Much has been written—and will continue to be—about the importance of leadership communication in times of uncertainty and change. This year, more than in recent memory, leaders face the challenge of communicating with greater clarity, consistency, and frequency.
Leaders must use clear, specific language—always important, but even more so now when immediate clarification may not be possible. They must also provide consistent direction, which is critical at all times but especially now, as teams and employees lack the alignment that in-person workspaces naturally provide.
Additionally, leaders need to communicate frequently during times of change and uncertainty. This is both because situations are fluid and because employees, often distracted, may not retain messages for long.
How do you know if you are doing enough?
Here are four tests you can use to assess your performance:
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Do others repeat your key phrases in meetings, presentations, or conversations?
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Do you receive questions that build on your message?
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Do your messages drive new or different actions?
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How is the energy level when you share information?
If the answers to any of the above are uncertain, then you’ve got an issue. But those tests are not enough.
Closing the Feedback Gap in Virtual Leadership
Leaders not only need to communicate in new ways in the remote working world, but they also need to get feedback differently.
Getting useful feedback on leadership messaging is even more challenging in a virtual working environment. Leaders lose communication bandwidth in both directions—not only in delivering messages to the organization but also in receiving feedback. Body language, room energy, and buzz (both positive and negative) are all muted in a remote environment. Rumors and misinterpretations happen off-screen and are more difficult to sense and correct.
Leaders must make the communication feedback loop visible. How? Ask for feedback. Use surveys. Hold office hours. Check in with skip-level employees. Start by listening, not talking. Then, seek input with simple, direct questions:
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What do you think people struggle to understand?
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What concerns are being discussed when I’m not in the room?
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What questions need answers that I haven't addressed?
Consider the balance between your “outbound” messaging as a leader and the feedback you receive. For many leaders, this ratio is as high as 85/15. Track your own data for a day: How often do you communicate a key strategic message? How often do you ask for feedback on it?
Increase your feedback ratio, and you’ll be on your way to communicating effectively, helping your team navigate challenging times.
