In the article “We are building a future, together. Corporate Communication Strategy” by Chuck Gao on Google’s communication strategy, the author offers an insight into what Google’s communication strategy looks like and it helps the company become successful. Chuck Gao discusses how innovative communication processes have helped Google resolve workplace conflict. This, in turn, helps the people and departments work together smoothly. The top reason that Gao holds that position is setting clear expectations. The second reason that the author offers is recognizing and respecting personal differences. Finally, Gao holds that position is addressing issues immediately and openly.
Analysis
Communication is an essential function of every organization regardless of the size. Communication can act as a symptom as well cause organization's performance problems. It is thus significant to establish an effective communication process that can allow people to share ideas using a particular channel that matches with the design of the organization to avoid communication problems. Google is among the most successful organizations, and this is because the company has a well-established communication process that helps with solving workplace conflicts. This paper analyzes Google’s communication strategy.
The strategy used by Google is open communication. An open communication strategy is that which allows the members of an organization to share their ideas and feedback freely, as well as criticism at numerous levels of the company (Grandien " Johansson, 2016). The company embraced this strategy as a way of creating a culture of trust and innovativeness. Such system of communication allows the managers and the employees to interact to establish a profitable business freely. However, the potential problem with this strategy of communication is oversharing of information. When people have the freedom to talk, they can sometimes end up sharing inappropriate information. This, in turn, can affect effective management and it is essential to address it.
The best solution to the possible problem associated with the communication strategy used by Google is emphasizing the need for confidentiality at work. People should be encouraged to hold sensitive meetings behind closed doors. Besides, people should be discouraged from randomly sharing sensitive information. These two will promote a culture where open communication is only characterized by meaningful conversations and sharing of ideas that support the strategic goals of a business. The problem can cause a rift among departments or even individuals when wrong information is recklessly shared.
Effective management can help in providing and establishing a solution to the oversharing problem. This can be achieved by using the continuous improvement model. Continuous improvement is an ongoing process of improving a product, service, or situation within an organization (Coy " Adams, 2012). Applying continuous improvement, the management will use the four-step model known as PDCA (plan-do-check-act) (Coy " Adams, 2012). The process will start by identifying the problem, which is oversharing. After which, the management will implement the solution in a particular department first by teaching them about confidentiality. The next step will entail assessing the results from this department and determining whether there was a change. If it was successful, then the solution can be implemented on a broader scale while continuously assessing the results.
Communication is an essential element in organizational success, and it should be used wisely to avoid starting unnecessary conflicts. Nevertheless, conflicts are often opportunities for improvement and Google should consider applying the suggested solution using the continuous improvement model as this will help the management to understand the changes that happen in the organization. Therefore, communication strategies should always be assessed to support the business achieve its strategic goals.
References
Coy, S., " Adams, J. (2012). Walking the Talk: Continuous Improvement of a Quality Management Field Exercise. Decision Sciences Journal Of Innovative Education, 10(2), 223-244. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-4609.2011.00338.x
Grandien, C., " Johansson, C. (2016). Organizing and Disorganizing Strategic Communication: Discursive Institutional Change Dynamics in Two Communication Departments. International Journal Of Strategic Communication, 10(4), 332-351. doi: 10.1080/1553118x.2016.1196692
