This article first appeared in the May, 2004 edition of the Jacksonville Business Journal
It is a real challenge to keep a team of people aligned to a common vision, goals and each other. It's hard enough when the team members are located in the same place and interact with each other every day. When people are not located together, the challenge of communications is exponentially greater. Communicating among the members of a team who are physically separated by significant distances may require special techniques.
The Medium Is The Message
Marshall McLuhan is credited with the phrase "the medium is the message." The tool we use for communication can say as much as the content. A personal handwritten note carries a very different message than an email - even if the words are exactly the same. Face-to-face meetings are more personal and the best vehicle to ensure understanding. Phone messages include each person's tone of voice, which is a significant part of the communication. Emails are good information exchanges - but must be used carefully to avoid undesired emotional responses.
Face-to-Face Communications Are Necessary
There is no substitute for face-to-face communications to build interpersonal relationships. It is the only way to develop real commitments and ensure full responsibility and accountability. If your team members are within a drive of each other, you should meet at least every other week, preferably once a week. Plane rides may need to be scheduled less frequently. But you must get together at least once a quarter for any ongoing relationship. Meetings held once or twice a year are events, but not sustaining relationships.
When I was running a software company, I had corporate headquarters in Boston and the Technology Center in Denver. I tried quarterly visits, alternating locations. But it became clear to me that if I didn't touch the people directly at least once a month we started to drift apart. During each visit I left one full day unscheduled - to wander around, meet people, listen and learn. Those interactions and observations were the most useful part of my visits.
One-On-All Voice Mail
This was a technique I learned from a master communicator. He was responsible for an organization of 6000 people in 60 offices throughout the United States. He programmed several speed dial voicemails. One to all employees; another to the professional staff; and one for management.
He typically sent out four or five voicemails a day to every employee. They were about 15 seconds - a sound bite with a quick piece of news and positive emotional content. "Hey everyone - we just heard that the Detroit Office won their major bid on the Water Treatment Plant for the City of Detroit. Congratulations to the Detroit team."
The Blessing and Curse of E-Mail
Email is a medium that can be sent to many people quickly. That is its blessing. Its curse is twofold. First, excessive proliferation of email is a great time waster. Second-and more dangerous - is the potential for email to carry an unintended negative message. A brusque email can deliver an unintended negative tone and create an undesirable reaction and an unwelcome response.
My daughter is a teacher. Recently, some of the teachers in her school - not all - received an email from the principal asking for a meeting at a specific time. The first teacher was told that she was not going to be re-hired for next year. Within ten minutes everyone in that school knew their situation - but some were not scheduled for their meeting until the end of the day. The unintended negative spin took significant effort to overcome.
Choose The Message - And Then The Tool
Regardless of the medium, any communication method is better than no communication at all. The right medium for the nature of the message can double the impact of the communication.
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