knowledge is power

The goal of communication should be to gain trust with the person or people you are interacting with. A lot can be accomplished with trust and good communication.

A great way to build trust and better communication with your team or organization is to be honest and transparent.

Except for personal or personnel issues, information needs to be communicated throughout the organization.

Limited information results in rumors and frustration. In this environment, the entire organization will suffer from other problems.

People fill in the blanks when they do not have all the information.

Give it to them!

I once worked for a toxic boss who disagreed. I left a meeting and before I could get out the door, he asked if I was going to tell my team everything. I told him yes.

We had just had a two-hour meeting, one that could have lasted five minutes for that matter, and I had a few things I needed my team to know.

He told me that being in management made me different now, and I had to think about my career.

Sadly, people like this feel that by keeping all the cards close, they keep control.

I knew how much more effective my team had been because we shared information and encouraged transparency. Clear mission and goals. Better morale. Increased productivity.

It was not me vs. them like my toxic boss suggested, it was just us. One team.

Other people in the office not under my command would come to the people in my group and ask them questions. Simple questions about what was going on in the office. Things they should have been told.

It should not be like this. Do not invent friction where it is not necessary. End that immediately.

If you want to encourage a culture of trust, be transparent. Share knowledge.

Because knowledge is power, and everyone wants to be a part of that team.

- Brian Townsend, Eagle 6 Training