The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. As I stated in my last blog, on multiple occasions we have heard it said that the universities are not responsive. I have also heard from the universities that prime contractors do not follow through with their commitment. Well, what seems to be the problem, why can’t we all just get along?
The vision of successful communication is one that builds a community. A community is a social unit that has something in common. Communities often share a sense of place, whether that be geographical or in a virtual space through communication platforms.
If a prime contractor has a requirement to fulfill via a government solicitation that specifically states a Minority Serving Institution is needed, they should be able to contact a university skilled with that capability to meet that requirement. However, primes are stating they can’t get in touch with anyone, so they move on.
Universities need to be aware that this is serious. I wrote a blog on “Whatever It Takes” a few months back, and I will say again: whatever it takes to ensure the calls are being answered should be done. Perhaps, setting up a separate entity just as Alabama A&M University did with the RISE foundation would help. Ensuring there are personnel whose sole purpose is to communicate with the primes would help. The ability to communicate effectively lies with proper follow up.
The prime contractors often commit to something with these universities that often lead to a break down in communication. The universities will claim that the prime misled them into thinking they will receive a contract, and the primes say they never committed to that.
Why is there such a disparity in what both entities believe are facts? Obviously, it is poor communication. Sometimes the person committing to such an agreement does not have the authority.
Maybe, the primes need to spend some time with the university to get an effective communication plan in place. This will need to be done by the prime because the primes understand the requirement and ultimately what the desired outcome should be. The plan is a road map for getting the message across. It is too late to communicate to the university once the award has been made.
Communication builds community through a common unit. The common unit that the prime and the university have is to achieve the NASA 1 percent goal of awarding contracts to Historically Black Colleges and Universities/MIs. This goal benefits both the primes and the universities, but in order to achieve this goal a communication gap must be bridged.
The approach that is being used is not working, consequently, we need to use a communication plan to build a community. The plan will need to ensure systematic information sharing and two-way communication. I believe the following steps need to take place.
Identify your objectives (the 1 percent goal)
Choose the audience that needs to be present (Who in your organization has the lead on these types of actions?)
Design key messages (What requirement is needed?)
Select a communication need that benefits either party (Is telecom, e-mail, or face-to-face more beneficial?)
Plan for two-way communication (Both parties need to discuss the plan)
Establish a time frame (When do questions need to be answered)
Draft a budget (Is there money that need to be spent)
Implement the plan
Monitor the results and look for ways to improve.
When implementing a communication plan, keep in my mind what you are trying to achieve. Do not become frustrated, but keep the end goal in mind. Attending conferences is not enough; you will need to follow up. And, more importantly, follow through is essential. Try implementing these nine steps in your organization to achieve better results.
Latonia Jones is the chief executive officer of Phenomenal Management Partners, a consulting firm that specializes in creating and implementing business development strategies for academic institutions that conduct research and development for federal government agencies.
