Kenneth Derr, CEO of Chevron, once said, "Every day that a better idea goes unused is a lost opportunity." According to Carol Kinsey Goman of Kinsey Consulting Services, that's
just the tip of the iceberg.
Not sharing ideas is a problem that's costing corporations millions, says Goman, who spoke at last week's IABC International Conference in Chicago.
The barriers to idea-sharing are many and varied, Goman says, ranging from the personal (intimidation, the belief that sharing an idea will lessen your personal value to the
company, and even misguided attempts to protect others from what they "don't need to know") to the organizational (diverse global cultures, a "top-down" approach to knowledge, and
rewarding and promoting those who hoard ideas).
Goman's advice for creating an organization focused on communication:
- Utilize technology, but don't over-rely on it. Email, intranets and groupware support the exchange of ideas, but just because they're available doesn't mean there aren't
barriers to effectively using them. - Create experiences that build trust. Create opportunities for employees to meet and build relationships that foster trust and sharing.
- Give it some time. Often, teams are assembled and told to "get to work" without having the time to get to know each other and find out how their ideas and talents complement
each other. - Give employees information they need to make decisions. Many companies still operate on a "need-to-know" basis. Being frank with employees about everything from group changes
to financial information fosters that behavior throughout the organization. And make the info accessible to employees - Goman cited one example in which an owner touted the fact
that he shared in-depth financial information with his entire workforce. But when factory workers were questioned about their understanding of the company, they reported that they
had no idea about the financial status of the organization - and they especially wanted to know "who 'Roy' [ROI] was." - Encourage senior management to model knowledge-sharing. Leaders who personally mentor employees, spill the beans when they make a mistake, and reward those who share knowledge
create employees who share knowledge. - Educate team leaders. Team leaders who set clear goals for a project, listen to and value team members' ideas, and share credit for success will build knowledge sharing.
- Let human nature work for you. Humans thrive on relationships and need to communicate; they desire learning; they like contributing to a goal that has meaning and importance.
Plus, they just plain like to win - and that requires collaboration these days.
For more information on the IABC International Conference events, check http://www.iabc. com for the latest updates on the conference proceedings.
Look for more coverage of the conference in upcoming issues of PRN.
(Carol Kinsey Goman, cgoman@ckg.com)