Communication skills continue to grow in importance in an entrepreneurial government environment. All managers and employees of successful agencies implementing change must be able to effectively and persuasively communicate their organization's goals and values to their peers, citizens and stakeholders. Communications enables managers and employees to build consensus and to lead.
Communications -
"The Art of Creating Win-Win Agreements"
 |
By Cary Summers The Nehemiah Group, LLC |
The topic of outsourcing, privatization and private-public partnerships is certainly not a new one. It has been around as long as there have been governments. There is, however, a new intensity emerging in these relationships due to federal and state budgeting processes and the public cry for downsizing of government.
There have been as many success stories of these private-public partnerships working, as there has been disasters. There are myriad's of reasons why the successes and disasters have occurred, but at the heart of each are found the art of communications. Wars have been won and lost due to communication. Partnership, be it in the government sector, the private sector or the combination of each, work or fail based upon the degrees of effort that is put forth in clear, understandable communications.
The problem and challenge we face in these relationships is no different than we face in our everyday life. Two people are talking, but is either one hearing? One of America's great philosophers, Yogi Berra, said, "You can hear a lot if you listen." You may laugh, but the pros in the marriage counseling business state that lack of hearing and understanding the needs of the opposite partner is at the root of marital issues. Communication is the most important skill in a marriage, in a family, in life and certainly in successfully creating a win-win relationship in partnerships. Sam Walton in Made in America said, "Communicate, communicate, communicate. If you had to boil down the Wal-Mart system to one single idea, it would probably be this because it is one of the real keys to our success. Sharing information and responsibility is a key to any partnership." If it is so important why do we have such difficulty with it?
- Six Reasons why we don't Communicate
Principles of Private-Public Partnership Communication
- #1 The Partnership must be founded upon a win-win agreement
- #2 Define all stakeholders
- #3 Strategic Planning
- #4 Developing an Individualized Communication for each stakeholder group
- #5 Communicating to all stakeholders for several months after the privatization transfer date.
***********
Mr. Cary Summers, Chief Executive Officer, Adventure Legacy & Legends, in Rogersville, Missouri presented a program titled, Communications - "The Art of Creating Win-Win Agreements" to the 50th Anniversary Conference of Chief Justices hosted by the National Center for State Courts, August 3, 1999.
The program's goal was to discuss a process of how effective communications are communicative. Mr. Summers shared his vast hands on privatization experience through "living" examples of communications successes and failures from the real world of privatization.
Mr. Summers detailed approach to a "Win-Win" communications program contains lessons for everyone engaged in privatization and competitive government. Mr. Summers has given his permission to publish the program so that everyone can benefit from his experiences.
Mr. Summers provides the following definitions as a basis for understanding "The Art of Creating Win-Win Agreements.
Communication - "a transmitting, a giving or exchanging of information, messages, a means of communicating"
Communicate - "to have a meaningful relationship"
This article is reprinted with the express permission of the author.
Peggy.Robertson@dpb.virginia.gov
Disclaimer All Rights Reserved © 2000