As a manager, leader or business owner, it is important to ensure that you consider the impact your messaging will have every time you have a conversation. This is not just in a group session, but also one-on-ones, networking events, peer-to-peer catch-ups –in fact, in every interaction there is impact in message delivery.
This is especially so when it comes to what your audience may hear versus what you believe you are saying.
Within an organisation, engagement and staff performance will be a direct driver to results. In an article by Bruce Temkin, Head of the Qualtrics XM Institute, he says,“The bottom line is: Employee experience is a fundamental enabler of customer experience.”
When looking to minimise impact and keep up morale, consider these five points in delivering information to your teams.
1. Keep it real – be authentic!
Be very clear before you begin on the reasoning behind your decisions or the need for change. If you believe in the message, your passion and support of the new direction will be infectious and help people feel secure.
2. Be respectful
Think through the language you are using. Jokes and relaxed banter may make you feel more comfortable, but everyone else could feel awkward and unsure how to react.
3. Timing is key
Consider how the time of day and the day of the week will impact your team – delivering a message on a Friday afternoon means that you may not be available to ask answer any questions or queries that bubble up. Consider your team’s general workload and how it may disrupt their performance that day. Thought on this is key and shows consideration and respect to impact.
4. Encourage discussion – no need to deliver and run!
Feeling comfortable enough to encourage healthy conversation will more likely uncover perspectives that others in the room hadn’t considered and your team will help navigate these with you. You don’t need to have all the answers; just be open to listening and see questions as an opportunity.
5. Be available
Offer an open door. Everyone takes a different approach to processing information, and what may feel okay when first heard may spark a different feeling over the course of the next few days. Make sure everyone feels empowered to be able to tap on the door for a chat, or to grab a coffee to talk these through.
Strong, thoughtful messaging will drive respect, engagement and productivity, leading to a positive and successful working environment.
