Communications management is the systematic planning, implementing, monitoring, and

revision of all the channels of communicationwithin an organization, and between organizations; it

also includes the organization and dissemination of new communication directives connected with
an organization, network, or communications technology. Aspects of communications
management include developing corporate communication strategies, designing internal and
external communications directives, and managing the flow of information,
including online communication. New technology forces constant innovation on the part of
communications managers.

As a manager, one must take a contingency approach to communicating with their employees
and communicate on a personal level. It’s the manager’s responsibility to determine if their
employee’s personality falls under the following: Reactors, Workaholics, Persisters, Dreamers,
Rebels, or Promoters. [1]

The Communication Process will help you to:

• Identify the messages that need to be sent

• Determine your target audience for communication
• Decide on your message format and timing
• Draft your message and gain approval where required
• Communicate your message, through communications events
• Gather feedback and improve your communication processes
By using this Communication Process, you can:

• Clearly identify your project stakeholders

• Identify your stakeholders communications needs
• Run any type of communications event to send out your message
• Ensure the right people receive the right information at the right time
Keeping your stakeholders regularly informed is a critical activity for any team. Whether it's
through status reports, regular meetings or informal email, you can ensure that the right
messages are distributed about the progress of your project. This will help your project team
and external stakeholders to remain focused on delivery and to provide you with all of the
support you need to deliver your project successfully.

What is a Communication Process?

A Communication Process, or Communications Management Process, is a set of steps that are

taken every time formal communications are undertaken in an organization. A
Communications Process is undertaken as part of Communications Management and helps to
ensure that your stakeholders are kept regularly informed. For example as part of the project
life cycle, the team implement a Communication Process to make sure that the entire team is
kept informed of the status of the project.

When do I use a Communication Process?

A Communication Process should be used when you wish to communicate formally within an
organization. By using the Communication Process, you can ensure that no miscommunication
occurs. As part of the Communication Process, you can also receive feedback on the
communications which have taken place to date and ensure that future communications are
improved. Communications Management is a fundamental part of any organization and needs
to be treated with care. Using this Communications Process, you can communicate effectively
at all times.

Three rules of communication management:

1. Tell them in advance

This brings up rule number one. Whether you’re dealing with
salespeople, floor-sweepers or doctors, anytime you as a manager
need to make a decision that affects peoples lives, tell them well in
advance of the event taking place. At work, this usually affects the
pocketbook or the employee’s benefits.

Oh, by the way, this isn’t an isolated example. I consulted with a

company of over six hundred employees where management changed
the longstanding Christmas bonus plan without telling the minions until
they received their checks. Many people received hundreds less than
they were expecting, most of which was already spent on Uncle Ed’s
new tie and a fruitcake for cousin Zelda. Hundreds of people were not
working while complaining about this breach of faith, and I, an hourly
paid consultant, spent extra time hearing about this event rather than
working on the project I was hired for.

2. Give enough information

Another communication problem that will come back to bite managers

and supervisors is miscommunication, being misinterpreted.

When I want my dog to do something, I give her simple, one-

syllable commands. "Bear, sit! Bear, stay! Bear, come!" Extra
words lead to miscommunication. Some managers use the same
approach when asking employees to do things, thinking that the less
said the better.

Problem: human beings aren’t dogs. We shower daily, don’t have tails
to wag, and don’t blindly obey. The human mind is always striving to
find the answer to the never-ending question--"Why?" People can’t help
it; it’s in our nature. Look at what happened in the Vietnam War, where
soldiers - the most disciplined, regimented, and order-following breed of
American citizen - often struggled because they were unsure of their
mission and purpose.
A second rule of communication then, for those in authority, is to
provide sufficient information for the employee to be able to answer the
question "Why?"

Many organizations are now considering a relatively new philosophy

called Open Book Management for this very reason. Lack of information
often causes more problems than divulging those deep, dark company
secrets. Let the worker complaining about his last meager pay raise see
where the company’s money went, that expenses may have risen and
that profits were down. This will drive an improvement in performance
more often than not.

Even if your business is completely ethical, you may have good reasons
not to share everything with employees. Just provide them with enough
information that allows them to draw similar conclusions if they were in
your position.

3. Ensure your messages are congruent

What about non-verbal communication? I’m not talking here about tone
of voice and hand gestures, although that stuff is critical for effective
communication too. I’m referring to a more global aspect of
management communication that I’ll simply call congruency.

This is where you walk the talk of your message. Oh, how important this
is to implementing those pesky, new management initiatives.
Employees will notice in seconds if your actions belie your message.

The boss who tries to convince his people how important dedication to
the job is and then is seen leaving the office at noon every Friday in the
summer carrying his golf clubs is not very persuasive or effective. This
doesn’t mean you have to do everything your employees do, after all,
you’re the boss. You manage; they produce. It simply means that you
absolutely must show that if it’s important enough for them to do, it’s
important enough for you to support.

I've outlined three things in this column that managers should be aware
of when communicating with subordinates. First, if your message affects
people where they live and breathe, get it out sooner rather than later.
Second, if you want workers to follow through on the stuff you give them
to do, provide the reason why. Lastly, act congruently with the message
that you project.
Clear communication is the most important key to a business leader's success. So to grow as a
leader and manager, you must learn how to be an effective, compelling communicator. And if you
want your company to succeed, you and your team have to master the art of clear
communication together.

Good Leaders, Good Communicators

There's no mystery here. Regardless of whether you're talking about business, politics, sports or
the military, the best leaders are first-rate communicators. Their values are clear and solid, and
what they say promotes those values. Their teams admire them and follow their lead. Likewise, if
you want your company to reach new benchmarks of achievement, you must master the art of
clear communication. So how do you do it?

First, you must realize and accept that clear communication is always a two-way process. It's not
enough to speak clearly; you have to make sure you're being heard and understood. To facilitate
this, use the following two-way communication primer:

1. Prepare how you'll communicate

o Clarify the goal of the communication.
o Plan carefully before sending it or meeting in person.
o Anticipate the receiver's viewpoint and feelings.
2. Deliver the message
o Express your meaning with conviction.
o Relate the message to your larger goals.
o Identify the action to be taken.
o Confirm the other person understands.
3. Receive the message
o Keep an open mind.
o Identify key points in the message.
o Value constructive feedback and use it to grow.
o Confirm your understanding.
4. Evaluate the effectiveness of the communication afterwards
5. Take corrective action as necessary

Primers, of course, aren't enough. You must go deeper and determine why internal
communications are poor or ineffective, considering any potential barriers. Once the barriers have
been identified, you'll see where to improve. Additionally, you'll inevitably realize the stakes are
high when it comes to communicating – if you fail to do this properly, you can poison the
atmosphere between you and a colleague, as well as your company's morale. So the next time
you're drafting a letter, e-mail or policy statement, before you send it, stop and consider these
common barriers to clear communication:

• Lack of respect by either party for the other.

• Poorly defined purpose for the communication.
• Failure to establish the best medium for the communication (e-mail and cell
phones are NOT the best ways to communicate serious material).
• Assumption that the listener receives the message.
• Ignored emotions or sensitivities.
 • Failure to get on the listener's level of understanding.
• Intimidation by either party.

Once you've determined what's preventing clear communication at your company, dig even
deeper, asking key questions that relate to your business' health such as: How do you produce
strategic alignment inside your company? How do you get your team to actively buy into your
business goals? How do you ensure that everyone understands and upholds your company's
mission and values? Again, for each of these issues, the answer lies in clear communication.

Write It Down!
In this high-tech, fast-paced world, it's easy to overlook the value of writing down thoughts,
intentions and even visions. Doing so, however, is a basic business strategy that enables clarity
and purpose. What's more, the process of writing a business plan can be more important than the
actual document.

One great way to see just how effective writing it down can be is to always have three updated,
clearly drafted documents: a mission statement, a values statement and a business plan. In fact,
the document-drafting process naturally produces common understanding, consensus, alignment
and buy-in. It also promotes clear communication within your management team while
empowering your people and grooming them for future leadership.

Why is this so crucial to a business' success? Mission statements define who you are and where
you're going. Value statements are your compass, the needle keeping you firmly on course. And
your business plan is the rudder steering your ship.

For example, think about Thomas Jefferson and the other framers of The Declaration of
Independence and the U.S. Constitution. They drafted documents that not only defined America
and its mission, but also laid the foundation of ideals, principles, values and laws on which the
nation operates to this day. And guess what? They didn't just sit down one day and dictate it to a
secretary. They worked the language and polished every word, over and over, and they used the
process itself to promote alignment, consensus and collective buy-in. With words, language and
clear communication, they launched a revolution. What's more, on the shared values of liberty,
individual empowerment and collective prosperity, these visionaries built a nation of unparalleled
wealth and economic gain.

Communication Is the Key

Bottom line, clear communication is the most important key to a business leader's success. So to
grow as a leader and manager, you must learn how to be an effective, compelling communicator.
And if you want your company to succeed, you and your team have to master the art of clear
communication together, as well. By using these and other strategies, you and your employees
can reach new levels of leadership excellence.