The foundation of any great culture is rock solid communication.

Irish Playwright and Political Activist George Bernard Shaw said, "The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." 

At Datamax, for our culture and our principles to stand like a rock, our communications must be equally solidified. To Shaw's point, the assumptions we make about how well we communicate ideas, issues, and initiatives can impact how well we execute our culture. Clear communication serves as a means for achieving Datamax Principle #8, which is simply “Keep Everyone Informed.”

So how well do we stay informed? How clearly and effectively do we communicate with one another? What strategies do we deploy? Do we give it much thought? Or do we just assume communication is taking place?

Are we rock solid?

In today's business world, the communication channels are many: Email, text, staff meetings, smartphone, smartwatch, hall way chats, Skype for business, business phone, cell phone… to name a few. But regardless of your preferred channel, it’s important to seek, find and absorb all the information that's available to us.

“You have to have communication, in any organization. You never want an employee to comment, ‘hey, I didn’t know that.’ Keeping everyone informed goes right into our company philosophy. We have to put it out there, and in turn, everyone has to receive that information in whatever form or channel that is,” President Barry Simon said. “Communication is a two-way street.”

4 Rock Solid Strategies for Great Communication: 

1. Provide clear information.

Workplace communication involves passing information from one person to the other. If you do not communicate clearly and accurately, it can cause confusion instead of clarity.  Have a plan for what you want to say BEFORE speaking. Equally important, avoid emails written in haste, sarcasm, or attempted humor, as you never know how it may be interpreted. Clarity is key. 

2. Don’t just hear – listen.

Most conflict is a result of poor listening. In order to share information with another person, you have to hear what is being communicated. To learn how to listen well, paraphrase what was said to show that you are listening and to verify accuracy. This will reduce the likelihood of conflict and will help you become a more effective communicator.

3. Ask questions.

Asking questions not only shows you were listening, but also confirms that you understood the other person. You can also use questions to gather additional information and help you understand the conversation.  

4. Go to the source with minimum delay. 

If your co-workers have a habit of spreading "hearsay" about others in the office, simply listen and smile, and get back to work. Unhealthy, unproductive, conversations about coworkers don't just get in the way of effective workplace communication - they're toxic. If you have a complaint or concern, communicate to only those who are involved with minimum delay.

3 Rock Solid Resources for Remaining “In the Know:” 

1. Go to Your Manager.

Have a question? Issue? Have an idea about doing something better? Reach out first to your manager.

“If you have issues with anything, go to the people who can make the difference. If we don’t know there is a problem, that’s not ever good,” Simon says. “And then, we can listen, we can discuss it, and at that point make a decision that’s based on the good of the entire organization (Priniciple #6),” Simon said.

2. Go to the Literature.

There are a plethora of available resources available at your fingertips via the web. The first is the handbook, which can be accessed online through ADP. The handbook can answer a lot of questions you may have quickly, without even having to reach out elsewhere.

By logging into ADP, You can find health insurance information, details regarding your 401K, and multiple other valuable employee resources. Visit ADP often.

"There's a lot of reasons why you should check ADP regularly," Human Resources Manager Terri Hackmeyer said. "This is where your check stub lies. There's a lot of lot of information on that site: W2s, you can make changes to your tax deductions there. Change your address (your benefits are tied to that). Make sure your checks are right. People are human and we make mistakes sometimes." 

Another vehicle for communication is this  newsletter. The Rave Review serves as an engine for valuable corporate internal communication to accommodate our organization’s continued growth.

“Everyone should read the Rave Review,” Simon says. “That’s the communications resource that speaks to things going on at our company as a whole. Just as an example, this month, we’re talking about one of our new core competencies, Unified Communications. So someone who reads this can say, ‘hey, we’re into phone systems now. I need to learn more about that.”

3. Go to the Philosophies & Principles.

Whenever in doubt, consult the book.

The Datamax Little Blue Book reflects specificity regarding our culture, expectations, and unified mission of Creating Raving Fans®.

It’s brief at 26 pages. It’s small at 7 inches tall and 4.5 inches wide. But there’s nothing unintentional or insignificant about its contents. The Datamax Little Blue Book, a culmination of decades of insight on how or company carries itself, lays the foundation for our cultural identity.

If ever you’re unsure how to treat a situation, react to an issue or voice a concern, The Datamax Little Blue Book is the ultimate book of reference. 

The execution of a culture, of course, comes down to people ...These people are real people. They care about their customers and equally as important they care about each other.” 

- Mike Riordan, long-time consultant to Datamax