THE COST OF POOR COMMUNICATION

THE COST OF POOR COMMUNICATION

What happens to bosses who don’t learn to communicate well? Their employees do not trust what they say and seek information elsewhere.Only about half of the people surveyed said that they learn what’s going on with the boss by listening to what he or she says. The rest “watch” body language, listen to tone of voice, or go so far as to ask somebody else in the organization.

   What makes an authentic leader? The survey asked two open-ended questions. Bates Communications categorized the respondents’ answers into ten key dimensions of leadership. The number one quality that authentic leaders conveyed was honesty/integrity. Since these were openended responses, we treated them as qualitative data, but each of the dimensions was mentioned by dozens of respondents. Integrity in some form was mentioned by well over half.

     Here is the leadership value system articulated by the survey’s 293 respondents, in roughly descending order:

     Honesty/Integrity. 

People who mentioned integrity referred to both business dealings and personal interactions. The words used to frame this concept were honesty, integrity, ethics, fairness, candor, sincerity, trustworthiness, and truthfulness—qualities that bosses must communicate through what they say and do.

      Vision. 

Good leaders should have a vision for the organization, be able to articulate it, and inspire action. Vision was near the top of the list of leadership dimensions mentioned by respondents. It is not enough to be able to manage projects or people; authentic leadership entails the ability to visualize the future and effectively communicate that vision to others. Those who aspire to lead should take note. You can stay in middle management forever without this skill set. You will rise to the top if you can see the big picture and help others see it too.

     Listening. 

This dimension includes several ways in which bosses should listen. They should be approachable and open to suggestions, open-minded, flexible, and willing to listen to everyone’s ideas and feedback. Participants said seeking other points of view and actively listening to what others say are also critical.

      Giving Feedback. 

What people most often mentioned in this category is the importance of giving credit where credit is due, including public praise for a job well done. Also high on the list was offering positive feedback when deserved and valuing employees’ contributions. Feedback is not just a once-a-year process you build into your calendar. Regular, constructive feedback is essential to developing rapport, winning trust, and being seen as an authentic leader.

Emotional Intelligence. 

Emotional intelligence can be interpreted as the ability to communicate empathy and compassion, treat people well, and relate to them on a human level. Your demeanor counts: having a
positive attitude and remaining calm under pressure send important signals through the organization. Emotional intelligence also means obvious passion for the work, a demonstrated commitment to the organization’s success, and appreciation for those who make it happen. Authentic leaders use their emotional intelligence to connect and have genuine professional relationships.

Related Posts: