Three things before you hit send
"The art of communication is the language of leadership." James Humes
From a confused look to a clear set of verbal instructions, we communicate all day, every day in a variety of ways. George Bernard Shaw, an Irish playwright, critic, and political activist famously stated, "The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." I love this quote as it forces me to examine what I have communicated and how it may have been received, if at all. As a leader, I have this internal voice which whispers to me, "answer the question," "seek or demonstrate acknowledgement," or "don't hit send yet." This voice is the discipline instilled in me in my Army training, for if my messages were not received - if I failed to communicate clearly, disaster could occur. Don't hit send yet.
In my good fortune to 'look under the hood' of several businesses, I find communication flaws often and everywhere. Inept or inappropriate communication or complete communication failure is almost a sure thing. It occurs mostly in written form through texts, office chat applications such as Microsoft Teams or Slack, or in email. It is so easy today to type, swipe, and send, the art and discipline of communicating effectively has all but vanished. Office applications and personal devices such as smart phones have replaced interpersonal communication especially one-on-one interaction. The wreckage is clear - people and teams spinning endlessly over a poorly delivered message(s). Don't hit send yet.
There are numerous things one could do before they communicate. I'll offer three specific to written communication sent by the means highlighted above.
Be clear on your intent. Ask yourself, "what do I hope to achieve with this email, text, or chat?" Read what you have written, out loud even, in the voice you would use to say it to another person or group. When in receipt of a poorly written message, ask the sender what their intent was. If they don't know, shift over to coaching them.
Use the right form for the communication. Here is a rule of mine. If the message contains emotions such as anger or if I want feedback, I always deliver that in person. Angry rants in written form are a perfect way to hurt, confuse, or anger another person or group - and they are permanent. Gratitude or unemotional guidance is fine in written form - even better as it can be saved for future use.
Be mindful of timing. Remember, you are the boss, and people will think and act upon your messages. Sending an end-of-day, evening, or weekend email, text or chat may be a bad idea. You could risk ruining someone's state of peace. Texting someone in the middle of the day may distract them from something important. I often use the 'Schedule Send' option on email so that it will arrive in a person's inbox at a more appropriate time.
Like anyone, I enjoy the ease of texting, chatting, and even emailing. This said, I do apply the discipline needed for communicating. I'm aware of my position and authority. I often place myself in the shoes of the receiver and ponder how they might receive what I have written. I read, sometimes out loud, what I have written. I'll even ask another trusted agent to read my message before I sent it. I do these things quickly yet deliberately, even subconsciously before I hit the send button.
You cannot be a great leader without being a great communicator. Don't hit send just yet.
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell