Ever had that sinking feeling when you check-in with the team or an individual and find the work is below your expectations?
It can be that they are: completely off track, behind schedule, missing key people’s input, incorrect details, off message or poor quality, for example.
The frustration for leaders and managers this causes, is understandable, yet I believe the responsibility for .how communications are received sits with the leader. Communicating has many levels and methods; and mastery of this multifaceted skills is, in my mind, on going. Requiring reflection to enable improvement.
Three easy traps to failed communication (spoken or written)
🗣 Thinking that ‘telling’, and receiving nods and yes’s in response, equals message understood.
To clients who say they thought someone else knew what they meant… I say – you thought they did, how about knowing they did?
🚫 Not being clear yourself.
When you ask others to do work without a strong why, and what good looks like.
This, in my opinion, is especially important in regard to a first time task or new responsibilities.
When I ask clients, how does this link to objectives, the strategy or business values?
It’s not infrequent that the answer is vague or needs thinking that hasn’t taken place in advance.
😡 A blame mindset.
Putting the blame on others for a work issue, can be understandable.
Who wants to stand out for errors or mistakes occurring? Owning up to your part comes with levels of discomfort such as shame, embarrassment or guilt. Yet, ego in leadership is something to be managed well, so as not to push those feelings unfairly onto others.
When clients say to me, why didn’t they just ask? I say, ‘You tell me? How do you make doing that possible and okay?
There is much to master when it comes to communication!
Communication is a massive subject. Subjective, situational, emotional and requires, from my perspective, high levels of compassion and courage. The difference communication work has made to me and clients is incredible. It builds clarity, trust and psychological safety for all parties
MESSAGE ME and we can work on this skill together!