These goals cannot be achieved without the cooperation of the organizations employees and to get that cooperation you must earn their trust. "I guarantee that you will not get top performance out of any employee who does not trust you. If they don't trust you to make the best decisions AND trust you to look out for their best interests - they feel they have to do it themselves."" When a manager facilitates internal communication it encourages trust and builds loyalty to an organization. If a manager treats his employees as "paid enemies, rather than the most important resources the company has- the organization will suffer. According to James O'Toole, vice president of the Aspen Institute, "tough, abusive, authoritarianism leaders create resistance to change because they do not understand that it is natural for human beings to reject those imposing willful changes."" .
Communication within the workplace can improve dramatically if we learn to actively listen. Active listening is a process we all have difficulty with. For example, when someone is talking most people are already forming a response in their mind before the other person's statement is complete. How can active listening occur before a statement is concluded? The first step in active listening is to listen, listen, listen. Allow the person to speak and share their thoughts or ideas completely. Once finished, pause and gather your thoughts before responding. By taking these few steps you are on your way to active listening and developing a better relationship with your employees. .
There are numerous ways to improve communication within the workplace. The following checklist offers several suggestions for improving communication between managers and their employees. .
1. Include affected employees in goal setting.
2. Give frequent and meaningful recognition for a job well done.
3. Interact with employees on an informal basis.
