At times community leaders do not realize the importance of a free flowing communications process. Organizations such as the TVA have come to realize that maybe their employees have something important to add to the management of an organization. TVA is implementing a process called "Organizational Effectiveness." If free flowing communications is not a priority for leaders viable ideas are lost and worse, false allegations may run rampant.
Thus the reason for this post. It is extremely important for the City of Scottsboro's leadership to realize the importance of "free flowing communications." Often communications takes the route of top to bottom, vertical in nature and allows no room for important feedback or cross communications. There are many reasons for communications failures most are related to a lack of leadership training and a failure of leaders to adopt management policies which encourage free flowing paths of communications.
Although many political leaders may say they have open door policies, do they actually practice proper organizational communications which involves all staff and employees? For the City of Scottsboro I believe a professional organizational communications process is lacking. This is evidenced by complaints from employees and previous employees outside of normal channels.
Communications must not only be vertical it must be horizontal. What goes down a management chain must also provide a mechanism for feedback back up the management chain. This mechanism may be a simple as an organization's leadership going to a section and having a "sit down conversation with all employees, first without the section supervisor, then with the section supervisor present. This process takes skill and training which many local municipal and county government' officials do not have the proper training to conduct such a program. Then, there is the "Suggestion Box," the City of Scottsboro's leadership has refused to implement this simple means of communications giving varied excuses for not implementing.
Thus we have the anonymous letters and vicious allegations of unethical conduct. In all cases these situations have been the result of a lack of proper leadership training and a lack of organizational communications efficiency. The problems with "rumor", allegations and failed communicative leadership will continue to be a problem for the City of Scottsboro until the Mayor and City Council endeavor to undertake a comprehensive, free flowing communications program.
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An inquiry into allegations made concerning a local city official concerning ethics violations and sexual harassment due to allegations of an inter-office affair appear to be unfounded and the result of one or more former disgruntled employees.
The basic communicative process and organizational brainstorming may be found at this site. http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/CommunicationIntro.htm http://www.mindtools.com/brainstm.html A properly trained management team should use these tools to insure that the organization, whether government or private, functions efficiently and effectively utilizing the greatest asset of any institution or organization, the people.
Basics in organizational communications: http://managementhelp.org/mrktng/org_cmm.htm#anchor467829
It is incumbent on the City Council of the City of Scottsboro to insure that all department heads and the Mayor are properly versed on leadership communication skills and practice effective communications within the city's varied departments.
The City of Scottssboro does have an informative web site which lists links to the Mayor, City Council Members and Department Heads. This is a very positive step in the communications process and should be utilized by citizens and employees alike to communicate with city leadership. Communications should be encouraged within the organization without the fear of reprisals or vendictive actions.
The marketing of Scottsboro's image is part of an effective communications program for the citizens of Scottsboro and is vitally important in bringing new business and industry into Scottsboro. http://www.cityofscottsboro.org/
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