Working with numbers is exciting for me. I love the orderliness of spreadsheets filled with verifiable data that I can access when I need it. Numbers aren’t subjective; they don’t offer excuses. You know exactly what they mean on a balance sheet.
When I started working at Gillespie Associates, however, I left behind daily tasks filled mostly with numbers to join a creative, word-oriented team used to much more ambiguity in their work life. For instructional designers—IDs—dozens if not hundreds of different approaches can help them translate a client‘s project from idea to award-winning training. Coming from a place where 2 + 2 always equaled 4 in a linear, defined process, I wondered how I would fit in.
More than five years later, I’m happy to say, not only do I fit in with my creative colleagues, I thrive in an environment that values the art and practice of collaboration. Maybe I’m just lucky, but research indicates companies like Gillespie Associates (GA) that take a holistic approach to organizational development thrive because they value everyone’s input regardless of their function within the business. At GA, we feel and express our interest in one another and in our clients. We believe training should effect change in the people who take it—and we try to communicate that from our initial client meetings straight through to the support we offer when training is complete.
Our IDs especially embody our systemic, holistic approach to training. For so many companies, training is the last item considered and the first one to drop during tough times. Our IDs help clients to see how investing in well-trained employees adds value by improving morale and competency. Sometimes companies don’t know what the real issues are—they just know they need help. By taking time to talk with company representatives and analyze the information, our IDs deliver training that helps employees perform their jobs better.
Being part of a team that values and practices good communication has helped me immensely as well. It’s both cliché and true to say that numbers people and creative types don’t always know how to talk to each other—and for me, it was literally so! In the early days, I sat through several strategy meetings with no idea at all what the IDs were talking about when they threw around terms like job aid. I got the gist of it from its name, but I had no understanding of its importance or how to develop one. When I finally worked up the nerve to ask, we had a lively and informative discussion on what a job aid is, and more important, how we as a team needed to ensure clear communication among us all.
Maybe you’re new to a department or a company; maybe someone on your team is a newbie; maybe you just have to figure out how to talk to another department that doesn’t really understand what you do and vice-versa. In all these arenas, here are some tips for bridging communication barriers and improving the outcome for everyone.
Ask questions. If you don’t know or understand something, ask—or if you’re uncomfortable asking in the moment, send an email or IM someone who may know. Many people are happy to give their insight and will be excited that you’re interested in finding out more.
Avoid jargon. If a group of IDs get together to talk shop, jargon is useful for short-hand communication. However, if you’re in a larger group or working with a client, you should be comfortable putting complex ideas into layperson’s terms to ensure everyone understands what you’re talking about. Try to anticipate what might seem foreign to people outside your field and communicate that information with respect for their differing knowledge.
Seek different viewpoints. Every function in a company adds value, from the person who maintains the facility to the person who signs everyone’s paycheck. Some of the best, most innovative solutions come from people who have the ability to draw from multiple arenas to hit on a creative action—and who aren’t afraid to seek answers from seemingly unrelated sources.
I have learned so much being a numbers person in a creative field, and I feel like my colleagues have learned a lot from me as well. The commitment we share to internal collaboration—while still celebrating all our different viewpoints—seems to make our external collaboration with clients that much better. I still love my numbers, and now I have added appreciation for good training and great communication.
Want to find out more about Gillespie Associate’s commitment to good training? Explore our resources—including job aids!—at https://www.gillespieassociates.com/resources/