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.