Leadership
is an extraordinary task. Leaders often face demands to reach desired results
but must rely on others to get them there. In the process, leaders must
continually overcome both logistical and human challenges. Everyone is watching
to see how they will do!
While
it is possible to make notable achievements individually through one’s own
gifts or abilities, leadership multiplies impact. Communication empowers aspiring
leaders to transform personal success into corporate victory.
Why communicate
when there is so much to be done?
Communication
is a key tool to empower a leader’s vision. It is the key to unlocking a team
or organization’s potential. It is a powerful tool for casting vision, shaping
culture and identity, increasing effectiveness, and multiplying leaders. Few
people are naturally skilled at communication. The great news for the rest of
us is that communication skills can be learned and continually developed.
“It’s complicated”
Communication
in the leader-follower relationship is much more than a one-way information
transfer. For maximum effectiveness, communication must be an ongoing, two-way
process. It is more complex than it may appear! In their book, “Leadership: A
Communication Perspective,” Craig E. Johnson and Michael Z. Hackman explained
that when two people are talking, there are actually six people in the
conversation (2018, p. 20):
1.
Who you think you are
2.
Who you think the other
person is
3.
Who you think the other
person thinks you are
4.
Who the other person thinks
he or she is
5.
Who the other person thinks
you are
6.
Who the other person thinks
you think he or she is
One
could quickly get lost even considering this! The key takeaway is that there is
much more to communication than meets the eye. There is much to be gained by learning
more about what is happening below the surface.
“Who
the other person thinks you think he or she is” is especially valuable to
consider in the leader-follower relationship. A phenomenon that has been named
the Pygmalion Effect describes how a leader’s expectations tend to become
self-fulfilling prophecies (Johnson &
Hackman, 2018). When leaders
communicate high beliefs or expectations, followers rise to meet them.
Likewise, if expectations are low, followers will fall in line with the low
expectations.
When
interacting with others, messages are being sent both verbally and nonverbally.
For example, leaders may naturally have a bias toward people who are similar to
them. A leader may not be aware of the bias, but may communicate it through
actions and nonverbal cues. Others may pick up on this message and perform at a
reduced capacity due to the lower expectations of them. This perpetuates the
bias and reduces the potential effectiveness of the team or organization.
Leaders can overcome this pitfall through awareness and intentional change
(more on this below).
Solicit feedback for
Maximum Effectiveness
Feedback Uncovers
Hidden Potential
Followers can provide valuable
feedback regarding a leader’s blind spots, which gives the leader opportunity
to realize greater potential. Many organizations invest valuable resources into obtaining various
forms of feedback. Feedback is a valuable tool to gain input from followers.
Requesting feedback can also provide insight into specific ways to improve
communication.
Solicit
Feedback
It is often necessary to establish trust and
invite feedback. Formal processes often use surveys to obtain feedback on key
areas. Less formal feedback can be obtained through conversations, feedback
cards, or other means of communication. In some cases, it can be valuable to
create avenues for anonymous feedback. The key is to communicate that honest
feedback is valued and the leader will not respond defensively or harbor
negative judgements.
Increase
Effectiveness with Follow Through
In a study referenced in the article
“The Impact of Executive Coaching and 360 Feedback on Leadership Effectiveness”
from the Leadership & Organizational Development Journal, leaders
experienced an average increase in effectiveness of 55% or more within 6 months
of obtaining strategic feedback from multiple sources and following through
with a coach to implement changes.
Reduce Gossip &
Establish Trust
If followers don’t feel
welcome or safe to provide feedback, they may comment on the leader, team, or
organization among themselves, but are unlikely to share it with the leader. An
added benefit is that communicating openness to honest feedback also serves to
reduce gossip. When people feel safe to share their feedback directly, they
will be less likely to turn to a “safer” third party in order to be heard. Genuine
invitations to receive feedback in a non-defensive way can help to reduce
gossip, provide valuable insight, and establish trust.
Pro Tip:
Take feedback seriously,
but not personally. The purpose is to
find opportunities to increase potential. We all have them. Some feedback could
be transformational. Other feedback may belong in the garbage. It is valuable
to extended grace and to remember that everyone else is also in process.
Seeking perspective from a trusted colleague, mentor, or coach can be helpful
to identify trends and sort out what feedback is most valuable. That feedback can
be used to develop actions plans.
Communication Tips
In addition the specific
areas for improvement uncovered by feedback, the tips below can boost
communication effectiveness.
1)
Establish and protect
trust.
Trust is foundational in
relationships. Lack of trust inhibits communication and leads to
misunderstanding. Trust is generally built over time. I can be lost much more
quickly. It is necessary to be consistent and act with integrity.
Some actions that can help to build trust include:
Connect.
Follow through on commitments.
Be attentive to the needs
or concerns of your followers.
Maintain confidentiality of
things shared in confidence.
Explain the reason behind major changes that impact followers.
Share insight about
yourself.
Express appreciation.
2) Communicate with
the listener in mind.
Messages
are received most effectively when the listener can connect to it. When
speaking or writing, consider your audience. Who are they? What is important to
them? How much do they already know about the topic? How do they feel about the
topic? It is valuable to consider these
types of question when formulating a message.
A technician describing a
problem to a consumer communicates effectively by speaking in simple terms. A
surgeon speaking to a medical team communicates with technical precision. If a
listener or audience has resistance to certain terminology, a wise communicator
can reframe a message to build upon concepts that are valued by the audience. A
message will be more powerful if it connects to the needs of the audience.
In cross-cultural or global
environments, greater sensitivity and understanding is required. Learning more
about the cultures and values of others can help provide the broader
perspective needed to communicate to diverse audiences. When stakes are high,
solicit feedback or do research before an important presentation or meeting.
3) Adapt to your
surroundings
Similar
to adapting to an audience, adapting to circumstances can also improve
communication effectiveness. It is not inauthentic to adapt your communication
style to the situation. Different situations require different styles.
Effectiveness can be
increased by understanding audience expectations. Formal attire and a formal
style are often expected when delivering quarterly or annual result to
stakeholders. A more relational approach is more fitting for an informal
proposal made to a long-time colleague over lunch.
4) Pay attention to
your audience
Listeners
provide valuable feedback during a conversation or presentation. A listener may
appear puzzled, upset, distant, excited, or engaged. In conversation, listeners
may also say things that give clues to whether or not they are following you. These
clues provide valuable insight that can allow the speaker to check for understanding
or course-correct, if needed.
As a note, listeners in
audiences may take on a passive, listening role with minimal facial
expressions. These listeners sometimes later share how valuable the message was
to them. Don’t get discouraged!
5) Never stop
growing
With an ever-changing, increasingly
diverse, and globally interconnected landscape, opportunity exists for
continual growth in communication skills and methods. As cultures intermingle,
it is necessary to grow in awareness of the values and worldviews of those we
lead. Leaders have the opportunity to unite people they lead by recognizing and
publically expressing honor and appreciation for the differences. This sets
the standard for those they lead.
Go & be
great!
Leadership
requires both courage and humility. Author and researcher Brené Brown offers wisdom
in her book “Daring Greatly.”
“When
we spend our lives waiting until we’re perfect or bulletproof before we walk
into the arena, we ultimately sacrifice relationships and opportunities that
may not be recoverable, we squander our precious time, and we turn our backs on
our gifts, those unique contributions that only we can make”(p.2).
If you are a leader, you have already
stepped out into the arena. Communication is a valuable vehicle for bringing your bring your vision to life!
