by Thembe Khumalo
I’m hoping we are now over the initial “New Year Resolution Madness” where we pledge to do great and mighty exploits, only to find ourselves fading before the first month of the year is out. I’m not proposing any new resolutions to take up, just some ideas about what you could do differently (and why) to level up your business and your career this year.
It’s just one tip: Communicate, communicate, communicate!
It seems obvious, but over and over again we all find ourselves victims of poor communication from parties we are expecting to be doing better. Your children's school, your church, your local supermarket….when your decisions affect other people, it’s vital that you keep the communication lines with them open. When you don't communicate, that leaves your audiences open to overwhelm, frustration and speculation. You may not realize what a critical role your business plays in the lives of your stakeholders, but it really does. Nature doesn't love a vacuum, so if you leave an information vacuum, someone will come along and fill it with something.
Communicate regularly - so you don't leave a period of "dead air" where people are wondering what's happening
Communicate on time - so people can plan ahead and mitigate potential inconveniences and discomfort
Communicate with compassion - this is especially true in any kind of crisis, where almost everyone is afraid, everyone is confused, and absolutely no-one knows what will happen next
Communicate to support - good communicators are not always in sales mode. Most times people just want to be helped rather than sold to
Communicate from a position of strength - focus your comms on the things that you really know about and have expertise in. Don't share information that you are not sure of or that you can’t verify
As you are communicating remember these 3 important groups of people and what they need to know:
Your customers - customers don’t only want to hear from you when there is bad news and you are forced to explain yourself. They also want to hear from you with information that can be helpful to them, that will make their lives easier, that will solve some kind of problems for them - even if it’s not directly related to something you are selling. To build a lasting relationship with them, you have to keep communication lines open, and encourage them to talk back.
Your staff - we can't just pay lip service to statements like "Our people are our greatest resource." We need you to live this out loud. And we need to communicate about how we are doing that. Make sure everybody on your team is clear about the company’s visioning mission - what we are chasing and who we are while we chase it. Set communication standards that they can emulate, and before you know it, you will have developed a culture of communication within the organisation. Make sure they buy into why you are making the decisions and choices you're making. Remember to check on those who are working remotely, because they are all too easy to ignore.
Your suppliers - if you can stay friends with suppliers in the tough times, you will reap rewards when times are good again. Don't mistreat your suppliers because you are going through some hard things. Even when the news is bad, share it upfront, share it with courage, and share it regularly. People will appreciate your effort to communicate, even if you don't have good news for them, and even if the news is "I don't know" or "I'm not sure" - stay open to good comms.
We hope you've found this useful. If you need help developing a communication plan for your business or your personal brand email us at brandbuilder@zol.co.zw
Thembe Khumalo is one of Zimbabwe’s leading voices when it comes to brand-building, business growth and personal development. A winner of multiple awards both at home and in the region, she is the founder and Managing Director of Brandbuilder, a high-performance brand strategy firm that helps entrepreneurial leaders and SMEs achieve visibility and growth through comprehensive brand strategy, creative execution and social media content strategies. Known for her clarity and courage, Thembe Khumalo’s leadership track record includes board positions in listed, unlisted and not-for-profit entities. With more than 20 years in the media and communication industry, she delivers a network of high-level relationships across many industries in several African countries. | thembekhumalo.com | www.brandtobuild.co | askus@brandtobuild.co
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