The 7 Habits of upward communication

Gradually, your workplace is changing.

As the old industries disappear and with them, control styles of management, so that new structures and new systems are taking their place.

Where once the manager sat atop the pyramid, and issued commands to the team below, today there is every chance that the team that sits astride the pyramid and issues information to the manager below.

Today it is teams that have the information and knowledge. Are the teams who know how customers feel the business. And teams can handle alone.

All this means rethinking the nature of traditional communication.

Where once the flow of communication has been predominant from top to bottom, in a one-way flow, in the information age of today, communication is multi-directional and purposeful. It goes anywhere and goes where it is needed.

What can be up or down, horizontally, diagonally and all ways.

And one of the key skills of this type of communication both up and reporting.

This skill requires: knowing how to get and keep the ear of your boss, communicate in a timely manner, knowing what he or she needs to hear, to be brief and precise, balance problems with solutions, and be willing to be put questioned and cross-examined.

To illustrate reporting upwards, here is a set of rules posted by a manager to a self-managing team on how he wants to be informed.

"When returning to the road, remember ...

Rule 1: Keep me informed regularly, I hate surprises.

Rule 2: Do not date me. I know it's been done to you, but please give me some 'thinking time.

Rule 3: only bring things that you really can not solve. Everything else will just get back to you.

Rule 4: Do not leave out the bad points because you want to look good: tell me everything.

Rule 5: Give at least three options for each problem. I prefer to choose and which is faster.

Rule 6: Do your homework before you come, I do not want you to have to go away and try something.

Rule 7: Remember that this is how you want your staff to report to you when you're in my position! "

Communication is, and always has been the glue that binds the organization together. Just because the predominant direction of the statement may be moved from top-down bottom-up, does not mean that it is less important. Learn how to properly report and master the new regime .......