Articles

A Sunny Forecast
Grassroots Teams Help Sun Micorsystems Raise Customer Satisfaction

Coming Full Circle
Measuring and Improving Organizational Effectiveness

Oil Change
Externalization, Change Management Key to Realignment

Project Management:
Just Do It!
A Step by Step Overview ofa 1950's Organizational Tool Experiencing a 1990's Rebirth

Hope Is Where You Find It
by Peter Block

Sorry We're Closed: Diary of a Shutdown

Brief Cases
Business News Briefs

Views for a Change

Sites Unseen
Reader's Favorite Websites

The Quality Tool I Never Use

Pageturners
Book Review

Letters to the Editor

Calendar of Events

April's Question:

I would like help in envisioning a workplace communication system without a professional communicator to lead or support it (except, perhaps, for an IT staffer). I’m not forsaking corporate communicators, but the workplace I’m picturing is the gemba, the “real place” where the work is actually done and customer value is added. Large organizations can have many gembas. The one I have in mind is a fast-growing group of 100 knowledge workers at three neighboring locations. They complain they have to keep reinventing procedures and don’t get adequate explanations of why new middle managers are being added over them or the criteria for hiring into their group, that sort of thing. I’m envisioning a self-generating, self-sustaining communication system that treats communication as a discipline without a professional disciplinarian. That is, a workplace buzz in which attention is given to clear messages, accurate information, feedback and involvement, but is maintained by, and belongs to, everyone in the gemba with management’s support. What would be the roles and modalities?

Doug Bedell
Principal
Resource Relations
Harrisburg, Pa.