By Action Coach Dave Beam
As a business coach, I interview employees, managers, and business owners on a regular basis. One of the questions that I ask is “What is Your Biggest Team Challenge?” Most of the time, the answer that comes back is, “We need better communication”.
Apart from further investigation, that response has limited value. What most people mean when they say they need better communication is that there are unresolved issues and disconnects within the organization that are causing an unproductive and unhappy place to work. Further questioning often reveals a lack of trust that leads to limited accountability and a culture of blame.
The first step in improving communication in your life and workplace is to take responsibility for your communication. “They” are not the problem, because communication is the response that you get. In other words, the first step to improving communication is to observe the response that YOU get in your life from others, and realize that their response is a clear reflection of YOUR communication.
It’s not what you say, and it’s not what you write in the e-mail or the memo. It’s what they hear, understand and respond to that reflects the quality of your communication. The response of others is a mirror that reflects the quality of your communication. If you are surrounded by angry people, look in the mirror. If the people that report to you are confused, your communication is confusing. If most of your direct reports or employees are irresponsible, how is your communication producing that response? Their response is a true reflection of your leadership. Taken from the positive perspective, a clean, organized, cheerful team is a reflection of the leader as well.
There are many tools and techniques available to help managers and leaders communicate more effectively. However, step one is looking in the mirror of the response of those in your life and taking full responsibility for changing your communication. If you don’t have the results and response from others that you want, then you are the one that needs to change and respond. As a leader, you get the followers you deserve!
In the next several articles, I am going to help you become a better communicator and leader. Adopting the right mindset is a great first step to improving your effectiveness. As you take responsibility and implement changes in yourself and your communication, you will start to experience a better response from those around you.
No comments:
Post a Comment