Books and articles on leadership abound. They are full of advice on how to become a better leader and the skills necessary to lead well. But in our experience, the number one skill of good leaders is the ability to communicate effectively…and that includes not only articulating ideas verbally but also listening.
However, even those leaders who excel at communicating sometimes make a serious miscalculation…they go silent. They may have reasons that seem valid to them at the time…there are changes afoot and they don’t have all the answers. They are worried about how people will react, or not sure of the timeline, or just who will be involved, or how various segments of the organization will be affected. So they withdraw… hoping that they will soon have the answers and be able to share a complete and compelling vision for the future that will not disrupt productivity.
This is a mistake!
The problem is the way most people respond to an information vacuum…they either fill in the gaps incorrectly, become afraid of what they think is being hidden or do something—anything—to avoid feeling stuck. Many of us are uncomfortable with ambiguity. When there are no clear signposts, we lose our orientation and are apt to head off in the wrong direction just to keep moving. This is the classic reaction of the driver who is lost but prefers to keep driving even when he’s unsure of where he will end up.
Our advice for leaders from our years of experience observing and then helping corporate leaders in communications skills training is to be:
• Clear
• Honestly straightforward
• As complete as you can be
If you don’t have all the information, say so. Tell your employees your plan and your reasoning as far as you can. Let them know how you will be working toward the decisions that still need to be made. Invite them to join you in the process. Articulate the vision you hope to create with their commitment and help. Assure them that you will stick to the corporate values that are the bedrock of the organization.
Remember - always tell people what you know, what you do not know and when you think you will know the rest of the story.
Learn more at: http://www.lsaglobal.com/communication-skills-training/
