“Those in charge of running any type of organization or laboratory must be flexible and look for innovative methods to connect with, and transfer information, among their staff.”[i]
Communications is critical in any organization, and in today’s world, there have never been more ways to communicate. From text messaging and email, to social media and the tried-and-true phone call, the channels for communications are numerous and diverse in their effectiveness. While there are multiple ways to communicate with team members, it’s important that regardless of the method and channel, everyone feels like they have an opportunity to contribute to internal conversations and decision-making and that they receive acknowledgement and support from management.
Lab Manager addressed the importance of communications in a lab in a March 6, 2017 story. Quoted in the article is Kathy Barker, clinical assistant professor at the Department of Health Services at the University of Washington.
“Good communications,” she is says, “will not happen accidentally, and the principle investigator and lab manager can organize the lab to facilitate and reward communications.”
Leadership is important to making sure that communications is effective, via whatever channel, from the top of the organization down, as well as among the team.
“Many laboratory communications breakdowns can be traced back to the leader of the lab. And experts caution that there is more to communication then delivery, and the main trick is to constantly evaluate one’s communications for effectiveness.”
In a Fast Company article, “5 Tips to Create Effective Internal Communications with Your Team,” number five on the list is “Leverage Leadership to Create Change.”
Employees follow their leaders’ examples so “to create change, executive, directors and managers must be champions of knowledge sharing, transparency and worker engagement. Dedicated personnel may give advice and direction, such as internal communications managers. But senior executives, department directors and team managers need to back them up. This has to be a collaborative effort.”[ii]
“Leaders fail when all the communications is one-directional. Leaders succeed when they create a culture of shared values and goals and collaborate on changes and outcomes.”[iii]
Barker recommends that managers ask themselves whether or not everyone is getting the information at the same time? If the answer is no, then it’s possible that you are setting up “pockets of competing power.”
She recommends that managers train themselves to “listen deeply, and clarify what you are hearing as you go along.”
Successful communications comes from the culture, and the leadership team ultimately establishes the culture. When team members feel they have opportunities to express themselves and the environment encourages two-directional collaborative conversations, then they become more engaged and more loyal to their leaders and company. Effective communications starts with leadership.
Read the entire article, “Effectively Communicating with Your Staff, at LabManager.com
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[i] http://www.labmanager.com/leadership-and-staffing/2017/03/effectively-communicating-with-your-staff#.WNWWFBLDGMJ
[ii] https://www.fastcompany.com/3045455/5-tips-to-create-effective-internal-communications-with-your-team
[iii] https://www.fastcompany.com/3040332/9-reasons-leaders-fail-to-communicate-and-what-to-do-about-it
