Consistency of Manager’s Messaging to Employees
In today’s digitally linked and often geographically dispersed workplace, it is crucial that leaders cut through the noise, ensure the message is delivered and ensure their messaging to employees is clear and effective. Even then, the task does not end with merely ensuring that messages are received. Effective communication entails that messages are comprehended.
Communication between a manager and his employees is essential for the successful operation of any business. Only 30 percent of employees understand their company’s business plan, according to a report cited on the Carrots website, an official online newspaper of the O.C. Tanner Corporation. This is a concerning statistic for any manager. Managers that consistently fail to effectively communicate with their employees foster an environment of ambiguity and indecision. A worker who is unsure of his responsibilities is unlikely to perform to the best of his capacity. Choosing the appropriate mode of communication can make all the difference in whether a message is comprehended and acted upon.
What exactly is it about the power of consistency that makes it so crucial in the process of developing efficient communication between manager and employees?
The meaning of Consistency
When you want to be consistent, you must ensure that all of the components of your communications remain aligned to the core concept or message that you wish to convey, irrespective of the channels or executions that you employ.
Why is consistency important?
Let’s begin with science.
Our brains learn new information by forming new neural pathways – both in how we think about and perform tasks. Consistency strengthens these neural networks, and plays a crucial part in how our brains store knowledge.
Consistency also aids in establishing a sense of certainty, which our brains need. When conflicting signals circulate throughout an organization, an uncertain work environment is created. In turn, uncertainty causes stress and impacts performance and engagement. Consistency in your communication will assist you in establishing and enhancing internal trust.
Consistency creates a common understanding
People will not necessarily grasp or remember your message simply because you have communicated it once. Frequently repeating the same concept generates “eureka!” moments and fosters comprehension among your employees.
After hearing your message multiple times, your audience will gain a crystal-clear comprehension. Oftentimes, people require time to comprehend your objectives, especially if you are implementing significant life modifications.
A shared comprehension also makes it simpler to solve project obstacles. When there is a mutual trust between managers and employees, it is far more probable that they will listen to your counsel when something unexpected happens.
Mutual respect increases the likelihood that employees will heed your counsel when the unexpected occurs.
Clarity guarantees that your message is understood.
The world is noisy and exerts enormous demands on our focus. This means that crucial communications are susceptible to becoming lost, misinterpreted, or overlooked. If you can consistently communicate the same message, you are more likely to reach and influence your employees.
Messaging that is misaligned is difficult for employees to process. They may simply disregard your communications if they require an excessive amount of time and mental effort. If you want your message to be heard by your employees, it must be relevant and current.
Accuracy drives productivity and sets the right expectations
Employees are always invested in your initiative, and consistent communication with them will keep your project on track. This requires mastering the fundamentals.
It is crucial to set precise meeting times and agendas. Different sets of employees will have varying interests; therefore you must communicate information pertinent to their requirements.
Additionally, it is essential to establish realistic expectations regarding the process, objectives, and outcomes. If employees’ expectations are misplaced owing to irregular communication, they might quickly become confused, dissatisfied, and resistive.
How to align your communications
It is essential that your organization has a thorough understanding of its mission, objectives, and methods for attaining them. If these conditions are met, it will be easier for your team to develop a consistent manager-employee communications plan.
However, if you lack a central repository for storing and retrieving interactions, your communications may become disjointed.
Consistency of manager’s messaging to employees
But, how can a manager send any message, here are a few things to bear in mind:
- Determine a core group of terms and phrases that reflect the essence of the concepts and ideas that you want to communicate, and be consistent in utilizing those terms and phrases in all of your messages.
- Make use of a variety of channels of communication and a wide range of approaches in order to convey your messages throughout the course of time. Make sure that the information you create is tailored to the requirements and advantages of individual channels. However, in order to avoid becoming sidetracked, you must maintain your concentration on delivering messages that are consistent, clear, and to the point.
- Make use of recognition as a vehicle for communication; acknowledge employees whose actions demonstrate that they have understood key messages and are acting in a manner that is consistent with those messages.
- Tell compelling and consistent examples to illustrate your points using storytelling to bring your points to life.
- Put more of an emphasis on providing managers with messaging toolkits to support their job. Over the course of the past year, there has been a shift in the variety of communication channels that we utilize, which has brought to light the important role that managers play in the communication process.
- Ensure that all employees are included in all communications; don’t leave any of them in the dark or out of the loop. You should give careful consideration to the communication tools you use, taking into consideration the requirements, preferences, and conditions of the employees.
While maintaining a consistent message is crucial, we must also keep in mind that we live in a world that is always evolving and that we operate in environments that are becoming more varied. Keep in mind that being consistent does not mean being rigid; this is an essential point to keep in mind. Take the time to engage your audience and get a better understanding of why a message is being misinterpreted when you notice that it is happening. Importantly, make use of their comments to develop new messages in order to make them understandable, pertinent, and engaging in a world that is constantly shifting.
Finally, if you would like to learn more about how WorkCompass, our performance management software and our AI Virtual Coaching Assistant can help with the consistency of manager’s messaging to employees. Please get in touch and request a demo with one of our team.
