For any business to succeed, the manager, supervisor, or owner needs to be a good communicator. Good communication in leadership offers numerous benefits, including increased productivity, happier employees, reduced turnover, and even higher revenue. To help you with your communication efforts, review what successful leaders do below.
The Ability to Listen
Any good communicator, whether they are in a leadership position or not, is a good listener. They have the ability to completely focus on the person in front of them and make it clear they are truly listening. Too many people are distracted by emails and other device notifications, their to-do lists, and everything else they have going on. Giving a team member your undivided attention indicates your respect, which helps that person feel valued and appreciated. What’s more, they are likely to spread the word that you always have time to focus on their latest question or concern.
To help you hone your listening skills, get in the habit of putting devices on silent when speaking to employees. You might also want to have conferences in your office or another distraction-free space, such as an empty meeting room.
Being Authentic
Authenticity always goes a long way. Always. Being genuine instead of fake encourages respect and helps you create personal (yet still professional) connections with your staff. Employees are typically more willing to be honest and express themselves when they are in the presence of a genuine individual who is always forthright with them. Honest communication contributes to optimal productivity, because everyone is on the same proverbial page and understands what they need to do to provide the best work possible.
To help you react genuinely to various work situations, pause if you have to. This allows you to truly consider your response instead of saying something “off the cuff” that isn’t exactly true.
Staying Visible
Good communication in leadership requires being visible. If you never appear approachable or always have your office door closed, employees are less likely to come to you about, well, anything. If team members feel like they cannot talk to you, productivity suffers. Assignments and projects might have missing information or feature the wrong information. Deadlines can whoosh by because employees aren’t sure if they were changed or not. Emails can go unread. These and similar issues are easily avoidable when you increase your visibility.
If you are currently concerned you are not as visible to team members as you should be, consider implementing an open door policy. Your office door does not literally need to be open all the time, but employees should know you are there to help. Sending a company-wide email stating your office door is proverbially open or that there are specific office hours for conversing with employees is a great start. It’s also a good idea to meet with team members personally to discuss any questions or issues they have, and to always introduce yourself to new hires.
Walking about the office asking employees how their work day is going and if they require help is another winning possibility. All of these tactics show you are interested in accepting feedback and using it to help the company grow and thrive.
Wrapping Up
Good communication in leadership is something any business owner or manager can work on. Being more honest, empathetic, and genuine builds trust. If employees feel they can trust you, they are more willing to ask questions and provide feedback. As a result, everyone on the team will enjoy a more harmonious work environment.
For more about good communication in leadership, please contact Peaceful Leaders Academy today.
