What impact do your leadership communications have? Do they result in people feeling more valued and able to contribute? Do they bring people together to achieve high performance?
I’ve been writing about this in recent posts. Great leaders who communicate well and frequently–in good times as well as bad–improve performance, get results, and create a successful enterprise. They do more than stand up and speak; they address the immediate concerns and issues, as well as open the door to future dialogue and discovery.
When this topic comes up with my coaching clients, we discuss the importance of opportunities to learn what people think or how they feel. Employees feel valued and appreciated when they’re encouraged to share their personal positions on issues. Inclusive discussions also help us rethink our views and forge deeper understandings.
Ask open-ended questions that call for thoughtful responses—a technique that builds trust and sets the stage for clarifying expectations, delineating action items and achieving goals. You can ask questions about:
- Feelings and reactions
- Causes and motives
- Actions
- Shared systems and situations
Your degree of positivity is perhaps the most vital value-adding aspect of communication. As you look for ways to inspire your people, remember that encouragement is a great motivator, and positivity is contagious.
Measure communication success by examining whether follow-up activities match fair and reasonable expectations. Achieved goals give people a greater sense of ownership, purpose and value, which positively impacts your culture.
Leaders who provide information with confidence enhance trust and promote self-assurance. They achieve a sense of accountability and believability, which boosts people’s trust and improves communication efforts. Successful leaders can build a culture of trust, where communication is central to operations and heightens accountability.
What do you think? How do your communications add value? I’d love to hear from you. You can call me at 561-582-6060, let’s talk. And as always, I can be reached here, or on LinkedIn.
