Make It Happen

One of the greatest benefits of an open plan office is that people share information without the need to have meetings. Overhearing telephone conversations and impromptu discussions are great examples of "constructive eavesdropping" that can help the organization move forward.

On the other hand, an open plan office deprives you of any sort of privacy - and can be very distracting.

This morning's Globe and Mail has a great article about the new face of work environments. I provide a number of concrete suggestions on how to get the benefits - and mitigate the negatives. The article is also available on Workopolis.

Today, I appeared on two very different radio shows.

The first was CKTB in St. Catherines, a local market, where the host had a number of specific questions he wanted answered. It was a fast-paced Q and A format on the lunchtime talk show.

The second interview was on CBC Radio One, for Freestyle, a national radio show. In this case, it was an intellectual conversational format, with the two hosts and I going back and forth on the subject matter.

Two different audiences. Two different show formats. Two different geographical reaches. Two different time slots. And one "same" Randall Craig.

To me, the essence of communication isn't subject expertise, or vocal skill, but rather whether the audience truly understands the key points. And for this to happen requires a knowledge of the audience's needs, and an ability to adapt to meet those needs. The adaptation might be in content, style, logic, or any other element.

This is applicable if you are a senior manager addressing your team, a salesperson making a pitch, or a professional speaker delivering a keynote.

Can a tiger change it's stripes? Probably not. But if you want to get your message out, you must!

Randall Craig
www.RandallCraig.com