Holy Communication Infrastructure, Batman!

I was recently asked what "communication infrastructure" is and thought the answer deserved a post of its own. So here it is:

Imagine an office, let's say a specific segment of a larger company or a larger portion of a smaller one. There is a manager or director, with a few team leaders directly reporting to them, each of whom has direct reports. The team leaders need to coordinate to develop specific parts of the company offering. Perhaps specific software development, QA, product design, and client development.

All of these components need to interact in some way to make it work, but how? Does the company culture empower any level of talent to interact with any other level? Is there diverse communication between different areas of work? Who decides when something is to be handed off between different functions?

The creation of systems around how different people within the company communicate with each other is the communication infrastructure. And, whether it is constructed with intention or develops on the fly, it always exists. In fact, poorly (or under) designed communication infrastructures always cost time and money.

Let's create a hypothetical scenario (and really I'm pulling this out of nowhere, I can't see you). A project is stalled and a review meeting is called. In this meeting there are representatives who are in direct contact with the frustrated client or stakeholder, people who are coding the software, DevOps, and the CTO.

The CTO is concerned that the changes being made are short-sighted and wants to make sure the changes being made now are good for the long haul. The stakeholder's representative is focused on getting the changes made to satisfy those needs. DevOps is concerned with source code management while trying to keep the peace. The lead software developer doesn't think the changes are being made in the best way and is arguing for a change in direction.

They are all talking and the temperature of the room is high but they have no rules of engagement for how to navigate the diverse voices in the room. Sprinkle in basic human personalities and a pinch of neurospice and you have a series of meetings eating into crucial project time and delaying delivery.

What if instead, the meeting had a clear owner? That the agenda was set in advance and limited in scope. What if there were established lines of communication for discussing best practices for development and for raising objections to plans of action? What if there were systems in place so that everyone understood how to voice what they need to and know they were being heard?

That is communication infrastructure. It exists already within your company structure. And—to paraphrase Thomas Edison—if you aren't running it, it is probably running you.

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Gina Razón is a recovering opera singer, functional voice coach, keynote speaker, and founder of GROW Voice, a Boston-based voice and communication practice. She is recognized for being the calm voice of clarity as she helps others connect the intention behind their ideas with their desired goals. She speaks on the power of speaking and leading from a center of neurophysiological embodiment. Gina holds a BM from the University of Colorado, Boulder and an MM from the University of Denver both in Voice Performance.  She is an Appreciative Inquiry facilitator, an associate teacher of Fitzmaurice Voicework and trained in Somatic Voicework. She has served as the voice coach for TEDxNewEngland, and speaks at national and local events on the power of embodied voice. Gina is a member of the The Voice Foundation, the Voice and Speech Trainers Association, the National Speakers Association, and the Center for Appreciative Inquiry.

To see how Gina might help you design your communication infrastructure contact us.

For Gina’s TEDxCambridge talk click here.

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