Communication can be difficult to define. What does it mean? Is it a simple communication flow between two people? Is it a conversation involving more than two people? Regardless, I don’t see communications as a separate, distinct effort, but something that’s imbedded in each of the other leadership competencies. Effective communication is still one of the easiest ways to increase success in the organization, and something we should focus on intently.
Keep it Simple
A formal communications plan is probably unnecessary. But I do think a solid communications effort is critical for maintaining important relationships. Sometimes it can be as simple as sitting down with someone and saying “I’m not sure I’m communicating with you effectively. What’s the best way? Can we exchange e-mail every now and then or talk face to face?” The point is, communications doesn’t have to be formalized or structured, if there’s a problem, simply address it.
Tom Peters once described a really unique method of communicating at a client company… They talked to each other. Communicating is important, but you don’t have to spend hours talking about how to do it.
Understand Your Audience and Tailor Your Message
Simplistic or not, for any communication to work you have to know your audience. For instance, if you have a mediocre player in the organization and you walk by him or her and say, “Hey great job, I appreciate it,” they’re going to like that and they will continue to give you their wonderfully mediocre performance. But if you’re talking to a key employee, someone who is a high performer and you try to give him that generic crap, he’s going to roll his eyes and say, “This guy doesn’t have a clue.”
With high performers, you have to be incredibly specific with what you say and how you say it, like, “Listen, I really appreciate the work you did for X,Y,Z client or project. I talked to them and they really liked these three things – A, B and C.” It’s important to be specific because high performers already know they do a good job, they just don’t know that you know. Understanding who you are talking to and how to deliver the message is key.
The good news about communication is that it’s the easiest thing we can do to increase success in the organization. The bad news is there are thirty-two different styles of communication that you have to adapt to. It’s not that complicated, but it requires some effort.
