My response to Question F on IE GEMBA application

1. Mark C. Flynn, PhD
#IEApplication
IE Global eMBA Question F

2.  The ease and speed of communication has
made us a more global society that we can
now implement work instructions quickly and
easily across distance, cultures, time zones
and languages.
 Effective global communication is crucial to
ensure that the companies strategy and
tactical operations are understood and
aligned across regions.

3.  You have just participated in an important
meeting with your superior.
 How will you ensure that every part of the
instructions you received will properly reach
all subordinates, suppliers and clients,
located in different parts of the world?

4. 3. Check 1. Plan
(a) Check
delivery
(b) Feedback to
supervisor
(a) Receive the
message
(b) Prepare for
transmission
(c) Individualise
materials for
the receiver
2. Communicate
(a) Communication Plan
(b) Transmission of
Instructions

5.  Check my understanding of the message before I move
forward.
 Break the activity down to five parts
◦ Do I recognise and understand the key message?
◦ Confirm what parts need to be transmitted to whom and when.
◦ Consider how will I transmit the message
◦ Discuss with my supervisor the proposed steps
◦ Agree on an action plan
 Document minutes and share by email the plan with my
supervisor.
 Ideally and with experience this should be part of the
initial meeting. If not then book a follow-up meeting as
soon as practical.

6.  Call a meeting with my local team to discuss the activity and to
allocate roles. Provide them with ownership through allocating
key tasks (e.g. translation, material creation, message delivery).
 Organise translation into local or common language.
 Prioritise the regions and the receiver order (Subordinates >
Suppliers > Clients).
 Determine who has regional authority and responsibility for
suppliers and clients. Bring them into the activity early and work
with them collaboratively.
 Consider any challenging or contentious aspects to the
message/plan and address these beforehand.

7. Internal External
Subordinates Suppliers
Individualised
Content
Individualised
Content
Internal External Independent
Subordinates ClientsSuppliers
Common Core
Individualised
Content
Individualised
Content
Individualised
Content

8.  All instructions, materials and plans must be
approved by the supervisor and other key
team members before communication.

9.  Determine and justify transmission method (e.g. local training, Goto Meeting,
Skype, and/or phone call).
 Send material beforehand (pre-reading). To allow people time to consider and
reflect. Face to face time is spent on clarification and actions rather than
explanation.
 Determine the amount of communication and follow-up required.
 Package and seek approval for the materials using local and regional processes.
 Agree and delegate responsibility for communication.
 Ideally identify local champions who can assist with global alignment.
 Document areas of challenge (regions, people, cultures, language).
 Incorporate a method of feedback into the communication plan.

10.  Communicate message according to
Communication Plan.
 Document when training is complete with
regional sign off from subordinates, suppliers
and clients.
 Evaluate materials, and change as required.
 Involve a process to document any challenges

11.  Using regional representatives (e.g. champions)
evaluate the effectiveness delivery of the new
instructions.
 Incorporate evaluation elements (i.e. audit) into the
process (e.g. test questions, activities, review local
plans).
 If appropriate “sit in” on regional delivery of materials
to external and independent parties.
 Incorporate “Lessons Learnt” activity to determine in
the future what we should do more of, what we
should do less of and what we should avoid.

12.  Provide feedback to supervisor on success of
message delivery with key aspects on
◦ Degree of Success
◦ Challenges
◦ Lessons learnt
◦ How I would address the process next time
◦ Recommendations for change to the process

13.  Following a straight forward three point plan
consisting of planning, communication and checking
the delivery of the instructions.
 Ensuring local buy in, taking into consideration
cultural aspects, language and workplace differences
and individualising the content will greatly assist with
accurate transmission of new instructions.
 Finally, any process should be audited and evaluated
to document accurate transmission and
implementation together with lessons learnt for
future process changes.