Cracking the manager communication conundrum

 Depressing when things go round in circles, isn’t it?

In 2009, Engaging for Success identified managers as one of the enablers of effective employee engagement, with the importance of effective communication very evident. That was hardly the first time the issue had been highlighted, so why are we still hearing so many concerns about managers and communication capabilities? Why, after so many years, have we not ‘cracked it’?

For me, the root of the issue lies in the way we prepare people to become managers. Generally we still promote people based on technical skills rather than people management abilities. And when we do so, we don’t put enough emphasis on developing management capabilities: communication being one of them. Yes, there are occasional courses, either bespoke or ‘off the shelf’, but it’s rarely an area for consistent coaching or support. And it often falls by the wayside in the face of other priorities.

As a result, we never really address the issue, leading to more hand wringing in conversations and conferences across the land. If we could establish a more consistent focus on communication as a core skill for managers, it would surely strengthen culture and bring benefits to employers and employees alike. It would require time, commitment and investment, but perhaps we could finally consign this repetitive conversation to the past.

Let’s not lose the human touch

 

Internal communicators have a lot thank technology for. We have many more tools and platforms than were available even five years ago, giving us more ways of building closer connections with employees. But is tech always the right solution?

I worry that there is so much attention on different tools to seek views or track sentiment that we are losing focus on human interaction. That a new platform can actually increase the distance between employers and employees rather than reduce it.

Rather than reaching for a new tool of some kind (and the ever-growing array of suppliers willing to sell us one), I feel we should be spending more time on helping our leaders and managers reach into our organisations, to connect with colleagues and have open and productive discussions. That will help us strengthen the culture of engagement far more than a shiny new platform alone, however sophisticated that may be.

People are still people

Tomorrow marks 43 years since Depeche Mode released their first album in the UK. 43 YEARS! Where has that time gone?! Anyway, it made me recall this piece from five years ago, which I feel still holds true...

I suspect few would have synth-pop legends Depeche Mode down as pioneers of employee engagement. But the more complex that participants in this field try to make it, the more their simple refrain ‘People are people’ appeals.

The articulation and application of labels to groups in the workforce has almost become an industry in its own right. To be fair, it’s not just this profession: many protagonists have helped to light the fire, but we avidly fan the flames. And I’m not sure it’s doing us or our organisations any favours.

Supporters argue that such segmentation helps us make sense of changing workforce needs. Detractors say that it introduces massive generalisations that don’t help anyone.

Cynics might argue that developing new labels provides an opportunity to sell something different.

There’s probably some truth in each case. But I feel that developing labels has become a distraction from our core challenge of understanding and responding to the needs of our particular organisations and their people.  

Let’s get back to some basics and the principles that those boys from Basildon espoused more than 30 years ago. Let’s understand our people as they are. Not through the lens of a label that is foisted upon them. 

Simplicity scores

Ever seen an organisation with a 50-slide corporate narrative?

I was reminded of one last week. It was one of those decks where the authors - and I suspect there were many of them - used an awful lot of words without saying much at all.

Apart from the challenge of wading through such a lot of material, how is any reader going to identify and assimilate key messages? How is anyone expected to use the document as a practical tool to aid engagement with stakeholders?

If you can’t get your core story on a page, then you have too complex a story. It’s time to review, prioritise and refine the content. There are ways of expanding or amplifying its themes for different audiences, adding more depth or detail when required for specific groups, but the core story should always be clear, compelling and – crucially – concise. Otherwise it will not do the job your company needs it to.

Comeback kids

 For some reason, it seems appropriate to explore comebacks this week…

The return of indie/rock/choose-your-label band Oasis after 15 years (big news here in the UK) led me to think about the wisdom of returning to a former role or workplace.

I’m sure many of us have considered that in the past, weighing up the merits of starting a second act with the same colleagues and employer. But is it wise to rekindle the relationship? After all, we all had reasons for leaving in the first place…

I had a similar opportunity many (many!) years ago, and chose not to. Then again, I know others who have gone back and felt like they had never been away.

I love to hear those experiences, as they show the employer/employee relationship can be rekindled for mutual success. But I guess there are many others that don’t end as well.

Time will tell whether this week’s comeback goes as planned!

Purpose must be practical

I am a big fan of articulating an organisation’s purpose, but only if it is accompanied by action.  

A purpose statement might read wonderfully and look lovely on a slide or website. But what are companies doing to engage employees in what the purpose actually means? To help teams and individuals align activities? To introduce it to new (or potential) colleagues?

Ideally, employees will have already contributed to shaping the purpose by sharing views of why the organisation exists and what difference it makes. Even if they have – and especially if they haven’t – the company has to help them understand what an articulated purpose should mean for their work. Guide them on how to put it into practice. Equip teams to challenge their own behaviours and strengthen alignment.

That’s why any purpose statement should be a practical tool, not just a fine set of words. The articulation is just the starting point of a process to embed what it really means across the company. Without that, any statement risks becoming a house built on sand.

What do I do now?

 “What do I do now?”, asked the UK band Sleeper some years ago.     

Admittedly, this was in a very different context to internal  communication, but I was reminded of it last week, having seen some (non-client!) communications that lacked a clear call to action. Why put so much effort into developing materials that connect with your audience, but then fail to show them what’s next?

This only creates frustration among readers. No matter what the topic, or the channel(s) you’re using, provide a clear route forward (e.g. specific actions, sources of further information, feedback loops). Don’t leave them guessing or trying to work it out for themselves.

And if you know the Sleeper song I mentioned, you now have an earworm for the rest of the day. You’re welcome.