Some leaders think that just because they have already said something, they assume people will naturally follow. Communication, from a leadership standpoint, is all about influence and persuasion. Effective communication is not just about what you say, but how your words spur people to act in the direction you want them to go.
In conservative organizations, team members silently acquiesce to what their leader is saying because the chain of command dictates how they should react. In more progressive institutions, team members are encouraged to speak, even to executive leadership, without fear. Each presents their own unique advantages and disadvantages but doing so requires effective communication skills to get their message across.
All effective communication begins with what you want to say. A good rule to follow is if you do not completely understand something, do not talk about it to your team. Chances are, they will ask details which you do not know, and you will end up fomenting speculations. Learn as much as you can, especially on how the message will affect your entire team. Once you have enough information, determine how your team might react.
In a previous organization, an issue arose regarding a merger with another company. Of course, people became agitated for their jobs, and people managers were given instructions to not discuss it openly. Somehow, word got to my team, and in one meeting someone asked about it. To stop any misinformation, I told them what I knew at the time and explained the possible effects to the team. Later, it became easier to ask help from the team when we had to justify our contribution to the organization. Needless to say, we were given more people and resources to continue our work.
What helped me during that time was knowing how they would react and to prepare answers to possible questions. Thinking of the questions that might come up helps you to prepare mentally and gives you enough time to research. People see through inconsistencies and will think that either you do not have enough information, or you are just bluffing. Before joining a meeting or talking to a person, make sure you have all the information you need.
This will also give you the confidence to talk to your team. Confidence is based on your own expertise and knowledge of the topic of discussion. The only way you can know more is to ask questions and know as much as you can. If you do not understand it, how much more for your team members? So, build your confidence by knowing as much as you need before talking to your team on a new policy or process, when you need to discipline them, or any change that will affect them.
Practice what you will say to clarify what you mean. Write down what you want to say and then read it aloud so you can hear yourself and change your tone depending on your intent. You also need to carefully choose your words because your prejudice and assumptions might emerge unintentionally with your choice of words. You might not be aware of it, but people pick up how you feel about them through the words you use.
To validate if your team really understood what you meant, ask questions. Normally, people would end their talk with “Do you have any questions?” A more effective way to know if your team really understood what they need to do is to ask them questions. This will force them to think of the implications of what you have told them. It also provides an opportunity for the timid ones to answer and even ask questions for clarification. Remember that for effective communication to take place, there has to be a meeting of the mind. And that will not happen when you are the only one speaking.
Aside from what and how you will say it, you also need to consider the means by which you communicate. Some people do fine by reading instructions via e-mail because they have worked with someone for so long that they can anticipate and understand what the other person is trying to say. If you are managing people, you need to understand the best way to communicate with each of your team members. Some need more guidance and would need hand-holding, while some can do more with general directions. You have to meet your team at their level if you want them to do what you ask.
Note that whoever you are talking to needs to know you have their best interest at hand. Otherwise, whatever you say will fly over their heads. Theodore Roosevelt Jr. once said, “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” You need to be relatable and genuine in order for people to listen and be open to what you have to say.
This also means liking the other person. If you do not like the person you are talking to, they will sense it and they will reciprocate by not listening. At the very least, they need to know and feel that you respect them. You do this by clarifying their statements and asking for more details. You cannot summarily dismiss them or their ideas. You need to find a common ground so you can open the door to their hearts and minds.
Do not expect that you will be understood all the time, but try as much as you can to be clear. Do not be too hard on yourself when people misunderstand you because there are people who will choose to believe what they want, or are too stubborn to admit when they are wrong. Whatever their reason, try to use other ways of communicating until you reach them.
Communication has always been two-way. If a message is not received as intended, you need to find another way of communicating with people at their level. As a people manager, you need to get to know your team better, so you know how to rally them when you need to. If you want to be a great leader, start by honing your communication skills so that you can influence and inspire people to do more than they ever thought possible.
Image credits: Mimi Thian on Unsplash