What was once considered a nice-to-have soft skill for leaders is now critical to an organization’s long-term success. Effective communication is widely recognized as one of the most important tools for employee engagement which directly impacts workplace productivity. In fact, 75% of employees see it as the most important leadership attribute, but only 33% of employees feel they receive it from their leaders. (Source)
As James Humes, a speechwriter across five presidential administrations, famously stated, "The art of communication is the language of leadership."
Here are seven strategies leaders can use to improve their workplace communication:
1. Be a frequent presence with employees. Block 30-minutes twice a week to walk the halls of your organization for the sole purpose of connecting informally with employees. As a Christ-focused leader, you care about your employees. Don’t just show them by working hard behind a closed door to help the company thrive, but also by showing up during their workday to offer encouragement and appreciation for their work.
Are your teams working remotely? Ask managers to invite you to their ongoing team meetings and try to attend quarterly, even if it’s just for a 10-15 minute drop-in and Q+A.
2. Speak with clarity about the future of your organization. One study showed that 36% of senior managers, executives, and employees say they “hardly ever” know what’s going on in their organizations. Instead of letting communication gaps plague your company, articulate the results you need to see from employees—both for individuals and teams—in order for the company to reach its future state. Build buy-in and position this as an endeavor you will accomplish together.
3. Bring your personality to your employee communications. Don’t let yourself become hollow in your communication; instead, offer your authenticity and personality. While preparing thoughtfully for communication is important, be aware of the message you send employees. If your emails, videos, and speeches have been too edited, they sound formulaic or robotic.
4. Play the role of the active listener in brainstorms. Rather than lead the dialogue and idea generation, let your team members develop ideas based on their unique experiences doing the day-to-day work of your company. This will prevent them from trying to align their contributions to what you’ve already stated.
5. Stay off your phone when you’re with employees. Being heads-down on your phone can send the message you either don’t want to engage with your team or are too busy for them. Neither message is one you want to unintentionally convey.
6. Don’t schedule meetings without context included. Recognize that your title alone makes you an intimidating presence. The human brain is always trying to connect dots, and a meeting without context offered in the title or notes could lead someone to believe they’re in trouble.
7. Find multiple channels to communicate within your company. Everyone has different methods they prefer to receive communication. Did you know up to 71% of employees don’t read or engage with company emails? (Source) Consider leveraging multiple communication channels, including email, video, a CEO blog, or a speech at a company gathering. If you don’t feel comfortable with a specific medium, find someone to coach you to build your expertise and confidence.
The best leaders are great communicators. This is a topic our Convene Chairs and their Teams navigate and explore regularly. If you’re interested in learning more about Convene membership, click the link below to get more information.