Communication

Don’t miss out on the gifts of listening.

Don’t Miss Out On the Gifts Of Listening

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Recently I sat down on a plane and noticed the man next to me had on an Iowa Hawkeyes hat. He was in his eighties. Before I share the rest of the story, let me tell you about my typical air travel routine. I tend to spend my time on flights looking at my phone. If there is Wi-Fi available, I connect. If not, I will scroll through emails or listen to audiobooks. On this…
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Mandatory Is Not a Bad Word

Mandatory Is Not a Bad Word

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Have you ever thought your communication was clear, yet the action that followed was not what you expected? Have you ever assumed an action had been taken, then learned it had not? If your answer to both is yes, join the club. There are reasons for the above. It could be the communication was not clear and specific enough. It could be the timeline for completion was not understood. It could be a lack of accountability.…
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How to Lean Into Feedback We Didn’t Want to Hear

How to Lean Into Feedback We Didn’t Want to Hear

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There are productive ways to provide feedback and productive ways to receive it. In talking to many people, I hear the message that they want feedback. Do they? It seems most of the time people like feedback if it is positive. This makes sense: critical feedback can be uncomfortable to hear. While it is never easy getting feedback that is not what we want, the better we learn to handle the information the more likely we…
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How Great Communication Pays Off: Six Signs Your Organization Is Flourishing

How Great Communication Pays Off: 6 Signs Your Organization Is Flourishing

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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…
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These Conversation Starters Help Leaders Build Trust

10 Conversation Starters to Help Leaders Build Trust

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Part Four in a Five-Part Series on Communication and Cultures of Trust Welcome to the latest installment in a series on trust and communication. Last week we talked about what leaders can do to create the best odds that employees will “hear” what they’re saying and engage in the conversation. (Click here to review.) This week we’ll share some powerful tactics leaders can use to spark trust-building conversations. A great way to build trust is…
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Creating the Best Odds for Being Heard

Creating the Best Odds for Being Heard

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Part Three in a Five-Part Series on Communication and Cultures of Trust For the past few weeks, we’ve been exploring the relationship between trust and communication. This is one of the central themes of The Human Margin: Building the Foundations of Trust, the new book Dr. Katherine A. Meese and I coauthored. Good communication builds trust between leaders and employees, which is why it is so important for leaders to be well-trained in this area. In last…
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What Keeps Leaders from Communicating Well?

What Keeps Leaders from Communicating Well?

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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…
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How Good Communication Helps Your Organization Thrive

How Good Communication Helps Your Organization Thrive

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Part One of A Five Part Series on Communication and Cultures of Trust In last week’s column, we talked about why building a culture of trust in your organization is more important than ever. It helps with retention, engagement, and employee well-being, and sets everyone up to do their best work. And as Dr. Katherine A. Meese and I discuss in The Human Margin, communication is one of the best tools we have for building trust. Because good…
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5 (More) Tips for Effective Leadership

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In last week’s column, five leadership tips were shared. There are hundreds of worthwhile tips available from many resources. Many tips depend on the leader’s role, experience, and situation. The tips provided last week and today are ones that fit most individuals in any leadership position. Be interested as well as interesting. Being selected for a leadership role usually means a person is interesting. They can explain things in a way that cause people to listen. They can…
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Employees gossiping about young female colleague

Gossip Erodes Trust, Goodwill, and Peace. Here’s How to Shut It Down.

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Gossip is something I’ve encountered at various times in my life. I am on a journey of learning. When I share about work situations and community items, the fact that they’re based on actual experiences is helpful. It provides me with empathy and understanding. I know how hard being in a leadership role is. In studying recent employee engagement results and reading comments, it became clear there are signs of gossip. In researching materials on…
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