How do you communicate to your staff or colleagues on a day-to-day basis?  My guess is that it is much different now than it was, say, ten years ago.  While radios may still be a piece of the on-course puzzle, text messages might be the dominant choice.  While you are off property, text messages and email can keep you alerted of goings-on instantly.  How long could you operate your facility using only electronic communications without putting your eyes on a fellow worker or even holding a brief conversation?  I’m thinking it’s not too long, for despite technology, face-to-face interaction is still the king of communications.

While an entire robotic staff might be in our future, we rely on our staff or colleagues to accomplish our goals.  First, we need them to be there.  Without eyes on that situation, the best laid plans could easily come off the rails.  A sense of community or teamwork comes with the ability to interact and socialize, and this sets the foundation.  This should allow the team to gain trust, and ultimately develop better working relationships. To operate well as a team, leadership must communicate the duties and expectations and reinforce the culture that has been developed.   Verbally and in person should be the top choice to accomplish this goal.

Many important pieces are missing from communications without visual contact.  Non-verbal cues are often cited for their importance, so I won’t dwell on those. By looking at the staff post-aerification week or after member-member preparation we know the responses communicated back from tired staff will be different than a typical day. 

Think about what goes into a written communication.  The ability to edit the content stands out.  Are the emails and text messages you receive really what the sender intended to say, or was that message tailored to illicit a favorable response?  Maybe the message you received wasn’t the first thing that came to mind from the sender?

Tone does not come across in writing either.  If you instruct a staff member via text message to check moisture and do another lap with a syringe hose at 4pm and get “ok” as a response, what does that mean?  Is it “yes sir I’m glad to because it will help the team,” or “my buddies are waiting for me to go the beach but I need this job no matter how much I hate it.”  Same message sent, but could easily be a big difference in tone.

Do you ever engage staff or colleagues in brainstorming sessions?  Maybe engaging key staff or colleagues with a discussion on a Friday afternoon, rainy day, or in advance of upcoming event on ways to improve or adjust operations.  Accomplishing such a beneficial task electronically would be a tedious mess and more likely counterproductive.

Beyond the course related items, the personal side of the personnel task’s superintendents perform require face to face communication and your full attention.  Whether it relates to strife within your team, home life, or medical issues creating stress with your team members, avoiding misinterpretations of any kind is a must.  While sometimes written documentation may be required as a policy, building trust through personal interactions is key.  Communicating understanding and compassion via written word is difficult and may not convey the importance your staff member or colleague believes the situation deserves.

Instead of sending a text or email next time you need to communicate, consider using your phone as it was originally designed for, as a telephone.  Maybe instead of texting a job assignment to a staff member, text them to meet you someplace convenient and communicate that next task to them in person.  Your time is valuable, and those around you know it.  By you taking some of that time to interact with staff and colleagues directly or face to face only communicates the importance of your message and the value you have for them.  When clear, concise communications take place, it becomes easier for a team to achieve the desired goals.