LEADERSHIP George Satula

Clear channels

The art and science of being a good communicator

SOME COMPANIES GROW from the seed of an idea into something that truly makes a difference.

It’s the good old American entrepreneurial spirit at its best. Along the road of success and setbacks, the companies that make it beyond their own adolescence realize that to grow and prosper, they need people with different but complementary skills and experience.

A typical growing organization must add new leaders who specialize in areas such as operations, sales and marketing, accounting and finance, etc. Yet, something strange begins to hamper the clarity and seamlessness of communication within the company.

Why does everything seem so crystal clear in the beginning, when a business is very small, but later, as the company grows and becomes more complicated, employees tend to misinterpret processes and direction? Why is decision-making so difficult or flawed? Why do some workers tune out?

There’s a variety of reasons, but one that’s most persistent – and hidden in plain sight – is the ineffective or inappropriate use of human communication.

You hear about miscommunication at a higher level when doctors perform the wrong surgery, the military fail their maneuvers, or nations become hostile toward one another. Poor person-to-person communication often precedes those problems.

Similarly, when the average person interacts with everyone else, you also find the prevalence of interdepartmental and interpersonal miscommunication. Though not nearly as serious as the examples mentioned above, it can still lead to quality control issues, bungled product orders, lost time, reputation and brand decline, and disgruntled employees and consumers.

None of this is obscure or new. We’ve all seen it or experienced it.

But there’s a cure. For leaders in any organization, the remedy is clear, consistent and candid communication, whether it’s directed at individual employees or an entire company. Communication is also one of the easiest key skills to improve upon.

SIX AREAS WHERE LEADERS MUST EXCEL

To take this a step further, behavioral research scientists John Zenger and Joseph Folkman have studied and published many findings on the concept of leadership mastery. In their work, they recognized that a leadership skill – such as communication – that is slightly limited or even a mild weakness, doesn’t automatically translate into ineffectiveness. However, for someone in a leadership role, it can’t be ignored if the skill level falls from “slight weakness” to “fatal flaw.”

A fatal flaw results when a leader significantly underperforms on key leadership competencies. With current worldwide research, Zenger and Folkman identify the top six competencies where all leaders must excel. In descending order, they are:

1. INSPIRES AND MOTIVATES

OTHERS

2. PRACTICES SELF-DEVELOPMENT

3. COLLABORATION AND

TEAMWORK

4. DEVELOPS OTHERS

5. COMMUNICATES POWERFULLY

AND PROLIFICALLY

6. BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS

HOW TO IMPROVE

The art of being a good communicator starts by having the ability and willingness to ask good questions. Good questions typically lead to greater perspective and insight.

Being a good listener is equally important, particularly with the understanding that “hearing” the other person is paramount. A good listener must always have an awareness and appreciative interest in really knowing what the other person is thinking and feeling. Intentionally treating people with respect, empathy, kindness and genuine curiosity creates the space to be heard.

We all intuitively understand that clear, concise and candid communication is critical for any healthy organization. It’s easier for extroverts to be naturally good communicators. But every person in a role of leadership must find ways to improve communication.

Even small improvements can make a significant difference in how a leader is perceived and appreciated. n

GEORGE SATULA

George Satula is an executive leadership coach working primarily as a group chairman in Vistage Worldwide, a private advisory board for growth-focused, high integrity CEOs, executives and business owners. He is also a leadership development consultant, strategic planner and speaker. He can be reached at George@SatulaUSA.com