Part Two in a Five-Part Series on Communication and Cultures of Trust

Communication is one of the most powerful tools we have for building trust. As we discussed a few weeks ago—and as Dr. Katherine A. Meese and I talk about in our new book, The Human Margin: Building the Foundations of Trust—trust is crucial in the post-Covid workplace. It’s at the heart of everything today’s employees want. Making sure leaders know what to say and do to build trust matters more than it ever has before.

So yes, good communication builds trust between leaders and their teams, but that’s just the beginning. As last week’s column shared, it also helps organizations thrive in numerous ways. For example, it creates clarity and engagement, boosts performance, reduces employee anxiety, and more. So, with all these known benefits, why don’t leaders always communicate well?

I’ve worked with thousands of leaders throughout my career, and I know they have great intentions. But leadership can be tough. There are many factors that can make clear and timely communication difficult. For example:

• People have “full plates.” Busy schedules and competing priorities can cause communication to fall by the wayside. Make communication part of the daily schedule; don’t wait until it’s convenient.
• There is too much uncertainty and complexity. When things are rapidly changing and we’re constantly bombarded with new information, it’s a struggle to provide clear and accurate information to employees. Don’t wait until things settle down. Update people regularly, letting them know the situation will likely change.
• We may tend to want to wait for things to be perfect before we share information. When we don’t know the final answer, we can say, “Here’s what we know now; you will be updated as we learn more.”
• The need for repetition and the use of multiple channels can be underestimated. Better to overcommunicate than undercommunicate. If something is important, you need to say it “in 100 ways for 100 days.”
• With so many demands on our time, being a patient listener can be hard. Schedule time to give the person your full attention. People need to feel they’re being heard.
• We don’t know how to answer tough questions, so we avoid people until we have an answer. Keep people in the loop. Regularly reassure them that you’re working on it.
• We forget that our own knowledge and background provide understanding of an issue, and we wrongly assume that others already have the understanding or context to interpret the information. The simpler you can keep things, the better.

Be on the lookout for red flags in communication. Sure, our employee engagement surveys may tell us there’s an issue, but we may also see signs in real time. For example, people may have trouble executing tasks, and things don’t get done. Tasks may seem harder than they ought to be. Employees may seem unhappy. In general, there’s a sense of uneasiness.

This raises another important point: Good communication isn’t just about sharing information, instructing, seeking feedback, and coaching and correcting. It’s about doing these things in a way that builds goodwill; improves morale; and creates a healthy, positive work environment.

Yes, leaders have to deliver difficult messages from time to time, but people crave positive communication as well. They want to be reminded of their purpose and value on the team. For each criticism of an employee, many positive comments are needed for the employee to feel good about a leader. It’s ideal for leaders to begin most conversations with a positive, ask whom should be recognized while rounding, and send thank-you notes.

It is so important to master the skill of holding positive conversations to create a workplace that is energizing and enriching, makes people feel valued and cared for, and fosters a true sense of belonging. Here are some tips for holding positive conversations:

Hold up the mirror. Are you bringing positive energy with you to each situation or sucking energy from others? Pay attention to how people behave after an interaction. Do they seem energized, inspired, and productive? Or do they seem emotionally drained?

Don’t guess at how people feel. When talking with those you lead, be very specific. Ask them whether they feel appreciated by you. They will likely say yes. If so, ask what you are doing to make them feel that way. This will help you do more of it in the future.

Make positive communication part of every meeting. For example, start by telling a story that connects people back to mission and shares a win. This will shift the energy in the room and get people engaged right away. Most likely, you’ll get better outcomes.

Watch out for toxic positivity. Optimism is rooted in reality. We can think positively while still acknowledging challenges and hardships. Toxic positivity is a focus on being completely positive, all the time. When we reject negative emotions and pretend challenges don’t exist, employees can’t relate to us and may not trust us. Certainly, they won’t feel heard and understood. They won’t speak up about valid concerns (including their own mental health struggles), and they won’t take risks.

Avoid toxic positivity, especially in times of crisis. People need frequency and transparency of communication, and they need to know that their fears and concerns are being acknowledged and addressed. Leaders can still share a sense of hope in our ability to overcome, but it’s important not to sugarcoat reality or fail to acknowledge and honor when others are feeling scared, discouraged, and uncertain.

Awareness is the first step. Once we know what’s keeping us from communicating well, we can get intentional about making sure our messages are received. Next week we will talk about how leaders can create the best odds for being heard—and how employees can own their part of the responsibility as well.

Quint Studer, Katherine A. Meese, PhD, and Dan Collard will speak at the 2024 ACHE Congress on Healthcare Leadership. Their session, “The Human Margin: What It Is, Why It Matters, and Why TRUST Is the Key to Maximizing It,” will be held on Tuesday, March 26, at 9:00 a.m. Visit https://congress.ache.org/ to learn more.