“Every divisional head is well aware of their numbers,” the CFO announced at the board meeting. “So, I’m perplexed why so many have missed their targets.”
However, we got a different perspective when speaking with the unit managers.
“I was emailed some financials in April,” said one.
“I asked for clarity on some key line items but am still waiting to hear back,” said another.
“I did raise some concerns on revenue forecasts given the economy, but they seem to have fallen on deaf ears,” said a third.
How could we get such important messaging so wrong?
In our work to date, we find many leaders communicate at their comprehension capacity (detail, frequency and pace) and preferred modality (auditory, visual, kinaesthetic and writing) and fail to seek feedback.
Depending on the leader, this could leave significant gaps or misunderstandings.
1. CAPACITY – DETAIL, FREQUENCY & PACE
One leader we challenged about not communicating enough said, “I don’t see what you are on about. The information you are asking me to share with my team seems trivial.
Yet, the lack of these fundamental details often left his team flat-footed.
Another common frustration is the frequency of updates and communication – where leaders get so caught up in their work that they don’t create enough opportunities for knowledge sharing and learning.
Occasionally, a leader may need to pause or slow down to allow the information to be digested.
2. MODALITY – VISUAL, AUDITORY, KINAESTHETIC & WRITING
A leader’s preferred communication modality also has a significant effect, especially in interpersonal relationships.
Here they make the common mistake of imposing their preferred way of comprehension or information dissemination on others.
This was exemplified in one of our recently facilitated workshops. The client was debriefing a supply chain incident, and the three managers involved had contrasting opinions on how the matter should have been handled.
“We should have documented the issue in an email and copied all parties,” one suggested.
“I disagree,” said another, “a simple phone call would have resolved it.”
“I don’t understand why we didn’t drive down and meet with them as soon as we found out. Their office is not that far away,” argued a third
Each manager was convinced theirs was the right approach, articulating their preferred modality.
The critical mistake, however, was not identifying the customer’s preference.
“He has a low basketball IQ,” a coach once dismissed in a recruiting meeting. “I’m not sure we want him on our team.” It didn’t take much time to realise that his visual comprehension was low.
As most communication in basketball is visual – watching videotape, reading scout reports or plays drawn up at a time out on a whiteboard, the recommendation was to have an assistant coach talk through the details and, where possible, walk through the plays…with remarkable results!
It is not enough to communicate at one’s preferred capacity and modality but at the preferences of those they are communicating to.
3. FEEDBACK
Finally, Good leadership seeks feedback. Empathetic enquiry is the ultimate test. It eliminates blind spots, enhances learning and reduces noise. It also provides indicators when someone is talking too much, over-sharing or overwhelming.
It is the workplace and game day equivalent of the military’s ‘Copy That’!
Leaders, managers and coaches must bear the burden of being understood. It is a critical obligation to those they are responsible for.
