Translating Information For Staff And Other Role-Players

In order to encourage team members and other key role-players to actively participate in pursuing the shared vision and formulating and implementation of the organisation’s strategy, they need to be kept informed. Leaders need to communicate to staff the changes and trends in the business environment (both internal and external) that may necessitate intervention and - quite often - action. To ensure staff commitment to performance and staff support for change, they need to be kept “in the loop”.

It is therefore essential for leaders to provide staff with information in a format that is:

1. accessible, and
2. easily understood.

Acquired information can be summarised, condensed and distributed to staff in a number of ways, e.g. by e-mail, by memo, by being put up on notice boards, by inserting it into newsletters, at meetings and so on. The more informed staff is, the less resistant they will be in times when change becomes imperative for the continued survival and growth of the organisation. Two critical aspects to keep in mind when informing staff / other key role-players:

• Translate the message to meet the frame of reference need of the respondent: Communicate the facts and data in a way that assists the respondent to relate to it effectively.
• Ensure that your channel and codes for relating the message is effective and will ensure optimal transfer.