A couple of weeks ago, I travelled to Strathclyde Business School to deliver a seminar about communication and change. The seminar was part of the national Productivity through People (PtP) initiative.
PtP is for SME leaders who want to create a high-performance workplace with a fully-engaged workforce. The programme is delivered in conjunction with GSK, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, Leonardo and The John Lewis Partnership. It’s endorsed by Be the Business, the business-led organization created to boost management skills and close the UK’s productivity gap.
I always enjoy teaching Executive Education. It’s more ‘applied’ than an MBA programme, but it’s a chance to get a bit more rigorous than the usual company workshop. Plus, it’s always fascinating to work with executives who’ve come together from a variety of sectors.
This was my second year making the trip to Glasgow to run this module. We looked at the fundamental principles of effective communication. These are the principles I rely on in my own coaching and consulting projects, so I know they work. We applied them to some key areas:
• Communicating strategy so people are working in the same direction
• Formulating tailored value propositions that resonate with customers
• Influencing stakeholders
• Coaching skills for leaders
And the ever popular (!)
• Handling difficult conversations
The feedback was very positive, and it was great to work with the Strathclyde Business School team again, particularly with my friend (and go-to Lean Startup expert), Ranjit Das.
In every employee interview and focus group I’ve ever run, regardless of industry or country, the most common theme has been: “We need to improve communication round here.” If you’re interested in bringing these fundamentals of effective communication to your organization, let me know.
I may also consider running an open programme next year. Similarly, I’m considering writing a white paper, so let me know if you’d be interested in that.
And if you can’t wait, some of the one-to-one skills are covered in the book I co-authored with Helga Henry: NetworkAbility: building your business one relationship at a time.