Communication With Courage

Why does communication require courage? Because leaders know that others look to them for direction, for information, for feedback, for candor, for help, for strategy and for support. A tall order.

Merriam-Webster defines courage as the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear or difficulty.
An even taller order.

An effective leader must operate at many levels and from many perspectives simultaneously. S/he needs to set direction and describe the big picture in enough detail that others can not only see where the organization is going but how they and their work fit into that picture.

S/he also knows the gap between how things are operating now and how they will need to operate in that new desired state. Once the end result is communicated, the focus turns to the gap - what changes are necessary to move successfully toward the goal. And, what does not change.

It takes creativity and strength to paint the picture; it takes perseverence to weather the questions, the covert and overt resistance along the way.

Listening, assessing, analyzing, describing and reframing are critical communication components. Remembering these skills can be challenging anytime and exacerbated in times of change.

Courageous communication - the courage to:

• think it through
• paint the big picture with just enough detail to be inviting
• describe expectations (goals, work, relationships, results, commitments)
• repeat, reinforce and reiterate what, why, when, how, who
• celebrate wins of all sizes
• listen and consider/encourage feedback, questions, challenges, suggestions
• hold self and others accountable

A few ideas on the courage-side of communications.

Next time: Conviction - the belief and confidence side of communication

Communication with Courage and Conviction

What sets great leaders apart? In surveys where employees describe what they value most about their managers, there are common ingredients. Satisfied employees indicate that they:

• know what is expected of them
• know how they are doing
• can talk with their manager
• have a development plan
• feel appreciated
• have an opportunity to use their skills/talents on the job
• know how their job fits in to the organization's strategy

All of these ingredients require that the leader communicate clearly with each team member. And that s/he does so frequently.

To do so requires courage and conviction.

And that is the next installment...stay tuned

Putting the Lessons to Work

Is there a silver lining to the layoffs? Will those rehired take their reflections, ups and downs to their new workplace? Will they apply what they have learned during their search to the new job?

If so, is it reasonable to expect that their co-workers, customers, direct reports, families and managers will benefit from their experience?

During the transition job search, they will have looked at their skills, values and passions. They will have updated and expanded their networks. They will have asked for help in their search. They will have assessed their strengths and written examples of their major successes. They will have uncovered doubt, vulnerability and experienced loss, sadness and question. They will have applied for jobs and heard nothing back. They will have answered a wide variety of interview questions. They will have appeared confident while internally questioning their skills. Along the way, they will have been treated graciously or dismissed. They will have joined job clubs, held networking meetings, reconnected with past colleagues, shared contacts and cheered when others found work.

Much has been written about the deterioration or absence of worker engagement over the past years. Is is possible that this can be changed when those who join new organizations take their lessons learned to the new job and treat their colleagues, team, managers, customers and themselves with heightened care?

This could be the silver lining..

Being Clear with a Dash of Peripheral Vision

This is the year to be clear on what we want. As many people are looking for new jobs, it is important to focus - to describe the desired position, setting, location, culture, etc. - with sufficient detail. And, at the same time not be so restrictive that we screen out something that would be exciting because it doesn't match every aspect. By giving our Reticular Activating System (RAS) a little leeway to see opportunities that may be slightly off dead center we may just see a new opportunity.

Approaching a job search can be difficult and that mindset can permeate how we think about every aspect of the process. 'Whew, this is going to be hard.' 'There isn't anything out there for me.' 'I'm not good at networking!'

Perhaps if we shift our perspective slightly, we can approach it as an important new chapter. And, by doing so we can open up and lighten up. This small shift may allow us the freedom to see some new avenues - to ask our RAS to keep the bull's eye in mind while seeing more. And as our energy shifts to possibility, we may find more options and bring more of our potential to the process.