Value of Communications was Vital Theme in Last Week’s 2010 Get Motivated Business Seminar

If there was one consistent theme amongst all the speakers and their presentations at last week’s 2010’s “Get Motivated! Business Seminar” in Washington DC, it was one that highlighted the importance of having, implementing and exercising good communications in all aspects of business and life.

In my own career, I’ve observed that good communication hasn’t often seemed to be a strong suit or a priority for various managers and senior executives. The first speaker up, Rick Belluzzo, former President and COO of Microsoft, shared his humbling story of his first supervisory experience which was both validating and inspiring.

Belluzo recounted his days when he was climbing the ranks at Hewlett-Packard. He had been promoted to managing a team of eight employees. Determined to prove his worth in this role, Belluzzo admitted he ruled with an iron fist. This lasted all of two weeks until his employees declared a complete mutiny. All eight staff members joined forces and complained to Belluzzo’s boss about his tyrannical management style and requested he be removed from management.

Upon hearing this news, Belluzzo realized he had two options:

• he could be defensive, ignore his staff’s concerns, write them off as lazy and disrespectful and continue sticking to his guns … or …
• he could accept the criticisms and be open to his staff’s feedback.

Belluzzo chose the latter.

Not long after the staff’s rebellion, Belluzo told the audience he did, in fact, speak individually to each member on his team in order to become more self-aware of his actions and statements. “Know your weakness and own your developments!” Belluzo advised attendees, adding, “Never be oblivious to your surroundings and performance!”

Belluzo acknowledged his efforts to receive staff input and be receptive to their concerns proved successful within a matter of a month. Over time, his team grew to respect him and productivity increased.

The moral of Belluzo’s tale: A strong coherent team can be made or broken through communication. Had Belluzzo chosen the defensive route, his team would have been left unhappy and resentful of their new boss. His employees could have continued on but delivered mediocre performance to appease a boss they did not trust.

Valuable lesson I took away: No matter the setting, healthy, two-way communications are absolutely vital to one’s success. And creating environments which embrace and welcome communication and an exchange of ideas are ambiances where goodness can thrive.