Attention to Communication is ensuring that information is passed on to others who should be kept informed.

An employee demonstrating this competency:

• Ensures that others involved in a project or effort are kept informed about developments and plans
• Ensures that important information from his/her management is shared with direct reports and others as appropriate in his/her organizational unit
• Shares ideas and information with others who might find them useful
• Uses multiple channels or means to communicate important messages (e.g., memos, newsletters, meetings, electronic mail)
• Keeps his/her manager informed about progress and problems; avoids surprises
• Ensures that regular, consistent communication takes place

Attention to Communication involves ensuring that important information gets to those who need to have it. This competency is especially important to leaders, because leaders need to ensure that everyone in the organization understands the overall direction and that the efforts of different groups are aligned with each other and with the overall plans. Attention to Communication is also important when groups from different organizations need to coordinate their activities (e.g., sales needs) to alert Manufacturing about potential contracts.

This competency does not require significant development of new skills. What is needed is appreciation of the importance of ensuring good communication. Putting the competency into practice involves creating vehicles for communication (e.g., regular meetings, project newsletters; mailing list to be used with voice-mail) and ensuring that communication takes place. In formulating the communications, other communication competencies are important: Oral Communication, Written Communication, and Persuasive Communication. As in all communication it is important to ensure that communications are clear, concise, and addressed to the needs of the audience.

Identify all the groups with which your unit should be communicating on a regular basis. Consider the existing processes and vehicles for communication and how they are used. Identify and implement ways to improve the frequency and quality of communication. Investigate and implement ways to use information technology to improve communication in your work group (e.g., implementing voice mail; creating mailinglists for voice mail; use of e-mail; software programs for group work). If you are part of a team that needs to disseminate information to the organization, meet with the team to discuss alternative ways to do this. Try several different methods and solicit feedback about the effectiveness of each method. Important messages should be communicated repeatedly and in different ways. If you are part of a cross-functional team, set up one-on-one meetings with individuals from different parts of the organization, to let them know what yourteam is doing and to solicit feedback and ideas.

After sending out a significant report or memo, contact people and ask for feedback on it. Try to find out how many people read it and remembered it and what they thought of it. If you use voice mail or e-mail as part of your work, ask co-workers about how effectively you use these communication vehicles and what you can do to improve your effectiveness in communicating.

Observe the communication behavior of a skilled leader. Look at the frequency, style, and format of this person’s communications. If possible, ask this person about his/her thinking in planning particular communications. Before sending out an important communication, ask for suggestions from someone strong in communication skills.

If you are coaching someone who is trying to develop the compentency, you can: Model this competency by sharing information and by crafting clear, concise messages addressing the needs of the audience. Provide assignments which involve drafting memos, reports, or other communications. Provide constructive feedback on the communications. Help this person think through the communication vehicles and messages needed by a unit or team of which he/she is a part. Assign this person to a team or task force headed by someone who demonstrates a high level of Attention to Communication.

By June 15, I will make recommendations to the Planning Team on ways we should communicate the new operational plan to the Division. By July 1, I will distribute a memo to all Division members summarizing the work of the Waste Reduction Team. A week later, I will call six of the Department Heads and ask for feedback on this memo.

BOOKS AND PUBLICATIONS

Communicate Like a Leader: Connecting Strategically to Coach, Inspire, and Get Things Done, by Dianna Booher. 208 pages. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. 2017.

Everyone Communicates, Few Connect: What the Most Effective People Do Differently, by John Maxwell. 272 pages. Thomas Nelson Publisher. 2010.

How the Way We Talk Can Change the Way We Work: Seven Languages for Transformation, by Robert Kegan & Lisa Laskow Lahey. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2002.

How to Get Your Message Across: A Practical Guide to Power Communication, by Dr. David Lewis. London: Souvenir Press Ltd, 2004.

Stop the Runaway Conversation: Take Control over Gossip and Criticism, by Michael D. Sedler. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group, 2001.

The Articulate Executive in Access: How the Best Leaders Get Things Done, by Granville N. Toogood. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Trade, 2005.

The Business of Listening, Third Edition: A Practical Guide to Effective Listening, by Dianna Bonnett. Mississauga, ON: Crisp Learning, 2001.

The Secret Language of Business: How to Read Anyone in 3 Seconds or Less, by Kevin Hogan. 256 pages. Wiley, 2008.

When to Speak Up and When to Shut Up, Michael Sedler. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group, 2006.

We Need to Talk: How to Have Conversations That Matter, by Celeste Headlee. 272 pages. Harper Wave. 2017.

Words That Change Minds: The 14 Patterns for Mastering the Language of Influence, by

WORKSHOPS & COURSES - PUBLIC, ONSITE, ONLINE

Communications. Six online courses. Coursera.
https://www.coursera.org/search?query=communications&

Educations Media Group (EMG). info@findcourses.com
https://www.findcourses.com/search/trainings?q=communications

Communications. 17+ self-study and online. EdX
https://www.edx.org/course?search_query=communications

LinkedIn Learning. Online courses.
https://www.linkedin.com/learning/search?keywords=attention%20to%20communications

Breaking Bad Communication Habits. Three hours. SkillPath. Tel. 800-873-7545
https://skillpath.com/virtual/breaking-bad-communication-habits

Business Communications. Online. 3-5 hours for six weeks, EdX.
https://www.edx.org/course/business-communications

Building Better Work Relationships: New Techniques for Results-Oriented Communication. Three days or 4 lessons online. American Management Association. Tel. 877 566-9441.
https://www.amanet.org/building-better-work-relationships-new-techniques-for-results-oriented-communication/

Communication Skills for Managers. Self-study. American Management Association. Tel. 800 250-5308.
https://www.amaselfstudy.org/browse-our courses/subject/communication/

Communicating Up, Down and Across the Organization. Two days or 4 lessons online. American Management Association. Tel. 877 566-9441.
https://www.amanet.org/communicating-up-down-and-across-the-organization/

Effective Communication: Writing, Design, and Presentation Specialization. Four courses. Online.
https://www.coursera.org/specializations/effective-business-communication

See Appendix