Still, the art of successful communication does not come easy. It takes tact, effort and consideration in the form of thoughtful leadership. Read on to discover the 4 communication tips that will benefit your workplace while increasing employee’s understanding, compliance and overall appreciation.
Tailor Your Tone
Be prepared to tailor your tone based on your unique audience. Keep in mind that different employees will respond better to some communication tactics over others. Whether you’re implementing a casual chat or heading up a formal meeting, take some time to think about the different personalities, skills and preferences at hand, then tailor your tone (and delivery!) accordingly.
Trust and Motivation: The Perks of Being Human
Throughout your daily leadership practices keep in mind that your communication efforts will be well served by earning quality trust from your employees. Just think about how much more responsive people will be to what you have to say if they already trust and respect you. Keep in mind that there is no fast-track to trust available, over time fair-decision making, support, and guidance will win you trust. Haven’t been acting this way? The better-late-than-never rule applies here (and depending on how dramatic the shift, may need to be paired with an apology and a public announcement of your re-awoken approach to leadership.) Also, if you want to reach someone and more important – motivate them to act, then you’re going to need to tug at their heartstrings. How can you learn the right strings to pull? Get personal. Take time to foster quality relationships with the people behind their professional images. Understating your employees’ home life, hobbies and interests will allow you to communicate with them on a personal level that they “get.” Also, communication is a two-way street; if you want people to care about what you have to say then you need to return the favor and get interested in their stories, ideas, questions and concerns.
Remain Proactive and Responsible
In many cases a leader is defined by their team’s darkest hour. The way in which you react (or don’t react) will provide real insight into the quality of your leadership. Leaders who take the blame for their collective team’s faults truly walk the walk. Similarly, those that recover after a failure by meeting privately with their team to discuss a positive, proactive plan for next time, foster feelings of trust, loyalty and dependability. Employees take notice of a leader who is willing to take the fall. Protective and action-oriented efforts like these will open a team’s eyes and ears, improving your ability to effectively communicate between one another.
Try Out Transparency
Transparency is more than just being upfront and honest about what’s on your mind. It also factors in the idea that leaders will willingly divulge information, plans and motivations without ever being asked to do so. The trust that is organically grown through a transparent leadership approach will aid in your efforts to communicate effectively; however, the benefits do not stop there. Staying transparent with your team will leave little room for confusion and the hostility that can come about when misconceptions are added into the mix. With this being said, approach a transparent method of communication with cautious care. In order to prove effective, it will require a willingness among everyone to engage respectful, constructive conversations. What leadership tips can you share for outstanding communication?
