As a manager, supervisor or executive, you’re constantly communicating. You are giving directives, instructions, information, take aways and no matter how long, hard or loug you speak there is always someone who either does the complete opposite or does nothing at all.
HOW you communicate has a direct effect on the people around you. Each individual employee has their own style of learning, communication and understanding information. The charge to you as their leader is to take time to get to know them. In that phase, understand how they best recieve information is essential in delivering and receiving effective outcomes.
It takes purpose and intention to implement effective commmunication. Leaders must excel in the ability to speak, present, facilitate, and write so that others are able to take in what is important. It is the only way to attempt to meet the individual needs of your team and enable important himan connections and responses.
Imagine sitting in a meeting, your manager is going on and on and on about meeting the deadlines, but has never given the team any viable information on ways to deliver, what is expected of them or how to execute the deliverables. So now the team is stuck. Back to their desks, even more confused than before.
Collaborate with your team. This type of communiation helps to bring the team together to brainstorm on effective ways to tackle a task. Allow them the autonomy to manage the task themselves with whatever boundaries and final expectations you have set.
Request Feedback from your team. Any person in leadership should be able to take constructive critisism and use that to better their team or the organization in real time.
Align Outcomes with your team. Once they understand the bigger picture and how their portion adds value, they are more likely to push through for the final result.
Set Expectations from the onset of the project, meeting or task. If you don't tell them what you expect, how can they meet your expectations?? Be clear, concise and allow for questions and ideas. Being open in this space allows the employee comfortability to be vulnerable if they are unclear.
If you are still struggling, seek out an experienced Executive Coach such as myself to navigate and guide you through the particulars.
Until next time....