Discussion on Communication is Critical

Like so many others, the biggest problem area of my company is that of leadership communication.  As a small school district, it would seem as though communication would be an easier task to handle than some of the much larger surrounding districts.  This is quite the opposite, because of our small size, it becomes difficult to determine who needs the communication of specific things and who does not.  Due to this unknown, communication falls completely off the rails.  With the current school shutdown in effect, communication within the district has suffered immensely.  Administrative staff holds meetings, and makes decisions without communicating with the remaining staff on site.  One of the most important factors of communication is clarity.  Effective leaders are able to cut through the fluff and communicate the high points utilizing brevity and clarity (Myatt, 2012).  The biggest factor affecting communication currently, is the inability of the administrative team to delegate efficiently.  With a constant barrage of information, decisions and being changed almost daily, and those changes are not being communicated clearly to the remainder of the team.  While this is less impacting on teachers, it is incredibly frustrating for the support staff as we all navigate the changes daily.  The best solution for the significant lack of communication involves the delegation of as much work from the administrative team as possible, and for the administrative team to bear in mind that those supporting them require as much information as they are able to provide.  While it is not necessary to provide every detail of every conversation, events that impact the daily jobs of staff should be kept in mind when decisions are being made.

Myatt, M. (2017). 10 communication secrets of great leaders. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikemyatt/2012/04/04/10-communication-secrets-of-great-leaders/#51ae656522fe

Reply: Hello Mikita, you are right that communication is one of the most important aspects of a business. In fact, I believe that without communication, it would not be possible to manage and complete almost every process. With the lack of communication, desired results are not produced. It is true that although it is believed that communication within small structures is easy, it is just as complex as in large organizations. When it comes to the management of projects, it is essential to ensure that each and every member of the team has all the instructions that he requires for performing the job in an effective manner. You are right that lack of communication affects the staff in an adverse manner because when instructions are not communicated to them, they tend to experience confusion. I also think that the issue your business is facing can be resolved with precise delegation and communicating the necessary instructions to your staff.

Communication in the Organization

by Nicole Hiller - Wednesday, April 8, 2020, 8:31 PM

There are a couple of examples that come to mind, one is one of the primary leaders in the organization I am currently with.  He has been with the organization for 20 years in a variety of roles where he developed a thorough knowledge of all processes.  Due to his ability to understand complex procedural issues and execute plans – he progressed quickly through the organization.  The owners saw his high potential and provided opportunities for growth.  Today – he is incredibly competent.  What has not developed has been his ability to communicate with people.  He makes an immediate decision (which is normally an extreme such as termination) and comes in very hot.  In addition – within four years, he went from leading a team of ~16 to leading a team of ~110 which is 2/3rds of the organization.  As he accumulated additional direct reports, he realized that he didn’t have personal connections with his team members.  He described relationships as “one sided” where others weren’t trying to develop relationships with him.  Once he identified the blind spot, he knew that he had to work on this.  We recently directed him to some career coaching, which perfectly redirected his energy with people.  According to Greenawald (2019), career coaching allows the individual to experiment, iterate and continuously improve in a risk-free, real time feedback environment.

In my experience, the primary reason for organizational problems comes down to communication.  Method, tone, frequency and content all have an impact of the perception and stories that individuals will develop.  Essentially – all decisions are a form of change, and communication manages that change. 

Greenawald, E. (2019). 3 Reasons You Really Do Need a Career Coach. Retrieved from https://www.themuse.com/advice/3-reasons-you-really-do-need-a-career-coach

Reply: Hello Nicole, you have discussed the role of communication in organization accurately. I also believe that communication is one of the most important and critical aspects in an organization as without it, it is not possible to execute different processes and tasks properly without facing issues. Actually, I believe that communication has the role of a bridge between two and more people. It is essential in every organization because it helps in providing instructions to people and it helps them in knowing and understanding their responsibilities. In fact, change management is a critical process in every organization and it has been determined that in the management of a change, communication is considered critical. For instance, if communication is not established among employees, it will cause them to resist employees. Therefore, change managers often tend to ensure that communication is first established and the objectives of change are communicated to employees before they implement the change. This serves to facilitate the change and allows change managers to effective manage the change.

Leadership Traits

by Mackenzie Jones - Wednesday, April 8, 2020, 7:23 PM

When thinking about traits essential for future leaders I think it is easy to jump straight to technology skills as technology continues to be a larger and larger part of the world. Haynie (2019) points out however, traits such as creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence may actually be the most sought after. Most anyone from the younger, tech savvy generations, who will end up as the leaders of the future, can learn how to use a program or implement technology seamlessly into the workplace. Traits such as creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence are not so easily taught though. These traits tend to be traits that people either have or do not have by adulthood. It is far more useful to have the creativity to come up with innovative ways to utilize technology or new strategies in the workplace that to simply be able to learn how to use a program or machine exactly how intended. Communication has become increasingly important as well as millennials tend to care more about social responsibility than past generations. Younger generations of workers are also seeking jobs that allow them to find satisfaction and a good work-life balance, all of these things take a leader who is connected with those around them, able to effectively communicate, and creatively problem solve. It is not enough to just know a lot about a particular industry anymore, it is so easy to hire consultants to help in this area but much more difficult to bring in outside help to influence the culture of the company.

Haynie, S. (2019, February 27). Traits of the top 3% of future leaders. In Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/02/27/traits-of-the-top-3-of-future-leaders/#33e85fa53b8c

Reply: Hello Mackenzie, you have done a great job in explaining the role and importance of communication within an organization. I agree with you that in recent times, communication has become an area of interest. Although communication was always recognized as an important part of a firm, in recent times, it has become even more significant. It would not be wrong to say that for a leader to effectively lead his people, it is essential for him to have exceptional communication skills to ensure that he can reach out to his people and can collaborate with them to accomplish the organizational goals and objectives. For a person who aims to become a leader and manage people, it is necessary for the person to ensure that he as the required communication skills to engage people and motivate them. Being compassionate and persuasive are important for a leader and both of these behaviors require communication.

Traits of Leaders

by Samantha Mellum - Wednesday, April 8, 2020, 7:59 PM

The leadership traits, qualities, and behaviors which will be most important in the future are as follows: inspires & motivates others, displays high integrity and honesty, solves problems and analyzes issues, drives for results, communicates powerfully and prolifically, builds relationships, displays technical and professional expertise, displays a strategic perspective, develops others, & innovates (SHRM, 2020). The two I bolded are, in my opinion, the most important. This is based on previous experiences and managers who have lacked those skills. Communication is so critical because it bases the employee’s viewpoint on many situations. How you communicate is so important. I also think a strategic perspective is extremely important because I have previously worked for companies who think in the moment instead of the future and lack plans when certain events happen.

It is challenging to develop leadership programs to meet these needs. However, Qualtrics (n.d.) states that it is important to evaluate your current crop of leaders. Creating personal development plans which are tailored to the qualities they need in their role and their current strengths and weaknesses. Stating that it is important that these plans facilitate personal growth and not be seen as corrective measures.

Qualtrics. (n.d.). How and why to run a leadership development program. XM. Retrieved from https://www.qualtrics.com/experience-management/employee/leadership-development/

SHRM. (2020). Developing organizational leaders. Society for Human Resources Managers. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/toolkits/pages/developingorganizationalleaders.aspx

Reply: Hello Samantha, you are right in explaining that communication is more than just a little important in an organization. I agree with you that without communication, it is not possible for a leader to manage his employees. I also believe that the role of communication is irreplaceable because it is not just a skill which can be easily acquired. It is an essential component of every firm and I have explained in other posts as well that without communication, it is not possible to manage both processes and people. In fact, if communication is not prevalent within a firm, it will cause employees to produce results which are not desired. Therefore, communication skills are necessary for both leaders and managers. It helps them in the management of processes and people. Communication is necessary because it serves to facilitate the conveyance of messages and instructions, essential to produce the desired results.