Hi there Communicators,

Communication is what keeps our organizations going, keeps our employees on target for the organization's top priorities and fuels engagement. 

 Communication comes in many forms - of course, dialogue, presentations, instant messages and meetings, but it also comes in how we provide access to information, provide opportunities to share ideas, and provide clear paths for professional growth. 

 When we think about effective communications, our traditional communication channels don't cut it. The holistic approach leads us to ask questions like, “how is the access to information in our organization hindering progress or getting in the way of success? What message is our access to information sending to employees wanting to succeed in their roles?” 

Talk Soon, 

 Liz Marion - Owner & Principal, Liby Works

Key Insights: facts and more 

Data

65%

of employees in the US are disengaged with their work

More Than That

 Autonomy. Mastery. Purpose. 

 These are the three things that Daniel Pink identifies as the drivers for intrinsic motivation in humans, in employees. He says that employers must provide the opportunity for these three human needs to get the most success with their teams. 

 I am not going to go into Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs here, but you see where I'm going. 

 How can communication in our organizations provide these three critical components of intrinsic motivation? 

 If our employees must go through a complete protocol to access information they need for a project they're working on, are we providing enough autonomy? Beyond being inefficient, this might be hurting your retention if team members don't feel entrusted with key information to do their job well. This leaves employees feeling like they are in the dark and not part of decision-making processes, which interferes with their autonomy (and purpose).

 If we have professional development stipends for each employee but never mention it or remind them of it in quarterly reviews and staff meetings, are we really providing and communicating a path to mastery? 

 One of the questions I always ask (and is on the front page of the Liby Works website) - How confident are you that everyone on your team is clear how they contribute to the #1 goal of the company? When we are clear on what is expected of us, we perform better as human beings. Contributing to a big-picture goal, gives us purpose - it also boosts our creativity and increases our ownership of work. 

 It shows us that it does matter if we show up to work this week and beyond. Our team and our organization depend on us.

 Autonomy. Mastery. Purpose. = A happier place to work, higher talent retention, improved productivity, and better profits. 

The Communications Corral

A round up of recent communications news, reports and content. 

01 Book Recommendation

Drive
Dive into Daniel Pink's framework of what truly motivates us (and our team members). Autonomy, mastery and purpose. It's a quick read and something we can apply tomorrow.
Autonomy + Mastery + Purpose = Drive

02 Watch

Executive Coach, Diana Dosik, gives a stat-filled TEDTalk sharing why employees are our most important customers.

Quips, Quotes and Jokes

“The more we learn about effective communication, the better we’ll be at leading, as our directives will be better understood.”
Paul Jarvis, author and designer

Get On Track tomorrow

Liby Work's Cut the Clutter

With this course and template library, your team will unlock its full potential with Cut the Clutter: Lean Communication for High Performing Teams + The Communication Plan Pro.

Say goodbye to endless meetings and messages, and hello to a more engaged and successful team!