Penetrating barriers: communicating clearly in the international organization

Communication World, June-July, 2003 by Keith S. Collins

With the world still at a fearful volume, prophetic business leaders--energetic, perceptive and respectful--who demand of themselves and others the best that humanity can give, will accomplish much. If all they do is improve international communication in their companies, that is a lot. But given the power of their vision and our need of good examples, what they achieve could be much more.

RELATED ARTICLE: PRACTICAL STEPS TOWARD INTERNATIONAL UNITY

Global companies can do a number of things to improve internal communication in their international operations. Consider these ideas:

INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT

CULTURE

* Teach in-depth courses on other cultures.

* Create a network of people to constantly upgrade the company's cultural knowledge and know how to apply it.

* Encourage strong intercultural relationships throughout the company.

LANGUAGE

* Insist on language training for everyone.

* Make strong eye contact when speaking to someone who doesn't know your language. Don't look at the translator.

* Translate important documents at headquarters where possible, to ensure timeliness and consistency of interpretation.

GROUP DEVELOPMENT

TRANSPARENCY

* Create a good knowledge-management system.

* Conduct regular team briefings and town hall meetings, with Q&A. But one-on-one is always best.

QUESTIONING

* Make sure there are no repercussions for questioning authority appropriately.

* Communicate the "why" of decisions, not just facts and commands.

FLEXIBILITY

* Adapt company policies and programs, where possible, to the needs of employees from other countries.

* Examine the reward system and make sure it is meaningful to all employees-money is not everyone's prime motivation.

RESTLESSNESS

* Look for employees who want to change the world with their ideas.

* Give employees from other countries opportunities to move into management, but make sure they have the training and support they need to be successful.

INCLUSIVENESS

* Start a project by taking the company's values and probing them, and their application to business, in depth.

* Appoint "flag bearers" to show the way in applying values.

LEADERSHIP

* Hire "prophetic leaders" capable of seeing and bringing out the highest possibilities in themselves and others.

Keith S. Collins is former president of International Business Creative Inc. and a communications consultant in Washington, D.C. He can he reached at kcollins@intcreative.com.