It’s no secret that employees look for – and want – more meaningful communication and interactions with their colleagues, teams and leaders, especially given the recent events. Research shows that better communication leads to higher engagement, which is linked to increased employee motivation, productivity, sales, and – on the flip side – less absenteeism, turnover and injuries in the workplace.
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Some leaders consider listening a soft skill (maybe even overrated), others may consider themselves good listeners, and some know it’s a skill they need to work on. Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum, one thing is certain: a big part of your job right now is to listen.
Part of what’s changed as we all live through the COVID-19 outbreak and civil unrest is the urgent need for leaders to listen to their employees and understand the challenges they face as they deal with today’s uncertain and ever-changing situation.
Tags: Communication Skills, Leadership Effectiveness & Planning, COVID-19 Communications
There are very few things in this world that are neutral. Consider a gift that with special wrapping paper or bows – it says something about the thought, the meaning and the care in that present. It communicates something different than a brown paper grocery bag stapled shut.
Similarly, everything you do, and everything you say, communicates. And, importantly, everything you don’t do, and everything you don’t say, communicates.
It’s a reality for everyone in business and life. Yet being a leader, it’s critical because all eyes are on you.
Effective communication lets you create shared meaning and understanding between you and your team. These 5 skills are must-haves for any manager looking to get their messages heard and create a productive work environment where employees can thrive.
Every employee comes into the workplace with his or her own context, a mixture of culture, memories, upbringing, and experiences. Part of the role of a manager is to create a shared vision for the entire team. Make sure employees understand the big picture and how they fit in. Constantly communicate the “why” behind the business plan: why the plan is important, the role your team plays and the critical role individual employees play.
Tags: Communication Skills
Relying on only one form of communication or one method to deliver a message—such as a monthly email message or webcast—is a clear mistake if you want to have maximum impact. Employees have different personalities and work habits.
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What do employees want? While the answer varies by employee, our research and work reveals a collective “wish list” every boss should know. What follows are some of the most sought-after wishes and those that come up most often as unmet:
Tags: Communication Skills
Communication—done well—can be tough. But how can you increase the chances you will be effective and get what you want?
To get good at anything—whether in sports, business or a big focus of mine, parenting—you need to work at it.
What comes to your mind when you think about the world’s great leaders? Often, it’s how they inspired people or organizations to achieve greatness. Or a stirring speech that delivered a compelling message. The fact is, many great leaders are also great communicators.
Tags: Leadership Communication, Internal Communication, Communication Skills
When leaders call us for help with any type of communication, our first step is to understand what’s going on. We need to assess the audience and current state to identify key issues or opportunities before making recommendations.
Typically, this involves using some type of communications measurement tool or method to guide our solution. And we often hear, “We already know our communication is poor, why measure?”
Tags: Communication Skills
It’s a paradox that every leader faces: Create teams that work well together but embrace conflict. Also, drive consensus but encourage individual points of view. Discomfort is emotional. Feelings can be complex and multi-layered. But stifling expression can inhibit a team’s performance and lead to poor decision making.
Tags: Communication Skills
