The BIGG Successs Show
Effective Communication Across Department Lines
How to communicate with people who are different than you. Read the show summary at biggsuccess.com.
Welcome to the Big Success Show! Today, we'll discuss communicating effectively across department lines. The Big Success Show with George and Mary Lynn. Across department lines, I'm Mary Lynn. Well, I would talk to you, but you're on the wrong side of the line. Yeah, stay over there. You know, we all think communication is easy, right? Seems that way. Well, and the reason I think is because we focus on stating our message. We clearly understand that message, right? Yeah. But the problem is that it may get interpreted differently on the other side. And that's especially true when communicating across departments in the workplace because people have differences, different skill sets, backgrounds, education, vocabularies, you name it. One side often has trouble understanding the other because they tend to think differently. And there's a great example of this in the book called The Geek Gap. And I love that title. It illustrates the differences between techies or geeks, as the authors say, and management, or in their terms, suits. And knowing how to close the gap between departments is a critical skill, not only for your company's sake, but also for your own professional advantage. So how do you do it? Well, Stephen Covey said in Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, first seek to understand. And it all comes down to personality types. Different departments tend to attract different personalities. Alright, so think about your stereotypical geek. Now geeks like to solve problems. They like to fix things. They're very intelligent, tend to be introverted, very detail oriented. They like to be working on a project, sinking their teeth into something. Yeah, now think about your stereotypical manager. Managers like to influence people. They rely on their people skills. Very intelligent as well, often quite extroverted, right? And they bring new projects in for others to do. They focus on the big picture. Now, let me just make a little side note here. We are grossly oversimplifying. And we are purposefully stereotyping to make a point. Obviously, yes. Okay. Obviously, we can think of all kinds of people who wouldn't fit these stereotypes. Yeah, but to continue stereotyping, geeks see technology as an end unto itself. Suits see technology as nothing more than a tool to accomplish their goals. Bottom line is this, geeks are the craftsmen. Suits are the managers. To geeks building that perfect product, that perfect system that functions just the way it was designed to, meeting exact needs, that's the goal. Yeah, and to management, the purpose of that perfect product or system is solely to meet larger business objectives. Each side needs to learn to respect the point of view of the other. Suits respecting the craftsmanship that went into the great work, geeks seeing how their work contributes to the mission of the overall organization. All right. So now we're halfway there in being able to communicate effectively across department lines. Coming up, we'll discuss the next step to bridging that gap. Today, we're talking about communication across department lines. And we said the first important thing is to seek to understand each other. And now we come to point two, which is come to value each other. Yeah, because these diverse points of view strengthen the organization. If we both think exactly alike, then one of us isn't needed, right? What are you saying, Mary Lynn? We're both needed. Oh, okay. Good. Well, to the craftsmen, the person who won't quit until the end product is virtually perfect. There's that pride of workmanship. The joy is in the creation. It's all about bringing an idea to life. And when you think about the manager, you know, you've got to value this person who won't quit until the goal is met. The manager takes pride in getting things done efficiently and achieving results. The manager takes joy in creating opportunities for people. It's all about moving the organization forward. Yeah. So bottom line is this, the geeks need the suits or they wouldn't have any projects to work on. They're not going to make them happy, right? And suits need the geeks or the project wouldn't get done. It's the two working together that creates something greater than either one could do on their own. Hey, it's synergy. Absolutely. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. And let me just say, George, in this working relationship, I'm the geek. Well, now, Marilyn, I'm thinking about a TV show. I guess that makes me the beauty. That's good. You can get a written summary of today's show on our vlog at BigSuccess.com. We also have a link to the book, The Geek Gap. And let's get our big quote for the day. Our quote today comes from George. I won't tell you his last name yet. But George said, "The single biggest problem in communication is me." Okay, that would be George Kruger, yeah. Our real quote comes from George Bernard Shaw, who said, "The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." Magical things happen when you communicate effectively. Learn the tricks of other trades so you can pull the rabbit out of the hat when you need it. Next time, we'll answer a question from a listener and our show is about what to expect when you unexpectedly lose your job. Hey, boy, that's when magic could really come and play, right? Until then, here's to your Big Success. [MUSIC PLAYING] [BLANK_AUDIO]