INTERNATIONAL WATERS
BUSINESS INFORMATION
Preserve the integrity of your
BUSINESS INFORMATION
INTERNATIONAL WATERS
Figure 1
5P Approach to Effective Information Management (Created and developed by Murad Salman Mirza)
Produce
information Preserve corporate strides. Organisations have a penchant for hastening the process of their blossoming/fading based upon their ability/inability to strengthen the foundational elements of managing information that can be encapsulated in the 5Ps, that is, Produce, Polish, Propagate, Process and Preserve. This can be sequentially depicted in Figure 1 (on the right). Consequently, care needs to be taken that vital information is not adulterated in any fashion to avoid complications due to the lurking presence of the dreaded 5Ms – Misrepresentations, Misunderstandings, Miscommunications, Misgivings and Malevolence. This can be sequentially illustrated in Figure 2. There are several reasons why crucial information gets contaminated when it traverses through the length and breadth of an organisation. Some of these are:
The precarious journey of vital business information through the corporate labyrinth. By Murad Salman Mirza
B
usiness information permeates every functional aspect of an organisation. It is the primary driver of decision making and enables vibrant actions that are the harbingers of progressive/regressive
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Context of the information (Content, Delivery, Timing and Language)
Critical information is prized for the message that is embedded within its content, which can be interpreted in several ways. For example, some people skim the surface and concentrate on key words, whereas others scan for hidden meanings within seemingly innocuous text. Therefore, natural human tendencies driven by innate information assimilation characteristics can lead to multiple translations. Additionally, the delivery method also plays an important part in the level of deviation from the intended communication. A formal letter sent to a
Process
particular individual with specific instructions will bear more clarity than a general notice posted on a bulletin board or a shared services web portal that can invite multiple takes on the conveyed message. Furthermore, the timing of disseminating the information is also significant in terms of being understood and conveyed forward without any debilitating dilution. For example, any important communication done while key decision makers are not accessible for subsequent consultations will inevitably wither away in its impact for developing a sound strategy, especially, in the presence of intermediaries/personal assistants/interpreters, who can insert their own notes while preparing a review
Polish
Propagate
file for senior management. Language is another big factor, especially, in multinational organisations with diverse workforces with native speakers having an edge over peers who might be struggling with the nuances of a foreign language. The situation is exacerbated in situations where technical terminology/jargon does not translate directly into the local language and significant trust is placed upon bilingual colleagues to provide an explanation to the best of their ability. This can become quite tricky if there are simmering tensions between expats and locals with organisational politics taking a front seat while careers hang precariously on performance assessments. hr future.net · 06 · 2017
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INTERNATIONAL WATERS
BUSINESS INFORMATION
BUSINESS INFORMATION
Figure 2
The Dreaded 5M of Information Mismanagement (Created and developed by Murad Salman Mirza)
Misinterpretations
groups, regulators and so forth. This can result in multiple viewpoints that are reinforced in their convictions by the way information is interpreted. Consequently, arguments can be framed on opposing sides to find an advantageous position within the final resolution of a core issue. Such discord is ultimately channeled back to the top/senior management for mediation and requires astute handling in terms of placating apprehensive stakeholders.
Size and complexity of organisation Malevolence
Misgivings
Nature of the stakeholder (Message Giver, Receiver and Consumer)
The stakes are raised within organisations that are hotbeds of political intrigue, with a rampant grapevine, as the arrival of critical information can trigger positive/negative reverberations throughout the organisation, leading to frenzied stakeholders grappling with insecurities in terms of the subsequent impact. A message sent by an authoritative/influential figure within an organisation is less susceptible to change by those who report to the respective person, primarily due to
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Misunderstandings
Miscommunications
the accountability factor pertaining to knowledge misappropriation. However, distortion of information can happen once it is shared by an equally authoritative/influential person from another function since it might contain elements that may provide a cause for concern in terms of power dynamics. Generally, sycophants are more adept at ensuring information preservation, whereas, detractors try to dilute/dissolve/degrade the quality of communication to their advantage. Additionally, the information is liable to manipulation if the population receiving and/or consuming the message is large and vociferous, such as shareholders, union members, special interest
Effective communication becomes quite challenging in big organisations with multiple layers of management, especially those that are geographically dispersed and have a number of low profile subsidiaries lacking sufficient resources on par with those at the head office or their counterparts in prime markets. Consequently, conveying and/ or transmitting critical information requires due diligence in terms of overcoming several barriers like distance, technology, culture, influencers, distrust, apathy and others. Another aspect that magnifies the challenge is the lack of preservation mechanism within the organisation for securing critical information, especially, in case of employee attrition, and the influx of mixed messages from different influential quarters that compounds the situation and confounds the recipients. This is usually the result of disharmony among the senior management who are driven to stamp their individual influence within the organisation on the pretext of staying relevant and engaged while buying insurance against suspected challenges to their position by worthy successors.
INTERNATIONAL WATERS
granting favours on the basis of withholding/manipulating critical information that can be quite irresistible for power brokers, especially, those nearing the end of their professional careers as a way of ingratiating the future generation of leaders and ensuring cushy passage out of the organisation.
Food for thought
Great responsibility resides with the caretakers of critical information for ensuring its pristine quality since it can be easily tainted as a corrosive tool, a destructive weapon, a malicious catalyst or as an enabler of destabilisation. The insightful ones will set limits with respect to an
A message sent by an authoritative/ influential figure within an organisation is less susceptible to change by those who report to the respective person, primarily due to the accountability factor pertaining to knowledge misappropriation.
Use of knowledge as power
Information can be a formidable asset in the hands of its controllers. Its significance has been recognised by French and Raven, who have added it as the sixth element of the bases of power (https://lnkd.in/bCafDSf). The digital world has greatly enhanced the need for robust security and delicate preservation of critical information to safeguard against misuse. However, it remains a challenge for organisations with ambitious individuals jostling for prime positions at the expense of their peers. Adding to the tantalising mix is the lure of
enduring legacy of professional excellence, while the less fortunate will unleash nefarious designs on unsuspecting stakeholders and endanger the harmony of a wellfunctioning organisation. Where do you stand? n Murad Salman Mirza is a Committed Organisational Architect, Positive Change Driver, Unrepentant Success Addict and a globally published author based in the United Arab Emirates.
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