SEE NO EVIL, HEAR NO EVIL – “COMMUNICATION WITHIN AN ORGANISATION”.

By: Dipo Oyewole, CEO/Principal Consultant

In any enterprise, the bridge that connects to profits or losses can have the same name –
COMMUNICATION; effective in the former or the lack there of in the latter. Recently we discussed
communication between a business and her clients/customers (see, “SHOW ME THE MONEY”), they are
on the other side of that bridge either with promises of profit or loss at hand.

An open line of communication between employees and an employer is optimal in the success of any
enterprise. Only those in the trenches know how deep it really goes, though the (wo)man on the hill
may have a bird’s eye view. Identifying improvements within, ranging from and not limited to; staffwork
load ratio, staff welfare, internal processes that need improvements or have become obsolete,
customer/client satisfaction or feedback e.t.c are mostly done by the employees. These and many more
are necessary information that can only be addressed through honest and effective feedback.
The business of knowing is always profitable in any enterprise, ignorance is too expensive for
business. ‘Selective’ but effective knowledge that can also be sifted through effective channels of
communication, to determine the urgent, the needful, the important but not urgent and the types that
are not for actions to be taken upon them but just to be aware of. This also helps in identifying time
wasting information and preventing them from causing draw backs.

Timely information but sluggish response is not acceptable, neither is a sluggish communication
approach altogether. Either scenario stands to defeat the purpose of the communication module in
place. Effective communication within an organization should never be up for debate. Measures to
ensure suggestions, observations and complaints are adequately reported and channeled to the relevant
quarters with little or no bottlenecks as efficiently as possible is most adviced.

An “information-protection” culture is also required to sustain this initiative, if the fear of sanction,
castigation or being blacklisted looms in the air, there will be little or no response in this regard. Also
publicly acknowledging and commending a thoughtful action or idea also encourages a sustainable
outspoken culture. Every single person carries a wealth of knowledge and experience, some more
(useful) than others, but each have their own unique perspectives to bring to the table. In addition, acts
of mischief under the guise of complying with the communication module should be frowned against
and sanctioned accordingly to discourage a culture of gossip and other unprofitable acts within the
system.

BENEFITS OF AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BRIDGE
EFFICIENCY: when the wheel of a system’s process runs smoothly with little or no clogs due to
lapses being addressed in a timely fashion or avoided altogether, efficiency is inevitable.
Mistakes made in the past are most likely to be avoided or not be as damaging in the future,
because the system is built to run a constant diagnoses on itself, purging inadequacies, repairing
leaks and making room for dynamism.

PROGRESS: a dynamic system running efficiently invariably thrives almost by default. Elements
that stifle it are done away with, without sentiments or fear of prejudice. And its components
are constantly being developed to meet up with the expectations had of them. In itself a culture
of excellence is bred because there is no accommodation for laziness, lackadaisical attitudes and
other unnecessary unprofitable actions. If no one seeks it out, the system itself is designed to
purge itself of such activities.

TEAM BONDING: because no system exists in isolation, the links that bind it need to be firm
together not just as individual components. Information sharing among colleagues gets the job
done faster and more intelligently, because its output is a culmination of different ideas and
perspectives, hence its wholesome results will fair better in comparison to one that was
developed in isolation. It also strengthens trust among comrades and across ranks, because
nothing is seemingly hidden, so transparency isn’t a foreign concept.
When the air is clear for all to breathe freely, insight is clearer, knowledge is absorbed easily,
productivity increases and profitability is certain. Bottom line, You make more Money and save a lot
more by spending less on processes that waste resources. Only from a culture of expression that true
creativity can be nurtured.

With a culture of “SEE NO EVIL, HEAR NO EVIL”, this is a sure formula for misfortune. Because when
everyone is silent on issues that matter, you spend money on issues that matter even less, through
waste, chasing ones tail and misplaced priorities.
Let’s Talk, but not just talking the talk, you need to act the Talk so as not to see or hear any evil.