🎙 In this episode, I dive into the importance of having a clear internal communication standards document for your business. I share my recent experience while on holiday, which highlighted the chaos that can ensue when communication protocols are unclear. I discuss the updates we've made to our communication standards, emphasising the need for succinct guidelines that eliminate confusion and streamline conversations. 

You'll learn about the different channels we use for communication, how to document messages effectively, and the urgency levels we apply to ensure timely responses.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

💡 Importance of Communication Standards: Establishing a written standard for internal communication is crucial to avoid chaos and ensure that conversations are organised and effective. 

💡 Clear Guidelines for Escalation: The updated communication standards document outlines specific guidelines on how and when to escalate issues based on their urgency, ensuring that critical matters are addressed promptly while non-urgent issues can wait for appropriate meetings.

💡 Centralised Documentation: All messages related to tasks should be documented in a task management app (like Asana) to maintain a clear audit trail. 

💡 Best Practices for Effective Communication: Key practices include using video or screen sharing for clarity, tagging recipients in task comments, providing direct links to relevant materials, and utilising the "Ideas Over Issues" framework to encourage proactive problem-solving.

💡 Checklist for Communication: A final checklist ensures that messages are documented correctly, recipients are notified through the right channels, and all relevant information is included. 

BEST MOMENTS

00:01 - 💬 “When you don't use a written standard for how people should communicate within your business, it can lead to total chaos.”

03:18 - 💬 “We give very clear guidelines so there's no grey area, so people know exactly when and how to escalate about what urgency means.”

10:04 - 💬 “There are three levels of urgency we have here. So firstly, we have the critical stuff. This is like absolutely needs response, you know, within minutes or hours that same day, absolutely, definitely. And this is the kind of stuff that's maybe blocking really important work, or there are deadlines coming up that we need to you know, deliver on or it's client impact or something is like majorly wrong and it's absolutely critical.”

20:22 - 💬 “By doing those six things every single time, it means that all the communication within your business is far more efficient.”

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Our Best Guides, Frameworks, and Templates: https://sys.academy/guides

Links to other podcast episodes mentioned:

- The Holy Trinity of Company Meetings

- My Latest Tips on Using Video to Revolutionize Communication and Boost Productivity

- The Framework That Reveals Your Team’s Thought Process—And Prevents Wasted Work

LINKS TO CONNECT WITH THE HOST

• Podcast: https://www.systemizeyoursuccess.com
• Website: https://systemsandoutsourcing.com/
• Facebook Group: https://facebook.com/groups/systemsandoutsourcing/
• LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/systemsandoutsourcing/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/systems_and_outsourcing/
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/@drsteveday42
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drsteveday42

ABOUT THE HOST

Steve moved to Sweden in 2015 and transformed how he ran his businesses—switching to a fully remote model. A former NHS doctor, with a background in computing and property investing, he now helps overwhelmed business owners systemise and outsource effectively. Through his courses and coaching, Steve teaches how to automate operations and work with affordable virtual assistants, freeing up time and increasing profits. He runs his UK-based businesses remotely with support from a team of UK and Filipino VAs, and is passionate about helping others build scalable, stress-free companies using smart systems and virtual support.