Effective leaders recognize that things dont always go as planned especially in the area of communication. At times you may have the best intentions with the message you want to send, but the receiver doesnt hear the message in the manner you desire. We also have to acknowledge that there are times when other people deliberately try to get you to miscommunicate for their own selfish reasons.
Leaders are always aware that certain environments and certain people can trigger a reaction from you that may not always have you communicating at a professional level. When you find yourself in a negative situation, you must seek to maintain control of your communication. Poor communication is not always about what you say. Always remember that others often pay more attention to what you are not saying through your body language then what you state vocally.
Failure to get control over your interactions within the workplace can lead to serious consequences. These repercussions can range from receiving a negative performance evaluation, or your boss needing to have a serious talk with you based on negative feedback received from your peers. Both of these examples can prevent you from reaching your career goals.
In todays competitive environment you must always maintain awareness that your peers are also running to get to the top of the organization where there are limited positions available. It can truly become a dog eat dog world. Your communication style will carry a lot of weight regarding your rating as a high potential.
You may have a situation where the communication level between you and your boss is less than desirable. No matter how hard you try you just cant seem to win him or her over, and your communication is always strained. Whether you believe the boss is at fault or not, the ownership of improving the situation is on your shoulders.
Usually a boss can get by without having your support but you cannot get very far without boss support. If you are struggling in the area of communication with your boss or peers, I offer the following solutions:
- Create informal networks with people you can trust. The point is to stay in the loop on the hot issues to avoid falling into any communication land mines others may try to set for you. Be open to the feedback you may receive from your network regarding the effectiveness of your communication style.
- Manage your emotions at all times so you dont give your peers ammunition to use against you behind closed doors. It is always better to say nothing and walk away then to take a moment to put someone in their place. You always have a choice on how you react.
- Learn how your boss prefers to communicate and make sure that is how you communicate, even if it is initially uncomfortable. If he or she wants to do all the talking, then use your critical listening skills so you can execute their direction flawlessly. If the boss has a short attention span, do not overwhelm them with a lot of data.
If you have an idea you want to pitch, ask probing questions to determine if the timing is right. If the boss is distracted or overwhelmed, first seek how you can be of help before trying to get him or her to buy into your bright idea. Once you have their attention, be succinct and engaging, and be prepared to let the boss think it was actually their idea.
If you found these solutions to be of value, then make sure you join us on the April 25th teleseminar where we will provide more details on how to effectively communicate with the boss and peers. We will also provide you with solutions when you allow your anger to surface and you need to do damage control.
