March 2020 - All the Way Leadership Blog

Powerful questions to better communicate with stakeholders

She started slowly. The first slide displayed on the screen. She spoke the opening lines of the presentation with strength and conviction. She was a powerful communicator. It was a conference room packed with her leadership team members. She was rolling out the biggest change initiative her team had ever seen. This was the moment to share the plan and build consensus with them. If she did not deliver a convincing presentation the new strategy would stall. She knew what was required. Next slide. Her tone and intensity increased. The energy in the room went up dramatically. She smiled at her key stakeholders knowing full well that the presentation was working. They clearly understood her vision.

Powerful communicators connect with their teams.

I am not a communications expert

All The Way Leadership! believes that clearly communicating is what strong leaders do. First, you should ask yourself the question, can you clearly communicate with your stakeholders? If the answer is no, then you have work to do. If the answer is yes, I recommend you still spend some time thinking about the best way to communicate clearly with your stakeholders. I am not a communication expert and do not pretend to be one. If you want to go deep into that topic find someone who is. Instead, I simply advise that all leaders ponder a few powerful questions to better communicate with their stakeholders. These Points to Ponder (PP) are found below.

Avoid making your team suffer through poor communications.

PP#1- How well do you know the person or stakeholders you are communicating with?

Most leaders communicate with different audiences throughout the day. The first point to ponder is how well do you know the person or stakeholders you are communicating with. Crucial conversations with someone you do not know well is a hard thing to do. Leading a meeting with your team who you interact with on a regular basis is much different than communicating bad news to your senior leadership team. Don’t be shocked if you end up communicating with stakeholders who do not know you at all. Prepare accordingly. Simply understanding the audience can make or break your ability to communicate clearly with your stakeholders.

An excellent resource for communication skills.

Powerful communicators tailor their message to the audience

Leaders who are powerful communicators tailor their message. They think about the setting in advance. If you are meeting with your team it is probably okay to be less formal and spend more time talking. When you are briefing senior leaders about a tough topic you will want to keep your communication succinct. Don’t muddy the waters by using too many words. If you only have a few minutes on the agenda, then take only a few minutes. Don’t expect more time. Weak communicators disregard the audience. They do not prepare ahead of time and say whatever pops into their minds. Don’t be like that. I have witnessed many leaders say something stupid simply because they did not tailor their message to the audience, nor prepare beforehand.

PP#2 – Do you get a response, inputs, or feedback from stakeholders?

Leaders need to know what their stakeholders think and how they feel about many topics. Do they understand your vision? Does the strategy make sense? What are their thoughts about the implementation plan? You will not receive a response or gather sufficient feedback from stakeholders if you do not ask for it. It is critical that you get inputs from others in order to build consensus and move your team forward. If all you do is broadcast when communicating and do not spend time listening to your stakeholders then you are doomed as a leader. No one likes a leader who does all the talking. Getting buy-in and ideas from others is critical for success.

Put down the megaphone and ask for feedback.

Powerful communicators know how to ask their stakeholders for feedback

Leaders who are powerful communicators know how to ask their stakeholders for feedback. They pause during meetings to see if anyone has a question. If they sense their stakeholders do not understand something a strong leader will seek feedback. Is this the right approach? Does it make sense? The bigger the audience the harder it is to gather feedback. Some stakeholders are reluctant to engage until you ask them, especially in a large group. In other situations, you may receive more questions than you have time to answer them. I am not suggesting that there is one method that is the best for getting inputs. Rather, I am recommending that you think about how to ask for stakeholder feedback beforehand. The best leaders I worked with over the years were masters at getting the thoughts, ideas, and feelings of their stakeholders.

Don’t expect all the feedback to be positive.

PP#3 – Is this interaction a normally planned activity?

The third point to ponder is whether or not the interaction is a normally planned activity like a regular team meeting. Or is it something different than the usual setting. Perhaps a once and done type situation. For example, it is normal for a leader to talk about performance with their team members on a regular basis. Perhaps you sit down monthly with every member of your team to talk about how they are doing. These interactions are different than sharing the results of an annual review with a team member or letting him know his annual salary increase. The preparation required for normal planned activities is much different than special events. Something to consider if you want to become a strong leader.

Some topics like salaries are sensitive.

Powerful communicators prepare accordingly for special events

Powerful communicators understand that special events require more preparation than normal. They invest the time and energy to make sure they are ready for action when it counts most. For example, I would spend a lot more time preparing for a briefing to my senior leadership team than I would a routine weekly meeting with my team. The senior leaders you work with may not see you in action that often. Make the most of the interaction by preparing so that you are at your best. The last thing you want is to choke in a high stakes situation. Your leadership reputation will suffer. Strong leaders are powerful communicators. They prepare for special events and deliver the goods. It is one of the traits that separates great leaders from good ones.

Public speaking makes many leaders nervous.

Take the time to ponder powerful questions to clearly communicate

Strong leaders understand the importance of clearly communicating and connecting with their stakeholders. They ask powerful questions to better communicate with their stakeholders. Powerful communicators ponder how well they know the audience. They get feedback from stakeholders and make the most of special situations. Be that kind of leader. Ask the right questions before you communicate with your stakeholders. They will help make you a powerful communicator, and stronger leader.

The art of communication is the language of leadership .
James Humes

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise up the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

All The Way Leadership!

Can you clearly communicate with your stakeholders?

Have you ever worked for a leader who is a horrible communicator? No one trained him, and it showed. For example, I worked for one leader who did not know how to clearly communicate. He knew it, I knew it, everyone knew it. The organization put this leader in charge of a big change initiative. He floundered, and we all suffered while this leader struggled. He did not know how to clearly communicate. All his stakeholders were left in the dark wondering what was happening. As you might imagine – it was a painful experience for all of us.

Team meetings are torture with a leader who cannot communicate.

It is tough working for a leader who cannot clearly communicate

Another time I worked for a leader who was a daily disaster when it came to communications. He would speak at meetings, and everyone would cringe. No one was quite sure what in the world he was talking about, and neither was he. The organization ended up in complete chaos as a result of this leader’s inability to communicate and connect with his followers. At times he would explode in a meeting chastising his team for not doing things the way he wanted. Getting angry did not help the situation.

More volume does not fix bad communications.

The leader who replaced him was much better at communicating

Eventually, a new leader was put in place. This leader went to work right away fixing the communication problems plaguing the organization. She was an engaging speaker. She made sure all of her meetings had a clear agenda to include opening and closing comments that she prepared in advance. Her team understood what she wanted. Trust was restored. Performance improved rapidly. I watched in wonder as she turned around a bad situation in less than 90 days. It was a pleasure working for a leader who knew how to clearly communicate and connect with her followers.

The difference between mere management and leadership is communication.
Sir Winston Churchill

A novel framework for new leaders

All The Way Leadership! created a novel framework for new leaders. Fundamentally this framework communicates that it is vital for you to possess integrated integrity as a new leader. Having individual integrated integrity means that ‘who you are’ aligns with ‘what you say’ and ‘what you do’. If you do not demonstrate individual integrated integrity your team will not trust you, and your impact as a leader will be limited. ‘Who you are‘ was covered in previous posts. Now ‘what you say’ will be discussed.

All The Way Leadership! Individual Integrated Integrity Framework. ©2020

Three key components comprise ‘what you say’

All The Way Leadership! believes every leader needs to understand that ‘what you say’ is important. ‘What you say’ as a leader is comprised mainly of three key components – communicating with stakeholders, presenting your ideas, and engaging your team members. Communicating with stakeholders is the topic of this blog. It can be difficult to do, especially if you are a new leader. Also, many senior leaders have a diverse set of stakeholders that brings its own challenges. For now, let’s focus on a simple model for communicating with your stakeholders.

What training do your team members need? — Clearly communicating with your stakeholders is vital for success.

A tool to clearly communicate with your stakeholders

As a leader, it is important that you clearly communicate to your stakeholders. It sounds easy to do. It is not. The amount of miscommunication that occurs on a daily basis in most offices is enormous. Think about how many times this week you participated in a discussion that ended without a clear understanding of what you should do next. One tool to help you is a simple framework for thinking about the best method to communicate with your stakeholders. It is found below. Take some time to select the best method before communicating, not after the fact.

Not all communication channels are the same.

Selecting the best method to clearly communicate

All The Way Leadership! recommends that all leaders take the time to select the best method for communicating. Your stakeholders will thank you later. Four communication methods are found below.

Face to face (in person) – some topics should be discussed in person. This method is best for direct communication. Conduct all crucial conversations in person, if possible. It may be impossible to talk with someone in person. A video teleconference is another option, although it is not the same since you can not read body language.
Instant message – use this method for informal exchanges. It is especially effective if you need a quick answer to an easy question. IM is much more common as a workplace tool nowadays. I know some senior leaders who refuse to use IM. That is a mistake. Don’t be a dinosaur when it comes to IM.
Text message – basically this is IM on your phone. Use this method if you have an immediate need or want to provide a quick update. For example, I will text someone if I am going to be late for a meeting.
Phone (1 to 1) – use the phone for formal discussions that you cannot do in person. Some of your stakeholders may not like talking on the phone much. They may prefer IM. Let them know to answer when you call because it is usually important.

Two methods commonly used that cause the most problems

If you are a leader you are most likely participating in multiple group meetings and conference calls a day. You probably send and receive e-mails all day long. These two methods are effective but can cause problems if you are not thoughtful.

Conference calls – an efficient method for group discussions. Several modern productivity tools make it easy to get a group together for a virtual meeting. If it is your meeting – lead the discussion. Don’t let it devolve into a circus. The video below is funny, but also accurate about what can happen during a conference call. Be prepared.
E-mails – an effective method for both formal and informal communication with your stakeholders. It is a great way to loop others into a conversation and make virtual introductions. BTW – read your emails. How do you know what is happening if you have hundreds of unread emails? Don’t ignore your inbox and hope for the best.

This video is sadly accurate about conference calls.

Why selecting the proper method to clearly communicate matters

As a leader, you will participate in many different kinds of conversations. Some will be quick like getting a status update from one of your team members. Others will be more serious like sharing bad news with your boss. Take the time you need to select the proper method for clearly communicating with your stakeholders. For example, don’t talk about sensitive personal topics on a large conference call. Save that discussion for later when you can discuss the issue with the person directly. Trust me – selecting the proper method will save you many headaches. In the next blogs, I will share tactical tips and lessons learned about communicating with stakeholders.

Sensitive personal topis are best handled in person.

What about you?

Do you pay attention to ‘what you say’ as a leader? Have you taken the time to identify the best method for clearly communicating with your stakeholders? If not, make the investment now. If so, you will enjoy the next few blogs. We are going to explore how to clearly communicate with your stakeholders to include points to ponder, tactical tips and lessons learned.

Great leaders communicate and great communicators lead.
Simon Simek

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

Clearly communicating is what strong leader do

Take a moment right now and think about a strong leader you know. Someone you truly enjoyed working for. Ask yourself a simple question about this leader. Did she clearly communicate to her stakeholders? I bet the answer is yes. Now think about a weak leader you know well. Someone you did not enjoy following. Ask yourself the same question. Did he clearly communicate with you and others? Your answer probably changed to no. It is difficult to follow someone who communicates poorly.

President Reagan was known for his effective communication.

Three hard truths about your personal integrity

All The Way Leadership! believes that integrity is a non-negotiable attribute for leaders. Simply put – if you do not demonstrate integrity your team will not trust you, and you are dead in the water as a leader. In a previous post, I advised that you never forget these three hard truths about your integrity

Your team is watching your every move – what will you do to build their trust?

A novel framework for new leaders

All The Way Leadership! created a novel framework for new leaders. Fundamentally this framework focuses on the fact that it is vital for you to possess integrated integrity as a new leader. Having individual integrated integrity means that ‘who you are’ aligns with ‘what you say’ and ‘what you do’. If you do not demonstrate individual integrated integrity your team will not trust you, and your impact as a leader will be limited. ‘Who you are‘ was covered in previous posts. Now ‘what you say’ will be discussed.

All The Way Leadership! Individual Integrated Integrity Framework. ©2019

A constant leadership challenge

Clearly communicating is a constant leadership challenge that requires attention. Strong leaders invest their energy and brainpower into clearly communicating with their followers. They do it in small ways like sending thoughtful emails, not just blasting off rapid responses that are confusing. And in big ways like properly preparing for meetings and presentations. No one ever enjoys suffering through an endless meeting that accomplishes nothing. Don’t be that kind of leader. Stakeholders will skip your meetings if you fall into this trap.

People expect their leaders to communicate with them

After spending decades in leadership positions you start to notice certain patterns. One that is readily apparent is that most people do not like being kept in the dark. They want to know what is going on. Make sure you share the big news of the day with your team. Talk about the top priorities and discuss what do you expect them to do. Your team members may not like everything you have to share with them, but they will appreciate the fact that you are keeping them in the loop. Team members trust leaders who clearly communicate with them on a consistent basis. Don’t be the kind of leader who puts on your headphones and ignores everyone in the office.

Headphone culture is affecting communication at workplaces.

A strong leader will communicate consistently

Leaders know that they should spend time communicating with their stakeholders. The real question is how much communication is necessary. All The Way Leadership! believes that the key to clearly communicating is consistency. Do you meet with your team on a regular basis? Is there a well-understood agenda that you actually follow? People prefer predictable patterns when it comes to meetings. Make meetings less painful for your team by thinking about the flow and format in advance. It is your job as the leader to facilitate your team meetings. Nothing will suck the energy out of a team meeting more than if you show up and ask “what are we here to talk about?”. You should know – it is your meeting.

Boring meetings drain morale and stifle innovation.

Make sure you stay synchronized with your boss

It is important that you and your boss are “on the same sheet of music”. Strong leaders make sure they are synchronized with their boss. How often do you meet with your boss to discuss priorities and your activities? I am not suggesting that there is a right answer regarding how often you need to communicate with your boss. In some situations, it may be daily. Rather I am suggesting that you think about it, and put a system in place to execute. For example, I meet with my boss on a weekly basis, at a minimum.

Consistent face-time with your boss is important.

It is hard to get your team to do what you want if you never clearly communicate it to them

This point seems like a no-brainer, but I will mention it anyway. Mainly because I used to fall into this leadership trap all the time. I would get frustrated with my team members when they did not do what I expected. Turns out the problem was me, not them. I never clearly communicated what needed to be done. Instead, I thought they knew the work and would do it without requiring direction. Basically, I was asking them to read my mind. Once I realized that the problem was my communication style I changed my approach. Performance improved. Having shared this pitfall, I need to mention another one. That is don’t become a micromanager.

Micromanagers are exhausting

Have you ever worked for a leader who is a micromanager? It is exhausting. Yes – it is important that leaders clearly communicate on a consistent basis with their stakeholders. Yes – you need to let your team know what work needs to be completed. No – you do not need to micromanage them. I witness two forms of micromanagement on a regular basis. The first is leaders and managers constantly checking the status of tasks that they assign team members. The second is leaders who always tell their team members how to perform every task. Both are bad. No one wants enjoys being pinged by their boss all day long, or being told what to do all the time. Don’t be that kind of leader.

High performing team members don't need to be micromanaged. — High performing team members don’t need to be micromanaged.

What about you?

Are you building trust with your followers by clearly communicating with them? Do you spend time with your team on a consistent basis discussing what work needs to be done? Do you meet with your boss to stay synchronized? If not, then you have work to do. Don’t worry – All The Way Leadership! is here. The next blog post will focus on a framework for methods to clearly communicate with your stakeholders.

Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.
Plato

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!