Value is communicated in various ways and at various levels. However, typically communication is only understood to be only related to words. To be sure, words are one form of communication, but often words are the least important form of communication. As we see it at the Shinsei Institute of Training and Development ™ and with The Shinsei Method™: action is the most potent form of communication.
This truism is obvious in other areas of law where tort laws are often worded in such a way to highlight intent, and intent is determined based on the actions of the parties involved. For example, the way it is determined whether or not a contract is breached (or honored) is through the actions of the parties involved not just their words. Contracts are important forms of communication in business and life. They are perhaps the most important form of communication although they are rarely considered as such. The importance of contracts in communicating messages is in their content (what the parties actually intend, which is often different from the legal terms used in the contracts); and in how the parties honor the terms of the contract (or fail to honor contractual terms) through their actions. However, contracts are usually understood to mean something written and signed between various parties to the contract. A wider understanding of contracts that encompasses the understanding that is developed when a company opens its doors to do business, when people make routine arrangements to complete projects together, or when people just start living together without any particular verbal or written agreement made is much more conducive to good will, to brand, to reputation, and to trustworthy dealings. Trustworthiness is the essence of effective communication and motivation. This is the element that is often overlooked whenever business, communication, or even contracts are discussed. Therefore, the most important follow up question is: how is trustworthiness demonstrated, communicated, and understood? Again, the answer is through the actions of the parties involved.
There is a much stronger ( and deleterious) emphasis on the short term in social culture and business culture. The basic research that is required to understand basic terms (of a contract, event, or other form of communication) is often omitted or summarily dismissed. This is unfortunate and destructive to long term profitability. It also tends to increase risk and liability. Notice that prudence, caution, constructiveness, go hand-in-hand with efficiency, effectiveness, risk and cost minimization, etc. This is one of the outstanding points of the Shinsei Method™. It is also what constitutes the Shinsei Difference™.
This trend toward short term thinking has a direct impact on contracts and by consequence on communication for two reasons. First, communication is a contract. Communication is an understanding between the party conveying the message, and the party (or parties) receiving the message. Trust and honesty are part of that understanding. When someone communicates a message it taken for granted to be a truthful message. Otherwise, there would be very little incentive to listen at all. However, since there is a very strong trend in business and life toward the short term, it has become far more acceptable (to the detriment of business and life) not to focus too much on truth, facts, details, confirmation, verification, or other knowledge-enhancing elements, but only in convincing someone of something for the moment. What comes later is not considered too important. If people or entities are not seen as trustworthy, this does not matter quite as much, only how good they were at convincing others of some idea (i.e. how well the situation was “spun”). This is not the type of communication advocated in the Shinsei Method™. There are people given an affectionate lable of “spin doctor” as if dishonesty is a good thing, a lying a badge of honor. This kind of trend is not too encouraging for those who seek to establish long term good will, which of course is still very important and still the basis of important ideas like “brand.” Individuals also have brands of a sort. Individuals are either known as courageous (or not), trustworthy, dependable, reliable, clearheaded, etc. These ‘brands’ are all still based on the message communicated by individual and verifiable actions.
With the emphasis on the short term the focus on short term results has impacted many aspects of business and life. In the next few segments we will cover the importance of value in communication, motivation, training, and how cultural trends toward short term results impact all of these important areas. More importantly, why these trends must be faced and addressed if profitability is to remain a goal in business operations, in business communication, in business motivation, and in life. What makes the Shinsei Approach to business and life extraordinarily unique, is the strong emphasis on the principle and substance of business and the practical effects of those principles for everyday results including profitability, efficiency, and effectiveness. Again, the Shinsei Difference™and the Shinsei Advantage™is in understanding these basic ideas in areas much wider than business. The Shinsei Perspective™ is in understanding that business, investing and science are very instructive guides for thinking, action, and decision. Results and quality depend on attitude or perspective. If the dominant perspective is short term oriented, the results will reflect that. This will also influence the quality of brand, reputation, product, and relationship. Therefore, quality is a very important concept. Quality too is communicated through action and on various levels. Does the product, brand, or relationship last? Or, is it shoddy, weak, or flimsy? These questions apply equally well to products, service, and relationships between people. Relationships between people can be understood to be strong, weak, reliable, dependable, durable, or shaky. And, so can the individuals involved. Overtime, that ‘quality’ becomes the brand: strong, reliable, dependable, durable? Versus, weak, flimsy, confusing, or shaky?