I have never seen a manager in bad faith, only managers who are poorly equipped. And as management is learned on the pitch, inevitably the manager makes several mistakes.
The only thing you can control is your attitude to mistakes.
In this third part on managers’ mistakes, let’s discuss the manager who thinks he communicates clearly.
When you share information with your teams: what do they really understand? Are you delivering the expected results?
Communicating clearly: a tool that is so powerful, simple and complex at the same time.
Think of yourself communicating clearly
All humans have this in common: they want to understand. They don’t want to be told the details of how, they want enough context to understand and do what they have to do to be autonomous. They need meaning.
I often tell my clients: humans need to understand in order to act.
Here’s a case: I ask my software team leader to measure the number of licenses installed and give me a monthly report in order to adjust the budget to ensure compliance at the legal level.
In your opinion, is this request clear?
I thought she was. From my point of view it was simple, clear and easy. But after the 1stmonth… Nothing: no report or question from my team leader about what to do.
So I explained the same thing again (…). The2nd month, ditto. In the3rd month, I created a document template and finally saw a first version of the report, and then I saw the extent of the problem.
Moral of the story: my communication was probably not clear and I “lost” three months.
The team leader didn’t deliver or really say why. He always had a good reason. As this is my request, it is my responsibility that he understands and acts on my request.
My need was clear to me, I needed his expertise. He didn’t deliver. I didn’t really know what to do, because I was trying not to micromanage. I did not deliver the expected results. My supervisor was not satisfied and did not understand why we were not succeeding. Nice loop right?
To have all the tools you need to be understood more easily and have difficult conversations, watch the Communicate Differently online training.
How do you communicate clearly?
First of all, I invite you to consider the following two variables:
Variable #1: Personality
We are all different, we need to have things explained to us at a level of detail that is meaningful to us. Some appreciate synthesis and speed, others detail. Some like to produce reports, some don’t. Some are more sociable, others are not. In short, in communication, you can’t ignore the personality of the other.
Imagine someone who likes things said directly, without too much detail, giving instructions to someone who needs a lot of detail. Arduous, isn’t it? This is possible when you know yourself and are able to recognize others in their needs. There are tools for that!
Variable #2: Experience
Experience in the position, in the type of job or experience working in collaboration with the team is to be considered. As a leader, I experienced the joy of working with people who understood me with few words and delivered exactly what I needed.
It took some time, patience, and several adjustments before we got to this type of relationship. This investment is worth the candle, but is impossible to achieve in the short term. In this case, I am of the opinion that it is up to the manager to initiate the conversation and ensure understanding and commitment.
Steps for managers and leaders who want to communicate more clearly:
#1: Introduce yourself
That is to say, to present his personality and experience.
- Do you have a technical background? Mention it, and, if this is your case, inform them that you like to go into detail because you know the subject and you feel the need to control what is happening.
- Not familiar with the area of expertise? Tell! Mention your strengths in complementary areas (project management, personnel management, etc.).
- Is this your first managerial position? People probably know that, if not, say it. I know you want to succeed, but admit that you’re probably going to make mistakes, but your goal is to succeed and improve. Naming things takes the pressure off. (You’ve already had enough of that, right?)
- Are you an experienced manager? Talk about how you like working with your teams, tell success stories and failures you’ve experienced. Be transparent and human.
I know that the above elements require a certain self-confidence and openness. If you have chosen management, these two elements will be essential to you. Get started right away.
Maybe it’s not in the company’s culture to be so open either? If you like the hat and you like the approach, you have two choices: create a culture that suits you in your team or change your organization.
#2: Express your expectations
In the example I mentioned above, I communicated the following: ‘To measure the number of licenses installed and to make a monthly report in order to adjust the budget to ensure compliance at the legal level.
What I could have done better is to start a discussion based on my need by following these steps:
- Problem to solve: Avoid budget overruns regarding the purchase of software licenses while ensuring compliance.
- Information needed: Understand the installation/uninstallation process, the number of installations made, planned, the constraints.
- Dates, frequency: I would like to follow the evolution on a monthly basis.
- Quality: I don’t need the perfect or complete report on the 1st months, but I need to start seeing so we can adjust. The objective is that for the next quarter I can adjust the budget forecasts if necessary.
In reality, the problem was that the installation/uninstallation process did not work well. How do I report it? A simple request has changed the way we work.
#3: Engage in a discussion
Remain present to requests by following up, by going to see what is going on, by understanding how it works. The idea is not to micromanage, but to engage in a conversation with the person who received the request. The idea is that this demand remains present and that its importance is well understood. Support your application.
And if, like me, your request has opened a Pandora’s box, it won’t always be easy. Persevere!
Conclusion
To communicate clearly, I invite you to first be aware of your current results. Do they live up to your expectations? If not, you would benefit from better articulating your requests while considering the personality and experience of your team members. Then, focus on discussing your need, stay open and engaged.
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