![\"Dave](\"http:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2015\/04\/150219-dave-conrad-029-300x300.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\nDave Conrad has honed his knowledge through decades of work as an independent business consultant, his experience in sales and marketing for public and private companies in a range of industries, and his positions in higher education. He\u2019s author of \u201cAsk Dave,\u201d a column for the Rochester Post-Bulletin. His first book, which shares the same name as his column, is available for purchase at the Augsburg College bookstore.<\/p>\n
The majority of American workers report being unhappy in their jobs. One of the biggest factors for this dissatisfaction is poor workplace communication, according to The Conference Board\u2019s annual survey of 5,000 U.S. households. Other top factors that contribute to workplace dissatisfaction include issues related to compensation, recognition, and career development.<\/p>\n
None of this is surprising to Dave Conrad, assistant director of the Augsburg College Master of Business Administration program at Rochester and associate professor in Rochester and Minneapolis. Each week for the past eight years, Conrad has shared straightforward business and workplace guidance with 100,000 readers of his column, \u201cDear Dave,\u201d published in the Rochester Post-Bulletin since 2006.<\/p>\n
Conrad said that while he fields plenty of questions on workplace communication issues, he also responds to queries on everything from conflicts among coworkers to issues of company culture, managing change, and problem solving. There\u2019s probably no question that has been left unasked of Conrad. And his advice is so popular that he published a book based upon his column and has another one in the works.<\/p>\n
Conrad dispenses usable guidance that blends management processes with leadership thinking so that readers can gain insight into the worlds of their coworkers.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy readers tend to be everyday, hard-working staff employees or mid-level managers who need everyday advice,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Conrad doesn\u2019t really need to be told by a national survey that communication problems vex employees at all levels. He knows it because, time and again, he receives questions from readers struggling to give voice to their opinions or to share information about the direction an organization is heading.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are bursting at the seams with ideas, input, and feedback, but there often is no one listening,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
When one reader in 2013 asked Conrad why it seems that managers don\u2019t interact with employees\u2014not even to ask how the employees are coping\u2014Conrad delivered his trademark guidance, mixing simple steps with insight:<\/p>\n
\u201cOrganizations thrive on communication and dialogue. It is crucial that managers simply interact with employees … and ask if they can help the employees in any way,\u201d Conrad wrote. \u201cManagers should pass along information about the company that will help employees understand the mission, vision, goals, and objectives pertaining to where the company is heading.\u201d<\/p>\n
Conrad said that the reason this type of communication is critical is because it creates what he calls \u201cwe-ness,\u201d a shared purpose among employees that can inspire everyone to work toward shared goals.<\/p>\n
Conrad also offers practical guidance for how managers should communicate with employees: share honestly, strive to promote dialogue, ensure every voice is heard, and welcome ideas and input without chastising the messenger.<\/p>\n
When a manager asked Conrad how to more effectively guide change after learning that her employees felt she didn\u2019t connect well with those employees who most needed information, Conrad first shared insight on the organizational need to develop\u00a0a change-management communication plan. The creation of such a plan is an important step in ensuring that the manager delivers the right information to the right people at the right time.<\/p>\n
He followed up with the types of information to include in the plan so all his readers could understand steps toward shaping and managing change.<\/p>\n
\u201cCommunication gaps and weaknesses must be discovered, and a systematic means of providing instructions, information, and feedback must be created and implemented,\u201d he responded via the 2014 column. \u201cTo get and keep people on board: Explain the \u2018why\u2019 of the change. Clearly communicate the vision, mission, and the objectives of the change management initiative. Have and articulate ideal outcomes. Get people interacting and sharing ideas and perspectives.\u201d<\/p>\n
Conrad\u2019s approach was no different when we asked him what insight he has for Augsburg College alumni just starting out in the work world and those who want to grow their careers.<\/p>\n
Conrad said that it\u2019s likely Auggies who are beginning their careers will need to perform unglamorous\u2014and possibly, humbling\u2014work for a while. But that\u2019s normal.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love the saying: If you do what you love, you will never work a day the\u00a0rest of your life,\u201d Conrad said. \u201cThe problem is, when you\u2019re just out of college, it\u2019s easy to get confused about what you can do in the workplace, or even what you want to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just as Auggies are sorting through what they might want to do, employers will be watching. Conrad encourages Auggies to stay positive, maintain enthusiasm, and take on tasks they never thought they would have to perform. Early in their careers, he said, Auggies should show off their work ethic no matter the task assigned.<\/p>\n
Conrad\u2019s tips for young employees include taking on the assignments nobody wants, asking managers for feedback on their work, and seeking guidance for how to earn promotions.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot only is this a way to demonstrate drive and ethic, but it also offers a way to practice the communication skills that make a workplace more rewarding,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
For Auggies further along in their career, Conrad offers similarly upbeat advice.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep things fresh, engaging, and constructive\u2014dare I say \u2018positive,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cVolunteer for small and big projects, mentor budding managers, be there for people in need, learn new things, and do anything that shows care about the productivity and well- being of the organization, others, and especially yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Employers are attracted to employees who understand the importance of their work on their team, department, and organization. Through the reflective practices and hands-on learning built into an Augsburg College education, Auggies leave campus knowing how their work makes a difference in the world, and they are ready to lead in organizations ranging from nonprofits to Fortune 500 businesses. And, they are ready to do it well.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dave Conrad has honed his knowledge through decades of work as an independent business consultant, his experience in sales and marketing for public and private companies in a range of industries, and his positions in higher education. He\u2019s author of \u201cAsk Dave,\u201d a column for the Rochester Post-Bulletin. His first book, which shares the same <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4730,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[29],"class_list":["post-4641","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured-stories","tag-spring-2015"],"wps_subtitle":"Meet Dave Conrad","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4641","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4641"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4641\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6447,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4641\/revisions\/6447"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4641"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4641"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4641"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}