Conтent

If you have accepted the three-circles model or general theory of teams and organizations you have а ready-made definition of what people need or want as far as communication is concerned. Let me briefly remind you of the model.

According to the theory, there are three areas of need present in working groups and organizations:

- to achieve the соmmоn task

- to be held together or to maintain themselves as cohesive unities

- the needs which individuals bring with thеm into the group

The main content of communication - information, ideas and knowledge, etc. - in your organization should tie in with these three overlapping areas. Here I am concentrating on communication Inside the Egg. Of course, members of any organization will be communicating Outside the Egg as well, to customers, clients, suppliers and the public in some shape or form. The internal communication needs are as follows:

CONTENT OF COMMUNICATION
AREA	NOTES
1. Purpose, aim and objectives	The core purpose, the key and the more tangible objectives are central in communication. Purpose answers Why.
2. Plans and policies	Planning answers the questions What, When, How, Where and Who.
3. Progress and prospects.	Progress motivates – prospects motivate even more, e.g. new products, other innovations and positive changes in the pipeline.
4. Changes in structure and development	Any organization changes or alterations in the organization’s development.
5. Ways to improve teamwork	Anything that results in better teamworking, so that the various parts work in an integrated , harmonious whole.
6. Ethos and values	The particular stars the organization steers by in the form of its corporate values; its spirit as opposed to its form
7. Pay and conditions	Anything that affects the remuneration, conditions of work, or personal prospects for employment of individuals.
8. Safety, health and welfare	Information that affects safety or security.
9. Education and training	Whatever may contribute to the personal development – present competence and future capability – of each individual member.

The above list is not exhaustive, but it covers the guts of what people working in organizations both need to know and expect to know. People look out for а vision to inspire their work, а sense of belonging to an interdependent and high-performance team, and for information that improves their sense of value as individuals in this large organization.

SHARE YOUR INFORMATION

Poor leaders hold on to information as а source of power and control. Jan Carlson of Scandinavian Airlines says 'An individual

without information cannot take responsibility. An individual with

information cannot help but take responsibility.' Good leaders

see the value in sharing information to improve decision making.