The Seattle Sonics, a National Basketball Association team, are having problems. This is nothing new for the Sonics, nor for many professional teams. The same could be said for many businesses. The actual problem is universal.

In a local news article, the plight of one of the Sonics stars is sited.

"Rashard Lewis has made peace with this lost season. He says he's no longer angry with ownership, management, teammates, and the circumstances that have turned the once-proud Sonics into a franchise struggling for respectability."
-- Lewis voices upset over Sonics' path - The Seattle Times, February 26, 2006

In an industry where sometimes it seems like sports stars just go through the motions of playing as they take home millions of dollars for uninspired effort, Lewis is contrary. Like others stuck in positions with little chance of advancement, Lewis speaks his mind. "I'm tired of losing. My main focus is to compete for an NBA championship before my career is up."

The Sonics are in disarray. They have changed coaches; they have traded players; they are threatening to relocate; they have remained secretive about their plans for playing and winning.

The John Cleese training video people have a communications training video that speaks to this problem. The aim of the video is to ensure that managers inform and involve their teams in order to improve motivation and productivity. It doesn't really matter if we are talking about a sports team or a workteam at the office. The predicament is the same.

"Research shows that the two most common complaints in organizations worldwide are 'nobody ever tells us' and 'nobody ever asks us'. The Best Of Motives consists of two videos, which tackle each of these issues. Part One is No One Ever Tells Us, and Part Two is No One Ever Asks Us. The final lesson is that people need results to achieve, not tasks to perform if they are to be productive, successful and willing to contribute to the business." - Ad copy for The Best of Motives

Lewis, who will probably ask out of his contract that is scheduled to pay him 21 million dollars for the final two years, says, "I still don't know what's going on with management. Are they going to sell the team? I think there's a number of different things that are really going on right now."

Here we have a player that is worth millions of dollars a year and he doesn't know what's going on. His mind goes over the same concerns as an employee making $12.50 an hour. Will he stay on the job where he's not informed and his opinion isn't asked for, or will he seek employment somewhere else? "No One Ever Tells Us" and "No One Ever Asks Us" are major hurdles at all levels.

We all face the same communication issues. Lewis probably has a better chance of succeeding than most of us, and by speaking up he's involving himself in the communications process.

Communications should always be a two-way street. One-way and no-way communications just don't work. Team members want to succeed if given the chance . . . the tools . . . and a little information.