Knowledge malnutrition is common across the spectrum of both managers and line staff who are feeling left out of the loop. Presently people are subsisting on just two forms of communications. The first is the limited data provided by management while the most important and perhaps most reliable are the rumors on daily operations and problems.
Management needs to seek greater engagement of their staff by providing increased opportunities for greater enlightenment on daily issues affecting operations. Structures, communications, workflows – these things can be redesigned to build the Team’s confidence in the clinical services being provided. The key question leaders should continuously be asking themselves is, “Do we have an engaged work culture”?
Engaged work cultures are characterized by candor and a willingness to challenge, and they reflect the social and work dynamics of a high performance team. This positive work culture can develop quickly with the right communications and tends to reward those leaders who perpetuate it.
The Right Information
Without the right information, in the right format at the right time, many supervisors and staff will continue to be left in the dark. Management frequently faces a huge credibility challenge in producing quality information in the right way in providing informed understanding and action. We were constantly surprised – although we shouldn’t be – by how important rumors play into communications within behavioral health institutions.
It is important management breathe new life into timely, relevant communications to all staff and share with them the hopes and dreams of their brightest vision of the future. Most organizations have a committed cadre of staff with many years of experience and it is vital they have unlimited access to a much better understanding of important issues.
