An acupuncturist works to identify and remove blockages that may be occurring in the human body. When blockages occur, health problems can result. In organizational acupuncture The task is similar, we need to identify blockages that may be occurring in a given communication channel in the organization. Try to identify the nature of that blockage, and most importantly, identify ways to remove it. In my experience in working with dozens of companies, in all industries and of all sizes, I've identified three basic types of blockages. They are poor quality information, too much information, or Thirdly, withholding information.

Let's look at each one of these blockages in detail. poor quality information takes various forms. For quality information is that which is incorrect, outdated or irrelevant. irrelevant because it isn't directly usable by its recipients. We have to consider energy in terms of its inherent quality. acupuncturists believe that there is good ci and there's bachchi.

If the energy flowing through a given channel is a poor quality, it can create a blockage. Think of arteries in the human body. If over the course of many years you eat too many high fat, high cholesterol foods, your arteries will clog up. Why? Because those foods possess negative qualities. Ultimately, the circulatory pathways become so congested that blood can flow through them, heart disease and strokes can result.

The same phenomenon occurs in an organization's pathways. If too much poor quality data flows through the system. It can clog up the channels through which corporate information, knowledge and intelligence must travel. The second type of blockage relates to the problem of too much information that's flowing through communication channels. Let's look at the problems at this particular block. can create.

Blockages can result when too much information. Even good quality information is flowing through giving communication channels or meridians. In a word, the problem is clutter. You must make sure that even if high quality useful data and intelligence are circulating through the company, that the quantity of data doesn't overwhelm people. Our world is dense with information and it's a skill to be able to continually take in and process information to determine its relevance. In many organizations, information is flowing in many different directions from the top down from bottom up from side to side.

In other words from function to function. Today, many of us are overwhelmed by this flood of information. it's incumbent upon a company's leaders to know when a data deluge is causing a clutter related blockage. The third type of blockage relates to interpersonal communications and office politics. And it has to do with people withholding information Let's take a look at this particular blockage and the problems that can result. This blockage relates to some people's aversion to sharing knowledge and business intelligence.

Historically, information has always been the, quote, currency of power. In other words, managers who had certain proprietary data or insights intentionally withheld it to boost their standing in the organization, or to weaken the standing of others. Take for example, a star salesperson who refuses to share any insights on his or her customers markets, or aspects of his customers relationships that might benefit his fellow sales professionals. This type of attitude and behavior is in contrast to the basic principles of knowledge management, which are based on accumulating and sharing the intellectual property resident in a company. This type of attitude and behavior withheld information can completely block informational energy from flowing through the company when you can characterize As the nature and components of the informational energy that's flowing through your organization through specific communication channels, you can begin to identify the types of blockages that may be occurring in your organization and the reasons why your company may be underperforming or you may be experiencing particular management problems.

So let's sum up the guidance in this lesson. Here are the three key takeaways. First, identify the organizational communication channels or meridians in your company that serve as the main conduits of information sharing and intelligence. Next, isolate problems the specific blockages that may be occurring in those channels. And next, characterize the type of blockages that are occurring as the first step in understanding how to remove them. We talked about three common blockages.

Keep in mind that there may be others that are unique to your company. an acupuncturist uses needles or acupressure points to remove blockages that are occurring In the body's meridians, in the next lesson, we'll look at the ways that we can remove blockages that are occurring in the communication and information channels in your particular organization.