How do you create a culture of open communication in your workplace?

Communication has got to be the biggest challenge we each face as people. We are constantly communicating but are we doing it effectively? And, at work there are added roadblocks to communication. As an administrator, I realized that communication was limited just by the location of my office and my role. it didn't have as much to do with me and who I was as the pre-conceptions of staff or their personal history with supervisors and administrators.

So, how as an administrator can you open the communication with staff? There are several steps you can take to be more open with staff and have them be more open with you.

1. Be open and honest yourself: role modeling communication is a great first step. Staff will be hesitant to risk openness and honesty if you aren't willing to do that.
2. Share your vision of the future. What is your vision for the company? Where do you want the company to go, and how do the staff fit into your vision?
3. Meet with staff regularly.
   
4. Meet in a circle, without tables or barriers between you. Tables create barriers to communication. They can hender the communication and block the communications.
5. Empower staff to do their jobs, coach them to succeed. When you over control, limit communications and micro manage, staff get less done, and communication shuts down.

Communication is essential to work places, working effectively. As the administrator, you can shift the culture of communication. Be open to hearing staff, hearing their suggestions, their ideas and implementing the ones that make sense.

What great solutions are you missing because you have a closed communication system? Staff see the problems but they also have great ideas about the solutions. Ask and listen and you will tap into a wealth of valuable information.

Are you planting a good garden?

Gardening is one of my pasttimes. I love working in the yard, planting seeds, and plants and watching it all emerge. I just planted our vegetable garden last week-- tomatoes, beans, sqaushes, cantelope, watermelon, basil, carrots and more. We have a two small areas we use for vegetables. In the back we've added peach trees, blueberries and a variety of raspberries, and a small patch of strawberries.

With small children it's a great way for them to learn about the earth, growing and eating. My two year old, walks into the garden and picks vegetables , eating them as she prowls for more. It's fun!

I see my business in much the same way, a garden, in which I plant seeds -- with the contacts I make, sharing a bit of knowledge or something of value. Through my ongoing contacts I am working to grow the relationship, and further our connection. I use my e-zine, Bearing Points, Build Your Business Success, NOW! as one of the methods for continuing to connect and add value. I also use my book and it's e-zine: Launching Your Dream. And tele-seminars both free and fee based to offer value to contacts. Each is geared at growing my business garden, further my business and offering real value to the people I am in contact with.

As I watch both gardens growing this spring there is excitement and momentum. My business garden is multiplying with close to 2000 subscribers to my two e-zines, many personal contacts, and a growing client base. My fruit and vegetable gardens are just starting. Strawberries are getting ready to blossom, lilacs are blooming and the sunflowers are coming up! Everything else is preparing for full growth and food for our table.

How is your garden doing? Is it blossoming? ARE you bearing the fruits of your hard work? Do you wonder what you are missing and why it's not coming together better? I am offering 10 initial consultations over the next two weeks. An intital consult is a half hour session in which I provide you with 30 minutes of coaching. At the end of 30 minutes you decide if you want to continue or we part as friends having had a great consult. contact me to schdule your consult today: dprice@compassroseconsulting.com

Coaching provides you with a wonderful resource. Someone to talk with about your dreams and goals. Someone to share ideas with, get feedback from, act as a sounding board. If you are wondering how could this help me and my business grow, try our initial consult offer!