Serving Through Effective Communication
There is no better way to serve your teams than to communicate with them effectively. Effective communication and positive team interactions must be a top priority for any deServing Leader. Strong servant-minded communication is achieved by using emotional intelligence and empathy.
Understand the Full Depth of Your Message
If you don’t understand something yourself, it’s unfair to expect your team to understand (or successfully execute) it. Having a thorough knowledge of the What, How, and Why, and being able to communicate them effectively and transparently, results in stronger communication and results. Do you sense frustration from your team when you announce a new project? Is an employee underperforming because they simply don’t have all the information they need to succeed? How often do we only share the What? The How and the Why are arguably more important! They give us purpose and direction. Empower your employees with knowledge. Understand and share the full depth of your message.
Be Direct and Concise
This is usually the largest area of improvement for most leaders. The desire to avoid confrontation is human nature. However, being respectful (yet direct), and delivering clear, concise messages is crucial for effective communication. You must communicate in a way that makes it easy for people to understand what you want to achieve. Your instructions must be clear, with no room for misinterpretation.
Ask “Dumb” Questions in the Most Stressful Moments
Communication can be challenging in stressful moments. When it’s clear that your message isn’t getting through, it’s time to switch your approach to discovery. Ask “dumb” questions – questions that you think you know the answer to. Pay very close attention to the answer, what is said verbally and non-verbally. Also analyze what is not being said. Many times, communication fails because two parties are operating on different foundations of knowledge.
Focus on Non-Verbal Communication
Strong communication is so much more than the words we say. Non-verbal communication cues, including posture, hand movements, eye contact and facial expressions, often reflect more accurately what a person is thinking and feeling. These cues play an essential role in determining the effectiveness of your message. Pay attention to your own body language while communicating, as well as the body language of those receiving the message. Ask a peer or mentor for feedback on your non-verbal communication. You may exhibit non-verbal communication habits (which you may be completely unaware of!) that are sabotaging your messaging. Tuning into body language not only strengthens your communication skills but also helps you determine how well the message was received.
Listen with Intention
There is perhaps no trait more critical than active listening to encourage honest and open communication. You must demonstrate that you are listening. Ask follow-up questions. Enter conversations with an open mind and be thoughtful when responding to what people are saying. This can be accomplished with the following two techniques:
Speak in short segments. This allows you to come up for air and provides space for the other person to say something.
Ask questions. When you have a message to convey, it's only through listening that you can be sure that you have communicated the value of what you have to say, that you have answered the other person's primary question, "What's in it for me?" While this may sound mercenary, it is simply acknowledging the fact that what we say must mean something to the other person to have some value. Otherwise, it likely won’t have any effect.
Develop Personal Connections
We all have unique communication preferences and learning styles. We are all motivated differently. DeServing Leaders take time each day to build genuine, personal connections with their team members. Stronger personal connections result in greater trust and more successful communication. Keep in mind that the goal is not to learn these preferences and manipulate them to get what you want. We want to build a strong foundation of trust and strong communication.
Cultivate Loyalty through Servitude
While “cultivating loyalty through servitude” may sound exploitative at first, it is instead a genuine, intentional effort to build trust. As deServing Leaders, supporting our teams so that they can shine in their roles is our primary goal. The fundamental way to do so is to be respectful and positive in your communication, eliminate the blame game, and build a safe, inclusive teamwork environment. It’s important to eliminate egos and incorporate a genuine, positive, and honest attitude. Serve as a cheerleader as opposed to an autocrat.
Using these principles enables you to tune in to the other person, use empathy, manage your emotions, and build relationships. They will help you get your point across and stay confident while building trust, strong relationships, and inspiring others for your ideas. Seek first to understand, and then to be understood. DeServing leader communication better equips you to manage conflict and build meaningful relationships given your high capacity to understand, and therefore address, the needs of those you serve.