Communication is one of the most critical leadership skills in the modern workplace. But its job is to do so much more than just transmit information. Leaders who communicate with an intent to engage end up with, well, more engaged teams. Who perform better and stick around longer.
Communication is one of the most critical leadership skills in the modern workplace. But its job is to do so much more than just transmit information. Leaders who communicate with an intent to engage end up with, well, more engaged teams. Who perform better and stick around longer.
Modern Mentor is hosted by Rachel Cooke. A transcript is available at Simplecast.
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I’ve been speaking a lot lately. Mostly about this concept of fully activating our teams. Not just to engage them. And not just to amp up the results they deliver. But to achieve both. Because if we can do one set of things that both make our teams feel engaged and enable them to perform better…isn’t that the biggest win of all?
What I’m realizing is that a lot of leaders seem to think it requires a major organizational investment or effort to achieve this state. And sure – that all helps. But the truth is, there’s a lot of impact a leader at any level can have on their own team. If they understand which levers to pull and how.
And one place I’m seeing leaders have a huge impact? It’s in their communication. With just a few small tweaks in the who, what, and how of their communication, I’m watching leaders experience some pretty big wins.
Today I’d love to share some of my favorite communication tips that you can pick up and practice…but only if you’d like your team to be activated.
1. Give ‘em a why
People don’t like to be told what to do. We just don’t.
But what do we like? We like contributing to a cause; feeling part of something.
Like, sometimes my family will head to a park for a hike or a picnic. (But mostly picnics). And I’ll see a sign reminding us not to leave our trash behind.
But here’s the thing. Sometimes the sign says something like “Littering is prohibited. Risk of $250 fine.”
And sometimes the sign says “Help keep our park beautiful. Please take all trash out with you.”
Both messages will get me to clean up. But the first one leaves me feeling a little threatened. A little disciplined. And I’ll do it. But I’m a little resentful.
The second one? It feels like an invitation. To help, to keep nature clean and lovely. It makes me want to clean up.
This is a small example. But imagine how it translates at work. As a leader you may be handing out directives. Like “attend this meeting,” or “complete this dashboard,” or “take this training.”
And you may be getting compliance. But you might also be building up some gentle resentment.
And also ask yourself – what aren’t you getting? When you just tell someone what to do – without explaining the why – you’re missing out on an opportunity to invite them in. To excite them. To get their ideas and inputs to make it better.
So instead of “please complete this dashboard” try something simple like “please complete this dashboard so we get a chance to show senior leadership what an awesome impact we’ve had on the customer experience this quarter.”
Imagine how much more excited they’ll feel. And frankly how much more creativity you’re likely to get from them.
We’re all running at a million miles a minute. Taking the few seconds to tack on a “why” will totally be worth it. You have my word.
2. Lean on simplicity and clarity
So here’s a thing that happens to me all the time.
I’ll be running a Team Activation session, and I’ll hear from people things like:
· They just changed X policy or procedure and no one knows why or how we’re supposed to operate now.
· We have no idea what our goals or targets or priorities are.
· We know there’s a big change coming but we have no idea what it is or how it’s going to affect us.
And then I play this back to the leader who inevitably says “What do you mean? I’ve explained that a dozen times!”
There’s a quote that I love from George Bernard Shaw: “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”
It is so unbelievably common that leaders really believe they’ve communicated something. And yet somehow their teams insist they’ve heard nothing.
And it almost always has to do with clarity and simplicity.
Leaders bury key and critical messages behind corporate speak. They’ll send out multi-page memos that people just don’t have time to read. And so in the end, messages just aren’t received.
The key is to be as clear and simple as possible. Leaders, ask yourself 3 questions:
1. What do you need your teams to know?
2. How do you want them to feel?
3. What do you want them to do?
From there craft your message – written or verbal (ideally both) and just speak in plain, simple English. If there’s a lot of extra detail, drop it in an appendix. But make sure you call people’s attention to just the basics and test for understanding. Don’t assume your message is received.
3. Ask questions
Not sure what to say? Then lead with a question. An open, honest one.
Use your words not to direct or dictate, but to invite and acquire new intel.
Your teams are working so hard. I promise. And they want to deliver more, better, bigger. But there are things holding them back. Inefficiencies. Broken processes. Bottlenecks.
What are these things?
Only one way to find out. As in – ask. And just listen. Don’t defend or explain. Just take it in. Because there is always a nugget of truth in what they tell you. Focus on the insight.
When we invite their perspectives and include their ideas, they feel more connected to whatever next steps we take.
So ask a question and sit back.
4. Close the loop
Know what frustrates teams around the globe? Black holes.
As in – “I asked my leader a question and she said she’d get back to me but never did.”
Or “My leader mentioned a new process was coming…but we’ve heard nothing since and we’re kinda anxious.”
Or “My leader asked for suggestions and we gave them. And it’s just been crickets ever since.”
Whatever the conversation with your team. Close the loop.
Still don’t have an answer? Then tell them that. And recommit to finding it.
Still not sure when that new process is being implemented? Tell them that. And recommit to learning more.
Heard their ideas but can’t implement them for whatever reason? Tell them that.
Explain what was great about the idea and why it’s a no-go.
In the absence of updates, we create our own stories. Generally horror ones. Any information – even a report of the absence of it – is a way to fend off the goblins of the workplace rumor mill.
These are the ways we keep our teams talking. Engaging. Being part of the way forward.
Join me next week for another great episode. Until then, visit my website at leadabovenoise.com if your organization is looking to dial up its Employee Experience or deliver some leadership development that activates change. You can follow Modern Mentor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Find and follow me on LinkedIn. Thanks so much for listening and have a successful week.
Modern Mentor is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast. This episode was edited by Holly Hutchings and audio-engineered by Dan Feirabend. Thanks to the rest of the team at Quick and Dirty Tips, including: our new Director of podcasts, Brannan Goetschius, Podcast and Advertising Operations Specialist Morgan Christianson, our Marketing and Publicity Associate Davina Tomlin, and Kamryn Lacy.