Communication touches all aspects of your Management Operating System (MOS). The MOS defines how the organization forecasts, plans, and assigns work; the structures required for effective and efficient work execution; it defines the roles of individual contributors, and leaders at all levels.
Given the integral nature of communication in all areas of the MOS, it goes without saying the importance of developing a communication code of conduct to outline the norms, rules, and proper practices is not only smart but an essential requirement in today’s fast-paced, task-driven work environments. All too often, organizations are working too hard on the wrong things.
The benefits of a communication code of conduct are that it defines expectations, builds consistency communicating the organization’s vision, creates alignment between critical teams, reduces departmental silos, ensures accountability, and connects all levels of the organization.
Many organizations waste 15-20% of productive time on unnecessary or badly managed meetings, taking too much time to hunt down answers to questions, or creating unnecessary emails. Most individuals can eliminate one-half to one full day of non-productive work and use that time for other purposes while improving their own wellbeing.
Status Meetings
- Standardize meetings by developing a template for weekly, monthly, and quarterly status meetings.
- Define the frequency of standing meetings and who schedules them.
- Each meeting should include:
- Concise agenda and objective
- Limit participants to those that must be present based on the expected outcome of the meeting
- Rank all actions due (red, yellow, green status)
- Assign a facilitator and timekeeper (start and end on time)
- Accountability to adhere to electronic devices policy
- Fix problems, make decisions and assign action items
- Identify SMEs in the organization.
- Allow others to access them for emergency situations when an immediate response is required by cell phone, text, email, or other method.
- SMEs hold periodic office hours to answer questions.
Email and Other Forms of eCommunications
- Define point of contact or general inbox for Client/customer emails.
- Integrate all client/customer communication into CRM to translate into action items/tasks.
- Email length – limit emails to the core meaning or purpose
- Does the organization want to use real-time messaging platforms or is it a distraction?
- How will problems be communicated, i.e., email, phone call, text, or other platform?
- When to call quick huddle or virtual meeting to solve an issue in preference of sending emails?