Communicating is critically important in today's energy environment.

• Author: Beavers, Ray

Delivering power is the core business of a distribution cooperative. Yet, ever since joining the cooperative network more than three decades ago, I've considered communication to be the most essential component for developing a successful cooperative business model. Cooperatives have always proclaimed they put a tremendous emphasis on transparency and member education, but unless that's supported through apparent action, it's simply paying lip service to the cooperative difference.

It Starts With an Inside-out Approach

The most effective communications programs I've been involved with have one thing in common--a realization that all employees must be well-versed in the cooperative member education efforts. When United Cooperative Services was created in 2000 through the consolidation of the former Johnson County and Erath County electric cooperatives, the top priority was to ensure that the employees would never lose sight of the fact that United is a member-owned cooperative committed to the communities it serves, and that it is ultimately committed to the principles that truly demonstrate the merits of the cooperative business model.

To accomplish this at a cooperative of our size (70,000 meters), it was clear we needed support from the employee group. We established United's Employee Relations Committee, comprised of eight employees from both pre-consolidation cooperatives, who would help lead the internal communications efforts and help to pave the way for a successful consolidation. The committee meets on a monthly basis with senior staff, and addresses how to incorporate the co-op's objectives into employee communications and activities.

While the employee relations committee was instrumental in helping the consolidation succeed, the establishment of monthly employee meetings has proved to be one of the most effective tools in our ongoing communications efforts. Getting 151 employees to communicate the same message to the membership is challenging. We overcame--and continue to overcome--that hurdle by bringing every employee into monthly meetings. In those gatherings the executive staff and other employees clearly lay out objectives, messages, and a range of other essential information for the employees. In turn, United's employees utilize the meetings to discuss their roles in educating our members. We also emphasize to the entire employee group that each person is an ambassador of the United brand, which means they individually have...