As a leader, you are always on the podium. You are being observed every moment of the day at work and outside work, and every move, every word, and every facial expression will be considered for meaning and interpretation. Really freaky stuff, right?
Effective leadership communication in action
Here are a few stories:
A leader walks onto the factory floor and sees a newly produced batch of widgets, all shiny and blue. He says, “Impressive! They would look great in red too.” The next day, the blue ones are gone, and thousands of red ones are ready to leave for the store. The leader was spitballing and failed to tell the team so. They interpreted the sentence as corrective action and direction, a very expensive thinking out loud exercise. This plays out similarly in many organizations every day, and we will share a few more next week.
Why your message matters in the war for talent
The focus of messages with meaning and impact is wider than conversation and direction. In an environment where employers compete for talent, we must understand the drivers of employee decision-making. A competitive remuneration package will open the door, an employee-focused culture may lead to a yes. Clear direction and purpose will retain them. Leaders must communicate vision and direction, alignment, and priorities, as well as expectations around execution, relentlessly. Losing talent because of weak and confusing messaging is expensive and damaging to your reputation.
I recently received a note via Glassdoor on a review of an old friend. Sadly, it berated her leadership quite harshly, weak, directionless, very negative, and no leadership. I know that leading that organization is her deepest passion. Her messaging, however, needs a lot of work. She talks too much and the message gets lost in her verbose discourse, and she often displays a negative bias. Her passion and good intentions are lost in the framing and delivery of the message.
What does a good message look like?
Whether you are sharing the vision, creating alignment, or inspiring outcomes, keep these five guidelines for effective leadership communication top of mind:
- Once is not enough. Communicate relentlessly and continuously. Consider your job as being the Chief Reminding Officer. Be clear on the purpose of the communication, keep the process open and transparent, and engage in real conversations on the topic.
- Simple and direct. Make it easy for others to understand the message. The success of your communication depends on how the message is received.
- Listen and encourage feedback. It is the only way to test the success of your communication. Encouraging input is a valuable way to learn what is really happening. Ask questions such as “What needs to be done?”, “What is right for the business now?”, and “If you were me, what would you change?”
- Illustrate with stories. Everyone likes a good story. It is a great way to give life to a vision or a goal. People relate to stories and find them easier to repeat.
- Communication is more than words. Follow through with congruent demeanour and actions. When you communicate, non-verbal cues must be aligned with the message, and follow-through actions should support the message. You are always under observation, and your teams and stakeholders derive meaning from every action.
Make clarity a competitive advantage
You would think that a company known for clear direction and open communication would be commonplace. For those who achieve this, it becomes a large competitive advantage in the war for talent.
“Communication is the real work of leadership.” Nitin Nohria
Strengthen your leadership communication
If you or your team want help sharpening messages that inspire action, we can support you with leadership communication consulting, team coaching, and executive coaching. Reach out to explore what would work best for your context.
