Social Web TacticsSocial Web Tactics

  • Marketing
    • Reaching Your Audience
    • Content and Website Optimization
    • Effective Storytelling
    • Creating A Strategy
    • Finding the Right Technology
    • Outreach and Engagement
  • Who We Serve
    • Education (K-12)
    • Education (Higher Ed)
    • Government Contractors
    • Technology
  • Insights and Resources
    • Insights and Perspectives
    • Articles and Blog Posts
    • Webinars
    • Research Services
  • About Us
Michael Hackmer
Wednesday, 03 April 2013 / Published in Creativity

Thoughts On Communication, Critical Thinking, Collaboration and Creativity

Two People Working Together

Better Communication, Collaboration and Creative Working Require Total Teamwork

In marketing departments and elsewhere in companies, internal communication, collaboration and creativity are important, but often handled poorly.

One of the most frequent complaints I hear from professional colleagues and friends is that there is very little insight from senior management at their organizations into overall project objectives, or what senior management is planning – short term and long term. What’s more, I often hear questions about just how much real collaboration is taking place among senior management (as well as from managers with their employees), as well as questions around the overall creativity of senior managers and whether or not they have a strong set of core business objectives.

Much of this aligns to surveys I’ve seen over the years where employees often rate their managers and executives as poor communicators, and in some cases – a danger to the overall business objectives of the organization.

Interestingly enough, I read this morning (courtesy of Baseline Briefings) that the American Management Association conducted a skills survey of over 750 managers and executives in December of 2012 about the importance of: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity.

Managers and executives in this survey reported that most of their employees were “average” in all four categories (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity) and that compared to data from 2 years ago the number of people who are “below average” in those skills increased.

Another data point in the survey that I found of interest was that managers and executives “believe” it is easier to “develop these skills in students and recent graduates (59.1%) than it is to develop them in experienced workers (27.1%).” The rationale is that younger workers have not developed their work habits. The study further reveals that one-on-one coaching is the preferred method to improve skills.

What Does This All Mean To Your Company?

There are a number of points a company can take from these two perspectives and the American Management Association survey. Here are some of mine:

1) Never assume you are communicating, collaborating, or harnessing creativity and critical thinking well at any level of your organization. One way to learn where you stand is to use direct communication, anonymous surveys and frequent team meetings. But do not make everything top-down. Allow your employees to receive anonymous survey results from senior managers and executives. Implementing an environment of near total transparency will enhance your business, improve working relationships and open up everyone’s eyes to what skills need to be improved.

2) Ask yourself, “What training do I have at changing work habits?” This applies to yourself and changing the habits of other people. Habit formation and modification is not something taught in college or in corporate America. But it’s also not something people as a whole are very good it. Millions of people try to eat better, exercise more, stay in contact with friends and family – all to see their bad habits resurface and take back control. And yet – modifying habits is an essential skill for success in business and in life. One of the reasons why managers are ineffective is that they do not know how to help their employees (or themselves) learn new habits to be successful. If you can improve this facet of your business, you will have a very positive impact on productivity, morale and retention.

Lastly, believe it or not, this is something at Social Web Tactics we can help with. While we do not have all the answers, we can help you build a better working environment. If you are interested, reach out to us today and we can discuss it in more detail.

Author

  • Michael Hackmer
    Michael Hackmer

    Michael Hackmer is the founder of Social Web Tactics. Born in Boston, MA, Hackmer has lived in the metro Washington, DC region since 1998. He specializes in digital marketing strategy, seo and sem, social media, merging online and in-person events for best engagement, business development and more. With over 15 years experience in government, non-profits, public and private corporations, spanning a number of industries, Hackmer has a unique wealth of experience. He currently resides in Ashburn with his daughter.

    View all posts

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Tagged under: Collaboration, Communication, Creative Thinking, Creativity

What you can read next

Innovation
Innovation Is Everyone’s Job
Lightbulb Headed Man
Is Your Team Where Big Ideas Die?
Create Some Adventure By Going Underground With Your Business

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Let's Discuss Your Business Needs

Let's Discuss Your Business Needs

Click here to schedule a meeting. Or call us at: 703-362-1586
Marketing Services

Need Help With Your Marketing Campaigns?

Check out each of our services or click here for the services overview.
Identify Your Audience

Optimize Your Website For Search Engines

Create Amazing Marketing Content and Resources

Automate Your Marketing For Better Lead Generation

Create Lead Generation Campaigns (Webinars, Whitepapers, Emails, etc)

Advertise Your Products / Services

Engage Your Audience On Social Media


Catoctin Education - Online, Classroom and Training

Catoctin Education Courses

Courses are coming soon.. Questions? Call us at: 703-362-1586

Recent Posts

  • Create Amazing Content - Content Marketing - Social Web Tactics

    How Government Contractors Can Produce Successful B2G Marketing Content

        Author Michael Hackmer Michael Ha...
  • SEO - Search Engine Optimization

    Why It Is Time To Audit Your Website and Optimize For Search SEO

        Author Michael Hackmer Michael Ha...
  • B2G Marketing Guide For Government Contractors

    Author Michael Hackmer Michael Hackmer is the f...
  • Government Contractors - B2G Website - Social Web Tactics

    Government Contractors Website To Launch April 2018

    Several years ago, a number of us had the oppor...
  • How Marketing Automation Works For Government Contractors

    Author Michael Hackmer Michael Hackmer is the f...

Core Marketing Services

  • TARGET AUDIENCE
  • SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION
  • STORYTELLING & CONTENT
  • DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGY
  • MARKETING TECHNOLOGY
  • AUTOMATION
  • LEAD GENERATION
  • ENGAGEMENT

Additional Marketing Services

  • B2B and B2G Lead Generation Webinars
  • Industry And Market Research

Industries We Serve

  • Enterprise Businesses
  • Small to Mid-Sized Businesses
  • Start-Ups
  • Government
  • Government Contractors
  • Higher Education
  • Technology (Hardware and Software)

Marketing Resources

  • What Is Marketing Automation?
  • Why Do You Need Marketing Automation?
  • Marketing Automation Software Pricing
  • What Is The Social Web?
  • Benefits of Hiring A Marketing Consultant
  • Social Media Statistics and Reports
  • What Is Business To Government (B2G)
  • Government Contractor Groups On LinkedIn
  • Government On Social Media
  • How The U.S. Military Uses Instagram
  • B2G Marketing Guide For Government Contractors
Social Web Tactics (SWT)
Phone: 571-271-5976
Email: GetStarted
Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions
Copyright 2022
Social Web Tactics - Digital Marketing Agency
TOP