The Adaptive Art of Communication: The Power of Knowing How to Communicate

Communication plays a vital role within any organisation.?

Whether it's inter-departmental exchanges, hierarchical interactions, or team collaborations, how employees engage in the workplace can make all the difference between thriving or crumbling.?

During a recent client initiative with a travel company, Mili Polo , a creative design thinker, trainer, author, and consultant at Lithe Transformation, discovered that communication isn't just a means to an end for achieving bottom-line results. It lies at the very heart of everything an organisation does.

With over 10 years of experience enabling the implementation of agile, design, and innovation thinking practices, Mili Polo has empowered numerous production, innovation, and creative teams. With her expertise and a track record of generating irresistible content, Mili understands the challenges organisations face in communication and creativity.

With her extensive experience working with the main Spanish and LATAM TV channels, production companies, and as a producer, scriptwriter, content creator, and innovation thinker, Mili understands the art of telling a good story. And what does storytelling have to do with organisations, you may wonder?

"The concepts between TV and cinema production and applying communication within companies are actually very similar. What's missing within companies is that, in the constant pursuit of results and task completion, the focus shifts away from creating, which can ultimately lead to a breakdown in ideas and resolutions. And that's where I come in!"

So, how did Mili apply these principles to our travel client?

Travel has the power to be a transformative experience for people, whether it's an annual getaway, a gap year adventure, or a honeymoon memory. It offers an escape that most industries can only dream of. That's why travel companies must find innovative ways to communicate their magic moments, concepts, and ideas to their audiences.

But it's not just about adapting these ideas for external communication; it's equally important to foster effective internal communication. After all, communication is all about how people interact with one another. When breakdowns occur within teams and organisations, it's crucial to identify the single source of truth and understand what hinders the original narrative that employees bought into.

In her role as a design thinker, Mili dives deep to uncover the underlying problems with communication and innovation. This involves:

• Understanding the current challenges the company faces.
• Anticipating future challenges the company is likely to encounter.
• Most importantly, preparing teams to address these challenges honestly and transparently.

Although simple and effective, this approach doesn't guarantee that communication among team members will come naturally. It takes time to build trust, foster engagement, and uncover the specific reasons behind a team's disengagement.

This process is akin to the concept of The Hero's Journey, a common framework in storytelling, which emphasises the central role of teams in a company's narrative. Mili doesn't dictate the solutions but instead encourages the members of the organisation to look inward for answers, finding adaptable resolutions that can tackle any surprises that come their way.

And the key to finding these solutions? Communication, of course.

Listening to team members is paramount. People within organisations are on the front line of what they do. They are builders, creators, sellers, and work closely with clients. They are the heartbeat of businesses. Therefore, it's essential to understand their frustrations, pain points, and what keeps them up at night. When they realise their voices are heard, employees become more open to change, and they willingly experiment with new ideas and concepts.

Another crucial aspect is for employees to experience their own product or service. If people within a company have never tried what they are selling, they can never truly understand it – and that's a problem!

"It doesn't matter if the person selling the product or service isn't the one who created it. No one can sell a product that no one wants to buy. That's why testing the service, providing feedback, and fostering communication between departments and teams is crucial. It's not just about selling products and services; it's about creating a working environment that is comfortable for everybody."

Creating an environment that fosters communication and creativity?is key.?

At Lithe, our consultative approach ensures that the solutions we offer become an integral part of a company's day-to-day life. This means regularly engaging in exercises that teams can manage themselves. The exercises that Mili introduced in her work with the travel client involved communication, observation, ideas, and creation.

These resolutions not only have a positive impact internally but also shine through in external communication with clients.

Creativity is something that everyone needs. If a company lacks creativity, it won't have happy employees, nor will it generate new ideas that make it stand out in the marketplace. That's why many of the exercises Mili implemented with our travel client focused on nurturing daily creativity.

"It's like a muscle. If you don't exercise it, you lose its power and momentum."

Another valuable concept that encourages communication within a company is the Golden Circle, developed by motivational speaker Simon Sinek. Exploring the "WHAT," the "HOW," and the "WHY" of a company's values and principles helps teams understand what they are truly working towards – a common and shared goal.

When these concepts are implemented, improvements in communication and results can often be observed within just a couple of months. Teams collaborate more effectively, client experiences improve, and efficiencies are created. The result? A happy, focused team, a better product and service that solves user problems, and loyal consumers and colleagues.

This is the power of understanding not just what to communicate, but how to communicate it.

If you or your teams struggle with communication and creativity, feel free to reach out for a pro-bono conversation to discuss your challenges.?

Let's embark on a journey to transform your organisation's communication practices and unlock its full potential.