Discover how to connect with and inspire employees throughout an organization. Improve your leadership skills -- even if you aren't a "natural" communicator -- with a specific communication strategy that anyone can use. Authors Matha and Boehm present research showing that all managers can improve performance by using the principles outlined in Beyond the Babble. They explore why communication is crucial, how and when to do it, how to embed it in an organization's culture, and how to measure results. They also show how internal communications professionals can improve an organization's communication to the outside world.

Table of Contents:
Foreword ix The Authors xiii Acknowledgments xv Introduction 1 1. The Power of Communication 9 On Strategy Communication Cuts Through Babble 14 Effective Communication Gets Results 16 Why Communication Makes a Difference 19 Summary 23 2. On Strategy Communication: An Overview 25 The Action Equation 27 The People Channel 34 Summary 43 3. Do: What Do You Need Employees to Do? 45 The Elements of On Strategy Direction 47 Setting a Clear Path for the Land of Oz 57 Summary 61 4. Know: What Do Employees Need to Know to Take Action? 63 They Need to Know Why 64 Who Needs to Know? 70 The Land of Oz Knows 74 Summary 74 5. Feel: What Do Employees Need to Feel to Take Action? 77 Be an Organizational Psychologist 82 Getting the Insights You Need 83 The Land of Oz Gets Emotional 84 Summary 85 6. The "Why Nots": What’s Getting in the Way? 87 The Behavior Chain 88 Addressing a "Why Not" 92 Be an Organizational Archeologist 95 The Land of Oz Confronts Its Demons 98 Summary 100 7. Package: Turn the Action Equation into a Conversation 101 Conversations Are "In the Moment" 103 The Memory Issue 104 The Conversation Platform 105 The Land of Oz Gets Ready to Roll 108 When Issues Are the Issue 108 Summary 114 8. Align: Make Sure All Leaders Are On Strategy 117 Don’t Be Fooled 118 Start at the Top and Work to the Front Line 120 Promote Open Discussion at Multiple Levels 122 Include Informal Leaders in the People Channel 125 Summary 126 9. Equip: Give Leaders the Tools They Need to Communicate On Strategy 129 Train Leaders as if Strategy Depended on It 130 Support Local Leaders and the People Channel 135 Recognize and Strengthen the Weak Links 139 Complementary Leader Assignments 141 Summary 143 10. Drive and Support: Orchestrate and Sustain On Strategy Conversation 145 Create a Drumbeat 146 To Raise the Volume, Run a Campaign 154 How Communication (the Function) Can Help 158 Summary 165 11. You: The Top Leader's Role 167 Expect a Lot 167 Measurement 169 Reward, Recognize, and Hold Accountable 174 Prioritize 175 Lead by Example 176 12. "How to" Resource Guide 179 Conducting Discussion Groups 179 The Memory Game 186 Alignment Interviews and Snapshot 187 The Consider-Dialogue-Solve Process 191 Conducting a "Red Face" Test 193 Identifying Informal Leaders 195 Selecting Vehicles: Opportunities Abound 196 Glossary of Terms 205 Notes 207 Index 209