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Poor Manager Communication Costs Companies

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If your managers are not communicating effectively with their employees, it may be costing your company more than you think. 

In the Gallup 2013 State of the American Workplace Report, Gallup CEO, Jim Clifton, said that choosing the managers is the most important thing that companies do (Gallup, 2013).  Poor management can affect an employee’s level of engagement in the job.  The report shows that unfortunately, 20% of workers are actively disengaged and 50% are not engaged, which can cost the company millions of dollars in lost productivity, healthcare costs, turnover, poor customer service and mistakes.

So what does communication have to do with it?

Poor communication from managers can lead to employee disengagement.  Effective communication is not just about how often the manager talks to employees or how nice he or she is to them during conversations.  It’s about having the right types of conversations.

The right types of conversations include conversations around the employee’s strengths and talents and how the employee can use those talents on the job.

Managers should be giving performance feedback that is timely, consistent, specific, and relevant.  These conversations should be in-depth and should occur on a frequent basis.  Don’t just give feedback on areas that the employee should improve, but also recognize an employee’s positive performance. Show appreciation when someone does an exceptional job. It doesn’t take a lot of time on your part, but it means a lot to employees when you show them that their hard work is being recognized.

Managers should communicate to employees about what is expected of them and how they measure against those expectations.  If there are areas that they need to develop, help them come up with ideas or a plan for developing in those areas.

As noted in the Leadership and Listening Series article, Really Listen to Your Employees, communication isn’t just about talking; listening is a key part of effective communication for leaders.  As a manager, you should be asking for and listening to employees’ ideas as well as listening to employees’ career goals and helping them meet those goals.  Employees should feel valued to be part of the organization and feel as if their contributions are making a difference.

Using communication to empower employees to do their jobs requires effort, but the results are worth it.  According to the Gallup Survey, engaged employees come up with the most innovative ideas, bring in more customers, have higher productivity, and produce higher quality work (Gallup, 2013).

 

 

Leadership and Listening Part 4: Really Listen to Your Employees

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 If you’re a manager or leader who feels too busy to listen to your employees, it may be time to re-assess your priorities.  Perhaps the reason you’re so overwhelmed is because you haven’t been listening enough to people on your team.

Listening to your employees not only helps you develop trust and build relationships, but it makes you the type of leader who people seek out if they have concerns or contributions.  Your employees are directly involved in the work they’re doing and they also talk to others in the company.  They have a good pulse on what’s going on and you can benefit from listening to them.  It’s harder to find out important information if employees are unwilling to share with you.

Studies have shown that employees are more likely to be engaged in their work if they feel as if their ideas and contributions matter.  What good does employee engagement do?  Engaged employees are more productive and more efficient, which means better results.  By listening to their ideas, you’re increasing productivity and creating better results, so it’s a win-win for you, your team, and the company.  And it’s not going to cost you a dime.

Simple Ways to Really Listen to Your Employees

1)      Set up consistent one-on-one meetings.  Let your employees set the agenda for these meetings.  Obviously if there’s something you need to share during these employees, feel free to do so, but it’s important that they be able to share what’s on their minds.

2)      When employees do contribute ideas or concerns, thank them and follow up with regarding what action was taken as a result of their idea.  Even if nothing could be done, let them know the reason behind it and encourage them to continue sharing ideas and concerns with you.

3)      Make yourself visible by talking to your employees and sharing information that will affect them and their work.  Don’t just sit in your office and send e-mails.  Go and see your employees.   If you’re managing them from another location, then have regular phone conversations and use video (if possible).   If your employees don’t get to know you and trust you, they’re not going to be as likely to share information with you.

4)      You can set up a system such as “office hours.”  Office hours are set up in universities by professors and refer to a block of time when you can see the professor for one-on-one time for any questions you have.  Of course, you should encourage your employees to bring concerns to you at any time, but by setting up office hours, you give them the message that you set aside a certain amount of time where you’re devoted to listening to them.   You’re not likely to have the same time free every week, so send out an e-mail in advance and let them know the office hours for that week.

5)      Employees may come to you when experience personal problems that are affecting their work.  When they come to see you, give them your full attention.  Let them know that you’re here to listen, but be careful about giving advice.

They may just want to share and let you know what’s going on.  If the problem is of a more serious nature and they may need to take time off, give them information about the company employee assistance program (if there is one) or refer them to the Human Resources / Benefits department to discuss FML (Family Medical Leave) or other options.

Be creative coming up with other ways to listen to your employees!

 

This article is part of a series of listening articles.   Access the other articles in this series by clicking on the links below.

Listening and Leadership Part 1:  Why Should You Listen?

Listening and Leadership Part 2:  Stop Faking and Really Listen

Listening and Leadership Part 3:  Really Listen to Your Clients

 

Leadership and Listening Part 3: Really Listen to Clients

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Most people say that their clients are of the highest importance and that they do whatever they can to meet their needs.  But are you really listening to your clients?

In order to truly understand what another person is saying, it’s not enough to just listen to the words.  You should also listen for the   emotion behind the words.

Imagine if you asked someone to help you with Excel, and the person said, “Sure I”d love to!”  You would be able to tell based on the tone and body language if the person really wanted to help you or not.  If the tone was sarcastic and the person refused to look at you, it would be an indication that, for some reason, she doesn’t mean what she just said.  By listening to the tone and watching the body language, you can ask questions such as, “Is there a time that would work better for you?”

When we fail to truly listen, we may hear the words, but miss the emotion behind the words.  The emotion behind the words reveal more than the words themselves.  By listening to your client’s tone and the emotion behind what they’re saying, you can ask follow-up questions to really get at their needs, which can help translate to better client relationships and more sales.

How to Really Listen to Clients:

  1. Choose a location where there is little or no chance of distraction.  Put your phone on silent or vibrate.
  2. Choose a time when you’re better able to give your full attention.  If you’re grumpy in the early morning, don’t schedule a meeting during that time.
  3. If you notice that the tone and body language don’t match what the person is saying, ask questions to better understand how the person is feeling.  If the words say, “We can do that,” but the body language is fidgety, then ask questions that delve deeper such as, “Are their obstacles standing in your way?”  or “Are you comfortable with doing that?  Why or why not?”  or “What can I do to help make you more comfortable with it?”
  4. Take notes.  If you have any questions while the person is speaking, write them down so you can ask later.  That way, you won’t interrupt the person in that moment to ask the question or tune out the person because you’re trying to remember your question.
  5. Don’t jump in to fill a pause.  Before moving to another topic, ask if the person is ready to do so.
  6. Focus only on the person and the conversation at hand.  Don’t distract yourself by thinking of everything else that you have going on.
  7. Show your clients that you are listening and understanding what they’re telling you by paraphrasing and following up with relevant questions.
  8. Listening should be followed up with action.  After listening to a client’s problems, do what you can to help solve those problems.

Are You Holding Yourseslf Back From Being a Great Presenter?

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Imagine giving a great presentation that accomplishes your goal, keeps the audience’s attention, and causes them to take action.  You’re capable of giving this type of presentation, but may not know it yet.

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