Communicating

The many weeks, months, and hours you spend on an initiative could end up being meaningless if you are not communicating effectively, even if your initiative is delivering value beyond expectations. Without good communication people will not know what to expect, and they won’t know it is there when you deliver it. Without good communication people may lose interest in your initiative, or you may not even gain their interest to begin with. And without good communication your initiative might not be able to recruit people to incubate ideas, or it might fall victim to rumors or nefarious attacks. This chapter discusses the need for regular and broad communication to various groups and constituents as you prepare to build the initiative. It reviews the benefits of communicating, and enumerates a range of people and groups which should be considered when planning your communication strategy. It also includes two simple tools you can use to develop a communication plan and ensure key relationships are appropriately managed. The chapter also offers strategies to improve your communication abilities and infrastructure that do not require bringing those skills into your team.