Stay in Touch
Everyone is busy and overworked. Yet I’ve discovered that if I don’t take a moment to stop by my co-workers’ offices to have a chat now and then and occasionally spend lunchtime with them, I lose touch with the most important part of my organization—the people.
Once you’ve enlisted the support of key persons, don’t forget about them and make sure they don’t forget about you.
You are an Evangelist(144) or Dedicated Champion(129) working to introduce a new idea into an organization. You’ve captured the interest of a handful of key persons.
Your key supporters have too many things to think about and can forget about the new idea.
Support for any new idea depends on the continuing awareness of management and other key people, but their support can lapse. Since there’s always something important going on and critical decisions to be made, your message will be lost if you don’t call attention to it.
Finding proactive ways to keep the information flowing is essential. You do not want your key supporters to feel embarrassed or frustrated because they lack information about the change initiative. Any effort to keep a communication link will pay off handsomely in the end.
Just because people decide to adopt an innovation doesn’t mean they can’t change their minds. They’re always seeking reinforcement for their decisions. They always have new questions. If they don’t get answers, they may revert to their old ways.
Therefore:
Stay in touch with your key supporters.
Make an effort to talk regularly with people such as Early Adopters(138), Local Sponsors(186), a Guru on Your Side(158), and the Corporate Angel(123). You’re busy too, so put the “stay in touch” reminder on your calendar. It can be a short meeting, lunch, or coffee break, or just an informal stop by an office. Present information in a helpful manner. Keep messages timely and interesting. Use External Validation(148) to make them aware of what is happening outside the organization. If a Big Jolt(107) visitor is of special interest to your supporters, offer them a Royal Audience(210).
Strive to build a relationship with key individuals so you can casually but continually make them aware of progress in small ways. On the other hand, you don’t want to make a pest of yourself. Be sensitive to individual tolerances for new information. Don’t overwhelm anyone or they may become annoyed when they see you coming. It can be hard to determine the happy medium for information, so you may want to ask how often each person would like to receive a formal report, and at the same time provide informal reports when you get a good opportunity.
Talk to management even when you don’t need anything. Some people make the mistake of reporting to management only when they need support. As a result, managers will think that any time you come to talk, you must want something.
If you need a more formal approach for staying close, submit a regular status report that contains a concise record of your activities. Record your accomplishments, even small successes, so people know you are making progress. Also note your concerns so that your manager, or your Local Sponsor(186), has the information he needs to help you.
This pattern establishes more solid connections with key supporters. Over time, it turns support into an expanding community of relationships.
But this takes work. A personal interaction is best, but an e-Forum(135) or In Your Space(167) can help. If it is difficult to reach some upper-level managers, ask Connectors(119) or your Local Sponsor(186) to help.
It was easy for Amy. The company brought in 8’ x 8’ cubicles and the vice president was nearby. Okay, he had two cubicles, one with a little conference table, and his secretary’s cubicle was also part of his area, but still, he was just around the corner from Amy’s team. When she walked in each morning, he was often there, and if he looked up, she could sometimes catch his eye and say, “Good morning!” If he asked, and usually he did, she could tell him about the latest activity surrounding the introduction of the innovation. She wouldn’t let him forget about it!
Bradley was the chair of a large international conference. His committee consisted of 12 people located in various countries. In between the meetings, Bradley made random calls to each individual just to ask how things were going. One day he connected to a frantic committee member on the other end of the phone. She was amazed at the timing of his phone call because she had just discovered a major error in her duties. He calmed her and then explained what he could do to “fix” things. They both appreciated the value of staying in touch that day.