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In the face of this severe, take-no-prisoners economic downturn, far too many organisations are responding in knee-jerk reaction to the thought of holding all but the smallest of meetings. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Training budgets are slashed. Employees hunker behind their desk, hoping that no one from HR can find them or else they're huddled around a PDA, text messaging about possible layoff scenarios, pending mergers, or hiring freezes. Performance? Productivity? I think not.

Now more than ever, managers at all levels of the organisation need to do that which separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom: TALK!

Here's why:

(1) In the absence of information, we connect the dots in the most pathological way possible.

(2) E-mail works fine for data but when emotions are involved, only face-to-face really carries the day

(3) There's a huge benefit when people gather to share ideas, brainstorm new procedures, learn more about team members, have questions answered, or explore ways to streamline work loads.

(4) Smart companies will use this downtime to cross train, to coach for performance and career development, and involve employees in corporate decisions.

(5) Diverse perspectives are critical for innovation and these are best gleaned through conversation.

Bottom Line:  The organisation will have a solid, committed employee base, poised to move into front position when the turnaround comes.

But this will only happen if TALK becomes the preferred vehicle of  communication.

Four Communication strategies to increase your Talk Quotient (TQ).

STRATEGY # 1: CONDUCT A TALKING STICK MEETING  

A talking stick meeting allows everyone to hear a wide variety of ideas and inputs because each person who "holds the stick" is assured free speech, no reprisals, no humiliations, and no interruptions. Many native American tribes used the stick as a

way of allowing all voices to be heard. 

Talking Stick Meeting Checklist:

(1) Create a focus question to present to the group, assuring them that all are invited to speak, without interruption or humiliation.

(2) Form a real circle with everyone in the circle. This brings equality.

(3) When everyone who wishes to has spoken, summarise the conversation and what you will do with the information. 

STRATEGY #2:  SEEK OUT THE "<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />ORANGE BATONS" 

If you happen to get a window seat on a plane that is coming into the terminal, look out and find the man or woman who is guiding a 737 aircraft (weighing over 90,710 pounds) into position. Those small orange batons wield plenty of authority in the moment. And well they should.

You see, there's a line painted on the tarmac to show exactly where the front wheel of the 737 MUST stop.  Otherwise, passengers at the gate literally would have a pilot in their laps. The problem: the pilot sits too high to see that line.