Effective leaders recognize that things don’t 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 doesn’t 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 today’s 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 can’t 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 don’t
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.
