The art of communication
Communication is an art. Good managers don’t underestimate the value of good communication. Great managers constantly and relentlessly Communicate with a capital C and put it at the heart of what they do. (You decide what bad managers do…).
Great managers are two-way communicators: they not only talk but they listen just as much. They value discussion, they are not afraid to discuss the undiscussables. They are also not afraid to say “I don’t know” or “I am not perfect”. They use modern technologies to communicate, but they also know the value of communicating symbolic messages. Above all, they are aware of the grapevine and the concept “by word of mouth” and they are not afraid to use it just as they use Townhall meetings, shareholder updates, end-of-year messages, blogs or You Tube. And they realize the value and influence of stories.
A little story about a new CEO that recently joined a large multinational company: the previous CEO was rather aloof and formal, hidden in his office in headquarters (and by the way far from unsuccessful where the results of his company were concerned!). Seeing the old CEO anywhere near the coffee machine in the pantry was unthinkable. Cups of coffee would always mysteriously show up on the old CEO’s desk. A member of staff at headquarters was therefore quite shocked to find the new CEO not only near the coffee machine, but even more so to see him actually press the buttons to make himself a cup of coffee. She told me she almost fainted when the new CEO turned to her and asked her whether he could make her a cup of coffee as well.
The new CEO certainly communicated a message about himself there. And certainly one that is now making its way through the grapevine in that company. And I can assure you it’s a positive message. It had nothing to do though with a carefully planned communication strategy. Or modern technology. He is just the kind of guy who doesn’t mind getting his own coffee. And gets his staff a cup while he’s at it. By doing so he does however send a very strong message about who he is.
What do you prefer? A CEO who magically makes cups of coffee appear on his desk? Or a CEO who makes you a cup of coffee?
Are you aware of the messages you communicate just by doing the things the way you do them?
Filed under: Communcation, Leadership, Management | 1 Comment
Tags: Communcation, Leadership, Management, story, the art of communcation
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