This summary provides the key points in 3 sentences or less:
Leaders must realize communication is their top priority, as they are employees' most trusted source of information. Direct conversations between leaders and employees are missing, and meetings alone do not make an effective communicator. The article provides best practices for leaders to improve communication, including listening to employees, being accountable, viewing feedback as a gift, and leading by example.
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Wise article mgr as key comm 2010 05
1. LEADER AS KEY
COMMUNICATOR:
The Ultimate Responsibility
By: Linda Dulye
President and founder Dulye & Co., SU ’77
e past couple of years have been rough for leaders. From the take this responsibility seriously and be accountable to their teams. Sound
government to the auto industry and all points in between executives are overwhelming? It doesn’t have to be.
being scrutinized for what they say and do – and what they don’t say and
don’t do. e good news is that you can learn the basic communications principles you
need to be an e ective and, most important, trusted leader. We’ll share some of
Now more than ever, senior leaders need to realize their number-one the most essential practices you can apply starting today.
job is to be the key communicator with their organization. And for
good reason: e velocity, frequency and intensity of changes in the
global business arena have elevated dramatically the level of uncertainty, LISTEN UP
confusion and concern in the workplace – a condition that looks like
business as usual from now on. One of the most common misconceptions leaders have about communicating
with employees, customers or other key stakeholders is they think
My experience and my rm’s research in the area being a better communicator means talking more. Quite the
of leadership dynamics uncovers a serious void opposite, in fact. As a leader, the essential skill you need in
in today’s workplace. at void is the absence your communications toolkit is the ability to listen.
of genuine, direct conversations between
senior leaders and their associates about Our research indicates there’s too little listening
their organizations’ performance. going on. What’s getting in the way? Not
surprisingly, time. Schedules are on overload
and most organizations are running lean.
CONVERSATIONS—NOT Nevertheless, the cost of not listening to your
team can be drastic. So, how can you make
PRESENTATIONS. THAT’S time for listening? By doing exactly that: build
WHAT’S MISSING. in listening time to sta meetings, workplace
walk-arounds or other regularly scheduled
PowerPoint charts delivered through big sessions. Make “listening time” a speci c item that
road show productions can’t cultivate the participants can see on the agenda.
rapport and relationships that bridge people
from di erent levels, work groups, cultures Here are some ways to make
and locations.
listening time valuable:
However, clearly de ned roles and responsibilities of
leaders as key communicators are Missing in Action. Somehow, the act such as “What
of holding a meeting with a PowerPoint deck has been equated with do you think we can do better to serve our customers?” or, “What’s the latest
communications excellence. rumor people are talking about on the plant oor?” Avoid questions that will
produce one-word answers and sti e discussion.
Sure, meetings are important. When done right, they are a tremendous
forum for information exchanges on all kinds of topics and for As tempting as it might be to jump right in and comment
teambuilding and camaraderie to grow. But far too few meetings earn on what you’re hearing, listen to everything a person has to say before you
four-star ratings. And meetings don’t transform managers into e ective respond. For some, speaking up is a frightening thing. If you interrupt or
communicators. e experience of wasting 60 minutes trapped in a challenge them before they nish, you’ll discourage them from o ering
meandering monologue guised as a “team meeting” validates that point. feedback in the future.
Dulye & Co. research shows time and again that direct managers are – for a while anyway. If you ask for feedback
employees’ most-trusted information source. As a result, managers must and then glance at your phone or start typing an email, you’ve shown that you
{8} WISE MAGAZINE - SPRING 2010