Oh Lord, Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.Leading Evolution through Effective Communication

Laura Mosby, LCSW

Setting Our Intention

To proactively and successfully lead the organization through dynamic times using effective

communication styles

Change and Evolution• If we do not grow, adapt, and evolve in response to our environment….we die, we become extinct.

• Change is many things to many people:– Uncomfortable– Scary– Exciting– Challenging

Leadership has as its corner stone, the ability to communicate. 

Outcome of Effective Communication

Employees feel respected and engaged

Information is accurate and complete

Increased understanding of the Why

Instills a sense of shared ownership

Decreased resistance to change

Minimal to no negative impact to moral.

What is Your Style ? Hands On

Thinker

Explorer

Free Thinker

Hands On: Loves Doing

Concrete and Task Oriented

Discuss and show practical applications

Use concrete terms and explanations (not abstract)

Remain organized and structured

Pay very close attention to deadlines

Do things in sequential and orderly steps

Demonstrate to illustrate an idea or point

Try to do things in an exact and precise way

Use brief and "to-the-point" comments (don't ramble)

Great at "hands-on" project-type tasks.

Thinker: Loves Ideas

Focus on main ideas and logical conclusions.

Pay very close attention to deadlines

Do not procrastinate or make excuses

Use outlines, charts, graphs, and spatial mapping

Open to the use of abstract explanations

Support information with facts (proof)

Support views and opinions with logic and evidence

Open to topics that allow for debate

Allow for research-type tasks.

Explorer: Loves Innovation

Open to new ideas

Open to change

Allow room for creative innovation

Open-minded to opinions and views

Relate ideas to the real world (use real world examples)

Focus on processes and applications rather than facts

Willing to take a risk or investigate

Patient with disorganization

Jumps from one idea to another

Allow for innovative and creative tasks

Free Thinker: Loves to DreamShare personal experiences

Apply personal meaning to ideas

Participate in discussions and activities

Use gestures and positive body language

Be sincere and show interest and concern

Use images, pictures, and color

Show how ideas and details apply to life

Open to use of metaphoric language and expression

Don't force structure - allow room for flexibility

What is Communication?Words

Actions

Body Language

Voice Tone

This  constitutes precisely one-half of the communication process. 

The Other Half: Message Received

Verifying that the message you intended to send was actually received  and interpreted the way

you intended. 

The only way that you can be sure you have  created understanding is to listen to the people

with whom you are communicating.

. Receivers Listen Selectively

 

They hear, filter and process some things and not other things. 

That means that while you may have explained the "whole picture",  is it likely that the whole thing wasn't received.  

Retention

Studies indicate we remember only 25 – 50% of what we hear.

So for a 10 minute conversation you are only really hearing 2.5 – 5 minutes.

What does that mean for the speaker/listener?How can we impact that percentage?

Communicating Difficult Messages

orMessages about Evolution

(Change)

Think About:What kind of messages you wish to send: the facts and your attitude

What you want people to  take away from your communication     

Convey

A sense of purpose and commitment

You have confidence in your "team”

That you want and need input

That you recognize any negative impact

That you are open to discussion

Your expectations regarding behaviors

But what about you?Sometimes you won't be committed to the change, or you won't be very confident  that you and your staff can pull it off, particularly when the change is imposed.    

What do you do?

What do we need to do as an organization?

Who, What, When, How ?As a Leader you need to make decisions about:

With whom you must communicate 

What needs to be communicated

When you will communicate and

How you will do it. 

What ?     

As much factual information as is available to you. 

Information that will reduce uncertainty and ambiguity

Pre-empt the grapevine.

Provide forums for employees to communicate their reactions and concerns to  you.     

A small amount of information about a negative change may increase anxiety.

If you have preliminary information about a change, that others do also, and that it is likely that your employees will hear rumors. 

You are communicating the facts of the change, and also your own reactions to it. 

As a leader, your staff will watch you carefully.

When it is Bad NewsDescribe the news in clear and straight forward mannerExplain WhyExplain how the decision is fairInvolve a high-status messengerDeliver in a timely mannerIdentify who made the decision and the process they usedOutline what alternatives were consideredShow that the organization cares and how is it helping employees?Describe how the problem will be avoided in the future

Tips from the Gale Group/ International Association of Business Communicators

When?  

As soon as possible about change.  In anticipation of change, during the implementation, and after the change.        

The longer you wait to communicate details of change, the more likely you are to  extend the period of adjustment. 

The sooner you communicate the less information will come through the grapevine.

Grapevine information tends to create a high degree of anxiety, and also a high degree of mistrust of management.

    

Who? Communicating on a

“need to know basis”

What are the Pitfalls?    

Who ?  

Group or Individual Meetings

Groups Ensures that each person present is hearing the

same information at the same time. 

Group communication allows interaction about the changes and can help develop a sense of team.

Disadvantages to Group

There will be some people who will not feel comfortable talking in a group context. 

The  more "personal" the effects of the change, the more likely people will withdraw from the group process.  

One or two particularly vocal and  negative people can set the tone for the group.

There are some issues that cannot be discussed within a group.

IndividualAdvantage of privacy.

Allows more in-depth exploration of feelings, ideas and reactions to the change.     

A disadvantage is that it may fragment your team. 

There is a possibility of inconsistent messages

Group or Individual ?Use group communications if:     

You need to ensure everybody hears the news at the same time.     

You want to encourage group discussion to generate ideas for problem solving.      

You want to increase the sense of team.  

You wish to set the stage for individual meetings. 

Use individual meetings if:     

The changes are likely to cause a high degree of emotionalism that is better  dealt with in private.     

You want to ensure that shyer people have a chance to express themselves.  

The changes involve elements that should remain confidential.

You need to have detailed discussion with specific people. 

HOW: Oral or Written

Oral communication is better when:     

Receiver is not very interested in getting the message.

Emotions are high. 

You need feedback.       You need to convince or persuade.   

The details and issues are complicated.

Written communication is better:

 You require a record of the communication for

future reference.  

  

Your staff will be referring to details of the change later.    

 

Generally, it is wise to use both written and oral communication. 

The more emotional the issues, the more important it is to stress oral communication first.   Written

communication can be used as backup

SupportFor those sharing the messages

What do managers need?

How do we provide it?

For those handling the responses

Could be different then the messenger

How do we support?

Closing Thoughts

Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.