Align Culture and Communication for Better Strategic Planning Results

Posted by on June 3, 2010

Communication Plan It is well accepted among organizational theorists that companies with strong cultures and well devised communications plans outperform those without such ingredients. Communication motivates employees and unites them toward a common goal. As such, in our strategic and operational planning engagements, communication is a vital component.

At MethodFrameworks, we have devised a mutidisciplinary and culture-based approach to effective communication throughout the organization, among the team, and within the engagement, along with communication of the corporate vision to all members.

How do we determine the best communications approach for your organization?

Just as organizations are diverse, communications approaches must be equally diverse and adaptable. Plainly said, it is irresponsible for an organization to go about planning activities without the appropriate communications approaches in place.

One method we use to establish an effective communication plan is cultural surveys. Designed to look holistically at the organizational environment and used in combination with other assessment tools, cultural surveys can pinpoint communication gaps, highlight areas of improvement within the organization, and baseline the organization’s true strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Most importantly, the cultural survey aids understanding of how the organization executes to its plans and supporting objectives within the existing environment.

Our proprietary cultural surveys look at several aspects of the organization, including organizational structure, behaviors, and relationship interactions. Through this cultural assessment we begin to hear the voice of the organization: how members of the organization believe they behave, react, and perform. This analysis helps our consultants determine the most beneficial communications and planning frameworks, aligning with the culture of the organization, to give the organization its best chance to meet and exceed its desired goals.

The importance of culture in strategic planning communications:

Clearly, culture is a critical component to the organization that, if not properly understood, can dramatically impact the execution of plans. Culture is the foundation of HOW the organization works and HOW work will be completed on the plan in which the organization will realize its desired outcomes. By aligning culture with planning we have a powerful way to harness the organization’s potential to dominate within their marketplace.

The benefits of effective communication and cultural alignment benefits include:

Enhanced coordination and control within the organization.
Improved goal alignment between the organization and its members.
Increased employee effort.

Next time your organization embarks on a strategic planning exercise, consider the importance and value of a culturally-aligned communications approach.

For permission to reprint this copyrighted article, contact Method Frameworks at articles@methodframeworks.com.

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