There are only two places in the world where a unique species of fireflies exist and we just happen to be lucky enough in Tennessee to have one of these destinations in the Smoky Mountains National Park. The other is in a far off region in Southeast Asia. A freak of nature you might ask, well no actually, synchronized fireflies are one of 19 species that blinks its yellow, bioluminescent lantern in exact time with others. These flashes allow the fireflies of the same species to identify each other. Five to eight bursts of light every six seconds.
Why all the talk about fireflies when this is a blog about businesses? Well, it got me thinking about how something so instinctual happens in Mother Nature and yet is so challenging in the business world.
Are your businesses teams running at optimum power and communication effectiveness? What does it take to really work together as a team where every member is contributing at their highest function?
When a team is able to effectively communicate, it cuts down on time lost to misinterpretation. Great communication also fosters open communication if there is an effective process in place. Team members are confident their opinions will be heard and that gives them a voice and ownership of their results.
Great teaming also encourages dynamic change and in this crazy ever-changing business word an effective team with solid communication flow can withstand changes, as the marketplace gets more complex. Information passes quickly and efficiently making changes more sustainable.
Great team communication creates understanding. People with different backgrounds can understand each other. Cultural diversity actually becomes a benefit, because the team communicates so well that mutual understanding occurs.
While we are all from the same species called the human race, we are unlike the synchronized fireflies.in that it takes effective planning and effort to communicate well. So next time you experience well synchronized communication in your business think about how rare this occurrence happens in nature and how you just may have experienced something truly spectacular.