The desire for a community orientated business

Hi all,
One of the key aspect that I have tried to include in my business design is the provision for numerous different methods for individuals that are both our clients and our "employees" to communicate without inhibition with myself and other members of the upper echelons of Hale&Fun.

I have worked in a number of different companies (and subsequently been fired, asked to leave, ran away from and once made redundant by an excel worksheet...the sad thing about this was that it an worksheet that I develop but I am moving away from my point, and slightly exaggerating the truth to make it sound funnier) and the one thing that always frustrated me was the poor communication particularly when it came to management explaining their decisions. I remember in one job I had decisions were being made with almost no input from the employees and handed down from high like Moses on the mountains. Talking to my fellow workers it soon became apparent that in general these proclamations were ignored and these people who were really in the thick of things were coming up with the better solutions and implementing them, with a minor token head nod to upper management. To put it bluntly that SUCKS!, the employees were depressed because they felt that they were being ignored in the decision making for the company that was their life blood and even worse, frustrated because their, at time really innovative, problem solving was being stifled. In fact, in more than one case an individual who had after numerous attempts to make management see reason, implemented their own solution (which worked) was reprimanded for it because that was not company policy. Let me say again this SUCKS!

Luckily, Hale&Fun is my business and I get to do what I want (it is good at times being the boss), so I have attempted to make sure that there are as many different lines of communication as possible between all levels of this business. For example, all the managers are required to produce and submit at least one curriculum for the business, this is important because it keeps them on the same playing field as our "full time" teachers,. I have also started up a discussion forum and twitter, not to mention this blog which I hope will act as methods of keeping transparency in the decision making and offer the opportunity for the different voices within the business - both the employees and the clients to be heard. The aim is not just to build a sucessful enterprise but something that all of those involved feel ownership of, something we all have a say in and are all proud of.

(oh if you are wondering yes my business model has borrowed heavily from Wikinomics- the book by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams, an excellent book which isnt as dry or dull as I first expected but definitely something I would recommend to everyone).