Page 189 - Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders

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MAKING CERTAIN THE MESSAGE STICKS
CHAPTER 11
channels, to talk to people at different levels, in different functions, or
even outside of the company. At the same time, most communications
is one-on-one. Talk to people. Be willing to create communications that
people want. For example, if you are looking for suggestions, create an
email box. If you are looking for creativity, stage a pizza party. Invite
people to come; the price of admission is a suggestion or a new idea.
On the other hand, if there is a breakdown in communications, look for
ways to get individuals or teams together. Maybe the best way is a
meeting, or maybe it’s a coffee outside of the office. Be willing to
experiment. There is no single right way to facilitate good communica-
tions; the only limit is the power of the leader’s imagination. And if that
is lacking, ask people to find ways to encourage communication among
themselves. This is often the best way to get people to work together.
Stay in the loop. Communications is not a “cut and run” action step. It’s
an ongoing, circular process that is renewed and regenerated by the cre-
ation, cycling, and recycling of key leadership messages. Leaders need
to stay engaged in the process, something that Winston Churchill did in
his War Cabinet and Rudy Giuliani did with his city administrators.
This means asking people what is going on and following up on the
progress of a message. Do people understand what needs to be done?
Do they understand their responsibilities? Have I communicated clearly
and frequently? Communications by a leader is a discipline. The more
engaged the leader becomes in the communications process, the greater
the opportunity to increase levels of trust and achieve results.

LISTEN. LISTEN. LISTEN.

Depending upon the situation, one, two, or all of these methods may be applic-
able. The most important check of all, however, lies with the leader. The leader
must be willing to listen. And listening can be difficult, especially when the
leader has heard the complaint or situation before. In addition, many leaders
are busy; they have a million things on their to-do list. Listening to others is
rarely an action item. But in the long run, it may be the most important action
step of all.
There are additional things that leaders can do to ensure that their mes-
sage echoes beyond their physical presence.

PREPARE LEAVE-BEHIND MATERIALS

Mother Teresa collected some of her thinking into books of prayers. Colin
Powell and Rudy Giuliani wrote books reflecting their leadership values.