| Would you stop watching a national playoff | | | | business communication planning and skills. |
| were the teams were tied before the winner | | | | Business communication should be planned so |
| was declared? Would you stop watching a horse | | | | that your employees are continually motivated |
| race before the winning horse crossed the | | | | toward achieving those business goals that |
| finish line? Of course not! Yet, many | | | | you are the business leader have established. |
| business leaders expect their employees to | | | | |
| continue the game or the race without knowing | | | | To what purpose does it serve by not |
| if and when the game or race was won, loss or | | | | communicating the results of the current |
| even a near win. | | | | team's efforts? Are you afraid that someone |
| | | | may say something and reveal proprietary |
| After 30 years in business focusing on | | | | information? As the business leader, you can |
| performance improvement, I am still at a | | | | share information in a general way or use |
| loss when companies do not regularly | | | | percentages such as: |
| communicate progress toward the business | | | | |
| goals as identified within the strategic plan | | | | - This month's sales figures show that we are |
| especially when these same business leaders | | | | on course with our strategic plan and |
| tell me that employee motivation is a | | | | business goals. |
| problem. This attitude and behavior of not | | | | |
| communicating business results negatively and | | | | - First quarter productivity is 10% ahead of |
| directly affects the performance of all | | | | our business goals |
| involved and is truly counter productive to | | | | |
| achieving the desired results. | | | | - Your current efforts have us ahead of our |
| | | | strategic projections by 5%. |
| When we look at professional sports, everyone | | | | |
| usually waits until the game is over because | | | | Top down communication from you, as the |
| they want to know who won unless the game is | | | | business leader, will go a long way to |
| a runaway. Even when teams are down in the | | | | executing your strategic plan and motivating |
| last inning or in the last quarter, faithful | | | | your employees. And if you are still |
| fans stay at the arena or tuned into the | | | | resisting this strategy, then turn off the |
| television because one never knows when that | | | | television the next time your team is barely |
| grand slam or a 80 yard punt return might | | | | winning in the final minutes. How do you |
| happen. | | | | feel not knowing what happened? Do you think |
| | | | that your employees feel any differently? |
| Is your business game any different? To | | | | |
| ensure consistent and constant execution of | | | | P.S. |
| your strategic plan demands essential | | | | |