When you’re a leader—whether in a close-knit team or large organization—what you say and how you say it matters. Good leaders understand that effective communication involves far more than a gift for language. It’s a practice, a discipline, a mode of behavior that, at its best, clarifies issues, inspires employees, and unites teams behind a common goal.
So what can we do to cultivate the behaviors that make us great communicators? Follow these tips to elevate your game as a leader.
1. Be present
Whether you’re talking to a single employee or a roomful of people, recognize that people are hearing more than just your words. If you’re visibly distracted by your monitor or your phone, your employees will hear an altogether different message than they would if you were giving them your full attention and engaging with them.
Know your audience. Part of being present is tailoring your message to address the specific concerns of the people you’re talking to. Put yourself in your audience’s shoes and adapt your message to their concerns. For example, you may discuss business matters with your employees in a different way than you would your investors. That doesn’t suggest dishonesty—instead, is demonstrates a leader who is sensitive to the specific concerns of the different stakeholders they interact with.
Watch your body language. Make eye contact, demonstrate that you’re paying attention with nods or other indications of engagement, and watch out for gestures—such as crossed arms—that can suggest defensiveness or distance.
Practice active listening. Communication is a two-way street. The best leaders recognize that employees need to feel heard—and that what they say when they feel like it’s safe to be honest can be incredibly valuable. Ask follow up questions, don’t interrupt, and make eye contact so your focus on them is apparent.
2. Be real
People are more likely to be motivated by leaders who are authentic and honest. Are you using corporate-speak to avoid directly addressing challenging issues? Your employees will pick up on that. Speak with your own voice—honesty inspires; evasion alienates.
Honor employee feedback. Don’t just listen to feedback; act on it when it makes sense to do so. Your team will feel more engaged and respected when they see their ideas given life. Asking for feedback and not doing anything with it sends a bad message—it erodes trust and diminishes the likelihood of candor in the future.
Read the room. Just as your own body language sends a message—whether you like it or not—your team’s body language can show whether they’re with you. If you’re greeted with eye contact, nodding heads, an attentive stance, and the like, you’re probably making your points effectively. But if folks look confused, bored, or shut down, seize on that data point. You may need to ask questions or seek input to assess the temperature of the room and to identify the best way to articulate your message.
3. Be visible
Communication is a two-way street, and it can’t work if one party is perpetually inaccessible. Consider having an open door policy so your employees know you’re available and willing to listen.
Leadership by walking around. Sometimes called leadership by wandering around, this technique involves managers, well, wandering around. The idea is to arrange unstructured time to casually move about the workplace, where you can be visible to employees, ask or answer questions, and learn about its rhythms and routines. It also helps establish closer bonds between leaders and their teams, and helps employees feel more emotionally connected to their work.
Storytelling. People have been communicating through stories for millennia. There’s something about narrative that taps into what’s fundamentally human. Whether you’re telling the tale of the company’s founding or your own learning experiences, storytelling is great for inspiring employees, clarifying goals or values, establishing company culture, and educating teams about key ideas. It’s also a great way for a team to get to know you better and trust you more.
Walk your talk. This might sound obvious, but it’s important for employees to see that leaders in the organization adhere to the values they expect from others. This is also an opportunity for storytelling. Sharing how you learned from a mistake and tried to improve from it, for example, can build trust at the same time as it fosters values of accountability and personal responsibility.
4. Be thorough
People learn in different ways, so be sure to communicate key messages across the media channels you use—email, graphics, signage, PowerPoint decks, learning sessions, etc. Make the messages as clear as possible, and reinforce them frequently.
Say it straight. Be direct and open with your team. Employees can recognize when leaders hide behind jargon, technical data, or needless complexity—and could lose trust. Candor, on the other hand, elicits trust and connection.
Ask open-ended questions. Open-ended questions—i.e., questions whose answers can’t be delivered in just one or two words—draw out information you might not otherwise know and encourage employees to expand their thinking. Examples include: ”Tell me more,” “What do you mean by that?” and “What else will help us achieve our goals.”
Involve others early. When you’re launching a project, make sure you get input from all levels of the organizations early on in the process. Use active listening and open-ended questions to learn about their concerns and recommendations. This will enhance employee buy-in, since they participated in the project’s development rather than having it handed to them from above.
Be transparent. To the extent that you can, update your employees on the key challenges upper management is dealing with. This serves two key purposes. First, it aligns your team with the company’s overall objectives. Second, it demonstrates that you trust and have faith in your employees—which will enrich their trust in you.
Keep learning yourself. Lifelong learning is virtually a requirement in many parts of the economy. Good leaders never stop looking for learning opportunities—from casual conversations with employees to formal professional development courses and leadership seminars.
What has your experience been with cultivating you communication skills? Any success stories you’d like to share—or mistakes you’ve learned to avoid? Leave your stories, suggestions, and questions in the comments section below to start the conversation with colleagues in the LenovoPRO Community.