Part Five in a Five-Part Series on Communication and Cultures of Trust
Over the past four weeks, we have explored the subject of communication and the role it plays in building a culture of trust. As we discussed early on, great communication helps leaders create clarity and reduce anxiety, demonstrate empathy and understanding, build strong relationships with employees, and much more. (All of these contribute to trust and, ultimately, high performance.)
We’ve also talked about what keeps leaders from communicating well, how to create the best odds for being heard, and how to ask the questions that spark trust-building conversations.
Today, we’ll wrap up this series with a look at what can happen when leaders consistently strive to get communication right. This is not to say that communication alone creates flourishing organizations—there are plenty of other strategies and tactics that factor in—but it is a very important piece. Good communication fixes a lot of other problems.
Six Signs Your Organization Is Flourishing (and How to Communicate Along the Way):
Employees feel they belong. They feel good about their place in the company and have friendly relationships with coworkers. The most critical time to start creating a sense of belonging is during the onboarding process. Of course, you’ll do “technical” onboarding, but this is also a great time to do “emotional” onboarding. Part of this involves leaders reassuring employees that they’ll be supported through the “fear and doubt” phases of getting used to a new job. Another part is asking current employees to share what they experienced when they were new. Not only does this make them realize that how they’re feeling is normal, it sparks empathy in current employees and an immediate sense of connection. (It also helps with retention!)
There’s an investment in skill-building. People can be successful when they feel competent. Again, communicating about skill-building begins during onboarding. Reassure them that they’ll build the skills they need. Later, during training and development, narrate that you see skill-building as an investment in them.
People feel connected to purpose. No matter what a person’s role is, it has meaning and contributes to the organization’s purpose. There are no insignificant jobs. In healthcare, for example, people like physicians and nurses can easily see their sense of purpose. But those with less-visible jobs may need leaders to help them connect the dots. For example, if a person is in accounting, remind them that they help the organization stay financially sustainable. Remind people often of the impact they have on customers, coworkers, and the industry they serve.
Leaders work shoulder-to-shoulder with employees. They don’t ask people to do anything they themselves wouldn’t do. This builds real relationships. It’s a way for leaders to say, “Nothing that happens in this entire organization is beneath me or below me; we are in it together.” (This is one instance where what we do communicates more than the words we say.)
People feel safe, both physically and psychologically. Regularly ask people, “What’s worrying you right now?” (and really listen to their answers). As leaders, we can make sure people feel safe to share what they’re thinking, where they may be struggling, and what they need from us. Of course it’s important to have great well-being resources for people, but it’s even better if we narrate that it’s crucial to speak up if they need help.
Finally, they feel trusted. If we want people to trust us, first make it clear that we trust them. When you’re trying to solve a tough problem, ask employees what they think you should do. This goes a long way toward helping them feel trusted. It’s also why autonomy matters so much. When we make a practice of asking people what they feel will make their job better—and follow through—we show them that we trust them. This is a huge factor in improving engagement and job satisfaction.
I hope this series has been helpful. Communication is an incredibly powerful leadership tool. In addition to setting up employees for success and building strong relationships characterized by mutual trust, it stops misinformation; builds psychological safety (which encourages engagement and feedback); and in general, keeps everyone aligned, nimble, adaptive, and innovative. Everyone wins: leaders, employees, customers, and the entire organization. Helping leaders learn to communicate well is one of the best investments a company can make.
