Opening the Lines of Communication

Cathie Leimbach • September 3, 2020

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Effective communication is transparent two-way communication. However, since our society tends to value accomplishing tasks efficiently more than strengthening interpersonal relationships, it is common for leaders to frequently tell their staff what they want done and assume the message was heard, was understood, and will spur the desired action.


Staff often 'hear' and feel' that they will appear stupid if they ask questions and incompetent if they share the problems they are having doing the task. They don't feel it is safe for them to speak up with uninvited comments.


A more effective leadership strategy is to ask a staff member questions to clarify their understanding and help them overcome barriers to success. Managers could ask experienced employees what their priorities are for the day or the week. If their response is in line with expectations, there is no need for the manager to restate what the employee already knows. The employee now feels trusted by their manager.


If the manager then asks what support they need to meet their goals, the door is open for the staff member to share that they are having blue screen problems or their broken webcam prevents them from video conferencing with customers.


Because the manager took time to ask questions, the employee feels more valued, is more willing to be open and honest with their manager, and the manager is aware of productivity-limiting realities that need to be addressed. This improved communication will lead to a stronger bottom line.


Do you spend more time 'telling' your staff or listening to their responses to your open-ended questions? If you 'tell' a lot, what could you do to encourage more two-way conversation?

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