In theory, there's one advantage that midmarket companies have over their larger competitors: the ability to maintain a culture of open communication. Having a smaller amount of employees should make it easier for everyone to work smoothly together. When management establishes the right atmosphere, it enables positive communication that builds employee trust, satisfaction, and loyalty.
For a variety of reasons, however, such an atmosphere does not exist at every middle market firm, which is where using business consultants can make a difference. Diane Helbig, president of Seize This Day Coaching in Lakewood, Ohio, notes that "people most often leave organizations because they don't feel appreciated, not because they aren't making enough money." With employee turnover a damaging prospect for any midmarket firm, a healthy culture of communication among and across teams needs to be a priority for executives.
An improved communication system is often best fostered with the help of outside business consultants. A hired expert will have the credibility and objectivity to draw out honest feedback from employees, managers, and executives about sore points within the organization. The consultant can then move forward with remedies that lead to beneficial, respectful communication.
Laying the Groundwork
Here are three methods that business consultants use to gauge the atmosphere of a working environment and predetermine recommendations to give to a company:
- Comprehensive assessment. A great way to convince employees that consultants deserve their feedback is to let them know that leadership will also be working with the consultant. "Communication problems are not the result of just one part of an organization," says Helbig. "Executives should not think that by bringing in a consultant, employees are going to be the only ones who will be part of the process."
- Goal-focused feedback. Once a consultant learns what both leadership and lower-level employees want, he or she will sit in on employee meetings and other conversations to observe the communication in action. To get more constructive feedback from employees and management, "we focus their thoughts on the goals they seek rather than the problems they see," says Helbig. "Then I return to management and say, 'This was your perception of how things are, and here is what I saw myself.'"
- Putting the plan into action. With new protocols in place to remedy communication deficiencies, a consultant will then test-drive the revised process for as long as it takes to bring about desired behavior from employees and managers. This way, "leadership gets to see how the process works through me," says Helbig, "and the staff gets comfortable with communicating more often because I'm acting as a buffer."
Strategies for Better Communication
After doing the early legwork, consultants then recommend specific strategies to businesses. Here are some initiatives that business consultants frequently stress:
- Support employee input. If management simply gives employees the message, "Your input is welcome," without guidance on how to offer that input, the quality of employee communication will be inconsistent. When creating a formal channel for input, Helbig suggests that management should require a structured setup: What is your idea? What brought this idea to mind? What problem does it solve or which opportunity does it fulfill? And, how do you think it could be implemented? This format weeds out simple complaints and shows employees that the process requires strategic thought on their part. On the other hand, leaders should also be sure to initiate this type of interaction. "This eliminates the complaint that leadership is disconnected . . . [and] is a critical component for spurring honest dialogue," Helbig says.
- Deliver respectful responses. When employees share ideas, Helbig notes that some of their input will be workable and some won't, "but they should feel no fear in bringing anything up." For the managers who receive these ideas, "their first response always has to be gratitude. They have to say 'Thank you for taking the time to think about that aspect of our business.'" This acknowledgment is critical because management will not always be able to implement an employee's idea, even if they like it. "Ignoring an idea or simply saying 'no' without giving a reason will kill employee participation quickly," Helbig warns.
- Encourage interdepartmental communication. When people understand the roles of others at the company, it develops dialogue and trust. Regular employee-only gatherings can produce stronger employee input and bolster relationships across the company. While managers should encourage these gatherings, they should not attend.
What key factors should midsized firms consider when choosing a consultant to work with? Let us know what you think by commenting below.
Rob Carey is an NCMM contributor and a features writer who has focused on the business-to-business niche since 1992. He spent his first 15 years at Nielsen Business Media, rising from editorial intern to editorial director. Since then, he has been the principal of New York-based Meetings & Hospitality Insight, working with large hospitality brands in addition to various media outlets. Circle him on Google+.