In today’s world of high-tech, constantly “on” communications, I find it fascinating and somewhat amusing to know that some executives are creatively reverting to low-tech forms of communication to reach their employees.
A great example is the “desk drop” cited in Herb Baum’s book, The Transparent Leader. When he wants to share important information or a new company product with employees, the information is dropped on each person’s desk … a more personal and effective approach than using e-mail.
And in The Cornucopia Group’s e-newsletter, The Loop, I read about a company that implemented a “no e-mail day” once a month to encourage people within the firm to actually talk to each other. What a concept!
2 replies on “Low Tech Communications (Or “Everything Old is New Again”)”
Two things to remember about the “desk drop”. 1) Just dropping something in everybody’s mailbox in the common mail room doesn’t count. Most people don’t check those things more than once a week. 2) Put it on the chair. Depending on the desk, dropping yet another piece of paper might get lost in the shuffle (or it might fall to the floor, or get covered with something else…) At least most people don’t usually keep a stack of paper on their chair. And if they do they move it rather than sit on it.
Hi,
Nice site. You’re doing great for a technically challenged person – I would have never guessed. Blogs (content) are a lot of work. Thank you for sharing your ideas. Anyway, I found a comment your left on TP’s blog regarding internal marketing. I see you’re a champion of the idea – me too. I even developed a tool – Ideascape – that helps them communitcate better internally and externally with all of their stakeholders.
You know,I wrote a post today and used material from Seth Godin and others on marketing to explain the how to’s of getting an idea across to colleagues and managers. I think I goofed. I used marketing and brands as examples. These metaphors are not what I wanted to use to make my point. I think I will re-write it along the lines of sharing values.
Sorry for the rant.
Jim Wilde http://www.advancinginsights.com