Great Leaders Know How to Communicate

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Leaders who communicate effectively will have more resilient and capable teams. When team members feel well informed about what is going on, they have greater trust in their leaders and find more meaning in their work.

When organizations have open and honest communication at all levels and in all directions, they will be more likely to maintain their morale and productivity when a crisis hits.

Here how great leaders communicate:

Overcommunicate

While most leaders think they are sharing enough information with their employees, the opposite is usually the case. When I survey employees, most wish they had more information from senior leaders. Don't assume that everyone will get your message with just one announcement or email. Communicate critical information in several different ways and in various forums to make sure it is heard and understood. In a crisis, communicate much more than you think is necessary.

Restructure Staff Meetings

Too many staff meetings start with the most senior person speaking, and then each team member giving their report. While this one-way communication shares information, its benefits are limited. Many people stop listening and check out of the meeting. Consider focusing staff meetings on a theme or problem and then have a discussion that engages everyone. You want dialogue, not monologue. If you're running the meeting, consider going last to avoid dominating the conversation.

Ask Questions

One of the best ways to improve communication is to ask probing and thoughtful questions. The more senior you are, the more questions you should be asking. Then, shut up and listen.

Share Bad News

Failure to communicate negative news often leaves a vacuum that will be filled by gossip and stories far worse than reality. Communicate what you can early and often. If you don't have all the facts, it is ok to say that and tell people what you can. If you cannot tell a full story due to privacy issues, say so.

Talk In Person

An email is a limited form of communication best used to confirm information, clarify tasks, or deliver non-complex details. It is a terrible tool for resolving conflict, negotiating, or discussing complex issues. Pick up the phone, schedule a meeting, or (once we’re back in our offices) walk down the hall to communicate in person. You'll have a more robust and often effective conversation when you talk in person.

Be Clear and Concise

Think elevator briefing - a brief, persuasive speech - every time you communicate. With limited time and way too many emails, writing a concise email, or giving a quick, simple explanation will mean you're better understood.

Have an Open Mind

Suppress your opinions and solicit input with a genuine desire to learn from others. Employees will often tell the boss what they think they want to hear instead of their real thoughts. Avoid this by speaking last and valuing the opinions of others.

What have you done to improve your communication?

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To learn more about how you and your team can thrive in adversity, visit my website, and follow me on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. And, check out my online Resilience Leadership course.

Don’t Return to the Workplace Without Talking About Risk

Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

I managed many crises during my service as a U.S. diplomat. One of the most important lessons I learned is that everyone has a different threshold of risk. That's the amount of risk a person is comfortable taking when faced with danger and uncertainty.

When people have not yet reached their threshold of risk, they function reasonably well despite the dangers they face. When they exceed their risk limit, anxiety kicks in, fear becomes overwhelming, and they struggle to perform.

I saw this dynamic very clearly after insurgents fired rockets at the al-Rasheed hotel in Baghdad in 2003. For State Department employees in Iraq, this attack changed our perception of the risks we were taking. For many people, that risk exceeded their threshold.

While a few people immediately left Baghdad, many others were pressured to remain in-country despite their discomfort. Staff who remained despite having exceeded their thresholds of risk suffered from high anxiety and struggled with performance. Many became a burden on the rest of the team.

Many organizations are exploring ways to bring employees back to the workplace now that more people are getting vaccinated. Returning to a workplace during this pandemic entails a certain amount of risk given the uncertainty associated with the virus. While putting in place mitigation measures such as wearing masks and regular cleaning may reduce some hazards, it's impossible to eliminate all risks. Even employees who are vaccinated are taking some risks by interacting with other people in their workplace.

Wise supervisors strive to avoid asking employees to return to the workplace when this would exceed their risk threshold. It's essential to recognize that every employee has a personal threshold of risk and to talk with staff about their concerns. While there may be easily identifiable justifications for low thresholds such as underlying health issues or a fear of vaccines, there are also less apparent reasons why someone is more risk-averse.

I learned to explore underlying reasons when one of my employees resisted moving into a new office. I assumed she was jockeying for an office closer to leadership but luckily did not act on that assumption. Instead, I met with her privately to explore her reasoning. She told about a terrorist incident she'd experienced years before and explained that working in an office with windows on the main street felt too risky for her. Her anxiety spiked when she thought about working in that office. An office that was not on the main street felt less precarious. If we had not adjusted and accepted her threshold of risk, her anxiety would have interfered with her performance.

Here are some ways you can ensure that you're not pushing employees beyond their thresholds of risk as you return to the workplace:

Understand and Accept Your Employees’ Risk Thresholds

Some people are more risk-averse than others. When faced with uncertainty, they prefer to minimize loss, even when it reduces possible gains. This may be a personality trait or be influenced by life experiences. Either way, it is unlikely you will persuade someone to be less risk-averse. Instead, accept your employees' risk thresholds and ask what they need from you to mitigate them.

Don’t Push for One Size Fits All

Some supervisors mistakenly think that fairness means treating all employees equally. As a result, they settle on one solution and try to persuade everyone to adopt the same approach. They may reward employees who are comfortable returning to the office at the first opportunity, which pressures others to exceed their risk thresholds. Or, they defer to those with lower risk tolerance and frustrate colleagues who would like to take more risks. Instead, recognize individual risk tolerances and institute policies that allow for flexibility. It is ok if some employees return to the workplace sooner than others based on their preferences. 

Don’t Impose Your Risk Threshold on Others

Some leaders assume that their perception of risk is "right," and when employees differ, they are unreasonable or insubordinate. There is no right or wrong when it comes to risk. That's why managing risk is so challenging. Recognize that your risk threshold is based on your personality and past experiences. Others will have very different, yet just as valid, responses to the same situation.

Don’t Minimize People’s Fears

If you dismiss or minimize your employees' fears, their fear will not go away. Telling someone "not to be scared" communicates that their concerns are not valid. When employees don't feel heard, they often become frustrated and angry. Some people may try to suppress their fear, which drains their emotional energy and erodes resilience. Instead, acknowledge and accept their fears and focus on actions you can take to address the underlying causes.

How are you addressing risk as you return to the workplace?

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To learn more about how you and your team can thrive in adversity, visit my website, and follow me on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. And, check out my online Resilience Leadership course.

5 Things I Learned From My Thank You Note Resolution

Researchers consistently find that gratitude builds resilience. A 2006 study published in Behavior Research and Therapy found that Vietnam War veterans with higher levels of appreciativeness experienced lower rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. A 2003 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that gratitude was a major contributor to resilience following the terrorist attacks on September 11.

To test this in real life, I decided a few years ago that my New Year’s resolution would be to write a thank you note every workday to a colleague to whom I was grateful. Here's what I learned:

My Resilience Improved

Spending a few minutes every day thinking about how colleagues helped me gave me a much more positive outlook. It forced me to focus on the positive events of the day, minimizing annoyances or irritations. Writing down my appreciation helped me clarify why I was grateful.

It Was Hard

I underestimated how much self-discipline I needed to spend 5-10 minutes every workday thinking about whom I would send a thank you note. It was easy to get absorbed in my work and forget to write a card. To stay on track, I posted reminder notes and put the cards where I would see them.

Having a Routine Helped

At the beginning of the year, I kept forgetting to write my cards because I hadn't set a time of day during which I would write. After trying several options, I settled on writing a card at the beginning of each day. I created a recurring calendar entry as a reminder. The added value was that I started each day thinking positively about everything people had done the day before to help me.

People Love Personalized Cards

I printed cards in bulk on moo.com using photographs I had taken. By personalizing the cards, I made a connection I had not anticipated with recipients. Recipients wanted to learn more about where I’d taken my photos and were glad to see I had a passion outside of work. These cards ended up being much more impactful than cards I bought at a stationery store.

Team Resilience Improved

One significant benefit of this practice was that people loved receiving a handwritten thank you note. I realized that I was fostering team resilience by showing consideration to colleagues, one of the 7Cs of team resilience. Members of my team appreciated that I was taking the time to say thank you and commenting on their positive impact.

Consider giving this a try in 2021 and tell me in the blog comments how it goes.

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To learn more about how you and your team can thrive in adversity, visit my website, and follow me on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.