Communications goes both ways
Good communications is as much about listening as it is about speaking. I remember a colleague pointing this out to me one day. He said humans have two ears and one mouth for a reason.
From an operational perspective, is your marketing and/or communications group involved in one-way or two-way communications?
When an issue arises – good or bad – that could impact your organization, do you capture that information and share it with the appropriate people. Can you recognize the important issues facing your organization, and the internal groups that are affected?
Good communicators are not just an organization’s PA system; they are the eyes and ears. They are the radar.
For this reason and more, communications departments should not be isolated from other groups within an organization. There needs to be a clear and regular line of communication between all groups.
Again, it’s not just about speaking at people. Good communicators need to listen and try to understand the issues that affect people.
For example, if a communications group understands the sales issues facing its organization, and shares that information with the sales group, then the sales group will will better be able to know what to listen and watch for.
The communications group might be able to contribute directly to the organization’s bottom line by alerting the sales team of an issue or real-life example that can aid a sale or even save a client.
Once you start understanding the issues that affect your organization through listening and understanding, you can take this concept to the next level through in-depth media analysis and even provide strategic insight.
