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:

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. 

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?” 

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.

Every leader experiences transitions in roles and responsibilities at one time or another. This is true whether the leader is new to the organization or moving up within it. The most successful leaders figure out how to transition as quickly and effectively as possible, minimizing – or even eliminating – any disruption to the business.

My neighbor down the block is the classic Gladys Kravitz from Bewitched. She knows the comings and goings of just about everyone in the neighborhood, and proudly overshares what she knows with anyone who will listen.

For leaders in today’s business world, effective communication is a differentiator. With so much information flying around from so many places, the ability to ensure you’re understood and employees are prepared to take action on your path forward is critical to your individual and organizational success.

And yet time and time again I’ve heard the excuse, “Communicating effectively is too tough.”