Companies are failing to communicate why change is needed or help people to bring it about

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) March 19, 2007 -- Most companies are not adopting new ways of helping people to understand and communicate complex messages. According to Professor Colin Coulson-Thomas, �There is a wide gulf between boardroom aspirations and achievements on the ground. People need to understand why changes are being sought. They also need to be equipped to help bring them about.�

Companies should enable key workgroups to communicate in a �winning way� according to Prof. Colin Coulson-Thomas, addressing corporate communicators this week at a Chartered Institute of Public Relations event at the East Midlands Media Technology Centre. The University of Lincoln Professor will explain how pioneering companies use new tools to engage key workgroups and enable them to handle communications challenges such as helping customers to buy complex products.

Effective communications are vital according to Coulson-Thomas, �Modern corporations are essentially networks of relationships based upon trust. When a reputation for fair dealing and accurate reporting is compromised the consequences can be dramatic. When bid teams and relationship managers cannot differentiate a corporation�s offerings from the competition business is lost.�

The most successful communicators stand out. Coulson-Thomas explains: �They share information, knowledge and understanding with people whose cooperation is needed to achieve corporate aspirations. They are increasingly using a new generation of support tools to engage people in two-way communication and help them to understand. They encourage, welcome and react to feedback.�

Prof. Coulson-Thomas finds: �Good communicators are not pre-occupied with themselves. They focus on the people they would like to establish, build and sustain relationships with. They try to understand, empathise with and reflect their aspirations, hopes and fears. They make direct and personal contact. They ensure people know what is expected of them and how they can contribute.�

�Winning Companies; Winning People, the differing approaches of winners and losers� by Colin Coulson-Thomas is published by Kingsham Press (ISBN 1-904235-58-1; Price �19.95 plus postage and packing) and can be ordered on-line from
http://www.coulson-thomaspublications.com

Details of Prof. Coulson-Thomas� book �The Knowledge Entrepreneur� which explains how support tools can be used to communicate complex messages and other reports presenting critical success factors and winning ways identified by the Winning Companies; Winning People research programme can be found from http://www.ntwkfirm.com/bookshop/