture built on accessibility.”
While open door communications can mean many things, TPG defines it in three specific ways: peer-to-peer communication, company-to-client communication, and leadership accessibility. While every asset of this three-pronged approach is important, accessible leadership is probably the most crucial – specifically since leaders set the tone for the organization, and employees tend to mirror the attitudes and values of their managers.
Company-wide attitudes, it turns out, can be shaped in simple ways. Take, for example, the glass doors TPG has installed in all of their offices. This small structural detail allows managers to see their employees, and reinforces to the employees that their managers are readily accessible. A pervading atmosphere of transparency reminds leaders that they should be willing to tackle problems and engage in tough conversations. On the flip side, an open atmosphere also encourages employees to be proactive and to go to their managers early and often for clear direction.
Another attitude adopted by successful companies is valuing open flow communication between employees. Peer-to-peer discussions should be encouraged so that ideas and best practices are shared between departments; companies that create conversation silos tend to miss out on key learning and growth opportunities. And in today’s technology age, it’s also important to encourage face-to-face conversations since, as studies show, written emails can often be perceived as being negative. At its best, open discussions between employees fosters creative thinking and empowers them to solve their own problems.
Finally, successful companies like TPG encourage open communication with their clients. When clients and their suppliers have strong relationships, a sort of shorthand develops where needs are anticipated and readily met. Most client problems can be traced back to a wrinkle lying somewhere within the communication roadmap, so it’s important to constantly correct and get back on track. Scheduled check-ins are a great way to keep the dialogue going, and they foster opportunities to discuss new ideas and, when necessary, clear the air in a positive manner.
If company-wide communication isn’t going well, organizations shouldn’t be afraid to pull in an outside, unbiased opinion. Corporate consultants are trained to see where communication breaks down, and they can help navigate the pre-set attitudes people sometimes bring to work. Last year, TPG brought in a performance coach to sit down with each employee and their manager. Both sides walked away with a greater understanding of the other person’s communication style and business sensibilities.
So, in closing, it seems that open communication fosters strong peer-to-peer communication, company-to-client communication, and leadership accessibility. And when these come together, the results are sweet – as sweet as celebrating sixteen years of success!
Additional information on The Performance Group is available at http://www.tpgnc.com.