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The 4 Channels of Communication

Do you have a clear understanding of how your leader and customers wish to be communicated with?

Does your staff or your peers have a clear understanding of how YOU want to be communicated with?

Does everyone know what is expected of them in terms of what should be communicated when?

Is there a high level of comfort for giving and receiving feedback?

Chances are the answer is “no” to at least one of these questions.

Communication–the human connection–is the key to personal and career success.
–Paul J. Meyer

Picking the right channel of communication is a key skill for all leaders. To do this well you have to understand the richness of the channel and the type of message best suited for that channel.

The 4 Channels of Communication

It’s important to understand the channels of communication that we use all the time and how they may affect our message (in order of richness).

1. Face to face

Why is this the richest? Think about your tone of voice, posture, gestures, eye contact, and body position/language.

2. Telephone

What can you detect from hearing a voice? What might you miss?

3. Computer/email/social media

All you have is the ability to share text although some people try to use emojis, parentheses, italics, or bold type to denote their emotional perspective. Has your message ever been misinterpreted?

4. Brochures/bulletins/flyers

This is meant for the widest possible audience; everyone on distribution gets the same message, and, you don’t always know who read it.

All channels of communication serve a purpose dependent on what’s being communicated.

Given that, the first thing we suggest is to know the audience and the message of the communiqué. Before it’s delivered identify the reason, the main points and anticipate questions and responses.

Be prepared for the following questions:

  • What is happening?
  • Why is it happening?
  • How and when is it going to happen?
  • Who is being impacted? How?
  • How will concerns be addressed?

Preparing in advance and anticipating questions (and maybe even some resistance) will allow you to deliver your message with clarity and confidence.

What communication model works best for you?

BONUS – QWIKTIP – Read more: KNOCK ‘EM DEAD

Why Give Feedback?

Feedback is the breakfast of champions.
—Ken Blanchard

Why Give Feedback? The intent is to help others grow and thrive, help them understand perceptions about what they do well and what can be improved upon, and it’s a great opportunity to address any actions or behaviors that should be stopped.

All feedback should be delivered respectfully and with specific examples that support your message.

A recommended process is:

ASK – stimulate reflection about what is being discussed

LISTEN – self perceptions can differ greatly from “outside” perceptions

THINK – are there opposing views? What about ideas for improvement?

THANK – it’s most effective when both the feedback giver and receiver welcome feedback

RESPOND – an agreement to “think about it” is a good start

INVOLVE – what support is needed for improvement? A mentor? Up-skilling? Coaching?

CHANGE – is there a consensus of what to address and improve upon? (or keep strong?)

FOLLOW-UP – schedule “check-ins” or better yet immediately share when you see progress

Positive feedback in most cases is easier to deliver than difficult feedback.  For the “tough” feedback, try and remove emotions and remain fact based:

  • What situation are you addressing?
  • Is there a specific behavior? Describe it.
  • Share what you saw, heard, and felt.
  • Describe the impact of the behavior.

You as a leader have a great opportunity to make a difference and strengthen individuals and teams. You can enhance skills, build relationships, increase collaboration, and inspire commitment and change.

Are you making a difference between “awesome” and “less awesome”?

Once people take ownership over the decision to receive feedback, they’re less defensive about it.
–Adam Grant

You Have To Be Genuine

It’s not enough to just go through the motions, trying to demonstrate qualities that are associated with emotional intelligence. You have to be genuine.
—Travis Bradberry

We’ve talked about the need for Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and how some consider EQ to be the single biggest predictor of high performance in the workplace as well as the strongest driver of leadership and personal excellence.

Author and provider of EQ testing Travis Bradberry adds that “Emotional intelligence won’t do a thing for you if you aren’t genuine.” Genuine, Real, and Authentic = what people want in leadership.

Bradberry provides the following:

1.Genuine people don’t try to make people like them: Genuine people are who they are. They know that some people will like them, and some won’t.

2.They don’t pass judgment: Genuine people are open-minded, which makes them approachable and interesting to others.

3.They forge their own paths: They do what they believe to be the right thing, and they’re not swayed by the fact that somebody might not like it.

4.They are generous: Genuine people are unfailingly generous with whom they know, what they know and the resources they have access to.

5.They treat EVERYONE with respect: Genuine people treat everyone with respect because they believe they’re no better than anyone else.

6.They aren’t motivated by material things: Their happiness comes from within.

7.They are trustworthy: People gravitate toward those who are genuine because they know they can trust them.

8.They are thick-skinned: They’re able to objectively evaluate negative and constructive feedback.

9.They put away their phones: When genuine people commit to a conversation, they focus all of their energy on it.

10.They aren’t driven by ego: They simply do what needs to be done.

11.They aren’t hypocrites: Genuine people practice what they preach.

12.They don’t brag: Genuine people know who they are. They are confident enough to be comfortable in their own skin.

Think of the best leader you’ve ever worked for. How many of the behaviors above did they exhibit? Were they “genuine”? What can you learn from them?

A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.
–Martin Luther King, Jr.

Feedback Competencies

All that is valuable in human society depends upon the opportunity for development accorded the individual.
–Albert Einstein

Do you have colleagues or direct reports that could be even stronger performers?  Have you given them feedback, but perhaps they don’t accept it as they’re only hearing it from you?

Conducting a formal 360 Feedback process may be the solution. You and the feedback recipient can jointly select who should provide the feedback.  It should minimally include:

  • Their immediate leader
  • All Direct Reports (if applicable)
  • Colleagues/co-workers

You can also include customers/clients and vendors and strategic partners (and any others with a working relationship).

We primarily use Wiley’s 360 feedback tool which focuses on 8 Competencies:

Pioneering
Finding Opportunities, Stretching The Boundaries, Promoting Bold Action

Energizing
Showing Enthusiasm, Building Professional Networks, Rallying People To Achieve Goals

Affirming
Being Approachable, Acknowledging Contributions, Creating A Positive Environment

Inclusive
Staying Open To Input, Showing Diplomacy, Facilitating Dialogue

Humble
Maintaining Composure, Showing Modesty, Being Fair Minded

Deliberate
Communicating With Clarity, Promoting Disciplined Analysis, Providing A Sense Of Stability

Resolute
Setting High Expectations, Speaking Up About Problems, Improving Methods

Commanding
Showing Confidence, Taking Charge, Focusing On Results

The recipient also rates themselves in these same areas, and part of the tool results includes showing how similar (or different) the self ratings are from those from others.

The results are debriefed by a coach in a non threatening way, with areas of strength as well as development opportunities discussed.

As a leader, this is a great way to help others grow – who do you think could benefit from hearing what others have to say?

I think it’s very important to have a feedback loop, where you’re constantly thinking about what you’ve done and how you could be doing it better.
–Elon Musk

Trust and the Feedback Formula

GIVING FEEDBACK REQUIRES TRUST. NO TRUST. NO FEEDBACK.– Shari Harley

More about feedback. We’ve established that feedback is not only important but that it’s critical for individual and organizational success. Giving feedback and being heard is not easy,  but if your relationship includes trust, the feedback process becomes less stressful and more meaningful.

Author, trainer, and key note speaker Shari Harley created The Feedback Formula which includes the following 8 steps:

1. Introduce the conversation so feedback recipients know what to expect.
2. Empathize so both the feedback provider and the recipient feel as comfortable as possible.
3. Describe the observed behavior so the recipient can picture a specific, recent example of what you’re referring to. The more specific you are, the less defensive he will be, and the more likely he’ll be to hear you and take corrective action.
4. Sharing the impact or result describes the consequences of the behavior. It’s what happened as a result of the person’s actions.
5. Having some dialogue gives both people a chance to speak and ensures that the conversation is not one-sided. Many feedback conversations are not conversations at all; they’re monologues. One person talks and the other person pretends to listen, while thinking what an idiot you are. Good feedback conversations are dialogues during which the recipient can ask questions, share his point of view, and explore next steps.
6. Make a suggestion or request so the recipient has another way to approach the situation or task in the future. Most feedback conversations tell the person what he did wrong and the impact of the behavior; only rarely do they offer an alternative. Give people the benefit of the doubt. If people knew a better way to do something, they would do it another way.
7. Building an agreement on next steps ensures there is a plan for what the person will do going forward. Too many feedback conversations do not result in behavior change. Agreeing on next steps creates accountability.
8. Say “Thank you” to create closure and to express appreciation for the recipient’s willingness to have a difficult conversation.

Do these steps help? Does it make sense that a trusting relationship creates a “safe” relationship allowing feedback to be welcomed?

We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.
—Bill Gates

Is Feedback Important?

Top performing companies are not only good at accepting feedback, they deliberately ask for feedback. — Susan E. DeFranzo

Is Feedback Important?  We say it’s not only important but that it’s critical for organizational success and personal and professional growth. What do you think?

Don’t confuse giving feedback with annual performance reviews; while both serve a purpose, if you want to move the performance needle and improve behaviors and skill-sets, giving regular, honoring, and well intended feedback will do the trick.

officevibe published the following feedback statistics:

1.    14.9% lower turnover rates in companies that implement regular employee feedback.

2.    2X as likely to be actively disengaged if employees are ignored by their manager.

3.    4 out of 10 workers are actively disengaged when they get little or no feedback.

4.   82% of employees really appreciate receiving feedback, regardless if it’s positive or negative.

5.    43% of highly engaged employees receive feedback at least once a week compared to only 18% of employees with low engagement.

6.    65% of employees said they wanted more feedback

7.    58% of managers think they give enough.

So what can we as leaders do?

Make time
Regardless how busy you are, create a feedback calendar and take it seriously!
If you become aware of a “positive” or “negative” action, acknowledge it immediately

Make it honest and meaningful
Be prepared to provide specifics about both negative and positive feedback
Think in terms of praise and constructive criticism – both contribute to growth

Use goal tracking
If you don’t know how to get started, review how the individual has helped (or hindered) the achievement of organizational or team goals

Commit to supporting continual learning
Review what in house programs are available
Ensure your budget adequately includes development opportunities
Investigate external training that can address your focus areas

Feedback will make your top performers even stronger, and will help motivate and guide those that may be under-performing.

Are you committed to “improve and enhance” others?

Top performing companies know that feedback is helpful only when it highlights weaknesses as well as strengths.– Susan E. DeFranzo

Ideas To Influence

The greatest ability in business is to get along with others and to influence their actions.–John Hancock

It’s not uncommon for us to hear that leaders are uncertain of how they can enhance their influence skills. Below are some ideas that may help:

I         Consistently display and lead with INTEGRITY

N        Identify the developmental NEEDS of your people and
organization

F        Reflect on FEEDBACK that is given to you, and provide
meaningful FEEDBACK to help others grow

L        LEVERAGE differing styles and preferences to obtain goals
and desired results

U       UNDERSTAND that not everything goes as planned; don’t
punish, rather learn from what went wrong

E        ENGAGE others with both similar and opposing views.
What have you not thought of? Is there more to learn?

N       Invest in both NEW and tenured leaders and commit to
continual learning

C        Genuinely CARE about how others think and feel

E        EFFECTIVE leaders build and maintain authentic, lasting,
and trusting relationships

It’s critical to be authentic; share your passion and the passion of others, and as Ken Blanchard says “The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority”.

Use your influence skills daily!

Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.
— Napoleon Hill

Known and Unknown Gifts

One of my greatest talents is recognizing talent in others and giving them the forum to shine.—Tory Burch

Last week we asked if the happy factor was part of your magic dust. Was this hard to answer? Did you think about your general disposition and how you view life? Perhaps you considered whether you think more about the negatives in your world than the positives?

How you view the world is likely to be impacted by your magic dust. (For those that missed it, we suggested thinking of magic dust in terms of what you’re good at, what comes easy to you, your unique skills and abilities, and what you enjoy doing.)

Remember the Johari Window? It consists of four window panes:

OPEN: This is our conscious self – our attitudes, behaviors, motivation, values, way of life – not only are we are aware of them, but they are also known to others.

HIDDEN: Our hidden areas are not known to others unless we choose to share them.

BLIND: There are things about ourselves which we do not know, but that others see. (This is when feedback is invaluable).

UNKNOWN: We and others are not aware of what falls in this quadrant. Sometimes something new reveals itself.  Ex. Art, sports, or other new talents and skills are discovered.

Give thought to the 4 window panes:

  • What magic dust is known to both you and others?
  • Do you have a talent/skill that is only known by you? Is there a reason to not share it?
  • Have you ever received feedback or been told you have a special skill or add value in a way that was a surprise to you?
  • For those that have gone through the 363 feedback process, are your “self ratings” aligned with the ratings provided by others? Were there any surprises?

Now think about colleagues and your immediate boss – can you identify their magic dust? What makes them stand out? Take a few minutes to think about what you view as their special skills and talents.

If you’re comfortable doing so, share your thoughts with them. You may have the ability to enlighten them and expand their “open” window!

It’s good to test yourself and develop your talents and ambitions as fully as you can and achieve greater success; but I think success is the feeling you get from a job well done, and the key thing is to do the work.—Peter Thiel

Feedback Increases Effectiveness

We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.–Bill Gates

Can you believe it’s the 4th QTR of 2018? How are you doing?  How are you feeling? Have you accomplished all that you planned for, or will the next few months be action packed?

Hopefully your annual plan included soliciting feedback. Bill Gates’ quote above shares that we need feedback to improve.

As leaders, we may be more comfortable giving feedback than receiving it.  We view giving feedback as part of our job and have scheduled meetings (one on ones, performance appraisals) that lend themselves to discussing the positive behaviors and accomplishments, as well as the missed goals and opportunities.

We all have perceptions as to how our peers, subordinates, and business partners would evaluate us, but we rarely solicit feedback on a regular basis.   So what can we do?

You can start simple.  Ask 3 questions:

  • What do I do that makes a difference that you want me to continue doing?
  • What am I doing that you want me to stop?
  • What could I do better?

You may also want to consider using a formal 360’ feedback program – we use Wiley’s 363 For Leaders tool that evaluates 8 approaches for effective leadership (pioneering, energizing, affirming, inclusive, humble, deliberate, resolute and commanding). (Contact us if you want to learn more).

As leaders it’s pretty much a given that we provide regular and honoring feedback to our staff or team members, but there’s added value to the organization when we extend this to include peers and our boss.

How do you feel about both giving and receiving feedback? Do you find the process constructive and a learning experience?

Make sure any feedback you provide is timely, well intended, and delivered in an honoring way.  Also, when you receive feedback, you don’t necessarily have to take action – listen to what you’re being told, process it, and evaluate if acting on it would serve you well.

Remember, the whole idea of feedback is to grow and improve!

Author Alexander Lucia says:
Truly great leaders spend as much time collecting and acting upon feedback as they do providing it.

Managing “UP”

Managing “UP” requires that you manage to the expectations of your boss:
Know their priorities. Speak their language. Anticipate their needs. Be truthful and don’t BS them.
Contract properly at the end of a meeting.–Achim Nowak

How do you feel about the leadership skills you possess?  Would you rate yourself “average”, “above average”,  or maybe even “below average”?

When you rated yourself, which skills did you consider?  Did you limit it to those that impact the  interactions and relationships with your direct reports and perhaps your peers?  What we often forget to include is the critical relationship required with our boss.

In a prior tip, we shared the need to:

  1. Learn your boss’ communication style. – What level of detail do they prefer?
  2. Be proactive – share strengths and ideas and create an executable plan.
  3. Meet regularly – discuss progress against goals and areas for improvement.
  4. Ask for your boss’ opinion – Ask for their perspective on things.
  5. Go to your boss with solutions – ask for help when needed, but do your “homework”.
  6. Develop a power that makes you attractive – stay apprised of changes in your industry, understand your competitors, have a strong customer/business partner relationship. Be indispensable.
  7. Address problems – talk about your differences; remain fact based; keep your emotions in check.
  8. Play devil’s advocate – share your different perspective; say “Let me play devil’s advocate” and add new perspectives.

Nowak also suggests “appreciating UP“. Let your boss know that you appreciate him/her. Be authentic; provide genuine feedback. “Bosses rarely receive a word of praise or appreciation. From anyone. Yes, it’s lonely at the top, in more ways than one“.

In order to “Manage UP“, it’s up to us to build a strong relationship with our boss. We need to ensure our expectations are aligned, that we have a clear understanding of our organization’s vision, mission, and goals, that all of our behaviors support them, that we are committed to making a difference, and that we communicate the role we play!

Are there are any leadership relationship skills you’d like to enhance?

Managing up is about earning the trust and respect of your boss by working together with that person to create the best possible working relationship.
—Lisa Quast